Turbocharging an N/A Motor

[Irish_Mechanic]

I'm getting parts together to turbocharge my 88 N/A. I plan to use a stock turbo manifold, a stock turbo, intercooler, and other turbo related parts. Most cars, from my experience, can handle 5 to 7lbs of boost with stock air metering and fuel injection equipment. While i dont plan to run the boost higher than 7 lbs, i would like to know if anyone else has done this. I dont plan to swap the motor or even just the cams. If I get fuel cut I'm prepared to get an aftermarket MAF translator and possibly upgrade the part of the fuel system thats bottlenecked, beit the pump, or injectors.

If anyone's done this and has advice, it'd be appreciated. I'd like recommendations and vouches for distributors of these parts.

Thanks!

[Chambers]

I'm doing the same thing, I have everything ready but intercooler lines and wideban. I plan to turbo my NA with out swapping everything off the turbo engine. From what I am aware of, the NA do not have a fuel cut, but I could be wrong. I'm getting a wideban O2 sensor and gauge to make sure I don't blow my engine from a to lean mix. I would suggest you get that before you do anything, hook it up and make sure it works before you go putting the turbo on. I would also suggest you get a metal head gasket and ARP headware, otherwise you will pop a head gasket pretty quickly.

If you don't get a fuel computer you will have to adjust the timing and run high octane fuel so you don't have any detonation. I would also upgrade the spark plugs to a higher thermal level. If you end up not having enough fuel you can try using stock turbo injectors, thats what I'm going to do if I cant get enough fuel, but I think the pigtails are diffrent so some wiring would have to be done.

If you have the money and are willing to put it down for any kind of fuel computer I think you should. I my self want to see if the stock NA computer can compensate but I also don't want to blow my motor. Good luck.

[Irish_Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Chambers

I'm doing the same thing, I have everything ready but intercooler lines and wideban. I plan to turbo my NA with out swapping everything off the turbo engine. From what I am aware of, the NA do not have a fuel cut, but I could be wrong. I'm getting a wideban O2 sensor and gauge to make sure I don't blow my engine from a to lean mix. I would suggest you get that before you do anything, hook it up and make sure it works before you go putting the turbo on. I would also suggest you get a metal head gasket and ARP headware, otherwise you will pop a head gasket pretty quickly.

If you don't get a fuel computer you will have to adjust the timing and run high octane fuel so you don't have any detonation. I would also upgrade the spark plugs to a higher thermal level.

I agree, to avoid pre-detonation in a turbo motor, the highest octane rated fuel is ideal. the plugs will likely be the best iridium plug with a decent thermal rating i can get.

In the 90 talon TSI build i was involved in, the stock boost guage only went up to 14psi, so there was an 'A pillar' guage set installed to more acurately meter the boost (in excess of 26lbs). The OLD boost meter was then wired to the O2 Sensor! this gave a clear view of how the motor was running! sorta neat how it worked. i think i may try to find a turbo instrument cluster to swap in and i'm planning to do the same thing.

thanks for the advice! let me know how she turns out!

[mkiiisupra]

the stock turbo gauge does a poor job of measure boost and is very slow.

But if you want one just to hook it up to your o2 sensor let me know how you do it ill do the same once i get an aftermarket gauge in

[Chambers]

Originally Posted by Irish_Mechanic

In the 90 talon TSI build i was involved in, the stock boost guage only went up to 14psi, so there was an 'A pillar' guage set installed to more acurately meter the boost (in excess of 26lbs). The OLD boost meter was then wired to the O2 Sensor! this gave a clear view of how the motor was running! sorta neat how it worked. i think i may try to find a turbo instrument cluster to swap in and i'm planning to do the same thing.

Well you can swap the boost gauge out but you wont be able to swap the entire cluster, the restances on the tach are diffrent because of the coil vs. distributer ignition systems.

Originally Posted by Irish_Mechanic

thanks for the advice! let me know how she turns out!

Sure will! Good luck!

[Irish_Mechanic]

Originally Posted by mkiiisupra

the stock turbo gauge does a poor job of measure boost and is very slow.

