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Budget Turbo DIY

5K views 34 replies 22 participants last post by  JarJarBlinks 
#1 ·
Okay, I get Sport Compact Car every month, and this month had a good set of three stories on inexpensive DIY turbo kits for two Nissans and a Honda. Pretty cool stories, especially with one of the cars getting a donor turbo from an old 90's Cummins turbo diesel engine. Like all SCC articls, this one had a good bit of technical detail on picking out correct turbo size, etc. Anyway, as a young parent of two wonderful daughters that can't afford killer project car, I am looking for modest gains with a budget turbo solution. This route seemed pretty appealing. Give me some feedback, and help me with the questions below...

1) What kind of "junkyard" turbo would you recommend for a 2.0L Zetec? What previous turboed engines have similar displacement and NA performance that could have a properly sized turbo? The key is to highlight older vehicles, as they are more liklely to show up in greater numbers in junkyards.

2) What options are their for an exhaust manifold that would work with both the turbo and the Zetec cylinder head? How much custom fab work would be involved? Do I need to look at a customer manifold?

The SCC article assumed custom piping, with new parts for the fuel pump, injectors, BOV, etc.
 
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#2 ·
For a budget, you may be better off with something like Jackson Racing supercharger, they are cheaper than most any other form of F/I and give nice gains and also are extremely reliable. I think you would probably get into your DIY project and end up spending way more than you planned.
 
#3 ·
Yeah, plus the SC is 10X easier to install.
 
#4 ·
I'd go with tom's stage 1 kit. it's less than $3k, 10 psi max, non-intercooled (you can always upgrade later to a full kit or add a meth injection for cooling). the kit comes with just about everything you need. I believe you just need to get a blowoff valve, injectors, and a boost controller (but only if you want it). it's a bit more expensive than the JRSC, pretty easy to install, and then you just have to get it tuned. overall, you're still spending less than $4k once you throw in the BOV, boost controller, injectors and tuning. and you'll probably make better power than the JRSC (which has very little in the way of upgrades besides the BBK) and it'll probably be more fun. good luck, happy modding
 
#5 ·
I know how you feel I love reading SCC .....ah for the articles lol well anyways. You could get the manifold from tom I believe hee makes one but I would use parts such has tubing and other little peices he makes to make a kit. I have put some thought into this but I just had a baby (my wife not me) means I will have no money for a long time. So for turbo I would probably use one from a eclispe since it is so close in displacement to our zetec.
 
#7 ·
Anyone worth his salt knows that turbo is way cooler than super.

Wssssshhhhtttt.... PSSHHHH! is way cooler than Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv ush
 
#10 ·
http://www.jgstools.com/turbo/index2.html has a lot of budget options for exhaust stuff.

I would probably say "going cheap" on a used turbine isn't nessicarily a good idea, but you may be able to find one that is rebuildable. Personally I think the turbine itself should be the part you try and buy new.

As far as the rest of the piping, you should be able to find a good shop that can bend or weld (if you can't do that yourself) around here, or if you're looking to go real cheap, hit the dirty dirty D and look for a shop that'll do it for SUPER cheap. I'm sure you could find a couple shops in Detroit that'll be low low cost.

Good luck man, I've done a little research into this but decided it wasn't for me, so I hope it works out for you.
 
#18 ·
for tunning, if you have the drive and courage, you could save money getting the SCT pro racer package where you tune the car yourself it comes with everything you need to tune for $650 and you will recieve a base file when you buy it. you could easily use alot of parts from eclipse/talons.....the BOV is perfect and you could get one for $40-50 and the turbo would be a good size if you can get a 14b or even 16g(for more power). pickup a cheap intercooler on ebay for $200, JGStools.com manifold kit for $200, and you will need a bunch of fittings and couplers and such prolly gonna cost another $200. so you could feasibly have a fast turbo forcus for about $2000 if you source your parts right and can fab up your own exhaust and charge piping. i made my own kit and spent almost $3500 but thats because i bout an $800 turbo brand new and got the software to tune myself.
 
#20 ·
My understanding was that the stock rods, pistons, and CR were okay with anything 10 psi and under. As for the clutch, it was also my understandind that this was okay with mild turbo setups (230 hp and below). While a stickier clutch is always better, my understanding was that you don't have to upgrade.
 
