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sporadic's Turbo Duratec build thread

105K views 276 replies 56 participants last post by  Jadenbanks48 
#1 · (Edited)
For 9 months now I've been gathering parts and doing research in preparation for this build.
Everyone is welcome to ask questions or make comments!
This is my first dealing with forced induction, but not my first encounter with a wrench if you could guess.
If you think I'm doing something wrong, tell me! I gladly accept advice.
That doesn't mean I'll always follow it of course.
I do respectfully ask that folks stay on topic, mainly so others who may find this thread useful don't have to wade through pages of trash talk.

From tomorrow until the project is complete I plan on posting updates with photos here, so keep checking back!

My setup:
- 2006 Ford Focus zx5 ses. 2.0L Duratec, completely stock
- IHI turbo from '88 Tbird TC 2.3L @ 9.5psi
- 55lb injectors
- 3" exhaust including turbo outlet elbow. Includes cat, flex, and 6"x24" Magnaflow muffler (12649)
- Turbo header kit from JGS Precision Turbo. mild steel
- 2.5" intercooler piping
- gen 1 bov(bpv actually) from a Talon
- Black FMIC. 2.5" in/outlets
- Ford Racing boost/oil pressure gauges on pillar
- -3 AN oil feed T'd from the oil sending unit. No restrictor.
- -10 AN oil drain into oil pan
- 3/8" coolant lines
- Oil catch can
- PCV valve from Tbird TC
- Autolite 103 plugs at .035" gap
- SCT tune from LaSota Racing in Columbus, OH

FAQ:

Doesn't somebody make a kit??
Yep. Randy at Focus Sport sells them for a mere $4,000.
I'd personally rather have no turbo at all than to spend that much, learn nothing, and barely lift a finger.
That's just not me.
No offense to those who don't have the tools for the job.

Why the IHI?
#1 it was cheap, and spurred on this project.
#2 even after extensive research I believe this is the ideal turbo for my application.
I could be wrong, but at the moment I don't believe I am.
It will spool amazingly fast, and I want "usable" boost through all my RPM band.
I have no interest in a high-boost, high-rpm only turbo.
If for some reason the IHI isn't enough for me I can fairly easily switch to a T3 later.

55lb Injectors are overkill
That's the idea. Easier to tune with according to my tuner.
He actually recommends 60lb.

A 3" exhaust is overkill
#1 Turbocharged engines do not like backpressure link an N/A engine does.
#2 I want the quietest exhaust possible without restricting air flow.
I feel this should be a pretty quiet setup.
If not I'll add another small Magnaflow or a glass pack as a resonator.

How much work are you doing?
I'm fabricating: the entire exhaust, including the turbo manifold and turbo exhaust elbow.
The intercooler piping. I'm using 2.5" mild steel for now because I can't weld aluminum if the need arises.
I may make that switch later.
The ambient air piping, including a new air inlet for the intake side of the turbo.
All assembly.

I'm NOT doing:
Any milling to ensure flat mating surfaces for the exhaust manifold and associated welded parts.
The welding of the oil return nipple to my aluminum oil pan.
The tuning.

Bye bye clutch?
Well I suppose that's possible.
According to Randy at Focus Sport, the stock clutch is OK around 9psi.
I'm expecting to have to upgrade my clutch within a year or two.
When that happens I'll probably opt for a Torsen Limited Slip Differential at the same time.

Can you provide a parts list with costs?
Will do.
I'll update my spreadsheet soon and make it available for download.
If there's enough interest I'll make a web page.

What is the safe boost level of the Duratec?
According to Randy at FS, anything over 11psi is crossing the line of longevity.
He has customers with over 30k miles on a 12psi kit.
I'll be at a max 9.5psi.

Do you have any sponsors?
Nope. Believe me I tried.
 
