[Excaliber]

Horse

"4. The turbo usually runs off of the spent engine gasses (exhaust) and uses these gasses to turn a turbine."

I can't think of any example of a "turbo" unit NOT being driven by the exhaust system. The term "usually" implies there is some "other" way to drive a "turbo"?

Turbo and Blower/Supercharger are TWO different animals! The turbo IS driven with exhaust (or some other fluid or gas that I'm not aware of?).

The blower/supercharger IS driven by belt, gear or some other mechanical means, other than fluid or gas.

Other than that, they do the same thing. Suck in outside air (the cooler the better here) and "compress" it into a small space (the combustion chamber)! This dramatically raises the "effective" compression ratio by at least 2 or 3 points.

7 to 1 becomes 10 to 1 with enough "pressure boost". 10 becomes 13. Some engines run 13 to 1 naturally aspirated, (NA), but thats a pretty radical race motor! At that extreme you better have your fuel/air ratio dialed in PERFECT. Your timing ON THE MONEY! And heavy duty pistons, rods, etc.

A stock mid 90's Ford 302 can EASILY handle a modest boost of 5 psi without any other "heavy duty" parts or compression ratio changes required. YOu COULD kick it up to 9 or 10, but your pushing the "envelope" of a stock motor.

More than 10 psi? FIRST thing I would do is throw out the hyeperuretic pistons. If you don't, the extra compression WILL, lol.

Ernie