Finally got my turbo swap done! I've had the engine for almost a year and its taken that long to collect all of the necessary parts. (transmission, correct cv shafts, tubing, exhaust, mounts, etc.) Its a conservitavely rated 300hp 2 liter turbo and runs like silk. I split the block and replaced every bearing and seal. Its also OBD1 compliant so aok for inspections.
I would have posted this somewhere else but figured since I stay in this forum I wanted the guys I hang out with to see. 🙂
This is the engine when I recieved it
Here's a pic of the engine bay as of today (4/19/09).
A short vid of me going to watch the autocross today, hope the music isn't too scary, lol. I have to baby it until around 500 miles for the clutch and bearings, so no going fast yet! Sorry for the popping noise but my camera doesn't like any vibration. I even mounted it in a silicone tubing cushioned bracket and it didn't help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzeVeTx-tz0
I would have posted this somewhere else but figured since I stay in this forum I wanted the guys I hang out with to see. 🙂
This is the engine when I recieved it
Here's a pic of the engine bay as of today (4/19/09).
A short vid of me going to watch the autocross today, hope the music isn't too scary, lol. I have to baby it until around 500 miles for the clutch and bearings, so no going fast yet! Sorry for the popping noise but my camera doesn't like any vibration. I even mounted it in a silicone tubing cushioned bracket and it didn't help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzeVeTx-tz0
Sweetness, that sounds like Simon Le Bon can't complain about that. 300hp ought to be fun, reminds me of when I got my DSM and tore it down to the block. Put a reman head on it, new lifters, valves, new turbo, hogged the intake and intercooler/etc, dialed on the boost a little, but that was only 195HP stock. Way fun car with AWD wish I was still driving it. I've thought about a Subie but no cars lately too many large projects I need to get out of the way like the 135 patio stones I bought Saturday that are now in my yard. I had 12 leftover so I bought more today to put in another place...or is that punish myself in another place....lol.
One time I lost all my boost though, was at work and limped it home only went 55 max. Could not figure out what was going on, so get stuck near home behind a guy going 30 on a side street with cars piling up behind. I pass him finally with my 50HP car and this loud bang comes from under the car and scares the...heck out of me. I look in mirror and there is a white cloud covering everyone, and my car bolts away with full power like a rocket. I get home and leave it running, the turbo is glowing like I figured after being plugged and hammering it. Yup, the converter plugged up and blew out. I put a new one on it later.
Was the car a non-turbo and you swapped it all? You are going to enjoy it now. Also mine liked premuim, unless it got cold out then it didn't need it. Seems typical on intercooled turbos, under freezing I put regular in it and it would blow the tires loose in a first gear roll on under about 0F. Of course the tires don't work as well, but it pulled hard too. Best of luck with it, I only ran synthetic oil and never had a problem with any of my turbos.
One time I lost all my boost though, was at work and limped it home only went 55 max. Could not figure out what was going on, so get stuck near home behind a guy going 30 on a side street with cars piling up behind. I pass him finally with my 50HP car and this loud bang comes from under the car and scares the...heck out of me. I look in mirror and there is a white cloud covering everyone, and my car bolts away with full power like a rocket. I get home and leave it running, the turbo is glowing like I figured after being plugged and hammering it. Yup, the converter plugged up and blew out. I put a new one on it later.
Was the car a non-turbo and you swapped it all? You are going to enjoy it now. Also mine liked premuim, unless it got cold out then it didn't need it. Seems typical on intercooled turbos, under freezing I put regular in it and it would blow the tires loose in a first gear roll on under about 0F. Of course the tires don't work as well, but it pulled hard too. Best of luck with it, I only ran synthetic oil and never had a problem with any of my turbos.
It started as a front wheel drive automatic 1.8 n/a 110hp. I then converted it to 2.5dohc 165hp. Next was 5speed awd and rear legacy disc brakes. Then larger front wrx brakes. This time around:
-2l turbo engine (97 wrx ej20k)
-hydraulic clutch conversion from cable (05 wrx)
-ecu harness change
-3" exhaust
-engine crossmember change (03 wrx)
-transmission crossmember change and mod for pipe
-fender modded for intake
-oem RS hood scoop
-exedy lw (12lb) flywheel
-exedy clutch
Overall, it runs/drives too good to be true. I just hope the cursed rod bearing gremlin doesn't visit me until I get the previous 2.5 block modded for turbo. I'm going to change the thrust bearing placement to #5 main and swap the crank, rods and pistons to phase 2 design with 52mm rod journals. Next step will be around 450hp.
