My MKIII - My Project - Need a few answers

[Grandavi]

The whole turbo issue is going to be a "Read/Get Advice/Plan/get plan approved/do" issue as this is my first ever turbo vehicle. This forum is an excellent resource, but actually having parts in your hand is the best teacher. Its just not the area I want to make a mistake in.

I think to do it properly, i need to change the downpipe, add(?) a wastegate and blowoff valve?, putting on a timer (regardless, that is my first thing to do), and I dont know anything regarding spikes. (think the timer solves that, but not sure)

Its a learning curve

[Scionguy]

a turbo timer keeps your ignition running even after you've turned off the key for a preset amount of time depending on driving time and style to allow the turbo to cool back to a normal level before ceasing oil flw to it. a blow off releases psi when the throttle plate is closed to reduce/prevent backspin compressor surge ( imagine throwing your trans from 4th to reverse.. lol) the wastegate regulates boost pressure and spike, boost spike is when the turbo boosts past a preset point becuase the Wastgate cant dump quickly enoug, i think his is one of the last terms im still fuzzy on. but a downpipe should be done with a diff exhuast, but that will reduce turbo lag, and increase your turbo's potential to a certain point. a boost controller helps works with a wastegate by telling it when to open, close, intsead of just the spring in the wastgate. that help? haha and ive never owned a turbo car, but ima own 3 sooner or later guna boost my xb, 2jz swap my ranchero, and get the turbo supra lmao.

[Grandavi]

Originally Posted by Scionguy

a turbo timer keeps your ignition running even after you've turned off the key for a preset amount of time depending on driving time and style to allow the turbo to cool back to a normal level before ceasing oil flw to it. a blow off releases psi when the throttle plate is closed to reduce/prevent backspin compressor surge ( imagine throwing your trans from 4th to reverse.. lol) the wastegate regulates boost pressure and spike, boost spike is when the turbo boosts past a preset point becuase the Wastgate cant dump quickly enoug, i think his is one of the last terms im still fuzzy on. but a downpipe should be done with a diff exhuast, but that will reduce turbo lag, and increase your turbo's potential to a certain point. a boost controller helps works with a wastegate by telling it when to open, close, intsead of just the spring in the wastgate. that help? haha and ive never owned a turbo car, but ima own 3 sooner or later guna boost my xb, 2jz swap my ranchero, and get the turbo supra lmao.

Starting to think I should plan on doing turbo and exhaust at the same time. If I do the exhaust, I may be able to get rid of the catalytic converter.. but that would lead down a whole new path as I think all the emmission controls have to be fiddled with if that happens. Of course I wont know until I map it all out. Currently searching thru forums for diagrams or links to for the turbo and exhaust.

Going to swap out the current wet air filter for this one (unless someone screams DONT!). I just ran out to the car and checked.. currently it has a K&N filter (the wet one). The only thing I dont like about it is that it uses the oil and cleaner (think its 10 bucks per refill) and I would rather have the higher performing "zero maintenance" apexi... if your gonna do it.. get the best... lol. However.. saying that... is it worth going from K&N to Apexi?
http://www.autosportz.com/airintake_...upra_apexi.htm
If you look at the engine compartment pics... (earlier in this area), my K&N is inside the stock air filter housing. Is that okay?

Also, I have noticed that bar that is sometimes seen going across the top of the motor from strut to strut. What is that bar. I see it, but no info on it (not knowing what its called makes it hard to search out)

And... this may be a stupid question... but what does the hose that comes from the "3000 pipe" and goes into the pass side engine compartment wall for?

Looked at changing the intercooler from stock to HKS.. but at 1000.00... gonna be happy with what I got. Besides.. this is my daily driver, I wont be racing it after I get the newness out of my system (i jumped out of a 1996 Ford Taurus into this... lol)

[MK3PIMP]

get a 3'' downpipe with a full 3'' exhaust with a 3'' high flow cat and get a intake ngk plugs wires boost gauge boost controller 2.5 hard intercooler pipes with bov and turbo timer set boost to 10-12psi and have a lil fun.

the hose from the 3000pipe is the intercooler hoses /pipes and u can fond intercooler kit just for mk3 on ebay for like 300-400 or make your own . all that should get u going

[MK3PIMP]

oh yea ebay is your friend and if u cant get it on ebay this is the place

[Grandavi]

Originally Posted by MK3PIMP

get a 3'' downpipe with a full 3'' exhaust with a 3'' high flow cat and get a intake ngk plugs wires boost gauge boost controller 2.5 hard intercooler pipes with bov and turbo timer set boost to 10-12psi and have a lil fun.

the hose from the 3000pipe is the intercooler hoses /pipes and u can fond intercooler kit just for mk3 on ebay for like 300-400 or make your own . all that should get u going

3" downpipe with a full 3" exhaust - sounds good! I take it the 3" high flow cat is part of the full 3" exhaust. Gotta price this out... that would also require a 3" header Im guessing.

Intake? Not sure what you mean by that. What would be the benefit? Ahhh.. more research needed!

The plugs and wires will be replaced after I deal with the oil leaks (hunting those down.. so far I just suspect the oil lines going into the turbo...) Will be using triple plat spark plugs or ngk iridiums, not sure about the wires yet.

