3B Turbo Install - 85 BJ70 (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Sep 13, 2007
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70
Location
Vancouver, BC
Ok,

Finally got around to starting on turboing the 3b in my 1985 CDM BJ70 (340000km) and am looking for some advice from the mud guru's:

Here's the plan:

Have a AXT manifold for a 70 series - 3BII which I had machined to work with my 3B (random craigslist find)

Have a water cooled Turbo from a Vovlo, came with the truck when I bought it. 0.42 / 0.48 AR numbers. Air Research - seems to be a good match to a 3B from my research.

Will be rebuilding the turbo.

Oil supply for the turbo from the oil pressure switch location.

Oil drain back into the lower banjo bolt on the oil filter housing - is this OK, i've seen a number done this way and a number done straight into the pan - would prefer not to have to drop the pan and weld a bung into it - whats the MUD consensus on this one? I can drill the banjo bolt out for more flow and tig a nice large diameter fitting onto it.

Water in/out pretty straight forward - will show some pictures later this week when i get that in.

So my main questions for you guys are?

1. While I have everything torn apart what sort of preventative maintenance should I be doing on this 3B. Should I replace the head gasket considering I'm almost there? Anything else I should be looking at. No idea on compression numbers. Should I replace the engine mounts at 340km?

2. Specific 70 concerns - I know I need to move the power steering reservoir, and am considering replacing the stock sedimenter with an aftermarket fuel/water filter separator and moving away from the turbo's heat. Might also move the vacuum reciever while I'm there.. Anything else for a 70 I should be worried about?

3. Turbo - any chance that I can run this unit without a wastegate because it is so small? I could sure use the room to make the downpipe just with a flat plate and then a close elbow - instead of using the stock exhaust / wastegate collector device that came with the turbo. How about using a flat plate that has the separate wastegate port and just prepare a pipe section so I could run an external waste gate if I need to? Or should I just make it work with the stock exhaust housing.

4. Exhaust - plan is to run 3" OD stainless straight pipe with no muffler. Will this be too loud or OK? And on the 70 any concerns about running it alongside of the transfer case instead of outside of the frame rails? The outlet diameter of the turbo is about 2" ID at the point it leaves the turbine housing, so I was thinking of going from the exhaust weld plate to a 2.5" close 90, then concentric reducer 2.5-3.00" immediately after the 90 and then run 3" the rest of the way with a expansion chamber between the frame mounted sections of the exhaust and the engine mounted sections.

5. Gauges - any cool photos for gauge installation in a 70. Was planning on going electronic oil pressure, water temperature, mechanical boost and EGT.

6. Intercooler - almost looks like I could mount a short/wide intercooler right on top of the motor between the compresser outlet and the downpipe to the throttle body - anyone ever done this or know where I could get a stuby intercooler with offset ports?

7. Intake Air filter - should I try to reuse the stock air box and filter assembly or is this too restrictive for the turbo? I dont want to run just a cone filter for fear of flooding the engine while 4x4ing.. And suggestions? Should I snorkle it, or just fab something up so I can use the stock cruiser intake system which seems to do a pretty good job of keeping water out..

Here's a pic of where I left it at last night:

Thanks for any help and advice.

Jon
IMG_2448 [800x600].jpg
 
way to go on getting a turbo!

i will only speak to questions #1...

i would highly recommend replacing the old head gasket with the sweet newer factory replacement one. it's 10x better than the original one. while you have the head off, you might as well check/replace the precups and valve seals, check for broken valve springs, then lap the valves. oh yeah! check the underside of the rocker arms where the pushrods contact them. if the valve clearances were not maintained properly, it's very common for the pushrods to bash away at the rocker arms until they've worn thin or even break apart.

and #4...

i run a 3" exhaust with no muffler on my 60 series. it's loud, it whistles and i love it...but then, i love the sound of diesels. no one complains, but they do comment. it's not like a straight-piped harley or a hot rod with glass-packs, so i (and most others) find it tolerable.

it's possible - depending on your routing - that it may even be louder on a 70 due to the shorter wheelbase. i'm no engineer, but i would guess that the longer the exhaust system and the more bends in the tubing the quieter the exhaust.

good luck!
 
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i would highly recommend replacing the old head gasket with the sweet newer factory replacement one. it's 10x better than the original one.

