New Florida member: My 85 T3 TD. Tell me what to do!

[burn_your_money]

I dont think I need any more fuel. at 15 PSI, it was fill the highway smoky at full throttle, at 19 PSI it got better, but still plenty of black smoke at full boost.

How old are your injectors?

The standard 8v gas manifold seems to be the nice upgrade, so I was going to just wait for one of those (instead of fabbing a nice plug or whatever)...

You need to flip the turbo and exhaust manifold upside down, which then requires a lot of custom work as I'm sure you can imagine.

It looks like your car is an ecodiesel, have you deleted the cat yet? An exhaust upgrade will be very noticeable on your car. The turbo will spool a lot faster.

[stewardc]

I like the project. That was my favorite body style. I had 2 of them new.
IMHO, watch the high boost on a stock engine - 15psi max. Get a manual boost controller.
Get some ARP or Raceware head studs in to save the head gasket. You can change them individually without lifting the head.
Send the pump to Giles for a performance rebuild...money well spent.
Get a 2.5" downpipe and exhaust system - it'll free up, and cool down, the exhaust.
Intercooler is a must. I'm using one from a Saab. They're called a Blackstone unit and are small but very efficient.

[Jettagli16v]

To my understanding,
the worst thing you can do to a Diesel is restrict the airflow to the intake.
(Same fuel, less air = high EGT?)

Intake, and exhaust is always the #1 thing to do to ANY car to begin adjusting the performance envelope away from what the factory provided.

Sorry, but you will have to provide empirical data to make me believe that a factory airbox with a paper filter is better than a 3" pipe going into a 2.5" hose directly to the turbo. (and look again, the stock element is NOT EVEN CLOSE to my admittedly oversized air filter in dimensions.)


Basically, you are trying to make a case for the stock intake...?
Nothing personal, but I want more from my car than the factory intended.
Factory design has many factors: Overall comfort for 99% of car buyers, and cheap cost trump outright performance.
Now all I have to do is undo those things!

Guess what, I am also getting ready to install a 3" Downpipe into a 2.5" SS exhaust system...
That is far bigger than factory too....

You guys must not like going fast.
Thanks anyway!
-Brad

[Jettagli16v]

Burn your money:

Injectors are (presumeably) original...
I would like to do the Giles pump and injectors from same at the next phase...
And Yes, that is a lot of work for a gasser manifold.
Maybe i will work out something custom like Dave @ Passenger used to make..

Also, NOT an ecodiesel, just put the badge on.
(People who dont know will understand the smoke, and people who know they did not make a skinny bumper ECO will get a rise out of it!)

Stewardc:

Thanks for the compliment!
I have set it at 19 PSI for the moment, (Holding OK so far!!)
but my plans are:
1) 3" SS exhaust,
2) ARP Head studs and metal gasket
3) Giles pump and injectors.


Thanks for all the advice!
(Except those trying to extol the virtues of a stock airbox... I have never appreciated them!)