could i put a turbo on one of my garden tractors

[Keaton 435]

i was wondering if i got a engine i did not mind blowing up, if i could get a turbo for it, if it is any good i might put it on one of my decent tractors, but where do i get a turbo or a turbo kit. i have looked but where go i get an install kit for one, i was going to put it on a 10hp engine that i did not mond blowing up, if it works i thought about putting one on my 701 or just one for show to look cool 

[ebinmaine 67,424]

IMHO....

 

Don't blow up a classic good piece of iron. Get a junk disposable like one of the modern Harbor Freight engines for 100 bucks or a little more.

 

 

That said,

yes you can put a turbo on a single cylinder engine. Never done it myself.

You could probably put the word "turbo" in the search engine at the top of the page and watch for a username "fast88pickup"  

 

I don't think he's on here much anymore but he's done a couple in the past.

[953 nut 55,189]

Your best bet is to read some posts in the puller section.  https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/forum/48-pullers/.  @fast88pu has some posts about turbos in there.

[ri702bill 8,316]

7 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Don't blow up a classic good piece of iron

@Keaton - that is the commom concensus here at Red Square..... but, the engineering required to do so just might be interesting....

[squonk 41,068]

If you "Have to blow something up " syndrome, just drain out the oil and let it rip. You can use the money saved to buy another engine that you will need anyway. 

[kpinnc 12,005]

I might be wrong, but I would imagine aside from not wanting to see an old Kohler blown up- a turbo wouldn't likely work as well as it will with a newer engine like a v-twin that could tolerate higher RPM anyway. 

 

Again I probably don't have a clue. It's just hard to imagine an old cast iron engine SAFELY revving like that without major modifications (flywheel, crank, rod, etc).

Edited March 7 by kpinnc

[kpinnc 12,005]

5 minutes ago, squonk said:

If you "Have to blow something up " syndrome, just drain out the oil and let it rip. You can use the money saved to buy another engine that you will need anyway. 

 

Only do this with a Techumseh. 

[ebinmaine 67,424]

4 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

I might be wrong, but I would imagine aside from not wanting to see an old Kohler blown up- a turbo wouldn't likely work as well as it will with a newer engine like a v-twin that could tolerate higher RPM anyway. 

 

Again I probably don't have a clue. It's just hard to imagine an old cast iron engine SAFELY revving like that without major modifications (flywheel, crank, rod, etc).

 

 

 

You bring up an important point.

 

It's common knowledge on a lot of pulling and racing sites that any of the older cast iron engines with cast iron flywheels should NEVER be run more than 4,000 RPM for ANY reason..... Until they are remanufactured and some parts are changed.

[Keaton 435]

1 hour ago, kpinnc said:

 

Only do this with a Techumseh. 

ur not wrong i have one i am swaping out, i might try that

[Keaton 435]

i dont think i will do it on a kolher but i might do it on the techumesh that i was goign to swap anyways 

[ebinmaine 67,424]

It's your money so obviously you're free to do what you want. You may want to do a fair amount of research unless you are only trying to get the LOOK of the turbo. 

 

Also keep in mind that if you're considering revving it higher with the turbo charger attached, you're not only putting the engine in danger, you're putting yourself and everyone else around it in danger. When a small engine cast iron flywheel comes apart it can do a significant amount of damage. Think, shrapnel. That's why there's rules in the Pulling Classes about certain types of shrouds and shields. 

 

 

If on the other hand, you really want to try to get a couple actual extra horsepower, you may want to do an investment into an engine that you know for a fact is going to be able to give and take what you want.

 

I'm not saying don't do it. I'm just saying there's a reason why you don't see a turbo charger on every lawn mower in the entire world. They aren't exactly super effective on a low RPM (3600) single cylinder engine.

 

[ri702bill 8,316]

1 hour ago, kpinnc said:

Only do this with a Techumseh. 

Given enough use, the Tecky's do that all by themselves!!!!!  