I agree, the new HG is far nicer. But I probably wouldn't pull the head just to put one in. LOTS of people turbo the stock gasket, no problem.

check the underside of the rocker arms where the pushrods contact them. if the valve clearances were not maintained properly, it's very common for the pushrods to bash away at the rocker arms until they've worn thin or even break apart

Agree, but actually its the valve-stem-side that gets beaten up. The pushrod side has a nice steel cup that the rod fits into and the rocker is in constant contact with the rod. The valve stem gets pressed on the the rounded tip of the arm, which does leave contact with the stem, and this is the part that gets beaten up.[/QUOTE]
 
oops! thanks for the correction, amaurer.

still, at 340K kms. of wear and unknown maintenance (you didn't specify how long you've owned this vehicle), and even if you're not going to take the head off to change the head gasket, replace the highly-likely-to-be-cracked precups, etc...i would recommend - at least - that you pull the rocker assembly off and have a look at the underside of the rocker arms...or have a mechanic with a familiarity with 3Bs have a look.

my 2 cents...
 
I am interested in this thread, I have what looks to be the same Volvo T3 you are using. Do you have the model #? I am interested in how you plumb the water lines as I need to do this as well, although I have a 60 with a rear heater, not sure how the 70s are set up... Look forward to more pics, post'em up!

I am using a different manifold but overall looks like the same type of setup, although I think I have more working room than you... Where did you get your oil pressure feed line? Are you using silicon elbows etc for the intake? I need to source those parts yet and then I am ready to go....
 
Thanks for the responses guys.

As the motor doesnt seems to be very steady on the oil dipstick and coolant level I think i will leave the head gasket alone for now - but pulling the rocker arm assembly I think I can do that.

I will also be pulling the throttle body of to clean it, and replacing all of the vacuum and coolant lines.

Not much happened yet, still planing everything out. Got my turbo rebuilt today, AXT manifold ported to match the gasket, drilled and tap'd for pyro, picked up a bunch of fittings..

Model number on the turbo is TB0363 / 466672-9001.

For the water I am going to run the return lines from the front heater, rear heater, and turbo into the factory spot which normally returns the front/rear heater. I'm making up a new larger tube to do this with.

For the water supply I have changed the fitting which normally supplies the rear heater and will be supplying both the turbo and rear heater from here (Front heater is fed from a line on the left hand side of the engine on my 70).

The biggest problem / dilema i'm having is how to do the downpipe. I figure I have all of 5" max room to work with between the turbine housing flange face and the firewall. I was hoping to use a factory style internal waste gate setup, but I dont think I can afford the length that it takes up.. So I'm starting to think about maybe just using a 5-bolt flange with the ports separated and run the wastegate port down its own tube and to an external wastegate somehow.. Its more parts, work, etc - but I would really like to leave the turbo with at least a 2.5" pipe closs elbow to get started on the downpipe and I really dont see there being enough room with the internal WG.

The other option would be to fab a new log-style manifold and move the turbo forward - but again, more parts, work, time etc.

So anyone who's done this on a 70 please post some pics of your downpipes - or any suggestions on what I should do with mine.

Thanks
 
same turbo

My turbo is the exact same model a TB0363 from a volvo, I am using a different manifold and am pretty sure I have more downpipe room in my 60 although I am not at the install stage yet.

Love to see pics of the water line setup when you get that far... I have yet to wrap my head around what I am doing. I think I need to get the old manifold off and the new one on with the turbo to picture it properly. What length of oil feed and return lines did you require?

Looks good so far....

Thanks for the responses guys.

As the motor doesnt seems to be very steady on the oil dipstick and coolant level I think i will leave the head gasket alone for now - but pulling the rocker arm assembly I think I can do that.

I will also be pulling the throttle body of to clean it, and replacing all of the vacuum and coolant lines.

Not much happened yet, still planing everything out. Got my turbo rebuilt today, AXT manifold ported to match the gasket, drilled and tap'd for pyro, picked up a bunch of fittings..

Model number on the turbo is TB0363 / 466672-9001.

For the water I am going to run the return lines from the front heater, rear heater, and turbo into the factory spot which normally returns the front/rear heater. I'm making up a new larger tube to do this with.

