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I don't think we can expect to see the Jackson racing blower kit any time soon, though it sounds like he'll get around to it eventually.
I have access to a rather brilliant hot-rodder/fabricator/welder/chopper-builder who has forgotten more about this kind of thing than most people will ever know. I happened to be talking to him yesterday at his shop on an unrelated matter and I told him about our possible "niche market" for a light-pressure turbo for the late-model GX. I should have learned not to be surprised by the guy any more, but he blew my mind when he began expounding on the technical issues surrounding turbocharers on CNG engines. (He knew, off the top of his head, how many ounces of water are produced by a CNG car per GGE burned. Unbelievable.) He once designed and fabricated a one-off turbo for a CNG-powered bus in a town in Colorado, just for one example.
Anyway, in our discussion we agreed on these points:
1. With the compression ratio of 12:1 a "serious" hot-rod turbo kit would require tearing down the entire engine and installing low C.R. pistons. But the stock engine should handle a low level of boost without a problem.
2. The biggest GX market is in Utah right now, and most of these cars are operated at a high altitude. Our goal is to improve the car's breathing enough to produce the same kind of performance in the mountains of Utah that a stock, gasoline-powered Civic sees at sea level. Not a "hot-rod", per se, but enough extra grunt to level the playing field. Plus a little bit, probably. (What the heck....)
3. A turbo should, in theory, increase the fuel efficiency of the engine as long as the driver doesn't play around with the power too much. We figure most buyers would be more interested in a modest power increase in order to maintain the car's efficiency. These things were never intended to be hot rods! (Frankly, it'd be cheaper to burn Premium unleaded and buy an Si anyway.)
4. Natural gas engines produce vast amounts of water vapor in their exhaust, which is why the entire exhaust system must be stainless steel. Any turbo or blower must be able to handle a very moist, highly corrosive environment. At first blush our inclination is to use a custom version of the Garrett VNT-15 variable-geometry turbo. These units utilize Inconel and stainless steel in the turbine stage, so corrosion won't be a problem. They are highly efficent, and spool up more quickly than comparable wastegated turbos. They are relatively simple to engineer around since they don't have a wastegate. And, finally, the clean, soot-free exhaust and relatively lower exhaust temperatures of a CNG engine should contribute to the longevity of these already excellent, state-of-the-art turbos.
It is our intention to keep the cost down by avoiding the use of an intercooler, which really isn't necessary at low boost levels. We're thinking 4 or 5 psi should be more than enough. Overkill, in fact.
I plan to at least do a one-off for my own car, but I'd like to see how many people express a serious interest in such a kit. Post if you want one, or speak up if you have suggestions! If you want to make a serious hot rod out of one of these cars my guy can work with you, but you'll be on your own as far as I'm concerned. I have no intention of opening up my engine. I want a simple, bolt-on, low-pressure turbo that will give me just enough "oomph" that I won't miss my gas-engined Honda.
I have access to a rather brilliant hot-rodder/fabricator/welder/chopper-builder who has forgotten more about this kind of thing than most people will ever know. I happened to be talking to him yesterday at his shop on an unrelated matter and I told him about our possible "niche market" for a light-pressure turbo for the late-model GX. I should have learned not to be surprised by the guy any more, but he blew my mind when he began expounding on the technical issues surrounding turbocharers on CNG engines. (He knew, off the top of his head, how many ounces of water are produced by a CNG car per GGE burned. Unbelievable.) He once designed and fabricated a one-off turbo for a CNG-powered bus in a town in Colorado, just for one example.
Anyway, in our discussion we agreed on these points:
1. With the compression ratio of 12:1 a "serious" hot-rod turbo kit would require tearing down the entire engine and installing low C.R. pistons. But the stock engine should handle a low level of boost without a problem.
2. The biggest GX market is in Utah right now, and most of these cars are operated at a high altitude. Our goal is to improve the car's breathing enough to produce the same kind of performance in the mountains of Utah that a stock, gasoline-powered Civic sees at sea level. Not a "hot-rod", per se, but enough extra grunt to level the playing field. Plus a little bit, probably. (What the heck....)
3. A turbo should, in theory, increase the fuel efficiency of the engine as long as the driver doesn't play around with the power too much. We figure most buyers would be more interested in a modest power increase in order to maintain the car's efficiency. These things were never intended to be hot rods! (Frankly, it'd be cheaper to burn Premium unleaded and buy an Si anyway.)
4. Natural gas engines produce vast amounts of water vapor in their exhaust, which is why the entire exhaust system must be stainless steel. Any turbo or blower must be able to handle a very moist, highly corrosive environment. At first blush our inclination is to use a custom version of the Garrett VNT-15 variable-geometry turbo. These units utilize Inconel and stainless steel in the turbine stage, so corrosion won't be a problem. They are highly efficent, and spool up more quickly than comparable wastegated turbos. They are relatively simple to engineer around since they don't have a wastegate. And, finally, the clean, soot-free exhaust and relatively lower exhaust temperatures of a CNG engine should contribute to the longevity of these already excellent, state-of-the-art turbos.
It is our intention to keep the cost down by avoiding the use of an intercooler, which really isn't necessary at low boost levels. We're thinking 4 or 5 psi should be more than enough. Overkill, in fact.
I plan to at least do a one-off for my own car, but I'd like to see how many people express a serious interest in such a kit. Post if you want one, or speak up if you have suggestions! If you want to make a serious hot rod out of one of these cars my guy can work with you, but you'll be on your own as far as I'm concerned. I have no intention of opening up my engine. I want a simple, bolt-on, low-pressure turbo that will give me just enough "oomph" that I won't miss my gas-engined Honda.
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