Turbo Blankets VS Heat Shields – Everything You Need To Know

If you have been thinking of adding an extra layer of protection from the heat that your turbos are making, then turbo blanket and turbo shield are probably at the top of your list.

• Does Turbo Blanket Increase Performance?
• Can They Catch Fire?
• How Big Are The Benefits
• How To Install
• Conclusion

Personally, I have used turbo blankets on my Subaru, and let me tell you these make an enormous difference under the hood. The heat blankets lowered my running temps by a big margin. Since I installed my big Garret turbo, I had trouble with overheating, but not anymore. The turbo blankets are doing their job extremely well and my Subaru is running at a good working temperature.

In this article, we are going to discuss more about these mods and how they affect performance. We also going to cover the cost for each of them and their pros and cons. So, if you want to learn more about turbo blankets and heat shields, follow along till the end. There will be a lot to cover.

Does Turbo Blanket and Heat Shield Increase The Performance?

Well, let me tell you that they do not increase the performance directly. But indirectly, yes, they increase the performance by a big margin. Maybe 20 or 30 horsepower more can be the benefits of running these mods.

How they deliver performance is pretty simple. You install them on your turbo and they keep the heat that is coming out of the turbo inside and do not let the heat move inside the engine bay. Keeping the temperature low in the process.

Your engine then sucks colder air, and colder air means more performance. When your engine sucks hot air, it suffocates and may even stall because of overheating issues. That’s why the turbo blankets were created to protect the engine and your turbo.

Can Turbo Blanket Catch on Fire?

No, it cannot catch on fire. Turbo blankets are made out of a special material called glass fiber. This material doesn’t burn and catches fire. It’s completely safe and you can use it on any of your projects.

The glass fiber material is heat-proof and has big insolation properties. These properties help to keep the heat on the inside.

Can My Turbo Overheat from All These Temperatures?

No, your turbo cannot overheat from the rising temperatures. Turbos are very durable and can withstand the heat. Usually, the hot side of the turbo is covered with this special turbo blanket. The cold side doesn’t need it. The hot side is made out of very durable metal that can withstand heat.

Are Turbo Heat Shields Any Good?

Yes, they are, turbo shields will give an extra layer of protection. How they work is pretty simple. These shields are made out of insulating material that keeps the temperature on the inside. As producers claim, turbo heat shields will reduce the heat that is coming out of the turbo by 70% and also reduce the temperatures under the hood.

They can also reduce turbo lag and increase the boost in some cases. Running a turbo heat shields is probably going to improve your horsepower ratings as well. The engine will suck colder air and your engine will work better.

How Much Degrees Temperature Drop With The Turbo Blanket?

Many tests were conducted by different users online and from what I saw and from my personal experience a turbocharger with no turbo blanket is making around 750 degrees Fahrenheit, and that is a lot of heat, to be honest.

But after mounting the turbo blanket, the numbers usually drop to around 350 degrees. And this is a lot of gain in temperature reduction. Making this a perfect mod that will save your engine in the long run, because you don’t want to run this heat in your car for longer periods.

Can I Install a Turbo Blanket On My Truck?

Yes, you can, turbo blankets are perfect for diesel trucks. There are a lot of companies that make blankets that are a perfect fit for your truck. You just find the right dimensions and you can order online and get your blanket in no time. But be aware that there are also fakes that are using materials that burn and catch fire. Make sure that you are getting your turbo blanket from a reputable source that sold a lot of these and has some good feedback.

Is Turbo Blanket / Heat Shield Good For Racing?

These mods were built for racing. These two mods will take you to the edge and make you more competitive. Boosting your lap times by a big margin.

These turbo blankets will give you some extra boost and they will reduce the turbo lag that is caused by the enormous heat. Especially on the racetrack where you run your car at 100% every time. Running your car colder will mean more power under the hood and lower engine temperatures.

Installing a turbo blanket or a heat shield will make you sure that your car won’t overheat on the track and develop some issues that can become very costly in the end. A turbo blanket costs $100 but a new engine will cost a few grand. Especially if it’s a race engine. Race engines are even pricier coming at tens of thousands of dollars.

How to Install a Turbo Blanket / Heat Shield?

How you mount turbo blankets is pretty simple and straightforward. You put the turbo blanket on top of the hot side of the turbo and then you attach the clamps that need to go in their place.

This is a fairly simple install and also a perfect mod for beginners that do not know anything about cars and want to start wrenching.

The most important aspect of this mod is to find a blanket for your specific turbo. If you find some big blanket and your turbo is small, you will probably not be able to install this mod on your car. So, make sure that you get the right blanket for your turbo.

Conclusion

Turbo blankets offer a lot of advantages when it comes to performance and keeping your engine bay cooled off.

Running a forced induction motor, especially aftermarket can be a difficult task. Namely because of the high temperatures these turbos make and the heat they produce inside the engine bay. You need to keep the engine bay cooled for the performance to be stable.

If your temperatures are not stable your performance will vary. If you are running a car on the track for example, and you don’t have turbo blankets installed. It may quickly overheat and cause some problems. These problems may end up costing you a lot of money that you probably want to avoid spending.

The turbo blanket will hug the hot side of your turbo and keep the temperatures inside the engine bay nice and cool. So, your engine performance does not drop a lot during the hard cornering and will make sure that you avoid overheating.

These blankets do not cost a lot and can be really affordable. They are built from durable materials that do not catch fire so you will not have to worry about that, but be aware of copycats. There is plenty of fakery out there. We hope that with this article we helped you out making your choice to get a turbo blanket for your car.