Just wondered how many people in the group have had a turbo fitted to a non-turboed car? Where did you get it done if you didn't do it yourself, what costs are involved, and what did you notice in the way of increased performance?
John
Adding a turbo
Dec 14, 2005
7 Replies
I doubt many people have done it I'd guess Burgerman has done it himself but I've not seen him about here for a week or so. You will need to lower the compression ratio and/or run low boost most places will charge you around £2k for a kit + fitting
most of the time it's cheaper to swap for a engine that was designed with turbo charging in mind than to turbo an NA engine.
Chet had a go too I think. He bought loads of bits, cost a few bob. Buy him some Guiness or some whiskey and he'll tell you all about it. Probably. (c:
Douglas
Supercharging is much easier. And swapping out the NA lump for a turbo one is probably easier again.
Fraser
In news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, John decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows
I had a twin turboed Sierra 4x4 V6.
Differences?
It went like stink, didn't use that much more fuel - less on a run than a standard one, but eat spark plugs and required a much more diligent approach to servicing.
Don't know how much it cost to do it though, I bought it like that.
Been there, done that.
There are 2 main ways: either you buy a kit, either you walk alone.
The first is certain success, the second can be more challenging.
I did mine on a stock engine, without intercooler and wastegate set at 400 gr overpressure. Engine produced a healty 190 HP at the wheels (from 140 at the wheels). It became quite hot under the bonnet. Fuel comsumption went up 60%, I think due to cam overlap (nice long 3m-flames out the exhaust which I noticed but when the cops pulled me over...)
Just this: if you think that turbo-charging your NA-engine is the ticket for cheap performance, think otherwise. You won't stop modifying the car and all the bits cost money. First the turbo/ exhaust/ controller, then the (bigger) brakes, the better gripping clutch, then tires and brakepads every 3-4 weeks, then suspension, then more turbo-pressure resulting in blown gaskets, then a new engine because detontation due to no intercooler, etc...
Oh yes: DO NOT do it on a car you need to go work or needs to be reliable. Do it to learn and play. Know that education can be pricy.
Costs? I started at a car worth 2000 UPK and put some 2000 UKP on equipement to it. A year later it develloped 270 HP (at the wheels) and had drained another
2000 UKP. Sold it for 5000 UKP as a dedicated track car when it finally became more or less reliable (meaning it doesn't need a new engine /gearbox/ clutch every 5000 km). It still lives but not on the street anymore.Tom De Moor
Did one myself, and I am re-doing it again for the usual reasons of what you learn by doing it the first time. This was on a 1.3 micra, it should make a healthy 200bhp+ when I'm done.
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