got a free turbo, now what?

[NintendoKD]

so this is a good turbo?  I imagine that it had a number of uses on many vehicles.

[Rabbit on Roids]

i have no idea yo. i dont retrofit gasser turbos on diesels. they arent set up right. you want the exhaust side to have a bigger a/r then the intake side so it spools better on the diesel. and a S13 is far from a diesel, its made to be spooled with 8000 rpms wotrh of exhaust going through it. a diesel likes to spool at around 2000.

[NintendoKD]

I wonder...... could it be modified?  all I would have to do is bore the hot side a bit and change the vaccum actuator for the internal wastegate, right?  if so this could be a viable option for those who cannot get a diesel turbo, right?  Or, maybe I am just grasping at straws

[truckinwagen]

I would use it as is.

it is not an ideal turbo trim wise for a diesel, but it is small enough that your motor should have no issue spinning it and making reasonable boost.

[NintendoKD]

Ok, now for the hard part, where do I go to get the rebuild kit???  quality "really don't feel like taking this mother apart again" and price is definately an issue.  an inter cooler would be great but as I understand the science behind diesels a little better now, it isn't at all necessary. "compression, and the advantages of having warm air for compression/combustion"  I am starting another thread to discuss using a gasser intake mani for diesel purposes, minus the throttle body, and eever sooo slightly modified, for volume.  As I understand it, just changing the way the engine breathes slightly can vastly improve the efficiency, and the responsiveness, are my assumptions correct?

[truckinwagen]

indeed they are, the gasser manifold will help things greatly over the stock turbodiesel one.

as for the intercooler, they are a big help.

[NintendoKD]

Maybe, If I'm lucky, Faulty Diesel will give me his old "intercooler, that is" one or sell it at a discount price *HINT, HINT*

Kevin

[Rabbit on Roids]

intercooler is the best upgrade you can do.

[NintendoKD]

I want to rebuild this and use it, so..... I guess the question is "NOW WHAT?" LOL  I suppose if I lowered combustion slightly by using a taller notch head gasket that would make the engine overall more reliable right or "the head sitting on more of a flimsy head gasket" woud I just blow another one?  should I go high compression if I can? get the metal head gasket from the 1.9, is it? higher compression is more efficient, and more efficiency is better right?  then add a small 15-20 range of boost internal wastegate will do an excellent job of regulating this.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Rabbit on Roids]

you dont read much of the posts i post do you? ive already told you 3 times in your different random topics that im running a pumped up 1.5. its pretty stock. stock head bolts, stock head, stock block stock pistons, stock crank. STOCK!!! im running 28 intercooled psi to this engine almost every day. it loves it. bakes the tires off in 2nd gear. basically, since you have a 1.5, and it is about 3x more expensive to rebuild a 1.5, just turbo it like it is. if it runs, turbo it. get an audi 5000 td manifold, cut one runner off, weld a cap over the end and you are good to go. that turbo will bolt on. you could send it to me for a test fit. haha.

dont do anything to the engine. if you feel the need to waste money on a 1.5, just start looking around for a 1.6TD long block or complete engine that has tougher head bolt bosses and oil squirters and all the good turbo specific stuff.

1.5's are not fun to explode. and they will all do it if they have LOTS of boost. im on my 3rd block just so you know. same bottom end been through 3 blocks now. haha.

a metal head gasket on a 1.5 isnt really worth it. the bolts arent big enough or go deep enough in the head for the gasket to be worth it. i pulled my head bolts on the last engine before the head gasket even blew. the head lifted, pulled 7 head bolts, and THEN blew the HG. so, its just going to make that problem worse. stick with a fiber one. you would rather blow a gasket then break your block right?

not trying to stroke my ego or anything, but there are about ZERO other people on this forum that are interrested in making power from a 1.5. i know an aweful lot about these engines. ive built quite a few of them. i built the engine in my rabbit from the ground up. ALL ME. no one else helped. didnt have to pay anyone to do anything for me. so, if you are still set on building up a 1.5 turbo engine, keep in contact with me. i know how to do it the right way, just havent done it yet. but i can share the knowledge.

when you turbo your engine if you do, dont screw with the compression. just throw a 5 notch gasket in there.

[NintendoKD]

5 notch it is, Now if I can just find an audi td 5000? so I can steal the mani.  I want to run light boost on this engine somewhere between 15 to 25 just for fun. Yes, I did notice you were the one building 1.5 and I do thank you for all of the advice so far looking for angles really.  I want to do it right and to last, and I really don't want to go through multiple blocks "sorry, just not that interested in tearing this mother down again"  I have taken everything you have said to heart, and take nothing for granted, and I DO! in fact, thank you greatly for your advice.

Kevin

[NintendoKD]

just got the 5000 tdi mani for 85 on stealbay, good deal?  any who I also came across a t61 greddy, will this turbo work or too big???  the modification for this is pretty easy and staightforward as it looks:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280412117776&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT

this is the right one isn't it? the one mentioned above, looks a lot like a gasser mani.

[VWSmokr]

NintendoKD, if you still want to get a rebuild kit, Turbo City  http://www.turbocity.com/  sells them. They have a good reputation with many folks for rebuilding, and will do some switching/swapping, I understand. They may even cut you a deal to swap for a more appropriate-to-diesel-use turbo, since most of their business on the small turbos is probably with the ricer gas-burners. They're @ 137 W. Katella, Orange, CA 92867 phone: 714.639.4933. Seem like good people & knowledgeable, though I haven't a whole lot of business with them yet.

Hopefully in the near future, I'll be putting together a 1.6TD in a 1.5 block, and, due to costs and availability, I may just use a cherry 1.5N.A. head, with some heat-rejecting coatings appropriately applied to combustion surfaces, valve faces, and exhaust ports. The block already has had piston squirters installed, and the 1.5 pistons have been notched for them, as well as the whole rotating assembly balanced(Rev-Power). I will coat the piston tops, and am using head studs (from RaceTech). Even though it will have an air-to-water I/C, I don't plan on running much over 10-12psi. This project is about economy and clean running, not raw power.  Currently the car has 2.25" exhaust all the way back (big difference, even with the N.A.), and I have a very short glasspack to install on it if it's too loud running open after the turbo.

Best wishes with your engine build.

J.R.
SoCal

[Rabbit on Roids]

ooh... thats not even a diesel manifold. thats too bad.

[NintendoKD]

I can mod it to work right? or...... no?   darn it didn't say on the ebay page and I prematurely assumed will this work? good? bad? just plain ugly?