turbo time?

[whitety]

OK well I'm thinking about putting a turbo on my 3. it's a 2.3l 5 spd hatch. I am wondering what would need to be done to the motor, if anything, or if the turbo could just bolt right up with nothing? There is a guy on here who has 8.5 psi turbo on his "stock" (I think) 3. Now I am just pondering this, because I might just go ahead and save up some money to swap a speed3 engine/tranny and do a couple things to that, or instead upgrade my motor and do forged internals and chip and a few other things. Just running a few options in my head right now.

 

[chrissor]

first. you need to research this alot more.
second. to do a d.3 turbo swap from a speed you will need to find a donor car as there is so much involved with the swap.

a good book to read about forced induction is maximum boost. by corky bell. it will help answer all your questions about going FI

 

[Strobe Media]

short answer, yes, there's going to be major engine rebuild + the price of the turbo parts + instillation. You're going to be running nearly $8k for the full conversion. If you're dead serious about racing, I'd say go for it, but if it's your DD and you just want the turbo to go a little faster on the highway, not worth the trouble and maintenance of a turbo'd engine.

 

[slowtege5]

I read a car mag a bout a year ago, front cover said best turbo kit ever? Anywho it was the 3. I think it ran about 4 grand but it dyno'd at 259whp no upgraded internals. Anyways do some research on this kit you may find it.

 

[littleb01]

Build your engine first!!!!! I bought a kit and figured running 8lbs would be fine since people say our engines can handle 8.5lbs. Wrong answer. It has been 2 months and I still don't have my car. While tuning everything was getting smoothed out, but not even 15miles of driving BOOM. I had to put a new engine in my car. Now I'm doing pistons and rods with this engine before I get it tuned cause last time it was rod that gave out. PLEASE LEARN FROM MY LESSON. BUILD IT BEFORE YOU BOOST IT!

 

[ryukensfj]

Build your engine first!!!!! I bought a kit and figured running 8lbs would be fine since people say our engines can handle 8.5lbs. Wrong answer. It has been 2 months and I still don't have my car. While tuning everything was getting smoothed out, but not even 15miles of driving BOOM. I had to put a new engine in my car. Now I'm doing pistons and rods with this engine before I get it tuned cause last time it was rod that gave out. PLEASE LEARN FROM MY LESSON. BUILD IT BEFORE YOU BOOST IT!

Yes to be 100% sure your engine won't blow on you you should build it before you boost. It is a chance you take with our engines. Sometimes the engine will last forever with 8.5lbs of boost but sometimes they will blow at less than 6psi. Also make sure you get the perfect tune or close to it before you wot and potentially run lean.

 

[littleb01]

Yes to be 100% sure your engine won't blow on you you should build it before you boost. It is a chance you take with our engines. Sometimes the engine will last forever with 8.5lbs of boost but sometimes they will blow at less than 6psi. Also make sure you get the perfect tune or close to it before you wot and potentially run lean.

Yea, a chance you take. The car never ran lean either. It just couldn't take it. Anyway, the new engine will be getting built soon and then tuned. Still staying at 8lbs. I just wanted to warn anybody else that is thinking of turbocharging to build first.

 

[gearheadny.com]

Build your engine first!!!!! I bought a kit and figured running 8lbs would be fine since people say our engines can handle 8.5lbs. Wrong answer. It has been 2 months and I still don't have my car. While tuning everything was getting smoothed out, but not even 15miles of driving BOOM. I had to put a new engine in my car. Now I'm doing pistons and rods with this engine before I get it tuned cause last time it was rod that gave out. PLEASE LEARN FROM MY LESSON. BUILD IT BEFORE YOU BOOST IT!

Can you give more feedback in terms of the F2 kit that you bought and your experience. It's unfortunate it seems you had to replace your engine, did you have to cover all of that or was the tuning for the car improper?

 

[littleb01]

Can you give more feedback in terms of the F2 kit that you bought and your experience. It's unfortunate it seems you had to replace your engine, did you have to cover all of that or was the tuning for the car improper?

I covered it all. I think part of it was the tune because it was not dyno tuned at a shop, but when it blew it was running ok. So maybe the process of tuning could have been a little rough on the engine. I personally think that it was a combination of the tuning and that I had a weak engine that couldn't handle it. Anyhow I have new rods and pistons coming in for the new engine so that should take care of it. It just really sucks that I am having to spend big big $$$ now.