Ceramic parts

Press, 1 March 1984, Page 20

Ceramic parts

Ceramic turbine wheels will probably replace the special alloy wheels used in Mitsubishi turbochargers before the end of this year. One of the pioneers in turbocharged car production, Mitsubishi plans to introduce ceramics because the ceramic wheel weighs only one-third of a metal alloy wheel and will accelerate much more quickly. In turbocharger terms that means much less turbo lag, which is still the Achilles heel of this type of forced induction. Another benefit arising from the use of ceramics is that the material will operate quite happily at exceptionally high tempeatures, whereas when a metal alloy is employed an effective form of cooling must be used. Apparently, the front-wheel-drive Tredia, introduced in this country a year or so ago, has not come up to Mitsubishi’s expectations and the Japanese company has decided to upgrade the Lancer Turbo which has continued on the Japanese market. This car is powered by an 1800 cu cm engine and is now fitted with an intercooler which boosts the turbocharged engine’s output by 20kW to 120 kW at 5800 rpm. The intercooler employed is air-cooled. It cools the air entering the engine and as cool air is denser than warm air more fuel can be burned and the engine displays less tendency to “knock” or “pink.”