-2l turbo engine (97 wrx ej20k)
-hydraulic clutch conversion from cable (05 wrx)
-ecu harness change
-3" exhaust
-engine crossmember change (03 wrx)
-transmission crossmember change and mod for pipe
-fender modded for intake
-oem RS hood scoop
-exedy lw (12lb) flywheel
-exedy clutch
Overall, it runs/drives too good to be true. I just hope the cursed rod bearing gremlin doesn't visit me until I get the previous 2.5 block modded for turbo. I'm going to change the thrust bearing placement to #5 main and swap the crank, rods and pistons to phase 2 design with 52mm rod journals. Next step will be around 450hp.
Oh that is hardcore, I didn't think anyone did that stuff anymore. I bet you smile when you pay your car insurance and know the guys at the boneyards well, I sure did. Factory mods are great, the stuff always fits, though in your case maybe not all of it. I've swapped a lot of stuff it was fun, got into a house now maybe some day I can get back to cars. Also was into autobody and did some wrecks, great money to be made but very hard to buy them right. Anyway, way cool project. My DSM had ~80K on it so I left the block alone, later it lost oil pressure at idle the pumps wear out on those. Had to keep putting thicker oil in it, the georotors wear out. I sure miss the AWD too, just amazing fun in the snow.
In fact the car I drive right now was a rollover total of sorts, was not that bad but think I paid 800 for it 1.5yr old 😉 It looked nasty but only had a dent in the roof, the rest of the car was just replacing panels and was easy. Had a nearly new car for something like 2800 counting my cheap $10/hr labor I used to figure a number, and I clear coated the entire car too. Then a cousin gave me a set of factory 16" wheels off a similar car for helping him move some stuff. Those projects have saved me a pile of money over the years. I was thinking of upgrading this car, but my use for it was an econo car so I never did and needless to say I put some miles on it the last few years.
In fact the car I drive right now was a rollover total of sorts, was not that bad but think I paid 800 for it 1.5yr old 😉 It looked nasty but only had a dent in the roof, the rest of the car was just replacing panels and was easy. Had a nearly new car for something like 2800 counting my cheap $10/hr labor I used to figure a number, and I clear coated the entire car too. Then a cousin gave me a set of factory 16" wheels off a similar car for helping him move some stuff. Those projects have saved me a pile of money over the years. I was thinking of upgrading this car, but my use for it was an econo car so I never did and needless to say I put some miles on it the last few years.
Nice upgrade, you'll have a blast! Thanks for posting.
You mentioned autocross, will you be club racing?
Those are some pretty good updates for a street car, how long have you been driving it?
You mentioned autocross, will you be club racing?
Those are some pretty good updates for a street car, how long have you been driving it?
I've had the car since the day after the 9/11 plane crash. I was about to buy it that day and they shut our bank lobby down so I couldn't withdraw enough cash. SCCA is the auto x organization and I'm sure they're going to bump me up to some super prepared class that I still won't be able to hang in, lol. The cool thing is the car is a 95 with OBD1 and the engine setup is OBD1 compliant so it will be cool with inspections. 🙂
Yeah, you'll be bumped alright. That's what I was wondering about when you mentioned autocross -which class you'll end up in.
But with a small car and AWD to get the HP connected, you may be quite competitive on short autocross tracks. Better get the right tires! 😀
Very cool.
But with a small car and AWD to get the HP connected, you may be quite competitive on short autocross tracks. Better get the right tires! 😀
Very cool.
Great pics ppi I love to see people hotrodding their stuff!
I have been soooo busy that I have not been able to post here in a while.
I too have been building a turbo motor for the car this year.
The motor is 1300cc (hayabusa) and will make 600+ hp.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the build:
http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,5310.0.html
Only have a few months to go and I am getting real nervous!
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2106/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30307496_3416.jpg
pic of car on salt
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v378/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30201842_8341.jpg
homemade plenum & fuel rail
http://photos-d.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v378/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30213675_8502.jpg
air to water PT2400 intercooler
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v352/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30171916_3358.jpg
turbo
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...39053832582_1114496579_30437671_4548872_n.jpg
engine on stand
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...38983710829_1114496579_30437434_8167473_n.jpg
JE pistons preped
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2678/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30415601_4603108.jpg
home done head porting
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2678/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30413258_2063709.jpg
other side
I have been soooo busy that I have not been able to post here in a while.
I too have been building a turbo motor for the car this year.
The motor is 1300cc (hayabusa) and will make 600+ hp.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the build:
http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,5310.0.html
Only have a few months to go and I am getting real nervous!
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2106/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30307496_3416.jpg
pic of car on salt
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v378/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30201842_8341.jpg
homemade plenum & fuel rail
http://photos-d.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v378/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30213675_8502.jpg
air to water PT2400 intercooler
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v352/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30171916_3358.jpg
turbo
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...39053832582_1114496579_30437671_4548872_n.jpg
engine on stand
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...38983710829_1114496579_30437434_8167473_n.jpg
JE pistons preped
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2678/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30415601_4603108.jpg
home done head porting
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2678/69/50/1114496579/n1114496579_30413258_2063709.jpg
other side
Impressive work, Jonny 
I did read through the thread on the other forum. My father owned a Honda motorbike service for several years and the pictures bring me a lot of memories. When I was 11 or so I became impressed with the oil galleries and the complex oil pump from a CBR1000 engine (it was the first time I saw such complex stuff, and I kept observing it for hours). Also, opening those big 4-stroke motors was very rare, they almost never failed. Most of the work was always being done on boring 2 stroke stuff, 125cc and smaller.
