How Much Does It Cost to Turbo a Car? Find the Answer

We’ll talk about how much it costs to turbocharge a car in this blog post, along with some potential benefits. Before deciding if this is the right path for you, you should be aware of all the variables at play.

A turbo kit can cost about $4,000 and up – but why is it so expensive? Where does the money go after the turbocharger, which alone only costs $1,000?

Please read on for more detailed information.

How Much Does It Cost to Turbo a Car?

Here are the details:

Naturally Aspirated Engines

The majority of the time, people want to install a turbocharger because it is the most efficient way to produce horsepower. The best way to do this is to equip a naturally aspirated engine with a turbocharger. You should budget between $500 and $2,000 for a turbocharger when calculating the total cost of this upgrade. Don’t forget that you can also purchase a used (or remanufactured) turbocharger.

Even though you might think the price isn’t too bad, there are other expenses to take into account when fitting a turbocharger to a naturally aspirated engine. You should also think about installing a forced induction system in your car. To accomplish this, you’ll need to purchase an adapter kit for the turbocharger so you can make sure it has all the components it needs to function effectively.

Cost After Installation

It doesn’t matter if you upgraded your old engine or added a turbocharger to your naturally aspirated one; you’ll still incur additional costs after installation. Regardless of the circumstance, you must have a professional tune your engine so that the fuel injectors can be adjusted to match the increased airflow from the turbocharger. While some people could complete this task independently, we advise spending the extra couple hundred dollars to ensure it is completed properly. In this manner, your investment won’t cause harm or be a financial waste.

Overall Price

To sum up, the cost of installing a turbo can range from $500 to $5,000, depending on the type of car you have, your circumstances, and the resources you have at your disposal. Strive to strike a balance between getting the best deal possible and ensuring that everything is completed to the highest standard. Nobody wants to spend a lot of money on something that doesn’t function properly.

What’s Included in a Turbo Kit? (With Usage & Price)

A turbo kit comes with the following items on the list. I’ll describe each one’s purpose and price along with how they are used. With this, you can later compare whether to buy a turbo kit or build your own kit.

Additionally, the cost of each component is approximative. Depending on the brand and the car, prices change. Therefore, you will need to conduct independent research in the future! But at least you get the big picture from this article.

Turbocharger ($1500)

Undoubtedly, the turbo kit comes with a turbocharger! This is the main part that will compress the air and push it into the combustion chamber to increase horsepower.

I have explained turbocharger in great length above. You can read it by scrolling up if you want to learn more about how the turbo operates.

Intercooler ($900)

To cool the compressed air before it enters the combustion chamber, an intercooler is needed. As it turns out, compressed air heats up quickly, and since hot air contains very little oxygen, we do not want to use it for combustion. You cannot produce big combustion with low oxygen.

The front of the car is typically where intercoolers are located. In order for them to function, hot compressed air from the turbo is allowed to pass through a system of cooling tubes. Heat is transferred from the air into the tubes in this manner.

They will be much denser and oxygen-richer once the compressed air has been cooled. This can be used to create a larger combustion, increasing your horsepower.

An intercooler is required for all vehicles with turbochargers. You cannot skip this one.

Turbo Manifold ($200)

To gather exhaust gases from the combustion chamber and direct them into the turbo, spinning its turbine and thereby providing power to it, a turbo manifold is necessary. A turbo manifold is made specifically to channel exhaust gases toward the turbo’s power source.

Make sure your chosen turbo fits your manifold, also referred to as the turbo flange, if you are not purchasing a turbo kit. T4 flanges are larger than T3 flanges, which are smaller.

Whether your turbo is bottom- or top-mounted is also determined by your turbo manifold. Bottom-mounted turbos are the way to go because top-mounted turbos tend to overheat when they operate.

If your turbo is top-mounted, you don’t want the heat it generates to affect every component in the engine bay. Additionally, if your turbo is bottom-mounted, it will be simple for exhaust gases to flow downward and power your turbo.

Downpipe ($350)

To allow exhaust gases to leave the turbo and enter the exhaust system, where they will eventually exit the car, a downpipe is necessary. There are two types of downpipes: catted downpipes and catless downpipes. I always recommend going for the catted version.

In my previous articles, I wrote in-depth about downpipe. This one might be of interest to you. Which is preferable, a downpipe with or without cats?

It is more expensive than the catless version, costing about $350 for a catted downpipe. But you do want that, I’m sure of it. You will understand it if you simply read the article I wrote above.

Blow Off Valve ($150)

When your car’s throttle suddenly closes, a blow off valve is needed to release the pressure and compressed air.

