Wild Super Cub turbocharger install

Posted by FxckFxntxnyl@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 45 comments

Came across these in the Bush Pilot Facebook group, and thought this was a pretty wild installation. I’ve built probably two dozen turbo kits professionally in my racing career, and this is a pretty crazy idea, with what looks like the/a throttle being on the inlet side of the turbo. Haven’t seen that other than 70’s-80’s OEM TC setups, and even then it’s a carburetor like the Turbo Trans Am 4.9L with the draw-through Quadrajet.

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quik916@reddit

Why would it be that dark out of the cowl? And why in the F would you want intake as close to the rocks and debris as possible.... and why would it have no intercooler? Sustained boosted state and no intercooler seems problematic.... I mean maybe I guess you're just giving it a couple psi boost max, or using it just to shorten takeoff.... but pic feels like AI bs to me. No oil return? Like is there a pump somewhere thats pulling it oil back up somehow? That seems really unreliable.

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Helpinmontana@reddit

It’s got that little screen over it what are you talking about??

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quik916@reddit

Yeah for rocks... not doing shit for something like sand or smaller like dirt. And a bush plane landing off airport totally wouldn't be kicking up any of that 🤓

There's no logical reason you'd have the intake down like that.... if it was real you could certainly put a bell on the turbo and a screen on the bell. Or could aim all of whatever bullshit is going on there off to the side up closer to the cowl.

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Helpinmontana@reddit

The one time I feel like I can get away without the /s

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quik916@reddit

And why is there no exhaust pipe... not even a shorty pipe to controp the exhaust? And while you could get egt's pre turbo we see nothing of that, and without an exhaust pipe they aren't getting egts post turbo(obviously) who's gonna run an endurance type turbo setup without an egt?

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Gon404@reddit

I like it! Having installed a bunch of turbos it looks quite efficient for flow paths. Only improvents i can see would be shorter engine to turbo exhaust, shorter turbo to intake manafold intake, and a straight through carb to turbo instead of the upward draw through carb that needs a right angle between the carb and turbo. Could also add a exhaust tube off the turbo this can help some with the turbo performance kind of like how headers help with flow vs no exhaust.

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axloo7@reddit

"installed"

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danit0ba94@reddit

Why?
Its a cub!
It's supposed to have the horsepower of a leaf blower!

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FxckFxntxnyl@reddit (OP)

Well now it has the horsepower of two leaf blowers!

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danit0ba94@reddit

Fair enough 🍺😂 cheers! F

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boundone@reddit

my neighbor was all excited about the new carbs he was putting on his 70s Beetle, was going to get a ten percent power increase....four hp.

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CRush1682@reddit

I guess turbo lag is a non-issue when you're at a constant RPM.

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_jhofer_@reddit

most likely not noticeable, i saw cars having the turbo all the way in the back with the engine in the front and even there the lag is negligible

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AngryScottish@reddit

Oil drain is how? I don't see a pump ?

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UTCiv@reddit

Looks like the copper is a pressurized feed and the black runs lower, maybe with a scavenge pump on it?

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AngryScottish@reddit

I didn't see anything coming off the center housing, but the photos aren't great zoomed in. Really curious to see how they did it though.

I imagine it would have to be pumped out, but not certain. The engineering is interesting

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domesystem@reddit

Maybe grease fill?

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akroses161@reddit

Trying to figure out what that copper line is. Hopefully its not a fuel line lol

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IChurnToBurn@reddit

I don’t think you’d ever want to send fuel to a turbo.

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motor1_is_stopping@reddit

How do you think the jet engine was created?

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IChurnToBurn@reddit

Ok, but is this a jet aircraft? Would you want to inject fuel into the turbo of a piston engine?

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FxckFxntxnyl@reddit (OP)

That’s how draw through turbocharger setups work, including this one lol

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motor1_is_stopping@reddit

Is it a jet aircraft? Not from the factory.

Would i want to inject fuel into the turbo of a piston engine? No. I would use a carburetor.

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notsurwhybutimhere@reddit

Clearly fuel for the afterburner. Why else would the turbo need to be so far out there?!

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FxckFxntxnyl@reddit (OP)

Would be an oil supply line to the turbo, but confused by the lack of drainback. Can’t say I’ve seen a turbo with only a supply, have messed with one of the oil-less ones they make now but don’t know who even made this one.

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Feroking@reddit

Black is return. Has a small black box under the turbo that acts at a tiny sump with a scavenger pump to pump the oil back to the main sump.

Copper pipe is the main oil feed line. It’s pressurised from the motors oil system.

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danit0ba94@reddit

Maybe one is lube oil, one is governing oil, and one is return for both?

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FxckFxntxnyl@reddit (OP)

Looks like it’s: Copper - turbo oil supply, black hose going to right side of turbo bearing housing - turbo oil return, and other black hose is fuel supply to carburetor.

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kgramp@reddit

I think you’re right on one of the black hoses being the return. Possibly using an oil pump to push or pull oil to the turbo. There’s definitely no gravity drain here. Wonder if the turbo has its own oil system all together.

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FarButterscotch4280@reddit

Been fiddling with turbos since 1974. This installation is a non-problem as it will fall off in short while. But it will blow up the engine when it does.so maybe a bit of a problem...

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Designer-Salary-7773@reddit

Why not take the intake side and gate up instead of down. Seems like you would improve ground clearance and reduce likelihood of ingesting something … is there a reason not to?

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GrabtharsHumber@reddit

Probably so they could use the stock updraft carburetor.

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Designer-Salary-7773@reddit

Ohhhh sure. My bad. Stewpid me

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Blastercorps@reddit

Same reason it's hanging down instead of sticking out inches from the cowling, because they like it eating ground dirt?

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FxckFxntxnyl@reddit (OP)

I’m realizing now that is likely a Carb on the inlet side, and it is indeed a draw-through setup like the 4.9L I mentioned.

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IATA	ICAO	Name	Location
OEM	SMPA	Vincent Fayks Airport	Paloemeu, Sipaliwini, Suriname

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