[fastboy714]

So after doing some wondering around the web, the only real full turbo kit is the one by FSWerks (formerly focussport). However, as a current college student I don't have $4,000 to drop. Besides at that price I might as well just buy a new car. I've decided to try and build my own turbo kit.

Has anyone else previously done this?
Any suggestions?
Everything is appreciated

Cheers,
Tyler

 

[felixthecat]

Have you checked out tri point engineering? Or you might want to check out a speed3 for parts/piece's.

 

[viney266]

It can be done. The question is do YOU have the skills to make the parts? welding, fabrication, etc. If so you can build the kit. REMEMBER tuning will be $800 OR MORE no matter what you do. If these things don't scare you off. Go to it.

 

[sailor]

Moved to the Forced Induction section where you can find more info. & examples of what others have done.

 

[Focus112]

Save for another year and go with fswerks. Building your own would be difficult with a high chance of failure like many others we see on here.

 

[sutyak]

I have, and it's all documented in this forum.
That being said, it has been a never-ending hobby of tweaking and fixing. I learned a tremendous amount, but also spent quite a bit of money. Certainly more than just buying a kit off the shelf.
Do a home-built turbo kit for the fun and experience. Do not do it for the cost savings, because ultimately you will not save anything. Definitely do NOT try a home-built turbo kit on your only car.

 

[felixthecat]

I have, and it's all documented in this forum.
That being said, it has been a never-ending hobby of tweaking and fixing. I learned a tremendous amount, but also spent quite a bit of money. Certainly more than just buying a kit off the shelf.
Do a home-built turbo kit for the fun and experience. Do not do it for the cost savings, because ultimately you will not save anything. Definitely do NOT try a home-built turbo kit on your only car.

This^^^^^^^^

 

[Sniper Focus]

A DIY turbo kit is definitely a second car project. I'm not even sure if I'd do a premade kit on my sole daily driver. Nothing like having to work out "kinks" while having to get to school or work the next day.

Then you're gonna want supporting mods like a clutch, brakes, LSD...$$$$

 

[StephenElsbree1986]

Yes, never ever do it with your daily. This is the perfect time of the year though. My SVT has been sitting with my homebuilt kit. But I disagree with the money aspect of it. Kits are generic. I guess it all depends on why you're boosting it. A turbo should go along with your cams/manifold and everything. You have control of your whole power band and you get it decide it all! It'll take time but you'll get a lot of hands on time with your car. Don't be afiard to ask questions or help. The hardest part would be tuning but Tom does that for 550! My car is finish but, sitting due to the last part =P.

Plus doing it yourself you can choose the parts you want! If you have some cash to throw at the project just buy the kit from Tom, if you're not able to weld or know someone that can weld, specially Alum might just be better of buying it from him!

 

[wv rider]

I installed the FSWERKS kit on my daily without major issue. I did have my bike to run though while the car was down. 4k since without any major problems (some minor ones due to my continued modding), but the FSWERKS tune has been pretty good. Customer support has been pretty good as well. A DIY you probably want a second vehicle first. Just keep in mind during your build, you usually get what you pay for.

 

[fastboy714]

appreciate the feedback guys

 

[tallted]

Don't learn on your daily driver.
I toy around with turbo chrysler cars from the late 80s to early 90s to learn on. They were once plentiful and with some searching can be found dirt cheap. Companies still out there selling parts and a small cult following sprinkled across the country.

 

[sutyak]

Don't learn on your daily driver.
I toy around with turbo chrysler cars from the late 80s to early 90s to learn on. They were once plentiful and with some searching can be found dirt cheap. Companies still out there selling parts and a small cult following sprinkled across the country.

The turbo Mopars are a great platform to learn on, but the technology is certainly outdated. Fuel injection and tuning capability has come a long way.

 

[tallted]

The turbo Mopars are a great platform to learn on, but the technology is certainly outdated. Fuel injection and tuning capability has come a long way.

Definitely. The injection setup is similar too all efi up until gdi cars like the mk3.
Tuning those cars is custom hack jobs.
My ecu had the chip popped off and replaced with a plug. I currently have chips that I burn using a handmade burner. I recently bought an emulator so I can run my laptop directly to the ecu and make tuning changes on the fly.
For actual software I use a program made by a few of the guys in the community that hacked the ecu and wrote a tuning program.
It's a cheap way to learn and not worry about trashing a nice car.

To do a custom turbo you don't have to know how to tune the car, but you should be familiar with all the components of doing so, and how EFI works so you can build it right. You can always find competent tuners to handle that aspect.

 

[Hughesy27]

I built mine and now I'm on my second build. It was really a learning thing for me and wanting to build my own. It can be done but like sporadic said, you are always tweaking it. I've been running mine for around two years now. Tuning is gonna be the expensive part. Piecing it together didn't cost much but have had to adapt a lot. I spent less and made better numbers but would have been easier to buy a kit for sure. But do what you want to do. Your car really. There are a few of us on here that prove it can be done. Just do your research for sure.