The Surbo (air-suction-turbo) is fixed tightly in the air intake, and the connected air chambers between it and the engine are made airtight to make all the air flow through the Surbo so it can press the air when called to, and to store it in the engine oil chamber for subsequent revving. Without gaps, all the air suction will be directed at the air filter, making it strong. This gives the car instant acceleration from idle. The slightly higher rpm at idle shows that the engine is already more powerful by then.
Driven the usual way, a Surbo-equipped automatic vehicle will accelerate from rest instantly, rev a bit higher, and be able to kick down gears easily. The improvement will be as in the Dynamometer Test Results, or just about 7 percent improvement.
Accelerator pressure controls the opening of the throttle. The Surbo (in red) is fitted with its output end towards -> the throttle, so that air flows -> through the Surbo towards the throttle and then into the engine.
Stage 1: when the accelerator is pressed, the throttle opens and the air will go straight -> through the Surbo and through the throttle opening.
Stage 2: once the car has gathered speed, the accelerator can be eased off slightly, and the closing throttle causes the air to press <<-backwards towards the Surbo, resulting in a back air pressure, and as air tends to flow into a region of lower pressure, the straight flows turn anti-clockwise to take cover under the Surbo's curved fins and converge to become jets at their sharp tips, matching ->><<- the back pressure, and this air charge also fills up the oil chamber (in orange).
Stage 3: if the accelerator is stepped on slightly and immediately, the throttle opens a bit more, and the compressed air enters ->> the engine and it revs faster. Due to the back pressure <<- still ahead of the Surbo, the air streams continue to duck under the Surbo's fins and jet, so the pressure is sustained, and quick revving results. This turning of the air causes the round inlet of the Surbo (nearer to the air filter) to form a vortex, sucking air in counter-clockwise, hence the name air-suction-turbo. The engine will rev significantly higher, enabling easier progress in the following gear (because that will start from a higher, stronger rpm). Cruising speed is reached sooner, so fuel is saved, usually about 10%.
If the gear is held constant (such as for manual or semi-auto gearboxes, or if the automatic gearbox allows high revving), the Surbo can send the engine to the rpm limit with just 1/2 throttle!
Watch the video above showing how an engine revs with Surbo. To return to this page afterwards, click the "back" button. A Surbo-ed motorcycle has been chosen so that the throttle action and revving on the tachometer can be shown together. Note the very slight accelerator movements (press accelerator/ release accelerator slightly/ press accelerator) to make the Surbo compress the air. For cars, just use your right foot to vary the throttle opening in the same way.
As an example, for maximum power, press the accelerator to 50%, then release to 45% for a split second, then press back to 50% and then to 55% to rev high. You'll never need to floor the accelerator again. If aiming for less than maximum power output, you might try 40-35-40-45, or 30-25-30-35 and so on.
Related pages:
Watch the video above showing how an engine revs with Surbo. Or watch it with the How it works page.
Above: video of Volvo XC90 T8 with Surbo, sprinting to 130 kph.
Above: video of Volvo XC90 T8 with Surbo, sprinting to 211 kph.
Above: video of Volvo XC90 T8 with Surbo, sprinting to 224 kph.
More torque and BHP (dyno test)
Quick revving (1/2 throttle to RPM limit)
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