But if you want one just to hook it up to your o2 sensor let me know how you do it ill do the same once i get an aftermarket gauge in

it took an Eprom chip for the mitsu.... guess i'll need to figure it out for toyota..... when i do i'll let you know where to find said chip.....

[Irish_Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Chambers

Well you can swap the boost gauge out but you wont be able to swap the entire cluster, the restances on the tach are diffrent because of the coil vs. distributer ignition systems.

so if i want to swap out the distributor for a cps sensor.... i'll need a couple of wires and a new tach? maybe i would be better off to just go Coil On.....

[Chambers]

Well if you want to do that then you are going to need a lot more than a couple of wires. The NA computer, from my understanding, will not run a CPS and coil pack, if you are going to put all that stuff on it, then you will probably need a turbo ECU and wire harness, and if you go that far with it, then it really defeats the purpose of a turbo-ing the NA, but thats just my opinion.

What I would do is forget the coil pack and CPS, then you can keep your tach, and just swap out the battery gauge for the boost gauge. The NA ignition should supply ample spark for a turbo application, as you know its just the fuel you will have to address. I have also talked to others who have turbo-ed a engine with low psi as well, and they had stock air fuel control, 2.3L Rangers and Mustangs.

What I see being the easiest if you have the cash, get a air fuel controller and get that running your car smoothly with no turbo, so you can learn the computer with out a real big risk of busting your engine. Then go and add the turbo, recalibrate the fuel computer, then if not enough fuel add turbo injectors.

But if you don't want to get a fuel computer to start out with, don't worry about any of the turbo versions ignition components. That could work but also could really complicate it. Try it, just make sure to get the wideban sensor and a wideban gauge going.

I haven't talked to anyone so far that just took a NA with no computer or ignition mods, besides the obvious upgrades, and added a turbo, so I haven't gotten a clear answer on if it will work.

[Irish_Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Chambers

Well if you want to do that then you are going to need a lot more than a couple of wires. The NA computer, from my understanding, will not run a CPS and coil pack, if you are going to put all that stuff on it, then you will probably need a turbo ECU and wire harness, and if you go that far with it, then it really defeats the purpose of a turbo-ing the NA, but thats just my opinion.

What I would do is forget the coil pack and CPS, then you can keep your tach, and just swap out the battery gauge for the boost gauge. The NA ignition should supply ample spark for a turbo application, as you know its just the fuel you will have to address. I have also talked to others who have turbo-ed a engine with low psi as well, and they had stock air fuel control, 2.3L Rangers and Mustangs.

In the past, turbocharging what was origionally an N/A platform required me to take the front half of the turbo app wiring harness and solder it to the old platform's back half. (2.0T Colt/Mirage swap from a 1.6N/A). If you've ever replaced a wiring harness, or soldered two together, you'll get the humor in my 'couple of wires' remark...

as far as my predicted mods for this car go;

COP ignition setup
MAF Translator & Salvaged GM MAF (see link below) http://www.maftpro.com/tgen2info.shtml
stock 88 turbo
stock manifold
3.0 inch exhaust mandrel bent
auxiliary trans cooler
auxiliary oil cooler

then i'm leaving it alone. speedy, not complete rape on insurance (as the VIN says its N/A...heh heh)

[Chambers]

Originally Posted by Irish_Mechanic

If you've ever replaced a wiring harness, or soldered two together, you'll get the humor in my 'couple of wires' remark...

I did get the "couple of wires". lol. I have done a little wire harness work, but nothing like taking two chopped harnness and putting them back to gether, lol.

Originally Posted by Irish_Mechanic

In the past, turbocharging what was origionally an N/A platform required me to take the front half of the turbo app wiring harness and solder it to the old platform's back half. (2.0T Colt/Mirage swap from a 1.6N/A).

Ahh, wow, never considered or seen that. I would defiantly like to see it when it's done!!



I also was considering the MaftPro, it really seem better than other aftermarket AFMs, I think it has 14 fuel curve points, when most others I've seen for the same price only have about 8. Let us all know how it goes with the MaftPro my friend! Good luck!