Turbocharger Orientation

[kiwi303]

I presume there must be a reason why I've never seen a turbocharger with it's shaft axis vertical...

 

But what would that reason be? Seal leaks? poor oil flow?

 

Surely if it's about oil flow, that wouldn't be a problem since the pump is actively pushing the oil around and hence through the turbo...

 

I was doodling around looking at turbo manifolds, and I wondered about fitting a turbo straight up and down, with a downdraft style filter on it. Having the downpipe starting off pointing down would also mean only one bend necessary to go along the underside of the car, rather than two, one from the exhaust flange down and then another to send the pipe along under the body.

 

The intake compressor housing could also be rotated to have the air exhaust pointing to the fore of the car towards the intercooler, eliminating another pipe bend.

 

 

 

So why have I never seen this done?

[rat_ranger]

I think it is more of the oil drain and the seals. If you notice they are always mounted with the oil drain facing down.

[kiwi303]

true, but still, wouldn't oil flow from the pump ensure the oil gets pushed through ant out the drain?

[Noddle]

true, but still, wouldn't oil flow from the pump ensure the oil gets pushed through ant out the drain?

 

and when the engine stops, what happens to the oil still sitting in the turbo (since the oil pump has stopped),

I assume it would 'cook',

if the drains at the bottom, it can escape (gravity), but these are my thoughts only, I got nothing to back it up but common sense.

 

Nigel

[260DET]

Wondered about his orientation thing myself several times, the main reason why I would not mount a turbo other than horizontal is end thrust on the bearings courtesy of gravity. Yeh and oil draining too, if the oil can't run out them big smokey exhaust.