HomeworkResponse15

Enteringtheconversation
TheSupraplatform,primarilythe4thgeneration,hasbeenarelevantforceinthe
streetracingspectrumeversinceitsdebut.Thecapabilitiesofthe2JZGTEare
tremendous,giventhatitiscomposedofanironblock,forgedinternals,strong
crankshaft;componentsrarelyfoundinfactoryperformancecarsfromthefactory.With
thismechanicalincentive,tunerscouldachieveconsiderablehorsepowergainswithjust
boltons,forinstanceafrontmountedintercooler,turbointakes,orexhausttonamea
few.Thelimitsareendlessfortheinfamous2JZGTE,somemodifiedsetupshavebeen
documentedtoreachover1,500horsepowertothewheels,whiletheenginealonecould
bemaking1,8002,000horsepower(wheelhorsepower,whichistheamountof
horsepowerthatmakesittotherearwheels,islessthancrankhorsepower,whichisthe
amounttheenginemakesitself,duetothefactthatpowerislostbythetimeitreaches
therearwheels.Powerislostwhenthepoweristransmittedfromtheenginetothe
transmission,thenfromthetransmissiontothedriveshaft.)Eventhoughtremendous
horsepowerhasbeenachieved,theremaybeawaytoeffectivelyachieveafewmore
poniesunderneaththehood.
AlthoughtheSupracanhandlewhateveristhrownatitatamodification
standpoint,nomatterwhatsetupaSupraisrunning,IfeelasifIhavecameupwith
anotherwaytogainpower,ormaybejusttosufficientlysupplytheturbo(s)withmore
air.Speakingfromamodificationstandpointagain,mostSuprasthatareandhave
achievedabsurdamountsofhorsepoweroptforasingleturbosetup,ditchingthetwo
smallturbosoriginallyimplantedintoSuprasfromthefactory.Bigger,singleturbosare
usedgenerallybecausetheycanhandlemorepoundsofboost,andcreatelargeramounts
ofhigherRPMhorsepowerthanthestocktwinturboscan.Sincethethrottlebodyis
positionedonthedriverssideoftheenginecompartment,itleavestheleftsideofthe
enginebaytohousealargeturbo,aswellasitscorrespondingturbomanifold.This
leavestheenginebaybasicallycrammed,thusnotleavingmuchdirectairtoreachthe
turboitself,whichisinsufficient.
Whiletherearemeansofwaystofeedairtotheturbo(s),alotofthemare
aestheticallytasteful,suchasaobnoxioushoodscoop,cuttingaholeintothehood,or
evencuttingoutaportionofthepassengersideheadlight.Thesemeansofairflowhurt
theintegrityofthebeautifulexterioroftheSupra,aswellasaddingdragintheinstance
whereahoodscoop,orcuttingawholeintheexteriorisundertaken.Mysolutionwould
betoengineerandconstructaspecialturbointakethatwouldleadfromtheturbo,tothe
passengersideairduct,wherethepreviousstockintercoolerwouldbelocated.This
methodoffeedingairtotheturbowouldruleoutanyobnoxiousexteriormodification,
whichinturnwouldleadtonoaerodynamicdrag.

Indesigningsuchapart,lotsofconsiderationmustbeputintothought.For
instance,manySuprasgothroughvariousamountsofdifferentturbosandsetups,soI
wouldhavetokeepinmindalotofpossibilities,suchastheabilitytoswapitout.Also,
wouldtheintakebedirectlyattachedtotheturbo?Wouldithavetobeweldedtothe
turbo,orcoulditbebolton?Diameterofthepipingisalsoaquestion,aswellasameans
tofiltertheairsothatcommonroaddebriswouldntentertheturboandcausea
catastrophicfailure.Thispartneedstobethoughtoutdeeply,andbeusefulinawaythat
manySuprascouldbeabletouseitintheirsetup.
Fortheintake,Ihavecometotheconclusionthatitmustbeinterchangeable,heat
wrapped,andauniversalfitforallSupras.Iwouldconstructabracketthatwouldbe
mountedontopoftheshockassembly,whichisseenintheenginebay.Thebracket
wouldbeweldedtosomesortofhangar,whichwouldthenbeweldedontotheintake,
whichwouldbelocatedinfrontofthespotwheretheturboitselfresides.Theintake
wouldbe90millimetersindiameter,whichwouldaccommodateanyturbosizewith
ease,sincebasicallyeveryturbodoesnotexceed90millimeters.Theintakewouldbe
heatwrapped,becausetheairintheintakeshouldbeascoolaspossibletoachievemore
horsepower.Theintakewouldsnakeitswaytothepassengersidefrontairdam,located
behindthefrontbumperwherethefactoryintercoolerusedtosit.Attheendoftheintake
Iwouldfastenacone.Theconereferringtoanairfilterlikesystem.Thiswouldtrap
anyroaddebrisfromenteringtheintake,andbeingshotintotheturbo.Thismodification
wouldprovetobeverybeneficialinachievingamoresufficientmethodofprovidingair
totheturbo.
Inconclusion,thissimplemodificationwouldbeverybeneficialforanySupra
ownerwhowantedtoimprovetheefficiencyoftheirturbosetup,withoutanysacrificeto
theexteriorofthecar.Sincetheturboitselfisthecornerstoneinmakingthelucrative
amountsofhorsepowerpossible,airflowtotheturboisacriticalcomponentin
efficiency,whichhasbeenaddressedbythecustomizedturbointakeIhavecameup
with.Allowingairtogostraighttotheturbowithoutmuchimprovisationmustbeany
Supraownersdream.Allitneedsnowistobetested.