FYI

The TurboZET (which isnt really a turbo) pushes more air into the engine. It uses an NEC chip to make sure that the engine gets a constant 14.7:1 air:fuel mixture. This gives three benefits:

1/ Greater performance.

Not much more BHP but loads more torque which meens greater acceleration. This is because the engine dosn't initially burn rich.

2/ Better economy

As above, the engine dosn't have to burn rich so less fuel is burned (although you wont see much difference if you're always flooring the throttle!)

3/ Better emissions

As above, the poor emmision readings normally attributed to an engine is due to an incorrect fuel:air mixture.

I have already tested the TurboZET in a Renault Megane with noticable results. Tommorrow the SUB will be fitted. I will keep a log of the MPG figures and give the results from a rolling road test (having tested the car today without the ZET).

The TurboZET is now on sale in the UK from a company called RSE (0181-800-3355) for £379 (fully fitted).

PS. I don't work for the company but this product does do the job it says it does. Will keep you posted on the results.

PPS The same company are also selling a semi-auto conversion which costs about £400. It can be switched on/off and operates the clutch (cutting down the wear)while you change gears.

Interesting ...


Daren

Yeah, I saw the ad and wondered exactly what it did. Did you opt for the 'twin turbo' or single? What sort of difference is/could there be do you reckon? Please let me know how complex the fitting was and whether you notice any major difference on the Scoob.

The installation was completed in 40 minutes and is very simple. The TurboZET (went for the twin) sits between the air filter and the inlet manifold and is connected to a live point. Thats it.

So far I have noticed an immediate responce to the throttle giving the car more "urge".

will keep you posted on the MPG

Daren

I was wondering what effect this would have on a non turbo car?? where was the article? the company wouldnt be pleased if I put engine mods on the scoob but I also have a Renault Laguna 2.0 thats sooooo slow anything would help!!!!

So how does this ACTUALLY work - the ECU in virtually any injected car measures the CO in the exhaust to get the mixture exactly correct (part of a feedback loop).

Are there any mods to the ECU itself or any exhaust CO or oxygen measurement sensors added ?

I remain sceptical !

Russ

The over fuelling is there to stop predetonation in the chambers of cars running high compression. Predetonation causes massive increases in combustion chamber temperature, resulting in more predetonation ad infinitum... until parts start melting.

Turbo engines need considerable overfueling to cool the temperature of the combustion chamber as they effectively run at massive compression ratios (hence the torque when compared with something with similar power, such as an Integra Type R). A turbo engine running at anything like 14.7:1 will soon burn holes in the pistons and on the exhaust valves. Before this happens, the overall operating temperature of the engine will have been higher, leading to less effective protection from the oil, to other mechaical parts.

I am sure that the designers have taken these factors into consideration and I am *very* interested in the long term reliability of a turbo charged Impreza engine fitted with such a product.

This gadget sounds like bollocks to me.

Hmmm...just been investigating this product. Basically it's like a supercharger, but electrically driven instead of mechanically driven. So in theory it could be quite a good product - an "electo-charger" would be able to provide much more torque low down and zero lag - perhaps the reason they are not used more widely is that you'd need a pretty powerful (and hence expensive) electric motor. Also I would have thought that such a device would need to sense throttle position and rate of change of throttle position to get the airflow right. Anyway I remain sceptical of this product - I find it hard to believe that the motor would be powerful enough to provide high enough airflow. I suppose it might increase the inlet pressure slightly - but probably not much more than using a free-flow air filter!? Then comes their technical explanations - and this is where Abetts' comment sums it up (IMHO) - basically they've glossed over the technical details and I can't see how they can make the claims they do. The only electrical connections appear to be +12V and ignition sense (for RPM measurement). OK they're got internal air pressure and temperature sensors, but with only those inputs how can they ever measure fuel mixture ratios accurately - and in any event the ECU's closed loop lambda system would override it anyway!!??? Maybe there's more too it, but I doubt it.

DJackson - keep us informed - and if you're based in the South (UK), then get along to the next dyno meet at Power Engineering - I'm sure everyone would be keen to see it and have it compared!

I agree with Pete, Colin and abetts - unless the feedback loop is broken the ECU will fuel the engine exactly as programmed no matter how much air is blown into the engine.

Pete is totally right - over-fuelling is there deliberately for a number of reasons least of all stopping detonation and giving more power as rapid throttle openings.

The blower might work transiently as the throttle is opened which would then cause the ECU's steady-state response to correct it, but it might explain the improved throttle response I guess.

I wonder if the alternator and battery are beefed up to cope - don't get something for nothing in the energy balance game !

Russ

Knew my detailed technical analysis would find some support!

[This message has been edited by abetts (edited 11-03-99).]

How does the semi-auto conversion work?