#21 ·
I had this list when i was putting a turbo on my 95 celica. I used a 88 thunderbird turbo which was water and oil cooled. i would go with a t3/t4
Junkyard Turbo List




AUDI-Europe 200 88 2.2L KKK K26

AUDI-Europe 200 88-91 2.2L KKK K24

AUDI-Europe 200 Quattro 91 2.2L KKK K24

AUDI-Europe 5000 80-88 2.2L KKK K26

AUDI-Europe 5000 Diesel 2.0L 88 KKK K24

AUDI-Europe 5000 Quattro 82-88 2.2L KKK K26

AUDI-Europe S4 Quattro 92-94 2.2L KKK K24

AUDI-Europe S4 Biturbo/tt-180 99 2.7L/1.8L KKK K03

AUDI-Europe TT-225hp 99 1.8L KKK K04

AUDI A3, A4, A6, Cabriolet 1.8L,/1.9L diesel GAR GT-15



BMW 324TD/524TD 83-86 GAR TB0324

BMW 745I 84-86 KKK K27



BUICK GNX 87 3.8L GAR TB0348

BUICK Monte Carlo/Regal 78-83 3.8L carbed GAR TB0348

BUICK Riviera 80-85 3.8L GAR TB0308

BUICK Grand National/T-Type 86-87 3.8L (Intercooled) GAR TB0348 (TA48)

BUICK Trans Am 89 3.8L GAR TB0348 (water)

BUICK Century 78 3.8L GAR TB0301

BUICK Century 79 3.8L GAR TB0304

BUICK Century 80 3.8L GAR TB0308



CHEVY Sprint 1.0L IHI RHB31

CHEVY Spectrum 85-90 1.5L IHI RHB521



CHRYSLER Conquest, Intercooled 87 2.6L MHI TD05

CHRYSLER Laser (Auto) 90-94 2.2L MHI TD04

CHRYSLER Laser (Manual) 90-94 2.2L MHI TD05H

CHRYSLER LeBaron 89-92 2.5L MHI TE04H

CHRYSLER LeBaron 88 2.5L MHI TE04H

CHRYSLER New Yorker 88 2.5L MHI TE04H

CHRYSLER New Yorker 84-87 2.2L GAR TB0335

CHRYSLER Town & Country 88 2.2L MHI TE04H

CHRYSLER Town & Country 84-87 2.2L GAR TB0335

CHRYSLER Charger/Shelby 87-90 2.2L GAR TB03 (water)

CHRYSLER Shelby CSX-Daytona/Baron GTC/Shadow ES 89-90 2.2L GAR TB03 VNT (variable nozzle)



DODGE 600 88 2.5L MHI TE04H

DODGE 600 85-87 2.2L GAR TB0335

DODGE Aries 88 2.2L MHI TE04H

DODGE Caravan 89-90 2.5L MHI TE04H

DODGE Conquest (Intercooled) 87 2.6L MHI TD05

DODGE Daytona 89-92 2.5L MHI TE04H

DODGE Daytona Shelby 88 2.2L MHI TE04H

DODGE Daytona Shelby 84-87 2.2L GAR TB0335

DODGE Lancer 89 2.5L MHI TE04H

DODGE Lancer 88 2.5L MHI TE04H

DODGE Lancer 85-87 2.2L GAR TB0335

DODGE Omni 85-87 2.2L GAR TB0335

DODGE Shadow 89-92 2.5L MHI TE04H

DODGE Shadow 88 2.5L MHI TE04H

DODGE Shadow 87 2.2L GAR TB0335

DODGE Spirit 89-92 2.5L MHI TE04H



EAGLE Talon (Manual) 90-94 2.0L MHI TD05H (45 trim)

EAGLE Talon (Auto) 90-95 2.0L MHI TD04
EAGLE Talon (Manual) 95-98 2.0L MHI T25 (45 trim)



FORD Mustang GT 85-86 2.3L GAR TB0344

FORD Mustang GT/T-bird 83-84 GAR (AiR) TB0344

FORD Probe GT 88-92 2.2L IHI RHB52W

FORD T-Bird 85-86 2.3L (auto) GAR (AiR) TB0344 (45 trim oil only)

FORD T-Bird 85-86 2.3L (Manual) GAR (AiR) TB03 60 trim (watercooled)

FORD T-Bird 87-88 (water) IHI RHB52

FORD Fiesta 90+ 1.6L GAR T2

FORD Escort 84-86 IHI RHB5



ISUZU MPR Truck 88-92 IHI RHB6-A



MAZDA 626, MX6 88-92 2.2L IHI RHB52W

MAZDA 323 GTX turbo 88-89 1.6L IHI RHB52W (water)



