Do Turbo Blankets Work?

We used real science to test if Turbo Blankets produce a noticeable benefit. The short answer is yes. But using an Infrared Camera you might be surprised at the differences.

[kogulification]

You've taught me more, then what I've learned in school

[bigdaddy_z]

Last time I had a hole in my rubber, my race car nearly disappeared

[duranamo]

I Put one on my 2011 Mitsubishi Evo and I have noticed that it builds boost a lot sooner than it did before without the blanket.

[topdownb]

lmao the rubber jokes....did me a big ol chuckle...

[jimmyf]

Good job with the video. I have one thought. Your shiny intake has a very low emissivity. Meaning that it reflects infrared light. Not convinced the heat you saw in the infrared image was real. Most likely reflected IR light from the turbo housing. You will need to take temps of intake with a contact probe to confirm actual temps.

[samthemultimediaman]

wrapping your headers and or entire exhaust also helps a lot too

[isopropylyummy]

Turbo blankets are always good! someone on NASIOC took their thermal camera, and tested blankets/gold tape/and some other items and came out with some good info.

[bombebomb]

So, I need to keep the blankets on to prevent rubbers from breaking, life lessons by Dahm.

[nzsaltflatsracer]

All turbo & hot pipe blankets are NOT built out of the same stuff & are NOT equal & the most expensive on the market is NOT the best. Silica quilted blankets are by far the best. The goal of boosting an engine is to increase the air density to the engine & hot side heat absorbed by the cold side is counter productive to that. Plus if you're picking up hot intake air under the hood you are also decreasing the density charge. Monitor the charge temp at the engine, the lower the better.

[DjghostyMusic]

love my turbo blanket so far. really noticed a more consistent band and earlier light spool off casual stop and go driving in my WRX

[vimmeh]

Very informative video Rob, I run a TB on my old v3 Impreza STi. With its top mount intercooler, it would absorb a lot of heat from the turbo nearby. With the addition of the TB, the turbo area is now much cooler but more importantly the TMIC is cold to the touch, they do work.

[TessellationRow]

Definitely do more science videos!
Performance can be gained using a blanket due to a less thermal energy transfer between the exhaust gas and the turbine housing. A cooler turbine housing absorbs more heat from the exhaust gas (decreasing pressure, temperature and ultimately mass flow) As turbine surface temperature increases, an ever smaller fraction of exhaust thermal energy can be transferred to the turbine housing. This leads to less pressure loss and better mass flow. The major drawback to turbo blankets is a BIG increase in heat transfer engine oil. On a rotary, which has very very high EGT's normally, this could easily lead to oil coking.

[observingrogue]

This is why I really like turbo blankets & full exhaust wraps. They protect everything from the heat, and I think they keep the heat in the exhaust system, so the whole system is more consistent, the exhaust flows out better, and doesn't slow down & create some resistance, because of the colder sections making the exhaust flow denser, like the final parts of the straight pipes, the mufflers, or the parts of the plumbing hit with cool air.

[cliffweatherbee]

I've only been watching Rob Dahm for a little over a year now. I LOVE seeing these older videos! Rob has been so detailed and thorough for years!

[Wulven-Hollow]

Can't wait to see more about the 4-Rotor. So far it looks awesome.

[yeevoviii]

I don't like holes in my rubber either lmao

[BFESTI]

I like how much you giggle when talking about rubber xD

[Sounds_about_right]

Love how you explain everything using real scenarios and using your own physical testing.

[Nizmopower]

Yessss plz do more videos like these whenever you have the opportunity! Being able to walk away from a video with more knowledge than I had before watching it is always a plus in my books.

[JetCityHooligan]

Would love to see a difference between a bare turbo, ceramic coated turbo and ceramic coated with a turbo blanket. I know the ceramic coating on my ducati's exhaust helped a ton keeping heat off my leg as well as keeping the radiant heat off the parts that the exhaust is near throughout the bike.