I am trying to build a budget turbo set of just a small turbo 8 pounds or less on a carbed 355

Id like to build my own kit or buy a super cheap kit lol

If anyone has any info on building a kit let me know so I can get it done.

 

Turbo kits are available on EBAY but the manifolds and heat units are typically of low/poor quality. Cheap is more a matter of perspective than it is a given dollar value. Remember, you typically get what you pay for. There are quite a few threads in this forum where guys have built their own kits. Their level of success varies, but I'm sure one thing they will all tell you is that you'll be better off investing in quality parts than buying a questibrand EBAY kit. Do a little research and read up on the systems as much as you can and do your own DIY kit.

I wish there was an easier way, but, in the end if you do it all yourself, you will have something you will be able to maintain and something to be proud of. Good luck and let us know when you need more technical advise.

 

i have built a couple of kits for 2.0 eclipse i would shop around and get good brand turbo ect. but i want to do all my own design

 

A generic carbed 355 will more than likely be under 600HP with 8 PSI. Take your stock cast manifolds and cut a hole in them, weld on a a box with T3 flanges for twins. For a single weld a bigger box on the right side manifold so that it can accept the merge pipe from the driver's side.

Make the box(es) out of 3/16" or thicker plate and flange out of 3/8" or thicker. Weld with proper pre-heat and cool down with nickel ARC rod. It is about $20 bucks worth of scrap steel if you can't find it for free. The rod should cost about $20-$40 depending on where you get it.

Then get a few bends to make the driver's to pass side merge pipe if doing a single. Columbia Mandrel bends .com has decent prices. Or just get some junkyard exhaust pipe and use that. Either way, cheap or free.

Do the carb mods yourself. Less than $100 for the floats, jets, and power valves. Plenty of sources on the web show how to do it. Assuming you have a Holley DP.......which who wouldn't on a 355.

Some 1/4" brake line for the oil source along with some brass fittings. Get a real oil return line -10 AN or bigger and some weld on AN bungs for the pan and turbo flanges.

K&N air filter, some charge pipe off ebay, the source I gave, or the junkyard.

Turbo from ebay (new China or used IHI, Garrett, Holset, BW, etc) or the junkyard (maybe throw in a rebuild kit now or later if needed).

Overall, if you junkyard everything and are good at scavenging then less than $500 and that is reliable if you weld the manifolds properly. Buying everything new and/or brand name can cost upwards of $3000 depending on how fancy you go.

It all comes down to searching for good deals by doing research first. Do it right by welding the manifolds properly, make a good oil feed, a good -10 AN or bigger return to the pan, keep the drain straight and vertical, use good silicone couplers WITH lips/bead on the pipes, jet the carb properly, weld the dizzy to lock out mechanical advance resonably.........and it will be reliable.

 

Thanks for that info. Thats sorta what I was thinking to do.

I have alot of older style manifolds and 2.5/3" exhaust laying in my shop lol

 

Send project89 a PM, he knows what ebay turbos are good. As long as you know how to weld cast and you get the carb set up right, should be simple for you. Shouldn't need an intercooler for 8 lbs and a carb, but I'd keep a close eye on detonation especially until you get the carb working well.

 

This kit here I think is the one I want to base my kit from
**Print this out and use it for a templet on all parts needed**
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevy...item3f01adc58f

would these manifolds work ok for my build?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Small...item1e5c1049dc

 

would this intercooler be good for the build Im not looking to make tons of power just want a turbo for the hell of it

http://columbus.craigslist.org/pts/1839629037.html

 

Yes, that is a generic list of parts needed. Go with a bigger intercooler if you add one.

No, those headers will put the turbos through the hood. Use stock TPI manifolds and weld a short box on top of them.

 

You might want to check out the SSAC single turbo setup also if you are thinking of using ebay headers. Beware, some have had good results with them and some have had bad results. There is a few threads about them here. at TGO on thirdgens.

 

Is there anyone close to me that can build a set of turbo manifolds for me?

I dont have the correct stuff to do so or someone have a cheap set to get rid of

 

If you don't have the fabrication tools and skills, you're gonna need to find a local friend to do this. There is no 'bolt on' anything when it comes to third gens and turbos. Something as simple as a 1/8" change in position of the turbo can mean the difference in having AC or not, having to compeletely re-route coolant lines or having to do without something you'd really rather keep on the car.

That intercooler appears to be a tube and fin style intercooler. The other common type is bar and plate. The difference being that the tube and fin is less efficient in a given size than its bar and plate cousin. While the bar and plate is more efficient, it's also more expensive and a bit heavier. You can tell the difference by looking at the area between the fins. If it's flat, it is bar and plate. If it's pointed/round then it's tube and fin. Here is a view of the edge of the cores, with the tube and fin on the right side. You can see how the bar and plate has more room for airflow:

 

I got fabrication tools and skills just with 80+ Hours a week workin on other peoples **** its hard for me to get time to fabricate on mine.

Hell my 91 Vert has been a project for 2 years I miss driving that car lol

I dont have Ac and Its a Old School Style Set up No Serpintine ect...

 

here is the motor bay I would have it going in

 

Well, yes and no. I have one of the Ebay bar&plate coolers as shown in the left picture. The internal fins for cooling are just small plates. The cooler I have made by Griffin Radiator (yes, they make intercoolers) is tube & fin and has small plates that are louvered to increase the cooling area. Overall, a better cooler but 4x the cost of the ebay cooler.
In general bar&plate is better but it also comes down to the attention to detail the manufacturer used.

EDIT: You won't get this kind of info from the lesser bar&plate manufacturers: http://www.roadraceengineering.com/e...flowcharts.htm

 

You need to figure out HP and spool response and what size turbos you want before building headers. The size of the turbo defines how the headers are to be built.
Have you decided on twins or a single? Plan on pulling the engine pan to weld on the oil return fittings?

 

No I have access to a lift. But I was actually going to build a pan and just swap pans out.

Im looking for 8-12 pounds of boost prolly single turbo for my first build

 

If you are planning on running up to 12 pounds of boost, then I would toss the mechanical fuel pump in favor for an electric pump w/regulator, you'll be killing two birds with one stone, because then you can use your blockoff plate for your oil return fitting....;

 

my motors a newer block and dont have a mechanical fuel pump or have a spot for oil to come out actually dont even have a plate on it at all

 

Pull the pan and use a -10 AN or -12 AN return and never worry about drain problems. I prefer -12 AN. Some say it is overkill.

I would put a 60mm on it with a normal turbine A/R and have it spool at 2000 RPM and make it fun for the street and about 600HP max.

Quickest and cheapest is using TPI manifolds. Next cheapest and quickest is the SSAC single turbo setup but it will require cut & welds on stainless. No problem with a MIG and argon or on the cheap just use steel wire.

 

you can buy flanges and mild steel header pipes from Jegs/Summit and fab up a quick simple log manifold and run it to a single turbo. Single T70 or whatever you want. Budget would be MP T70. Seem to work great on everything.

I built my twin manifolds for about 400-500 bucks total I think and 175 of that were pre-stubbed flanges from Hooker headers. Not the cheapest way to start but worked for me. Easier to start with. I had couple hundred bucks in bends, if that, and 120 bucks for my buddy to tig weld it complete, i just tacked it up with my cheap mig.

You can easily do a log setup using mild steel exhaust piping for under 400 bucks. SImple hand tools.

 

thanks for the tips I think were gonna make our own turbo manifolds and what not