I'm interested in one day adding a turbo charger to my beetle. Does anyone have any idea if this would affect the vacuum for the autostick?
Hi:
I have developed & owned several turbocharged cars over the year, I currently own 2. I'm not sure if the small clutch in the autostick is up to dealing with big power. It's small and thin. I don't know if a beefy aftermarket solution is available. If a beefy clutch is available I would make it part of my turbo budget.
A thing or two about vacuum systems and turbos working together.
Getting vacuum controlled systems to function properly can be a big issue but this one may not be too bad. Most turbo systems use oneway valves on the vacuum line to deal with boost pressure. Anywhere a vacuum line runs you will need a valve. This is no big deal, just make sure the valves are rated to handle the pressure. I think the vacuum / boost issue may be manageable because with the autostick all shifting is done off throttle when vacuum is high. You won't be able to shift under boost but you shouldn't be anyway (you will cook the clutch).
Heat can be a real problem with any turbo system. You really need to think through how you will cool your oil. I would also invest in a higher capacity oil system as well. If you plan on running more than 7 - 8 psi you need to start thinking about an intercooler to take the heat out of the air charge. You will also need to use high quality pistons, rods & valves to deal with the heat & pressure.
If I were taking on this project I would go low boost on a fresh engine and keep it simple.
A side note:
Getting vacuum systems to work with radical cams can be a much bigger problem. They just don't make enough vacuum. But the good news is turbos don't need radical cams to make good power.