Re: Turbo 101 - What You Need to Know Before Making the Plunge

[Rustywaffle]

i have first hand experience with boost.... building a kit, driving it, and blowing it up


first thing u have to know, do not think outside of the realm.   u may not think what u have is fast enough for u, but don't compensate for that by upping the boost ( unless your car has forged internals, ours do not)

2nd, it's not as easy as throwing a turbo on a car and calling it a day.  I know because 1 they never made a kit for my vehicle when I was boosted, so I had to fabricate my own kit( with the help of my friends welder)  the size of the turbo must be spec'd out, when u want boost to hit, when u want to reach full boost are all factors.  I have a book in which I have read MANY MANY times, which will help determine the CORRECT size of the turbo

3rd, fuel. Fuel is your friend with a turbo/boosted car.   the perfect air/fuel ratio for a boosted car is anywhere from 11.5-11.8 under full load (boost) as for a naturally aspirated car 12.7 is perfect under full load.  ( the lower the numbers the richer the mixture of air/fuel, hence the name AIR to FUEL).  an improperly equipped fuel system on a boosted car can cause many problems even death of the engine.  boosted cars, do not like a lean mixture at all.  So fuel injectors are a must, a fuel pump is a must, and a fuel pressure regulator is a highly recommended.

4th, tuning.  a car will run boosted untuned, but DEFINITELY not recommended.  A proper tune will ensure correct air/fuel management,timing a whole bunch of other crap. and will also yield more horsepower.
and yes, john doe can make 300whp, while joe smith can make 286whp.  but whos to say who's is safer?  timing has alot to do with tuning as well.

5th, research. ALOT, do alot of research and do ur homework

6th, maintenance. There is alot more upkeep on a boosted vehicle (more so a turbo then supercharger) due to more wear and tear on engine internals.  Do your regular scheduled oil changes, and inspect turbo components fairly often to ensure less headaches down the road.




Boost is amazing.  It is like sex, maybe even better.  but if you do not know what u r doing, u can screw up big time!

if anyone has any questions or anything about turbos or spec'ing a turbo, just hit me up, ill be glad to help u out as best as i can

[rocketstarter]

I think we should start building threads in regards to each component crucial for an FI application, such as fuel system[fuel pumps, injectors, rail, pressure regulator] , tuning and cam gears and what not, turbo sizing or centrifugal/screw type superchargers, Intercooler options etc.

[Jellynuts]

Man, Rusty, thanks so much for that!  What book would you recommend reading?

I don't think I would build my own kit, but there is this one here that I have been considering:  http://racingtechnologyco.com/Accord_k24TurboKit.htm

They claim that it was designed to work with stock engine components, but can it really survive long term without forged internals?

[timot_one]

Any sort of FI application will reduce the life of your engine because it's not built for it.  You are better off building your motor for FI.

[Skippy]

Excellent info Rusty!

[JRv6]

hey guys in a V6 is it better wit a turbo or SC???

[CrackerTeg]

Wouldn't know. First off, welcome to the site. Secondly, seeing how this is your first post, I'm not going to lay into you. This forum you posted in is for the K series aka the i4. You're wanting an opinion on forced induction for the J series aka v6. I know there isn't many threads in the engine performance forum on the J side, but that'd be your first stop. Next time, could you try posting in the correct forum? Thanks.

[NVA-AV6]

hey guys in a V6 is it better wit a turbo or SC???

My personal feeling on this when working with AM systems weather it be I4, V6, V8, whatever is that SC is best for daily drivers and turbo for weekend only/ track cars. SCs are not as efficent as turbos, but turbos are a alot more maintaince.

[JRv6]

lerned sumthing new, and sorry i know i posted in the wrong forum i didn't c that until like 5 mins later... next time i'll make sure i post on the right forum but thanx for the reply

[CrackerTeg]

No problem man. Live and learn.

[CrackerTeg]

Just spotted this thread on k20a.org. There is hope out there fellas!  

I know its not in a CM but it is our engine.

[timot_one]

That's ridiculous.  It's a shame that motor isn't going to last long.

[CrackerTeg]

I'm actually going to keep an eye on the thread. It doesn't look like he skimped on trying to keep with stock internals. The headstuds, oil pump, and fuel were upgraded. I know its high up there as well as a crazy amount of boost but it does go to show how strong our engines really are with proper precautions and good tuning. I've seen somewhat similar numbers out of B series engines with the same mods and they took a beating. Unfortunately, they weren't as strong as the K series is now. Its a food for thought.

[Mike]

I wouldn't consider this route unless you have something else as a DD. The longevity in the case of that thread I would have to contribute to luck. I do get one thing from that thread though, and thats the desire to buy a DC2 or a Civic SI and have some fun. To bad the women wants a house so badly.

[CrackerTeg]

I've read a few other members there that have been up in the mid to high 300's range on stock internals with proper tuning as well as quality parts on DD's for quite some time. I honestly don't plan on pushing that much boost and constantly spinning my engine to redline to make power. I thought it was an interesting read to be honest. All I was pointing out is that it can be done successfully with proper precautions.