[ranger 1,750]

Nitrous Oxide???😂😂😂🤪

[ebinmaine 67,424]

Long as I can remember I've enjoyed the mental processing and bench Dyno type discussions. Every single time it has always come down to, bang for the buck, so to speak.

 

So, therein lies a few questions.

 

Why a turbo? Is it just to see if it would work on a small engine? Is it for show? Is it for bragging rights?

 

Is there a specific number of horsepower that one might attempt to achieve?

 

Would you be better Suited with a different engine that is naturally aspirated instead? In other words, if you have 10 and you want 16 why not just get a 16?

 

 

Possibly most important of all, not that you need to throw out a number, but consider your budget carefully. If you feel like dumping a grand into something to see if a turbo is going to work then it might be worth dumping that same G into just getting a bigger engine rebuilt and then you KNOW what you have.

 

 

[Keaton 435]

i really just wanted to see if it worked and if it helped anything at all, i dont want to change the origonal engines out of my wheel horse 856 or 701 i think it would just look coon and i was wondering if it worked

[Handy Don 12,213]

4 hours ago, Keaton said:

get a turbo for it

I’ve seen one Onan P220 that had a Subaru turbocharger added. It was a messy job but it did run. As I recall, the fellow had shifted the camshaft by one gear tooth on the crank to get the spark timing to work.

For my money, I think it would be easier to use an electric supercharger--less plumbing.

[Pullstart 62,834]

I’d say if you were to do it, maybe gap your rings for boost, build the engine to work well with the turbo, and time and fuel it right.  Do some research to satisfy the needs of the engine.  One thing to think of is oiling.  You’ll need a tank and a pump since most single cylinders are splash lubricated.

[ri702bill 8,316]

1 hour ago, Pullstart said:

since most single cylinders are splash lubricated.

 

Until the fatal moment when the connecting rod wants out and ventilates the block doing so. From there on in, lubrication don't mean squat!!   

[Tractorhead 9,064]

Made it myself few years ago with a cheapo „Harbor freight“ Engine to see what can be achieved.

 

One word before - cheap - depends on your own definition. 🤪

all together i wasted for that „idiot Bet“ about 1800$ for few Day‘s Fun and abou 2 months of Work to win this Bet.

 

We used a cheap chinese Quadbike as „Testvehicle“ what had a cracked Engine.

That was the reason this dang idiotic Bet was made by few Beers

- if you think about such an item - no friends should be aside and the Beer must be faaaaar faaaar away...

believe me, ask why i knew it.😎

 

I used a Smart Turbo therefore that must be reworked before you can use it.

Reason is, the Smart Turbo has an fixed cast iron Exhaust manifold for a 3 cyl. engine on it.

That is part of the Turbo.

 

Grinded it down and welded a Pipe onto it, to be able to be adapted.

or be aware to have access to a cnc Machine and build your own exhaust.

If you can weld cast iron you got the half bet with the Cheap version.

 

Additionally you need a little Temp stable Hydraulicpump.

I raped a Haldex pump for that, what becomes an own Filter and distributor case cnc milled.

Here first the pump intake pass a filter, out of the pump to the Cooling section of the Turbo, than rerouted thru a external Oil Cooler

I used a Computer Watercoolung system heatchanger and back in the Pressure oil section.

all this lines must be temp stable hydraulic up to 130 deg C and 8 bar pressure.

 

The turbo oil drain section out of the Turbo goes into the separate Oiltank where the Haldex pump sucks it‘s oil via Filter.

if you drive a turbo without an pressured Oil system it runns for about 5 min that you be done.

it‘s bearings be shot and the Turbo is killed. It may spin but want be able to build pressure.

that „System“ worked for about a Month if i remember right before the Engine blows at about 7500 rpm.

i suggesting also wrap a rabbitfence arround the Engine to protect yourself against hot spit parts out from the Engine

when it explodes.

 

Carb passes thru the Turbo with a Silicone inlet pipe to decouple the Heat.