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#185 ·
dude im not going to lie i read this entire thread ( sat here for a few hour not the best reader) ... man you did a great job and i really give you props on this alot of detication when into this i know what its like not with my wedge though i helped my friend pull his motor and shave his engine bay in his jettea somewhere on vwvortex soon i plan on doing something big with my wedge and you really helped out alot
 
#187 · (Edited)
Finally an update!
I had the car dyno'd today at on a portable DynoJet dyno.
The car made 204hp and 224tq at ~10psi.
I'm very please with the results.
I know there could be tweaking and smoothing left in the tune, but it runs fantastic so I'm not messing with it for now.
The tune is 4% leaner than when I ran a 14.7 @ 96mph at the track.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/v/9t-LFey-ewA


 
#188 ·
wow, nice!! Freakin engine is so loud that I couldn't hear the turbo spooling or your Diverter Valve, I am guessing that was the way you planned on having it. Awesome job, I am so close to mine getting done. Just spent $600 on the last of my parts. All thats left is small items such as hoses, t connection. I am going to buy some guages here soon too!
 
#189 ·
Haha, yeh the turbo isn't all that loud, but especially from that angle.
My buddy was driving behind me today and said he could hear the turbo really well through the exhaust.
 
#190 ·
I can imagine.... 3" exhaust can get loud, LOL. I will be using a 3" 90* elbow coming off the turbo and run into a 3" flex pipe, then reduce to 2.5" 45* under the firewall then reduce to 2.25" at the 2 Bolt flange into the cat-back. I will also be using my factory cat-back. ST's came with the lunchbox muffler deleted from factory. I will be left with one cat and my OBX muffler. This setup should be suffice. Looking to stay at 10PSI. How long did it take your tuner's to get your tune perfect? I am hoping mot too long.

I also pulled my factory manifold assembly last night. What a PITA! I told myself before I started to do it that is was going to be hell to put back in. I was wanting to see what I was dealing with back there. After the manifold assembly is gone there is alot of room to work with. I am sore ass hell because of doing all that in 2 hours.
 
#191 ·
I also noticed on your dyno graph that the choke point of the turbo is around 5250RPM. That has me concerned since you are running a 2.0L and I have a 2.3L. Or is that because of the wastegate opening? Your A/F jumped a little at 3,000RPM... weird?
 
#192 · (Edited)
It's pretty lean right now in general driving.. 14-15 AF and when I stomped it on the non-loaded dyno it did spike lean until the turbo spooled up.
I wouldn't typically stomp on the gas at 2K rpm in 4th gear on the street anyway.

Comparing a FS dyno chart to my own, it has really started to sink in how small this IHI turbo is and how I should have gone with a larger T3 or equivalent.
The FS turbo makes power all the way to redline where mine chokes at 5200 rpm.
If I had to do it again I wouldn't have used this IHI, but I don't regret it either.
Part of me knew it wouldn't make power much past 5500 rpm, but I didn't realize it would drop off quite so quickly afterwards.

07FocusST, with you having a 2.3 I might reconsider the IHI if I were you before you get too far into the project.
 
#194 ·
07FocusST, with you having a 2.3 I might reconsider the IHI if I were you before you get too far into the project.
Already considering it... I might just atrt with the IHI to get the project off the groud. All I would have to do later is change the Downpipe flange and maybe the oil line fittings... Not that big of a deal. Of course change the tune too... I would rather start small and work to a bigger turbo. Just my opinion. Appreciate the info!!! You did pickup around 70WHP from the small turbo...
 
#197 ·
The boost is holding fine. The issue is the small turbo is just blowing hot air at that high RPM and out of it's efficiency range.
 
#198 ·
how quickly are you hitting full boost? I plan on sticking to 10PSI like you are, but I calculated on the RHB52 compressor map that I would hit 9PSI @ 1,000RPM under WOT... This can't be right! I also calculated that the 2.0L would hit 8-8.5PSI @ 1,000Rpm. If you could give me a rough idea of how your car builds boost thru the RPM range that would be a great reference for me. Something like this:

RPM Boost

1k - 6PSI
1.5K - 8PSI
2K - 9.5PSI

a layout like that would be great.
 
#199 ·
Full boost is about 3.2k rpm, starting at 2.5k rpm. You can see where it hits full boost on the dyno graph and the torque really jumps.
I don't think I've every tried to go from < 1K rpm in WOT. I'm not sure why I every would either. :)
You're calculations are way off, but I won't be any help with the compressor map.
 
#201 ·
Thanks!

