Alright.....
As per usual I am looking at doing a budget m42 turbo build. I picked up a '93 E36 318IS a bit ago as a drift project but the stock power isn't much to get it sideways. It can be done but I also just want to have fun building a turboed engine. Yes I understand there is a million other threads on this, but it seems like most have ended with gaps in the info or going back and forth on swapping a 6 cylinder, and i haven't been able to find every single answer or bit of info required for a build like this.
So far my idea is 7 psi boost, max goal of 200 whp, and it should be reliable. I have a Chinese turbo and IC being sent from my cousin, no name brand, ext. wastegate, t3 flange. The odo in the car says 268k miles currently, and since im new to boosted builds I have many questions which will be listed later. The information I've collected from other threads is ARP Head Studs are essential as well as ford racing green top 43lb/hr injectors, 7 psi is doable on a stock head gasket, silicone intake boot is a must (rubber will pop somewhere under positive pressure), and the turbo's oil feed can be taken from a threaded port under the oil filter housing, while the return needs to be above the oil level in the pan or itll backpressure into the turbo and burn. As for order of intake components, the turbo should feed into the IC, then the BOV should be put before the AFM in order to not confuse the computer and run rich on decel. Feel free to correct or add on to any of this info.
As for parts im looking at,
Manifold/Downpipe:
https://www.speedyracer.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1004808&gclid=CjwKCAjw6dmSBhBkEiwA_W-EoOv-YGolJekTUci2tOk1aW7ns4ky1q6eLejfwZVMXqyhHNjnRyvuFhoCAS4QAvD_BwEAftermarket Tuneable ECU:
https://lowcostracingsolutions.co.uk/pnp-standalone-ecu-s/56-119-bmw-e30-e36-e46-m50-m52-m54-m43-m42-plug-and-play-standalone-ecu.html#/39-accessories-just_ecu(I contacted this company and they said its a plug and play for the stock harness, isn't MAF compatible but has an internal 400kpa map sensor for load calculation and is wideband O2 capable)
Silicone Intake Boot:
https://catuned.com/catuned-air-induction-hose-m42-318Questions:
1) For the wastegate, should the psi be equal to my goal boost psi or higher/lower? I'm not quite sure if the pressure driving the exhaust side of the turbo directly relates to what pressure the boost side builds or if its more of a spool time thing.
2) Would it be better to run a head gasket like a Cometic .120 to lower compression? I've seen some builds run stock CR/gasket but I'm not sure on the reliability.
3) Can the stock fuel pump keep up in a boosted application? Is an adjustable fuel pressure regulator required too if I was running the green tops and could adjust fuel mapping with the ECU?
4) What other aspects of the engine should i look at before going to boost it, since it is a high mileage motor and I'd prefer to do it right and not blow it up? Right now it seems to run fine, few small oil leaks but other than that it feels solid and pulls all the way to redline with no issues.
Any other info is greatly appreciated.
Topic: Yet another turbo build thread (Read 6400 times)