Hoffbro's Brilliantrot Turbo

[Hoffbrohaus]

Time to start this thread. I started my turbo project probably a year or more ago. Just doing bit's and pieces as I like to do 1 thing at a time and make sure it works. But now I'm close to getting it done and rather than start new threads here and there with questions I figured it would be easier. Lot's of help already along the way from varg , Panici and ForcedFirebird so thanks for that guys!

Goal: build a daily drivable turbo that is fun for under $6k. If I was spending closer to $8k then I would just supercharge my e46 M3. I don't think I'll need more than 350hp but will bet once I get going I'll want more

Here's what I have done already:

MSPNP2 w/GM IAT - installed and tuned
After doing some tuning I saw the advantage of the M50 E36 TPS and installed that

Already had the innovate LM-2 Wideband O2
after that all worked well I added Wasted Spark and made some mistakes but then got it running well. Lots of help from you guys and Carl at diyauto.


oil drain bung welded on. I would just do a bulkhead fitting next time.

ARP Head Studs were added next

New eccentrics & valve adjustment while in there



dyno'd for a baseline

[Hoffbrohaus]

Next the summer hit Phoenix and it was 120*F forever. I had previously deleted my stock oil cooler to fit a new r134a AC compressor so I thought now was a good time to re-install and measure the temps. Went with a new CSF oil cooler



Ran custom lines I bought from siliconeintakes.com with fittings added to the oil thermostat thing




Don't worry that zip tie in the picture was only temporary!

With an innovate dual temp/pressure gauge which by the way you don't want to mount the sender on the block where the OEM sender is, vibration killed it, so I ran a -4an feed line for the turbo and will tee off this for the sending unit.

[Hoffbrohaus]

All was running well and tuned in so it was time to start doing the real turbo stuff. Ordered my small intercooler and couldn't get it to fit with the AC condenser so i said F'it and ripped out all the AC stuff. It was never really cold anyway. I might go back to AC eventually but for now I just want boost. I could cut the front facia to fit the condenser and intercooler but not yet. Ended up relocating the oil cooler a little lower to fit the intercooler better.




Mounted an 16" electric fan from summit, you guys won't like the 1300 cfm but it was only 2in thick so no cutting required, fitted the front facia no problem. I still have the crank puller fan, if I see overheating issues I know where I need to go.





Got my RSI manifold and test mounted it with the turbo



Next step is intercooler piping

[ElJimo]

Looks great! Will be following this closely, getting ready to start a turbo build of my own. What work did you do in selecting your turbo. What did you end up with?

[Hoffbrohaus]

Looks great! Will be following this closely, getting ready to start a turbo build of my own. What work did you do in selecting your turbo. What did you end up with?

I did a lot of work researching. You can try this thread to see.

I re-read pertinent chapters of Corky Bell's book Maximum Boost and learned how to read those boost maps.

In the end I went with Varg's advice because I found a used T304e with a .63 AR externally wastegated on Facebook Marketplace for $400 . Great condition too.

[Panici]

Looks like a good start so far!
Glad I could be of use, although not quite sure what I did to help.

I don't regret my 24v swap, but if I had to do it again I might have just turbocharged the M20.
Keeps more of the car's original character, which IMO is more important then outright speed or power.

[Hoffbrohaus]

My pcv solution for now. Should make it faster. 😁 1" hose from valve cover to NOS can.

[Hoffbrohaus]

Besides replying to my questions posted throughout the forum the users previously mentioned helped by creating their own build threads, I thought I would list the ones I refer to often for everyone else:

Panici's '87 325is E30 - Boosted In Bronze
SNAFU; high performance 318is build that lives up to the name, Turbo M42 ➞ Turbo M20
'94 E34 Touring slicktop, forged M50B30 powered, S366SX-E boosted, daily driven
Clean shaved/tucked M20 turbo - TUNED 378hp/282kw
Turbo Vacuum lines and what can be plugged guide

[McGyver]

Great thread! I'm looking forward to seeing how you piece this together!

I'm currently building an engine, then plan to go MS2 with wasted spark, then turbo. I have several of your threads saved in my bookmarks folder. Here's some other good ones:
Das beast
WAY better wasted spark option
ForcedFirebird's m20 dyno thread
Large Intercooler without hacking your valence

[Hoffbrohaus]

As it sits. Finished main parts of intercooler piping. Need some new 90* boots that are on the way to finish. Trying to get front facia on now.



Didn't want to cut anything but the intercooler is better sitting lower so then the pipes block access for these brackets. My little air compressor sucks for a die grinder.



Once I got it mounted I could see the driverside pipe is hitting the back of the fog light. Otherwise all good. I guess I might try cutting a notch out of the back of the fog light.

[Hoffbrohaus]

OK moving on to the oil return and fabbing up a downpipe.

How did you guys route your o2 sensor wire? I thought I was supposed to have it at the end of the downpipe. But the innovate LC2 plug is huge, not going through the firewall.

1. Do I cut the wires and extend through firewall? No fun

2. Or is it OK to run the sensor further downstream in the midpipe like I was previously? then the wire harness feeds up nicely through the shifting linkage.

[Dj Buttchug]

If I remember correctly you want to run the wideband o2 18-36 inches from the turbo. Id opt to not cut the wiring as it would be perfectly ok to be a bit further downstream.

[Hoffbrohaus]

Yea everything I read says to put it close but not too close as the heat will eventually fry the sensor. I found this smaller connector on the LC-2 that might be easier to pass through the firewall. Might give it a go tomorrow.

[alpinaseeone]

Sweet build. Looking forward to seeing the turbo all put together and see the power difference.

Yea everything I read says to put it close but not too close as the heat will eventually fry the sensor. I found this smaller connector on the LC-2 that might be easier to pass through the firewall. Might give it a go tomorrow.

I ran that smaller plug through a new slit in the firewall grommet and worked fine. Can't say I didn't sit there for a while trying to think of a way to get the bigger plug through. Oops.

Have you used the LC2 before? When I went Megasquirt I used it for a week but got a couple weird readings and the heating process was taking a lot longer on startup than I'd have liked. Went with AEM and seems to be much more fool proof but I might've just wired the Innovate wrong / badly.

[Hoffbrohaus]

Have you used the LC2 before? When I went Megasquirt I used it for a week but got a couple weird readings and the heating process was taking a lot longer on startup than I'd have liked. Went with AEM and seems to be much more fool proof but I might've just wired the Innovate wrong / badly.

I have been using the LC2 for years, had it installed before I even went to megasquirt. Once I wired it to the MSPNP2 I didn't see any difference in warm-up time or odd readings. I did see an old post on here though where a guy swore the LC2 was no good. So once I get the turbo running and go back to the tuner I will have him run a sniffer at the same time to compare AFR numbers.