I'm trying to decide what to do next with this project.
I wish I could say I'm 100% happy with the final result, but I'd like to see the car make power all the way to 7000 rpm.
I'm not sure if I can do that with the small turbo I have on there right now, or if I'll need to go to a slightly larger turbo.
I've been looking into T3's that will fit with minor fabrication.
The SVO turbo is a T3 that the Thunderbird guys swap in to upgrade their IHI.

Admitedly I've also looked at those Chinese/ebay T3/T4 hybrids.
They're so incredibly cheap that surely there's something wrong with them.
I'd love to use the Garret turbo used by Focus Sport in their Duratec kit, but that turbo alone is $1k and I'll need to fabricate a new exhaust manifold.
So ideally I need to find a T3 with equivalent flow characterisics as that Garret they use.

Next issue is tuning.
While my tune is "ok", it could be better since my tuner Don LaSota attempted to tune my car with a bad wastegate actuator.
I haven't been able to make it back to him for another proper dyno tune session since he's 3.5 hrs away and I have a new son.
I've been tossing around the idea of tuning the car myself with the SCT Pro Racer Package software.

So there's a lot of questions outstanding for this project, but the car runs strong and nothing is breaking.

This being my first forced induction project I have to say I'm pleased with the result. [clap]
 
#202 ·
Merry Christmas!!

Over 10k miles on my car since the turbo with zero mechanical issues, not including the seals on that original turbo.
The rebuilt turbo is working great.
I'm pleased to say the least.
I'm heavily leaning towards the SVO T3 to upgrade to this spring.
 
#206 ·
The T3 upgrade is officially on hold indefinitely.
With a 5 month old and one less income it's just not going to happen.

On a side note I have done away with the oil catch can completely.
I ran the hose from the valve cover to just behind the driver's side wheel.
The crankcase hose is just below the radiator, but I'll probably move that in the future.
After moving the valve cover hose to the new location I don't have nearly as much funky fumes coming in through the HVAC system.
Of course the odor is still outside the vehicle, but that's better than inside with the windows up.

I never had an oil in the catch an anyway.
It mainly held condensation and some blowby crud.
I'll now have to deal with a bit of funk dripping onto my concrete, but I'll live.

I also did this so i could possibly reroute my ambient pipe in the future.
I'd like to move it so it doesn't cross under the vehicle...
 
#207 ·
On a side note I have done away with the oil catch can completely.
I ran the hose from the valve cover to just behind the driver's side wheel.
The crankcase hose is just below the radiator, but I'll probably move that in the future.
After moving the valve cover hose to the new location I don't have nearly as much funky fumes coming in through the HVAC system.
Of course the odor is still outside the vehicle, but that's better than inside with the windows up.

...
Nooooo ! Tell me you didnt L O L

Tom
 
#209 ·
Just read this whole thread. Awesome write up with great pics. I wish I had your skills and motivation.
 
#210 ·
Thank you!
I'm not sure it's so much skill as persistence and patience.
If I had to do this project all over again I'm certain it would turn out even better than it has.

On another side note, I finally got some CO2 for my MIG - so no more flux for this guy!
My wife also bought me an auto-tint mask for Christmas. :)
 
#211 ·
Just an update.
The car is still running great with 12,000 miles on the turbo.
I just bought the SCT Pro Racer Package from LaSota Racing so I can make my own tweaks for better around-town gas mileage and future upgrades.

I plan on re-routing the ambient pipe that runs under the car so I have the option of FRPP or Eibach springs later on.
I may stick with a draw-through MAF, or go to a blow-through. I haven't decided.

I had plans of upgrading to a larger T3 turbo, but to be honest I'm still happy with this little IHI for 99% of the driving I do.

I did have a bit of a scare a week ago when a vac nipple dry rotted and created a boost leak before my wastegate actuator.
My boost spiked between 16-20psi, but the engine stayed together! :)

Thanks to everyone who has followed this build and those who have helped along the way.
For my first-ever turbocharged vehicle I'd say this project has been a huge success.
 
#213 · (Edited)
So my overboost scare a while back did end up causing some damage that raised its head slowly.
3 of 4 cylinders are low on compression.
Rather than rebuild this motor I'm going with a 2.3 N/A build.
I wanted to do the turbo thing and I did and I feel this endeavour was a success.
 
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