For the water supply I have changed the fitting which normally supplies the rear heater and will be supplying both the turbo and rear heater from here (Front heater is fed from a line on the left hand side of the engine on my 70).

The biggest problem / dilema i'm having is how to do the downpipe. I figure I have all of 5" max room to work with between the turbine housing flange face and the firewall. I was hoping to use a factory style internal waste gate setup, but I dont think I can afford the length that it takes up.. So I'm starting to think about maybe just using a 5-bolt flange with the ports separated and run the wastegate port down its own tube and to an external wastegate somehow.. Its more parts, work, etc - but I would really like to leave the turbo with at least a 2.5" pipe closs elbow to get started on the downpipe and I really dont see there being enough room with the internal WG.

The other option would be to fab a new log-style manifold and move the turbo forward - but again, more parts, work, time etc.

So anyone who's done this on a 70 please post some pics of your downpipes - or any suggestions on what I should do with mine.

Thanks
 
Great project. I researched this for my 70 but decided it would probably grenade my engine so it will need to wait till I rebuild.

Check out your oil pressures hot/cold idle/at revs and make sure it is good and your pump is up for the job.
Might be a good idea to have your rad checked/flushed before you start.
Definitely pull the rockers and inpsect the stem side- they can have circles punched right through the face hardening if they have been neglected, and it is an easy fix to do now.
think about a turbo timer if you are going to be running it hard and putting it away hot, a lot of the alarm/remote starters have a turbo timer option in the programming and can let you add start/power doors etc if you like that stuff.

If you have a factory manual it shows a different PN for the injection pump drive gear for the 3B turbo - this limits advance at high revs. might be worth a look if it seems to be running hot when the turbo is in.

keep the pics coming.
 
Fired up tonight. Sounds great. Only one leak - pinhole in one of the stock rear heater tubes near the transmission, probably from all prying on the line or something. Everything else seems OK. Oil temp is good, water temp stable, pretty good I think. Stupid craigslist pyro gauge is frozen so no driving yet, but i think its going to work out good.

Ok now on to the pics
IMG_2460 [800x600].jpg
IMG_2487 [800x600].jpg
IMG_2500 [800x600].jpg
 
Intake tube looks short and rigid - at all worried about the engine moving?
 
exhaust in.

Any questions fire away.

Yeah, can you make me one too!:D That is one awesome looking exhaust. Nice welds!

I'm going to use the same turbo so this gives me some good ideas. Thanks!
 
Hehe, obviously you worked in pneumatic conveying
 
Sedimenter stayed put, but i rotated it so the in/out ports are facing the front of the truck.

PS reservoir got relocated with a simple bracket, and rebent the mounting brackets - picture below..

Intake plumbing is pretty short and tight. Guess I'll see how much the engine movement pulls it around.

Ya exhaust turned out great. Wasn't nearly as expensive as one might think - had some good luck with some surplus stuff. My first real TIG project as well, learned alot from this..

Not much pneumatics, but lots of hydraulics and lube oil plumbing.
IMG_2634 [800x600].jpg
 
super clean and pro job on it ... You'll love your new race truck!
 
Results

Alright, everything together now. Took the 70 for a spin from vancouver to 100mile and back this weekend (~500km each way) and all is good.

I have the max boost set at 8.5psi, EGT peaks out at about 1150 on a long hard climb.

Cruising at 110 km/hr (speedo, un-corrected, 4.10s and 32's) I am at full boost, about 2700rpm, 850F egt, 60psi oil pressure.

This little Volvo turbo seems to work very well, builds 5 psi boost basically right off idle, no turbo lag at all, and seems to maintain its spool very well between shifts.

I ended up turning down the fuel about 1/3 of a turn from where the PO had it set.

Fuel millage is approx 11.5 L/100km highway with probably an average cruising speed of 95km/hr.

Fuel millage on a trip like this pre-turbo would have been 13 L/100km or worse and taken at least an hour longer.

The turbo has changed everything. I can pass trucks on steep grades, I dont have to worry about loosing my momentum going up hills, whole different truck. Why Toyota never did this from the factory boggles my mind.

Also met a guy at a gas station who told me he had a 60 with 1.2 million km on it.. wow.

Anyone considering doing this swap - just do it, best thing you can do to a diesel cruiser.
 

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