I did read through the thread on the other forum. My father owned a Honda motorbike service for several years and the pictures bring me a lot of memories. When I was 11 or so I became impressed with the oil galleries and the complex oil pump from a CBR1000 engine (it was the first time I saw such complex stuff, and I kept observing it for hours). Also, opening those big 4-stroke motors was very rare, they almost never failed. Most of the work was always being done on boring 2 stroke stuff, 125cc and smaller.
I wondered how you were doing on the land speed car there, it looks impressive. That will be a motor, wow. 
😱
Honda, they can build a motor. I'm not into them but they can build a great motor.
😱 Honda, they can build a motor. I'm not into them but they can build a great motor.
under the front:
rest of exhaust:
my pvc auto x camera mount:
goodies:
engine about to go in, rear view:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
rest of exhaust:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
my pvc auto x camera mount:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
goodies:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
engine about to go in, rear view:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Nice! I always wanted to put water injection on mine. Thought about more intercooler too but they say they only payoff if you have more boost. Camera mount is great, talk about simple.
Both water or water/meth injection and "more intercooler" are designed to cool the intake charge and can allow a motor to run higher psi without detonation.
One advantage to running a cooler charge on stock(ish) boost levels is that you could likely get away with using a lower octane fuel (methanol [windshield washer fluid] also raises octane) but both water and-or a bigger intercooler will serve this purpose.
You could save some money at the pump.....and still run a few PSI more safely.....
A nice in vehicle boost controller would be a nice addition if you were going this route......
But remember......if you motor runs a stock 12 psi and you can now run safely with 20 and you give it a spin....you'll never go back to 12 save money at the pump or not!
Good thing is the PFC is a standalone ecu with external controller. I can adjust many things including rev limit and boost levels. The thing is too comprehensive for me as of now so I have to wait to use it when I have the chance to go get it tuned further east. I'm running the stock ecu now and it regulates boost at about 18psi. I don't want to go any higher than that.
I looked at some boost controllers. I didn't really change the stock boost, I changed the piping on it and that makes it jump higher initially plus it runs a little higher normally but not that much. Actually I used it (boost) regularly and figured it would last longer if I didn't start cranking it way up. 😉 After the money I put into it at the time I had to catch up on other projects, needed a reliable car, etc. For a summer I worked about 2.5 hours away all week long, drove on weekends too. I was piling the miles on it and they are not known for reliability. I could not find anything back then to put a water injection system on it.
I tried to find a second intercooler and mount it, then I could have done something but no luck. Another issue is it would get hot (the weather not the motor) and retard the timing even on premium. I ran water wetter and trimmed out the grill on the intercooler, removed the big driving light in front of it, lower thermostat, etc.; just about got rid of it. Then it only did it above about 95F and after you hammered on it in a couple gears. I actually advanced the timing after I figured that out, and someone told me that was stupid. I said why, it goes faster. They said it will blow up. I said not with the ECU retarding the timing and boost every time it hears any knock, sure could feel it, and it was very sensitive. It was terrible when I first drove it at stock timing, anything over 90F and it lost a bunch of power. Note this was after I put all new lifters in it because they were rattling. Then I ran midgrade under 50F or so, regular around freezing or below....was what I could get away with. The timing was something like 1.5-2 degree more than stock IIRC when I got done with it. With that car you could nearly tell what the temperature outside was by how it acted, made me think a larger intercooler would be a good idea even at stock boost.
I tried to find a second intercooler and mount it, then I could have done something but no luck. Another issue is it would get hot (the weather not the motor) and retard the timing even on premium. I ran water wetter and trimmed out the grill on the intercooler, removed the big driving light in front of it, lower thermostat, etc.; just about got rid of it. Then it only did it above about 95F and after you hammered on it in a couple gears. I actually advanced the timing after I figured that out, and someone told me that was stupid. I said why, it goes faster. They said it will blow up. I said not with the ECU retarding the timing and boost every time it hears any knock, sure could feel it, and it was very sensitive. It was terrible when I first drove it at stock timing, anything over 90F and it lost a bunch of power. Note this was after I put all new lifters in it because they were rattling. Then I ran midgrade under 50F or so, regular around freezing or below....was what I could get away with. The timing was something like 1.5-2 degree more than stock IIRC when I got done with it. With that car you could nearly tell what the temperature outside was by how it acted, made me think a larger intercooler would be a good idea even at stock boost.
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