Good info, just want to add keep extra spark plugs in the repair kit. The plugs can foul out when on the road.

 

Heh, thanks.

My tune is a bit interesting in that I don't actually use tha maf sensor for anything in boost. I just clamp off the maf whenever I pass into boost, so even if I exceed the max measurable air flow it doesn't matter. I exclusively tune fuel with map in boost. I've dabbled with adding fuel on my Maf fuel map but it's unreliable at best.

 

so instead of a map clamp its a maf clamp? same principle right?

 

what am i looking at spending? ball park price?

 

cost of a DIY turbo kit can vary in price ALOT. it all depends if you get used parts, install yourself, fabricate yourself and the quality of parts.

example:
get a used turbo it might cost you $500. get a new garrett, and youre easily spending $1000+.
tig welding is expensive. if oyu can do this yourself, youd save about $400+
get a cheap knockoff BOV, and youll be buying yourself a new one in the near future.
dont cheap out on gauges either...or else youll need a new engine too.


if you do alot yourself and get quality used parts, you could be as cheap as $2k, if you hunt around for good deals.
if you buy the major components brand new and drop your car off at a shop for all fabrication, welding and install...youll easily top out $4k+

 

From what I read and interpeted a map clamp involves a diode that will resist voltage at 14.7 volts where a map clamp is resisted through your fic or programmer but DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT lol
(Lyon, DSM help me out)

 

I'm using a knockoff Chinese t25 that costs $250 NEW, and it works great. Also my $30 bov has worked fine for 6000 miles now. Ditto with my $100 injectors and $30 boost gauge. Aem uego does run $180 though All together the least you could possibly spend is about $1200.

 

good luck with your chinese turbo. 6k miles is nothing compared to what quality parts would last. a garrett turbo should go 100k miles easliy as long as its not coked.
and knockoff BOVs are known for ripping the diaphram.

not to say this will def happen, but theres a much higher chance. and if a persons car is a daily driver, do it once and do it right. you dont want to be driving to work and find that you have a boost leak or your turbo blades decide to shred apart, or your seals start to leak oil.

but yea, a cheap mechnical boost gauge, some used OEM 310cc honda injectors would be plenty reliable and can be found for cheap.

 

I think the main thing was that I had no idea if anything was going to work so I wanted to spend as little as possible. At the time there was no point in paying $1000 for a turbo that might not even fit with my manifold. I originaly intended to replace it as soon as i got everything up and running. But now that I've discovered just how much abuse these turbos can take (I didn't even hook up the water cooling) I'm totally comfortable with it. The diaphragm could fail 4 times on my knockoff bov and I would still be ahead but it's not going to fail at 8-12 psi to begin with. Besides the design is so simple I could probably make one from the home depot parts bin. Admittedly some designs are knocked off as well, in particular the ssqv knockoffs are pretty bad.

I was looking over your old build thread and looks like you used a knockoff too. Did it give you any problems?

I've been actively trying to destroy this turbo, overspeed, plenty of compressor surge, never idling before shutdown, etc. But it just won't die. I'm not going to buy a new one till I can figure out how to destroy this one.

 

You've even got me confused now

 

I tried lol

 

Now here's something to make fun of:


20 ft of fine copper wire and a quick release pnuematic fitting make for the ultimate ricer whistling bov.

 

Thanks for reminding me about this. Don't forget to go a couple of steps colder with the plugs. I've tried projected and non projected plugs and found no discernable difference.

 

quote for truth...

and even before you started gathering parts... you will have a good idea if what you will be doing will work or not. Also, I have not known of an engine that can not be boosted... So yeah, I'm a firm beliver of dong it right the first time or you'll always end up picking up a bigger costly tab and then some.

 

I just want to point out that while I too am obviously a fan of "do it right" there are many ways to do it right.

I use junkyard parts occasionaly on my personal projects, as long as they check out. That includes turbos. Especially used and abused Holset, MHI and BorgWarner journal bearing turbos.

Rebuilding an old JB turbo is better than having to bend over to buy a brand new Garrett ball bearing CHRA. In the end, I'll be able to pull comparable spool and more boost out of them.

Why is it that a 59mm JB BorgWarner can out spool and sustain higher flow and pressure than a 62mm BB Garrett? Because maybe just maybe there is more to a given part than a brand name.

A chinese or fleaBay turbo like a knock off MHI E316G or a T25 from a Nissan can be actually be a good place to start, you can always swap parts once you learn to tune.

I think my Type S BOV is a knock off and it has survived countless hours of 30+ psi. There are some places you don't skimp... head work, rotating assembly, sensors, wastegate, etc.

But for the majority you just need complementary parts, not the most bad ass shiny ones.

The right parts are not necessarily the most expensive ones. Just sayin'

You guys would be amazed when you start to look at $/hp for some of the things people on this forum spend $1000's on over the life of their car.

