• We are no longer supporting TapaTalk as a mobile app for our sites. The TapaTalk App has many issues with speed on our server as well as security holes that leave us vulnerable to attacks and spammers.

Homemade Turbo Kit

nytroERrider

Expert
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Messages
205
Location
Cincinnatus New York
Hey guys i am wondering if there is anyway at all to make a turbo kit for my 3 banger. What are some of the necessities that you need to make it so it wont blow apart. I want to run around 10 lbs. This will be a project over the next summer if it is possible.

Is it even worth it to make your own. I can weld, fab etc etc.

Thanks guys, Jake
 

nytroERrider said:
Hey guys i am wondering if there is anyway at all to make a turbo kit for my 3 banger. What are some of the necessities that you need to make it so it wont blow apart. I want to run around 10 lbs. This will be a project over the next summer if it is possible.

Is it even worth it to make your own. I can weld, fab etc etc.

Thanks guys, Jake

I believe Powderlites still makes a Vector Turbo Kit.

Dollar Wise, No not worth building it your self uless you just Want to for the sake of doing it.
 
Have you thought about a supercharger at all? Killer kit on the little 3 cylinder RS sleds!
 
I have not. What are some of the benifits of running the supercharger vs. the turbo? Ive read somethings about them and the turbos impressesed me much more.

Jake
 
it is very do able to build your own turbo kit, i plan do this next summer, i have a tig welder and can fab so that takes down alot! of the costs...

basically you need:
turbo
custom exhaust flanges for the turbo and exhuast housing flanges
custom intercooler setup and charge pipes
misc. brackets for support
heat shield for under the seat
misc. fittings for oil feed and return, and coolant feed and return
bung for o2 sensor in exhuast
wideband o2 sensor (lc1 recommended, its the only one i trust, and your choice of innovate gauge)
i'm running open exhuast so no need for silencer
boost gauge
misc vac lines
head spacer
head gasket
other misc exhuast and sensor gaskets
buy an ignition retard kit from a turbo company
mine is going to be budget so i'm not doing a custom exhuast manifold
blow off valve (personal preference hks ssqv, or tial bov)
mine is going to be externally wastegated so i will need a 38mm wastegate, again personal preference (no chance of boost spikes with external gate)
i will be running water meth injection with failsafe injectors
clutch weights
and last but most importantly a fuel controller

im sure ive missed a bunch of things but thats just a quick list.
 
Plumbing and fabricating the hardware can be done relatively easy. However building your own fuel controller will be a huge task. You won't be able to just purchase a "turn key" one from one of the turbo kit companies and have it work adaquately because the proprietary calibrations will be based on their hardware and plumbing configuration, air flow, etc.
You can buy a base controller (Boondocker, RB3, PCIII, etc) with a blank program but plan on spendng some serious time and $$$ at a dyno (like Dynotech) to start from scratch. Just ask Speed...
That could potentially be 1/3 the cost of a complete pre-built kit alone, but your not far from one of the premier dyno facilities...
 
nytroERrider said:
I will not have to run a fuel controller since my sled is carburated. Am i right?

Thanks, Jake

Ooppss, yeah your right. That was a test ;)!
 
nytroERrider said:
Thanks Guys. Another question...
What turbo should i be looking at? Ive been looking at so many i dont even know where to start.


Jake

2871 Garrett
 
you could go to a dyno....or you could do something that we call "street tuning" in the car world, wait till the snow flies, get your idle happening with the fuel controller. then slowly tune it on the snow, starting slow and steady then doing some wide open throttle runs watching and data logging the afrs as occordance to rpm and manifold pressures.
 


Back
Top