The throttle opens when you accelerate, allowing the turbocharger to supply air to the combustion chamber. However, the throttle body closes when you abruptly release the gas pedal, preventing compressed air from the turbo from entering the combustion chamber.

This is where the blow off valve comes into place. By giving the compressed air and pressure a different exit, it functions. By doing this, the pressured air won’t flow back into the turbo and harm it when the throttle body suddenly closes.

The blow off valve would then close and permit compressed air from the turbo to enter the combustion chamber when the throttle body opened up again.

Cone Air Filter ($50)

Contrary to stock air filters, cone air filters are less constrictive, larger, and significantly more exposed, allowing significantly more air to enter the engine at any given time. Cone air filters are typically included in a turbo kit but are not required.

Due to the larger combustions that turbocharged vehicles must produce, they require a much greater air supply than regular vehicles. Cone air filters enable this.

The standard $50 air filters should work just fine; there’s no need to spend more money. Although I suggest looking into K&N air filters if you’re searching for the best.

ECU Tune ($500)

The term “ECU tune” refers to reprogramming the variables in your car’s computer to improve how well it interacts with your aftermarket installation, in this case, a turbo. The amount of fuel that will be injected for a given amount of air, the throttle response, the torque map, and many other factors can all be altered with ECU tuning.

Installing a turbo will require an ECU tune – there’s no other way around it. You can update your ECU automatically with some turbo kit tools. ECU flash is what is happening here.

You will need to take your car to a mechanic for a manual tune-up if it isn’t offered. A manual tune is the best option because it is much more suited to your engine.

Typically, tuning costs $500 or less. Your tuner may allow it to go higher, though.

Why Would You Want to Add a Turbo to a Naturally Aspirated Car?

There are many reasons why people consider adding a turbo to their car, the most common reasons include :

• More Power

Because it significantly boosts power, adding a turbocharger to a naturally aspirated vehicle is one of the main reasons people do it. More fuel can be burned and more power can be produced thanks to a turbocharger’s increased air induction into the engine. For those looking to increase the power of their car, this can be a very alluring option.

• Economy

The ability to increase fuel efficiency is another factor in people choosing a turbocharger. An engine typically uses more fuel when it has to work harder. An engine can run more effectively and consume less fuel overall with the help of a turbocharger because it offers additional power when needed but not always. Those looking to save money on gas may find this to be very advantageous.

• Turbo Cars Are More Fun To Drive

And finally, some people just like the rush of driving a turbocharged vehicle. There’s something exciting about having that extra power on tap and knowing that you can use it when you need it. Simply put, for many people, driving this way is the most enjoyable. Whatever your motivations, installing a turbocharger in your naturally aspirated car can be a great way to increase performance, fuel efficiency, or just driving fun.

Should You Turbo Your Car? What to Know

There are a few things you should be aware of before installing a turbocharger in your car, even though it’s a great way to increase engine power. Here are a few things to consider before installing a turbocharger:

• What additional power do you want to add?

Before selecting the ideal turbocharger, you must determine how much power you want to add to your engine because a turbocharger can increase engine output significantly.

• Do you prefer immediate power or are you okay with having to wait for the turbocharger to spool up?

A smaller turbocharger with a lower boost pressure is what you need if you want power right away. If you don’t mind waiting a bit for the power to come on, then you can choose a larger turbocharger with a higher boost pressure.

• What kind of spending limits do you have?

Before selecting the best turbocharger, you must determine your budget because they can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.

• Are you willing to make other modifications to your car?

You should probably stick with a bolt-on turbocharger kit if you don’t want to make any additional modifications. If you’re willing to make other modifications, then you can choose from a variety of different turbochargers.

Summary: Is Adding a Turbo to Your Car Worth It?

Before deciding to modify your car with a turbocharger, there are a few things to think about. Price comes first. This might not be the best choice for you if your budget is tight.

The installation process is the second thing to think about. Like installing a cold air intake or exhaust system, adding a turbocharger is not an easy bolt-on modification. Both mechanical expertise and some specific skills are needed. You’ll have to pay someone else to do this kind of work for you if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, which will raise the overall cost.

The reliability of your car should also be taken into account. Your engine will be under more strain if you add a turbocharger, which could cause it to age prematurely. Adding a turbocharger is probably not worthwhile for you if you’re unwilling to take this risk.

Go ahead and add a turbocharger if you’ve thought about everything and still feel like it’s the right move for you. Nothing compares to the sensation of boost kicking in and the sound of that delicious turbo spooling up.

Just make sure to do your research and avoid taking any short cuts to avoid any potential issues in the future.