To Turbo, or not to Turbo...that is the question

[Acuta73]

Found a T3 stainless turbo manifold on fleabay for $300, a "street" T3 waste-gated/inter-cooled turbo on another site for $800, figure $200 for the cold air intake and however much more for hardpipe and cap....

The obvious question is: Is it worth the trouble and money? Running a not-stock engine and very likely going with the larger Starion stainless valves soon, head is polished, higher duration bumpstick, and 38/38 DGES already onboard.

Ideas? Input? Suggestions? Tell me I'm stupid? (I don't mind...)

[LSR Mike]

Turbo is the best way to go faster, then break everything downstream! But one hell of a lot of fun!

[LethalEthan]

a quote from another forum

"Boosting with a carb is like being a sniper with a bazooka... it works, it gets the job done, but it's not the most precise method."

I'd go FI, then boost. In the end it would be much more reliable and easier to tune

[Acuta73]

Ahh, well, good to know. Perhaps something to consider down the road with a complete rework of the fuel system. Could probably spend the money better on other parts right now. I hate trying to tune things that don't want to.

Thank you!

[Fordubishi]

Yeah with a carb you either have to have a pressurized box around it and never run over 6psi or you set up a blow threw system where the carb sits in front or above the turbo intake.If you want a turbo convert to an EFI set up and find a stand alone engine management system.

[pennyman1]

Or you can set the turbo up with a draw through dcoe weber like I am doing on the starquest motor I am building. My friend who is helping me build it wanted to do it old school. This way the carb does not get pressurized like a blow through and is much easier to tune. The carb manifold I am using for the dcoe was from a turbo setup for a toyota 22re

[Fordubishi]

yep like the 79-80 Mustang 2.3L Turbo. that was one weird set up. Sorry yep your right Pennyman it was a draw through system. Not a blow through.

[camoit]

Forget the turbo and adapt somthing like this onto it. Then you won't blow the rods out of it.

2268

[LethalEthan]

sidedraft webers would work camoit. Manifolds pop up every now and then to run them. But it'd be an expensive setup I bet. On the upside it would probably sound completely awesome.

[pennyman1]

Have the manifold for the dual dcoe setup for the 2.6 also; it is going on the motor in Geronimo after I rebuild it once the turbo motor is done. With the cam and header the 2.6 is good for 160+ rwhp. Tuning maybe a pain and mileage will suffer, but oh will it sing!!!

[camoit]

I'll bet you I can build a manifold that will hold motorcycle carbs for under $300. I just need some one that would want one, and a set of junk carbs from a junk yard. I think it was you that posted the Toyota engine in "check this thing out (http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showthread.php/316-check-this-thing-out)".

[LethalEthan]

rickdees posted the yota engine, a good ole 4age. It would be pretty easy to build the manifold id think. But what about the thermostat housing and coolant passage in the manifold? Unless your planning on cutting up a stock manifold, I could see that being a challenge.

[LethalEthan]

Theres a single side draft manifold for a 4G series engine on ebay right now for about $400 I think. Its for an older 4G I think but I imagine it would fit. Australia is the place to look.

[camoit]

rickdees posted the yota engine, a good ole 4age. It would be pretty easy to build the manifold id think. But what about the thermostat housing and coolant passage in the manifold? Unless your planning on cutting up a stock manifold, I could see that being a challenge.

We would need to machine a block for the t stat. Or cut and weld the stocker to fit. That would be the easy way out. Then just fly cut down the surface when done. But it is totally doable.

[pennyman1]

the dual sidedraft manifolds are around - I paid under $100 for mine. there have been a few single sidedraft weber manifolds from aussie land on ebay for 255 and up. Before I got the dual setup, I thought of cutting up a regular manifold and grafting a single sidedraft carb to it. I even saw a manifold adaptor for 1 or 2 sidedrafts that bolt to a downdraft manifold in place of a 4 barrel carb.

[Rahtid]

you can run more than 6psi with a blow thru setup thats the latest craze right now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQd_gkycZIU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=7A7hPjoAzE8

[Acuta73]

I don't think that thing is putting out NEAR enough torque...it doesn't quite roll over when he drops the hammer. Close, though.