Commentary added if requested.. otherwise I think they're pretty self-explanitory.

 

The connectors are home depot stock.. they don't have half-sizes, and not one piece of the pipe is exactly 2" or 3", so they bulge because they've been clamped beyond spec (2"->3" connector used for 1.5"->2.5", 3"->3" for 2.5"->2.5")

More pics to come when weather improves and I start working. Going to pull the nose off again, so I'll take some pics of the full routing.

 

that is beautiful....makes me want a turbo.....bbbbrbrrrrrrrrruuuuuummmm....pppsssstttt...(bov) lol

 

That exhaust exit is in an odd spot (I'm sure that's only temporary though). I got a question, Did you fab the exhaust manifold yourself, or add-on to the Cast iron one? Looks sweet though:hail:

 

hehe.. yeah.. the loud BOV I'm using, combined with the 8" of exhaust after the turbo terminating into open air.. let's just say the guys at napa identified it as turbocharged before I even got into the parking lot.. and they were inside with all the doors closed.

Come on, folks, someone has to have some questions.. taking requests for specific pics and such.. I KNOW there's interest.

 

The downpipe's location is somewhat permanent, but it will be lengthened to exit the engine compartment, at the minimum.

Cast iron one was mutilated with an oxy torch and added to, due to the project's budget. So far, I've got 100 bucks invested in this, and while I would love a good full stainless weld-el manifold, the two manifolds alone would prolly run up to 200 each. They're on the "later improvement" list.
Thanks

 

what size turbo r u running?
what kinda intercooler?

im wanting to start working on mine

but im real close to getting a 3.4

 

The exhaust could be your problem. Not enough back pressure. Maybe just run a length of cheap flex pipe into the old system.

 

Perhaps you need to read "More News from the Turbo Gazette" and "The Turbo Chronicles" parts 1 and 2 before asking such a question, since there is no universal way to "size" a turbo.. there's just flowmaps (usually) and your engine's theoretical flow. The closest I can answer your question is it's a Toyota CT-26 off a 3.0l 7MGTE originally in a 88 Supra.
Starion intercooler, for now.. probably being disconnected or even removed tomorrow, weather permitting. I've got a leak somewhere, intake or exhaust, and I can't really do diagnostics with as much pipe as is in currently.. bypassing the intercooler the turbo to throttle body can probably be cut to a total of 270 degrees of turns... right now it makes that many to go from the turbo to just under the radiator... another 270 to get from there to the intercooler.. and about 360 degrees more from intercooler to throttle body (blech). Once it's running right, I'll try to hook it back up and figure out if it's sized well or not.
I doubt it.. turbos are pretty good restrictors all on their own. It's not the motor itself that's being a pain, it's the turbo spool, and turbines don't scavenge. There's no pulses past the turbine. There's just.. exhaust.. unhappy, cooled, low velocity exhaust.
You should see the parts I haven't taken pictures of. And while physically painful at times, yes, it was very very very fun

 

There's actually some good parts on this car.. some of the tubing and connectors used are from various aircraft applications, including some turbocharger-specific connectors and lightweight stainless aircraft exhaust piping on the intake.. But the job is definitely not A-rated

If I can manage it, I'll probably end up doing the entire intake system using used aircraft exhaust.. the FAA seems to require it to be in such condition that the used stuff, once cleaned, is more than suitable. And it'll TIG weld nicely. It's pretty rigged now.. but it's just to get it working. As the clearances between the pipes grows near a perfect mesh I'll start getting it welded into nice sections and begin painting it up, probably using the 1300 degree ceramic-containing rattle can, just to add a little insulation to the pipe.

 

What kind of gain you looking to get out of that? And yeah, I can't wait to see these pics after you get the nose off...

Bruce (90RS305)

 

what all do you have done to the motor? The reason I ask is that it so happens I have a CT-26 sitting here off of an '87 supra, an '89 camaro w/ 2.8, and a working knowledge of turbos. I'll be starting on the system here pretty soon, and will probably be asking you for help on a few occasions.

 

Looks pretty good man! So to my understanding, since it is intercooled having your exhaust exit inside where it does it's not hot enough to burn things?

Reason I asked is I installed a non-IC'd turbo on my friends non-turbo lancer and the turbo itself got quite hot...

 

I was just looking to get ~30 ponies.. I seem to have gotten a bit more. She's doing things a 2.8 shouldn't once she's going. The nose-off pics are on hold till I reroute her back through the intercooler. Noticed little lag improvement, so chances are there was just a small leak in the system. Also need to route BOV waste air back into the intake stream, behind the MAF, and someone tossed me a section of import CAI pipe today with a tube on it for PCV, so that'll work beautifully. The next set of pics shouldn't look too bad, really
Done.. to the motor? Previously thrashed it.. probably thrashing it worse now.. I think I might have a head gasket getting ready to flip me the bird.. exhaust is starting to feel a little moist.. sokay, though. Heads have to go for a valve job anyway.

