Customer Reviews

Turbochargers HP49 (HP Books): Turbo Design, Sizing & Matching, Spark-Ignition & Diesel Engine Applications, Water Injection, Controls, Carburetion, Intercooling, ... Street & Race Cars, Boats, Motorc

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book provides excellent information on how to select a turbocharger (or multiple turbochargers) for an engine, hook it up, and control it. If you want to turbocharge almost any engine built before the 80's, this book contains most of the information you'll need to set it up. Considering the number of hot rodders who still use carbs and engines developed over 20 years ago, this book's still quite useful.

The biggest weakness of this book is a lack of coverage of fuel injection and other recent developments. At the time this book was written, people thought that computer-controlled engines were more or less unmodifiable, and the technology that changed that isn't covered in this book. It also has some amusing predictions, such as speculation about the future of tractor pulling.

This book is out of date! Many things have changed since 1984. A new revision is called for... Nonetheless, the book covers most subjects very well, although the technical detail drops sharply after the first chapter or two. Very valuable information about turbo sizing and matching, different configurations, bi- and tri- (yes) turbos, intercooling, aftercooling, water injection, oiling, exhaust... All this information is as relevant as ever. If only the technical detail have been kept throughout the book... As an American book, it uses the Imperial measurement system (CFM/PSI/CID etc.) exclusively! Metric favourites beware... A very good section in the end about problems and troubleshooting. If you're interested in turbos, go and buy it.

Danny Halamish

Using only this book as an information source, I succeeded in my goal of converting a diesel camper engine to a turbo diesel, increasing power by 35% while decreasing the operating temperature. Hugh MacInnes gives excellent explanations of turbo theory, practice, and real world rules of thumb. He tells you how to perform the necessary math to match a turbo to an engine, as well as providing simplified graphs for math-phobics. I agree with some other reviewers that the book badly needs updating and expanding. I feel it has been edited a bit too severely. One of the few "how to" books I have that actually tells you how to.

Before I got this book I was pretty sure I knew what turborcharging was about. However, I now know that it's quite a bit more advanced than you would think. Some of the passages you will have to read twice. It's a very informative book. You will learn about water injection, intercooling, how to read compressor maps plus a lot of fairly advanced formulas. It really is a great book. But it does have a few years on it's back. It shows in passages like "...but with modern 3- and 4- speed manual transmissions..." and all the times where it is stated that a high boost for a street driven car would be 5-7 psi. Also it does have a few typo's. You should read the formulas at least a couple of time before using them in practice. Some of them have typo's. I do however still rate it five stars, and that's because I simply don't know a better book on the subject. If you are at all interested in turbocharging, you should definitely buy this book.

This book is great, filled with a ton of great info.... if your looking for state of the art in 1984. Throughout the book, the author gives examples of what is "state of the art"... almost 20 years ago.... most of which has been improved upon. If your just looking for concepts, then this book might be worth your time. However, if your looking for more pretinent info for now, I suggest Corky Bell's "Maximum Boost" or Earl Davis' "Superchargers, TurboChargers, and Nitrous Performance Handbook".

I purchased this book wanting to learn about Turbos. After I finished reading it I wish the book gave a little more info. How to control wastegates, turbo timers, and pop off valves. Also I little more info on converting a naturally aspirated engine to a Turbo would be a big help. Where boost guages should be located, vacuum lines be relocated, and a little more info on Fuel injection.

Very informative, very clear. The author is an excellent teacher and educator on this subject. No rash statements, just good solid theory with examples of actual functioning units. This should (IMHO) be the first turbo book that everyone should read before any others...It actually helps the other turbo books to make more sense. The most thorough and well thought out examples of almost any combination and arrangement that can be thought of, including diesels and aviation applications. Buy it!

This book surely increased my limited knowledge greatly. Certainly it is dated, but still relevant in many ways. As an owner of a couple turbo-charged Corvairs, I benefited from some of MacInnes' special attention to these engines. An updated version would be very welcome. Well written, perhaps lacking a total technical/ mathematics over-view.

This book is okay to buy if you plan on turbo charging a old carburated car. No info on fuel injection,or computer control. Actually the information given in the book is primative and was written before the first car that had even the most simple fuel injection. I would reccomend instead of buying this book, buy 'Maximum Boost' by Corky Bell.

Buy this book for its in-depth teaching materials about the underlying math in sizing turbos and inlet tracts, etc. The balance is really only useful for carb applications. When used with the Bell book on turbos, one can pick enough from both to intelligently upgrade a current f.i. turbomotor; neither stands alone well.