Dec 01, 2021 TurboDirect SA, TRDT, Turbo Direct Race Turbo, Chris Kambouris
New TDRT - Turbo Direct Race Turbo
TurboDirect SA’s first locally, designed, and manufactured high performance race Turbo is put to the test in a grueling 24-hour endurance race at Red Star Raceway – Mission accomplished
The very first entirely South African designed and manufactured Ball Bearing Turbocharger developed for performance and racing applications, ranging from 1.6L to 3.0L engines in 4 to 6 cylinder configurations. The turbocharger is rated at a true 800HP
This new TDRT (Turbo Direct Race Turbo) is a performance racing turbo that was designed, manufactured, and produced by the Turbo Guru himself - Chris Kambouris founder and CEO of Turbo Direct SA. Extensive work over lock down and this year went into, designing, developing, building, simulating, and testing the new TDRT turbo and only until recently were they ready for the final on road and race environment tests.
TurboDirect SA is well known for supplying performance Turbo’s and related products. They have a long history of upgrading turbos for car owners and the racing fraternity, over the years. TurboDirect S.A have experience developing billet compressors for numerous race teams and drivers internationally. This new locally made TDRT turbo is the ultimate and only performance racing turbo ever produced in South Africa.
“After months of software simulation, mould manufacturing, casting, machining, and making changes to assorted designs, eventually we produced a prototype which we were able to conduct in-house testing on, in one of our new facilities. We use bespoke test and flow benches, together with all the test electronics and control equipment to do static testing at speeds including burst testing and bearing destruction tests. What we needed was to be able to run a final on road test. I wanted something that would put the turbo through its paces, and push it to its limits, and potentially destroy it for analysis purposes, but this is not possible on national roads.
“We were contacted by a close friend, Harry Nieuwoudt two weeks prior to the I-lamuna 24-hour Endurance race at Red Star Raceway. The perfect opportunity landed in our lap and the ideal platform to put our new turbo to the test on a racetrack,” said Chris Kambouris. “There was certainly nothing better than a full-on 24-hour endurance test to evaluate this new turbo, where the drivers are flat out from flag to flag.” The event required a car to be built inside of a R50K budget limit. “We had an old 1992 BMW 325TDS lying around which followed us from factory to factory over the years as the business grew from strength to strength. This car we acquired for R13K The car had an old Toyota 1JZ engine already installed in it, the car was perfect for the test of the first South African designed and manufactured ball baring racing turbocharger.”
“We called it the “Trial by Fire” - flat out and fearless! Racing for 24 hours should be the perfect endurance test, running at abnormally hot temperatures during midday, and very cold temperatures through the night at a minimum of 100 000RPM rotational speeds constantly. If this turbocharger passes this test without any sign of abnormal wear, damage, or any other signs of weakness and still performed 100% as it did when brand new. It would be market worthy as a reliable product that I would be proud to put my name on,” said Kambouris.
“With help from The Machining Man headed up by Gary Law, as well as Steve Clark from No Sweat Racing, we built the car in 2 weeks, the race practice started on Friday 29th October, which we missed due to time constraints and the car not being 100% ready. Qualifying started on the Saturday we managed to get the car to the track at 11H00 with old, mismatched tyres, we completed 3 laps, which were used for the qualifying time and grid positions thereafter, we managed to qualify 23rd out of 45 cars.”
“On race day the start was a Le Mans style which saw us out the gates in 40th position after battling to attach the harness, 40 minutes later we were in 7th place and going well, the car was flying. We had built a rocket ship which left every car behind on the straight aways. We wanted to push the limit, which we did. Then the mechanical problems started. The prop shaft rubber coupling was damaged, due to the high HP that the engine was producing. Causing a vibration, forcing the car to enter the pits for inspection and subsequent repair, an hour and 30 minutes later the car was back on track – we had lost crucial time and came out onto track in last place.”
“Hours later we were positioned in 31st, after an hour and a half of paced driving. During a driver change, there was a throttle body problem which caused another hour delay in the pits, then halfway through the race saw the prop shaft fail totally, as it left the car it took the gearbox mount and gear shift lever with it including a piece of the gearbox casing.”
“We managed to find another E36 BMW which had suffered an engine failure in the pits, the owner was kind enough to allow us to use their centre bearing, and we found additional spares from a vendor at the track who managed to supply us with the piece of the prop shaft and rubber coupling and a new gearbox mount and shift lever, so we could re-assemble and repair the car – now a total of over 7 hours off track during the 24 hour race, saw us join the race stone last and with 15 laps separating us from the next contender.”
“We were back in business but decided to reduce power somewhat to save the drivetrain, we started progressing through the field, clawing back to 33rd overall by the end of the race, out of 45 cars entered. We finished the race! The turbocharger had not missed a beat for the entire race, no smoke, no leaks, no audible sounds, no drop in power, in fact it was the last thing on our minds as we worked through the trials during the race.
The turbo had to contend with constant coolant temperatures exceeding 110DegC, and oil temperatures of between 125 -140egC – exceptional operating conditions for any turbocharger, which evaluated the turbochargers bearing system and longevity. The turbo never lost power, kept its state of balance, and the bearing cartridge never failed us.”
We had achieved our major objectives and considered it a ‘Mission Accomplished’ with no Turbo problems and certainly showing the performance and reliability of the new turbo, I am happy to put my name on this turbocharger, and am confident that it will hold its own next to any other reputable brand turbocharger of the same family and design in the world!” said Kambouris. A tear down video of the race turbocharger has been produced and will be posted on our YouTube channel as well as a 4-part documentary style film of the design and build of the new turbocharger and the race itself which will be flighted on Ignition TV from January 29th for 4 weeks in 2022.
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