Boost gauge and boost controller... wouldn't the stock boost gauge be sufficient? I am planning to install a Turbo timer, but the boost controller is a bit new to me. Gonna read up about that one, as it wasn't in my plans yet.

The 2.5 hard intercooler pipes with bov, I've read a little about, and that could be a possibility. I haven't truly been under that car yet, so I will probably leave thinking about that until after the stuff above. I think thats just to make the turbo cool more efficiently if I understand it correctly.

I've also read about wastegates... is this something I should also be considering?

Also, I read this

The reason for blowing head gaskets was due to Toyota only torquing the head gasket from the factory to 56-58 ft lbs. This torque spec would have been more than adequate for the asbestos HG that was originally intended for the engine. Since Toyota did not switch the torque spec to roughly 72 ft lbs when switching HG material, every 7M-GE that is left untouched is doomed to a fate of a 'BHG', usually between 125,000 miles and 175,000 miles. A correctly torqued OEM HG will last as long as the engine will.

so am thinking maybe I should be checking torque on the headbolts.

Bear in mind.. Im not building racecar.. just a daily driver that is fun (and a bit impressive...). ;D


Doing research/parts sourcing... noticed this.. any thoughts on it? Its a chip...
eBay Motors: TOYOTA CAMRY CELICA SUPRA Performance CHIP /Gas/SAVER (item 260279384924 end time Aug-28-08 18:30:00 PDT)

[Scionguy]

ya i think apexi is a good filter. being inside the airbox is fine, it keeps hot air away from the filter, colder air=denser air=more power. if you can find hard pipes for the intercooler i probably would, your lag will drop alittle and youll have a little more consistent power i think. all these things your doing are going to make you have a bit of power tho, you think its fast now, wait for that full 3" exhuast upgrade

[Scionguy]

ya the cat is part of that 3" youll want a resonator, and a good muffler or itll rasp. turbo's dont need headers. technicaly thats your downpipe, if you replace the header, its guna be to use a bigger turbo. i would buy arp head bolts to torque down your head, your stock ones may already be strecthed, if you wana do it right, replace the head gasket or go metal head gasket, but thats pricy and needs some head work. that oil in their is probably from spill, and those really big allen bolts ya know, they go right to the head, you pull one out and you can see oil and all that stuff, thats where mine leaked, your valve cover gaskets may be leaking too, just loose or cracked. o, no power chips lol, piggybacks yes, chips no.
this is what it looks like without valve covers, and this is wha a blown head gasket looks like


changing that gasket isnt easy, but it isnt hard either, mine was a bout 2 days of work total, and ive never done it before, but im pretty mechanically inclined.

[mnewxv]

heres the deal. You get the header, a pipe takes that to the cat, and rest is just called the catback. This would have a big hp boost of you did it all, im guessing 10 for header, cat prob adds 3-5, and catback another 5-10. so about 20-25hp is my guess. maybe 30. Intake, a clean, non restrictive intake is a good thing. you have a K&N filter right? I like K&N, but is it just a filter in the stock box. An aftermarket intake will get rid of the box and expose the filter, letting it breath much better. expect 8-10hp over stock. boost controller does exactly that, controls your boost. you can up the boost, which gives more hp, but also more strain on the turbo, so good idea to get intercooler/turbo timer to keep that in good shape. good luck!

[Grandavi]

Ty for the responses so far!

So, basically, I've been listening to my motor and I think my valves may need to be adjusted .. it sounds like a couple are tapping... I think these are manually adjusted, will have to look into that. So, at the same time, I can redo the headbolts. Now, if I use the ARP ones, can I get away with just pulling and retorquing each bolt individually? Or is it gonna need a bit more prep than that?

At the same time, (because I got the top kinda cleaned off anyway) I may as well be prepped to replace some of the hoses I showed with oil on them as I think they are leaking somehow. And, because Im there... I may as well do the upgraded intake at the same time. Bad part is, Im gonna have to find the cold air intake without the filter, as I already have that part.

Thinking K&N for the intake.

Designed to increase horsepower and acceleration. Engineered to specific vehicle. Replaces restrictive factory air filter housing with K&N high flow element and necessary components. Works with O.E. computer and emission control systems. C.A.R.B. Exempt. Maximizes performance while adding value with the washable and reusable K&N high flow FILTERCHARGER element. All K&N filters are designed to meet a filtration efficiency of 97-98% while achieving maximum airflow..

Depending on how long it takes me to amass the parts I need, I may have to wait on the exhaust (if I can hold off until November.. then I can do all at once, but I dont think I can wait that long as the leaking oil annoys me, because until I fix the hoses, I wont know if anything else is leaking...

I am planning to steamclean the engine compartment after the hoses so that I can find the leakages better as well as clean the undercarriage as much as I can as well. That will give me a much better picture of what is currently leaking and what is from past.. as now I am looking at both..

No header needed, but make sure the mod'ed exhaust has a resonator and good muffler? I think my son-in-law has something lined up for me already on that point... : ). Header is not needed unless I install a bigger turbo (which I wont be doing).

I think I'm starting to get a good map going of what to do, and it looks all fairly affordable.

With the Turbo timer, I think I have to also get a new harness. I haven't found anything really on boost control yet, and the intercooler looks pretty straight forward.