Saturn Turbos - The Definitive Aftermarket Perfomance Part Upgrade
The key reason why automobiles were even invented was to shorten traveling times,
whether by sea, land (via railroads, coaches or by foot) and by air. The cultural
impact is undeniable, as the world figuratively got smaller. It
didn't take long before the automobiles became a source of competition. As such,
cars became faster, stronger, safer and came with all kinds of add-ons,
effectively making it into its own unique lifestyle. But that wasn't enough.
Consumers during the 1950s felt that the automobile could do so much more. Tuners
or gear heads became a known collective that specialized the performance and appearance
of cars. Street racing was gaining popularity and it wasn't long before someone
saw the
business potential.
Thus, the aftermarket business was born. The aftermarket provided a service
that allowed consumers a cheaper replacement
for existing Oringial Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts, and add-ons to tweak
the style and performance of their vehicles.
At present the aftermarket is still widely popular, even extending services to
younger car makers like Saturn Corporation and its trademark S-line series of
cars.
The ultimate and arguably the most sought after custom part would be turbochargers
or turbos. Of all the possible upgrades, turbos improves the size-to-output efficiency
of the car's engine. Usually consisting of linked turbine and compressor, both
sharing the same axis,
the turbo seeps in exhuast gases through the turbine coming from the exhaust manifold.
This in turn, causes the wheel of the turbine to rotate, thus driving the compressor
which compresses completely enveloping air that is pushes to the air intake of
the engine.
Using a Saturn car as an example, the process works by having the Saturn turbo
heighten the pressure of the the air that enters the engine's cylinder. The low
pressure created by downward stroke of a piston can only draw in a certain
amount of air, thus the balance of molecules of air and fuel is not set to fully
optimize the engine's power. Saturn turbos in this effect, regulates the the increase of the intake pressure to “overclock”
the engine. Saturn turbos and that of other makes are easily available in shops that specialize in tuning
and customization. However, some locations may not be blessed with an active
tuning community or
avenues which sell them.
As such, aftermarket companies have started establishing an online distribution
method that delivers the parts right at the buyer's doorstep.
