The official turbo build thread.

[Jordan325iC]

^^ That's what I'm doing. Ghetto-tuning sucks, but it works. Kind of. I'd get a "tee-in" fuel pressure tester if you don't have one already.

[So Live]

Yeah, MS is a little intimidating. reading other peoples problems and already going through my own set, makes me think itll be better off being able to focus on just that and not have to deal with the whole kit at the same time.

Yeah i have a bunch of gauges like that. If not, my dad can put one together at work. He plays with fluids and hydraulics a lot.

Any tips to getting begi working nicely?

[nando]

I think you're better off starting with an N/A MS tune and waiting on boost. there is a lot less chances of screwing something up - and once you've nailed it, adding a turbo will be easy. Also, I would try to copy somebody else's MS setup as closely as possible. It should get you started a lot quicker - that's what I did and I basically installed MS in a few hours and drove it to work the same night. :)

Generally, problems people have with it are from a lack of understanding or poor workmanship. it is a lot to take in all at once, but the steep learning curve is worth it if you don't give up.

how are you wiring yours up again? all new harness or are you using the motronic connector?

[Jordan325iC]

I think you're better off starting with an N/A MS tune and waiting on boost. there is a lot less chances of screwing something up - and once you've nailed it, adding a turbo will be easy.

+1

[So Live]

Its gonna be plug n play to stock motronic connector.

I hear you guys. Dont get me wrong i understand what your saying. I thought the same thing when i started. A very good friend of mine who's built a bunch of these cars and raced them for about 15 years convinced me otherwise. (now he has a 413whp s/c s50e30) People have gotten away with FMU's for years and gotten along with out megasquirt just fine on low boost applications. Me using a FMU is just the first step in the process. I think itll give me a good chance to work out the bugs in my turbo kit and give me a step to learning how to drive this thing. I know with MS im gonna be really tempted to push 12-13psi right off the bat. lol... FMU will keep me at 8 or 9 for a little while at least.

And as much as i plan on copying someone elses MS setup i want to know how everything works the first time as im putting stuff together. There are going to be differences in builds too. Taking someone elses set up blindly and expecting it to work probably wont for me haha.

I also dont get to drive my little money pit very much. Probably every other weekend if im lucky. Ive been working on it since christmas break and itd be really nice to have something substantial done.

Im gonna see what i can get out of the BEGI and upgrade to MS later. Idk maybe the BEGI will piss me off enough to get ms working first.

[So Live]

Schweet

[So Live]

So I got out of school on the 14th for spring break. I have untill the 20th to get work done.
Im shooting for boost by then :) no guarantees though. Friday, i didnt get anything done so today it started...

Mounted up manifold and

Mounted charge pipe... Still needs some work


Built the downpipe:




Also welded the V-band flange on the holset turbine

I also built the passenger side charge pipe.

I think im finally getting semi proficient at welding pipe. Granted it doesnt look good cause i dont have a bottle but every once in a while it looks decent.

And yes the turbos real high. I guess flipping stock manifolds wasnt a great idea... it clears the hood and the motor will be another 1/8 inch lower cause im loosing the spacers i needed before.

[golde30]

niiiice. i want to turbo my s50 some day....some day.

[So Live]

So today i got a late start (3pm) but i made up fro it by just getting inside (130am) haha

Im kinda bummed out about my o2 sensor being the wrong one. It really might be the part thats gonna keep me from getting this thing done by weds or thurs.

So today i finished the exhaust, Figured out the intake, made an oil distribution block for the two sensors and the turbo feed. Roughly mounted the BEGI and got the lines figured out. New seals in the intake manifold and while it was off, i JB welded the ICV and other little vac fittings in the manifold (supposedly a problem area). Made a little custom fitting for water temp at the head too. Also made a date with Jon Volk on Tuesday to get my oil pan fitting welded up.

Pics:












Tomorows another day...

[Jroc81]

You snake Chris, no wonder I haven't seen you around. That build should be dope. Can you guess what my daily is these days?

[Farbin Kaiber]

When you get this thing all dialed in it's gonna be skunky.

[So Live]

Haha thanks guys.

J, im hopein its the dirty30?!?!?!

Updates for today.

Got the intake all figured out. All the vac lines are run. Got the fuel system hooked up. Also got the gauge sender wires into the cabin and all the grounds for the senders hooked up and squared away. Got the 30Lb injectors in and the intake mani and fuel rail stuff is all installed. Also got the waste gate plumbing off the manifold and into the exhaust tacked. Also got the MAF wires extended so i can do the draw through set up.

Tomoro ill hopefully get all the pipe work finalized. Jon Volk is welding the fitting on my oil pan. My fathers getting a super trick oil drain fitting made up :)

Unfortunately my o2 sensor is seeming to be a huge pain in the ass. Apparently AEM doesnt use the one i have any more or something. The only place i found that sells it is in austraila!!!!! Turns out saturn and GM use the same sensor though. I ordered one from a saturn place in PA. Well see what happens.

Im kinda planning on getting it all squared away tomro but i cant tune shit with out wideband :(

Oh well. Pics:



Tools of the trade:


oil:


Very unconventional WG:




Reasoning behind that is if it were under the manifold where i wanted to put it, i wouldnt be able to get the down pipe out of the car. I figured that should work alright and with the whole thing in header wrap it wont look too bad.

[Jroc81]

everything looks awesome bro but dont forget that cars, esp 20 year old turbo'ed ones require maintenance, and you need to be able to get to things to fix them. It's no fun having to rip into your turbo set up to perform valve jobs timing jobs, oil changes, replace water pumps etc.

[PiercedE30]

Wait, why are you using a MAF?

[So Live]

J im aware. I plan on changing the oil after about 20 minutes and then after a few hundred miles just to make sure everything is clean. I got a rude awakening of that today...

Pierced, Im using the stock ecu for now with a BEGI FMU. I want boost. MS is another project in itself that i dont want to deal with at the moment.

So today i got some stuff done. Turns out getting the oil pan out in the car is pretty difficult. Oh well. So the pan came out and the 12an bung got welded in (thanks Jon Volk!)

So i got everything out and the bung welded in. I came back and noticed a big black plastic thing on the ground. Hmmmm whats that.... the tensioner for the fucking oil chain. SICKKKKKK... so the pan went back on temporarily with like 5 bolts. i remounted the subframe so i could put the motor back down off my super G-code hoist system (dad lent out the real hoist :( ) And that was the end of that.

So i took the HUGE set back to clean up the garage and start fresh mentally. I was trying to get this thing done way too quickly. If it wasnt the first time turboing a car and if i bought a manifold it would have been a different story.

I finished welding the whole wastegate apparatus and went over all the charge piping. Also added little tube fitting thingys for the ICV and the diverter valve on the throttle side charge pipe. I got the turbo inlet pipe welded up finally.

Time for pics:
Oh balls:


Complimentary bottom end shot:


The Hoist:


This SOB was dirtyyyyy:


Charge pipe tube thingys:


uhmmmmm...


Tomoro ill pressure check all the charge pipes and exhaust and maybe paint the charge pipes. Maybe ill wrap the downpipe but idk if i want to do that yet.

Cheers!