 

So true on your views on junkyard picking and or rebuilding. They're relatively cheap and you most know of what is expected with regards to numbers it can put out and down... thus giving your tune/project a more consistent field... A shot in the dark, hit or miss is a PITA.

 

I think the biggest doubt for me was if the turbo would clear. You have to understand how little room you have to work with back there. I made a huge leap of faith by buying an r18 turbo manifold and knockoff t25 and just hoping I could make it work. Well as we know now I did make it work with some dremeling, a drill press, a metal file, and a lot of luck. How pissed off would I be if I got the manifold to bolt on and the turbo hit the block so I couldn't mount it? I would be twice as pissed off if it was a $1000 turbo. Gotta remember nobody made a manifold at that time for the ge8. Hindsight is perfect. Once again it is a real pain in the ass working on this engine because you can only fit one hand back where the turbo/manifold is. I literally have to put the manifold be hind the engine, then put the turbo behind the engine then bolt them togethet with 1 hand and then bolt the assembly to the head. It's impossible to fit the turbo manifold assembly through to the back of the engine from the top bottom or side. There's just no room. And if you bolt the manifold up first to the head it is impossible to get at the angle necessary to bolt the turbo to the manifold. It's not like say dsm's dsm where everything is laid out right in front of you and easy to measure. Not to in anyway discredit the awesomeness of his ride but only to compare clearances and ease of mounting. Like I said, I have to remove my windshield wipers to install my spark plugs or turbo, how messed up is that.


Also dsm, thanks for saving this from turning into one of those rota vs namebrand arguments.

 

don't get me wrong... It's not about a "rota vs volk" kind of thing we're talking here... it's all about which is which in a common sense of way. there are things/parts you can get away cheap on a build such as these but there are also parts that you can't skimp on.

I have always commended your effort in boosting the ge8... that right there says everything in who and what you can be capable of regardless.

 

LOL My ride could stand a few laughs and jeers and I certainly do deserve a few jabs here and there but you are right on about the clearnaces. A lot of what I have to do is very easily accessed.

But that is the exact reason I bought a 1G DSM. wide open spaces, it comes with plenty of compromises. I have no illusions of the many flaws of my platform, but just like your GE, they all have drawbacks somewhere.

Though you would probably have a coronary when you finally see the car in person because there is room almost everywhere for nearly anything conceivable. She is an ugly car though fallen from her former glory, bought used and abused, and now she is the definition of sleeper when parked or at a distance. Where as your GE is clean and sharp and in her prime. Still a sleeper though!

Even the GD appears to have a decent amount of room back there vs. the shots you've sent me of the GE, I may still have to go through the one handed stuff to get the 14B and associated parts back there as it is a relatively large turbo for a 1.5L being 43mm inducer compressor.

What you have pulled off on the GE8 is commendable considering you had to do all the grunt work yourself with some pestering from me along the way!

Imagine having to do a timing chain job on your GE or replacing the end clutches in the AT

I could drop, swap and turn over a whole new engine take a nap and then re-install my AWD trans and drivelines in the time it could take you going by the book.

Having to pop the cowl/wipers to do the plugs baffles me. 5x 10mm hex bolts stand between me and my plugs. And that is only because I choose to run a spark plug cover.

Though I should, I don't even have a cam gear cover on just so I can check my base timing by just popping the hood and throwing a 21mm socket on the crank.

And as far as pre-empting the brandwars I am glad to be of service, I do have companies I am partial too but that is mainly for the customer support and the relationships built over time. They dont necessarily have or even offer the best parts, but they make it worth my while and the car still performs the way I want. All I can ask for really.

There are some brands that I despise and will actually recommend people to avoid based on my experience with their parts and the horror stories from others. Even that could be swayed in my opinion had they the customer service to make up for it, however.




Based on this discussion I kind of want to start a thread to consult prospective Fit modders on having the right parts instead of the most expensive or prestigious brand name parts.

Doesn't matter what they want to do, NA, Boost, Nitrous.. just want to help people save some money and simultaneously go faster.

It's not about the "best" parts, its about what complements your setup and achieves your goals.

 

Been working on Sons turbo and got it running last weekend and drove it around the block and revved it to 6200 rpm. It ran rough but after warming it up and driving it, it ran great. Monday we tried to start it and the cam gear moved and think we bent the intake valves. It wont start and checked everything after adjusting the cam gear. It needs to be tuned because it was too rich but after checking the plugs and wires. It needs everything. Even if the motor needs valves, we can piece it out for more than we paid for it. All the ground strap were stripped but know the motor was rebuilt with only a few hours on it. This is what I think the turbo kit is Turbo-Kits.com - Acura Integra Turbo Kits. The Rev hard kit.