Use at least 100 oktan fuel- if you can get Air Fuel - the better solution.

Ignition at Start a little retarded or best movable or programmable between retard and advanced.

exhaust depends on your „Soundambiente“ your neighbours are willing to accept. 😎

 

The Boos was Freaking Funny.

The Values up to 22 HP be results of several Dyno Runs after lots of modifications.

at this time i had a friend with a tunning shop, who had a own Dyno.

But he is retired since about 20 years sadly.

 

 

This Engines can be simpler „modified“

 

increase Static Middlepressure by reducing the Head Gasket thickness, improve all bearings

if possibillity and if available enlarge the Intake and outlet valves +2 sizes up ( bore and grind)

open up the Intake and exhaust paths on the Cylindre head and optimise the Airflow - perfectly is, if an airflow bench is available.

remove the Piston and enlighten it, or better use high performance parts.

Extremely important be much stiffer valve springs and maybe a reworked or aftermarket „hot Camshaft“ and a six horses Engine can bring up easy Up to 12HP but only if carb and exhaust are perfectly matched and set up.

Depending on your time and Wallet..🤪😁👍😎

 

 

you also need better quality bearings on the crankshaft and stronger springs or the engine don‘t survive the first „throttle up“.

 

turbo wasn‘t cheap if the system should last just a little bit.

as allready mentioned , just to blew it up, use NOS.

small pipe with 0,3- max 0,65 bar pressure for a dry system brings also dang lot of Fun but also not for long.  

Each tunning reduces the lifespan - the more power you squezzed out of that little aengines, the shorter the Enginelife, that simple.

 

But yap, get this experiences give me a dang cool idiotic Times with my best Friend Peter since...👍😎

Edited March 8 by Tractorhead
Correct misstypings

[Tractorhead 9,064]

@Pullstart was faster with the Oil info

[Rick3478 428]

If we're going to be crazy,  my thought is that a turbo is not well suited for single cylinder operation, being lots of time between exhaust pulses.  At least two cylinders would be needed, better yet four or more to get an even flow.  For singles, how about something like an electric blower and put the carb in a pressure box to make something like a small version of a Paxton supercharger.  Wouldn't have to run at crazy high RPM, and no fussy turbo bearings to oil. Head's going to get hot, might have to mill off some fins and put a liquid cooling jacket on it.  Or - wasn't there a marine version of the K-181 with water jackets?

[Tractorhead 9,064]

9 hours ago, Rick3478 said:

If we're going to be crazy,  my thought is that a turbo is not well suited for single cylinder operation, being lots of time between exhaust pulses.  At least two cylinders would be needed, better yet four or more to get an even flow.  For singles, how about something like an electric blower and put the carb in a pressure box to make something like a small version of a Paxton supercharger.  Wouldn't have to run at crazy high RPM, and no fussy turbo bearings to oil. Head's going to get hot, might have to mill off some fins and put a liquid cooling jacket on it.  Or - wasn't there a marine version of the K-181 with water jackets?

 

Ain‘t be easy to get a Turbo stable running on a single Cylindre Engine you be right,  

Each kind of Tuning bring it‘s fracts of Power into the System „ Engine“.

 

The goal is to figure out what is needed to run that System reliable and stable.

Fails also be part of that process and be mostly more expensive than buy a bigger Engine.

 

Just smack a turbo onto a Engine and get the result in a good running Engine 

is a bad idea that mostly results in lots of frustration and often a damaged Engine.

 

„the cheapest Way“ is dry NOS for a Short term Boost or a wet NOS System until Engine explodes.

 

Each tuning have it‘s Pricetag.

just to destroy a Engine - it was also stated before - drain the Oil and let it run.

 

 

Edited March 8 by Tractorhead

[fast88pu 3,324]

On 3/7/2024 at 10:38 AM, 953 nut said:

Your best bet is to read some posts in the puller section.  https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/forum/48-pullers/.  @fast88pu has some posts about turbos in there.

Old news, I've built 4 already