In other words, I've done nothing to the motor.. with regular maintainence up to par and an intercooler, the CT-26 isn't producing enough boost to hurt it, so far. 160k+ miles, the head gasket isn't too surprising. I HIGHLY reccomend a high volume oil pump, though. My idle oil pressure isn't exactly pretty.
The intercooler just brings charge air temps down.. doesn't significantly affect exhaust gas temperature. Turbos get hot, hence the advent of water-cooled turbos. The exhaust gas, where it's exiting, is probably hot enough to damage things.. this is HIGHLY temporary, and I'm very paranoid about the exhaust gas damaging something.. I inspect her before each test drive.


On a general note, I'm now getting a code 23 (MAT) and 33 (MAF). The MAT isn't connected, so there's no surprise here. The MAF is probably due to the BOV waste air escaping the system. These two things will be redone before the next test drive. Updates are going to slow down significantly due to time and budget reroute. Plus I'm nit-picking details now.

 

Have you thought of just putting the BOV infront of the MAF? That way, no matter the amount of air that escapes through it, you are getting an accurate reading all the time.

 

Wouldn't work right. The computer has already accounted for that air. So it must come back into the system behind/after the MAF.

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Tech

I wonder how you are filling the oil. How much can that turbo hold? Might wanna check and have it full by the stick, running and hot.

I check my oil after i just shut my car off. I like it full with oil in the top.

 

To put the BOV in front of the MAF, the MAF would have to be on the compressed side of the intake.. since this setup is still using the stock V6 MAF, this is impossible, since the V6 MAF uses a frequency film that vibrates in the air stream and would most likely just plain break in a charged air stream. When I've figured out how to retrofit the system with a hot-wire MAF, great, putting it up near the throttle body will be pretty high on the to-do list.. or going with a speed density conversion

Besides, as I stated earlier, I've got a piece of import CAI pipe with PCV provisions on it I'm using to reintroduce BOV waste air after the MAF. It's already being set up as such.

Gumby, the car has all the oil it needs.. it's just our crappy v6 oil pumps aren't meant to do much more than lube our motors. It just doesn't pump enough oil to feed the motor and the turbo as efficiently as I'd like.. still running over 40-50psi under normal conditions, but a low idle can drop it to 30. I swore to myself if I dropped the oil pan, it wasn't going back on till the oil pump was replaced with a high volume unit... the pan hasn't needed to be dropped.. yet.

 

I don't know weather, to ask for a ride or run away in fear of getting hurt but exploding metal....

 

Doing the iol feed from the oil pressure location, are you utilizing the force from that & the fact that the return is lower thatn the feed for oil return to the pan?

 

Turbo oil feed is always run by pressure.. usually a minimum of 25psi to the turbo at idle.. gravity plays no part in this, and the feed follows the enging crossmember for much of its journey. The pressure sending unit just seemed like a good location using standard pipe threads to tap into for a small feed.

Turbo oil drain is always done by gravity unless a scavenge pump is utilized, hence why turbos must be placed higher than the oil pan. If not, the turbo seals will not be able to hold the oil in, and it will leak past them into the intake/exhaust.
Give me a few months to get the kinks smoothed out, it'll be ride-worthy. For now, I've yet to take her more than 1/2 mile from home.

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The BOV waste air is fully routed back into the intake stream, but she's still dying when I let off the gas. I'm somewhat confused. It seems the IAC is not reacting fast enough. I'm going to adjust the minimum throttle a little tomorrow, we'll see. No codes currently.

 

Actually, you want a MAX of about 20psi running through the turbo itself - but there should be a restrictor hole inside the pressurized (oil) side of the turbo

 

I fear what my oil pressure would look like without the restrictor.

She's running alot better now.. kinda. The BOV waste air tube had popped itself right off the intake initially.. it's somewhat clamped down now. This helped tremendously. She doesn't seem to be flooding herself to death nearly as much now.

Took one of my friends who was around when I bought her in '99 for a ride.. he was asking generalized questions about it as we set off for a non-residential area.. and as I pulled out onto the street.. and I launched her at 2500.. and it was okay.. and then she got to 3500 and the boost hit.. and he got a little wide-eyed.. and then I decided to prove I could shift and broke traction into second and held boost through the shift.. and he looked over at me like "WTF did you do to this thing?!".. it was great.

My desire for 'more' is coming on fast.. but I'm going to make sure she's running right before I even think about it. I think this turbo will match with a 3.4, so I'll prolly go that route for the motor, but first, I'm in desperate need of larger injectors, a speed density setup, and chip burning equipment.. so for now, no power increases are planned.. only Project Reliability, which will conclude when I feel safe taking her for a 12 hour non-stop road trip (not actually doing so, just feeling safe about it).. actual trip will be the 1 1/2 hours down to the drag strip in Tucson.