MERCEDES 300D, SDT, TD 78-84 3.0L GAR TA0301

MERCEDES 300SDL 78-83 3.0L GAR TA0301

MERCEDES 300SDL (Calif.) 86-87 3.0L GAR TB0359



MERCURY Capri 85-86 2.3L GAR TB0344

MERCURY Cougar 85-86 2.3L GAR TB0344

MERKUR XR4Ti 85-88 2.3L GAR TB0344



MITSUBISHI Eclipse (Auto) 90-94 2.2L MHI TD04

MITSUBISHI Eclipse (Manual) 90-94 2.2L MHI TD05H

MITSUBISHI Eclipse (Manual) 95-98 2.0L MHI T25 (45 trim)

MITSUBISHI Galant (Auto) 88-94 2.2L MHI TD04

MITSUBISHI Galant (Manual) 88-94 2.2L MHI TD05H

MITSUBISHI Starion (Intercooled) 85-87 2.6L MHI TD05

MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR4 - 2x MHI TD04H



PLYMOUTH Acclaim 89-92 2.5L MHI TE04H

PLYMOUTH Caravelle 88 2.5L MHI TE04H

PLYMOUTH Caravelle 85-87 2.2L GAR TB0335

PLYMOUTH Conquest, Intercooled 85-89 2.6L MHI TD05

PLYMOUTH Laser (Auto) 89-94 2.0L MHI TD04

PLYMOUTH Laser (Manual) 89-94 2.0L MHI TD05H

PLYMOUTH Sundance 89-92 2.5L MHI TE04H

PLYMOUTH Sundance 88 2.5L MHI TE04H

PLYMOUTH Sundance 87 2.2L GAR TB0335

PLYMOUTH Voyager 89-90 2.5L MHI TE04H



PONTIAC Sunbird GT 88-90 2.0L GAR T2

PONTIAC Sunbird GT 84-86 1.8L GAR T2

PONTIAC Grand Prix 89-90 3.1L GAR T25 (water)



SAAB 9000 (16V Intercooled) 87-88 2.0L GAR TB0356

SAAB 900 (16V Intercooled) 87 2.0L GAR TB0339 (Oilcld)

SAAB 900 (16V Intercooled) 84-86 2.0L GAR TB0339 (Oilcld)

SAAB 9000 (16V Intercooled) 85-86 2.0L GAR TB0343

SAAB 900 (8V, APC) 82-84 2.0L GAR TB0321



VOLVO 200 82-84 2.3L GAR TB0313

VOLVO 740 89-93 2.3L MIT TD04H

VOLVO 740 87-89 2.3L MIT TD05

VOLVO 760 89-93 2.3L MIT TD04H

VOLVO 760 87-89 2.3L MIT TD05

VOLVO 780 85-87 2.3L GAR TB0363

VOLVO 780 90 2.3L MIT TD04H

VOLVO 780 87-89 2.3L MIT TD05

VOLVO 940 91-93 2.3L MIT TD04H

VOLVO 200 Watercooled Upgrade 82-84 2.3L GAR TB0368

VOLVO 740 (Oil Cooled) 83-85 2.3L GAR TB0326

VOLVO 740 (Watercooled) 85-87 2.3L GAR TB0363

VOLVO 760 (Oil Cooled) 83-86 2.3L GAR TB0326

VOLVO 760 (Watercooled) 85-87 2.3L GAR TB0363



VW Passat, 97+ (oil) 1.8L GAR GT15



GAR=Garrett=AiResearch, MHI=Mitsubishi Heavy industries, MIT=Mitsubishi
 
#22 ·
I would start by making a parts list.
I'm am not an EXPERT, but here is a simple list I made for you.
You'll need:

Gasket>Manifold>Gasket>Turbo>Gasket>DownPipe>Gasket

If you go unintercooled, Then you just need 2 pipe sections:

COUPLER>PIPE>FILTER
COUPLER>PIPE>COUPLER>BOV PIPE> COUPLER>PIPE>COUPLER>MAF>COUPLER

If you go intercooled then you need More pipes and couplers obviously.

You'll also need Vacuum Tubing, Tuning, Injectors, Oil in/out Lines, Water Lines (if the turbo is water cooled) I may be missing some things.

Best bet is to find a turbo that is Internally Wastegated. That is an easier setup to deal with. Alot of times you can find EVO turbos that were taken off with only 3K miles on them. Also, a lot of times you can find a pipe section that already has a BOV attached to it, which makes that part easy. I wish you the best of luck. I am going to make a write up of my homebrew turbo build in a couple of months. LMK how things go if you attempt this before I do!
 
#24 ·
you could always try a honda turbo kit that they have all over ebay for 800 then get a different manifold and do some custom charge pipes and an exhaust. Probably end up costing you around 1500-2500 depends how well you shop around.
 
#26 ·
not to mention wny buy the kit if your only going to use the turbo and ditch all the piping??
 
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