97 40th Turbo Build

[MSGGrunt]

Also had a local exhaust shop weld up a temporary downpipe for the exhaust. I connected the downpipe to the current exhaust with a piece of galvanized flex hose that I sourced from a truck supply store... Fleet Pride. The truck will eventually be taken to the shop where they will connect into my 3" system with a stainless system.

 

[MSGGrunt]

The check valve is in place. I just need to find two very small clamps to hold it in place. The intercooler piping is complete and will suffice until I can get to a local shop that mandrel bends tubing to eliminate some of the silicone joints. The wastegate plumbing is vented into the air and will be connected to the exhaust system when I have that done. PCV hose modified.

I even bought a 90 degree drill so I can drill the oil pan for the oil drain return line. I didn't have a cordless drill so that is how I justified the purchase.

Some pics of the near complete system.

 

[MSGGrunt]

Picture of near complete build. Oil return drain left to fabricate and gauges to hook-up. Comments and advice is welcome.

 

[MSGGrunt]

I do have one question. I have a barbed fitting coming out of the bottom of my wastegate... Do I run a hose from this into a "T" in the PCV hose? If not where does this hose run to? Thanks for the help.

 

[landtank]

is your turbo oil only center? When is your inspection due? It's been in the back of my mind for a while now and I'm curious how they will deal with it here in MA.

 

[MSGGrunt]

Rick, my turbo is oil cooled only. I had a set amount of funds for the turbo and thougt that a water cooled center section could be an upgrade. My inspection WAS due in May. When she finally is back on the road I will have to have it done. I'm hoping no issues with the emissions.

 

[Dusty]

2 hoses come of the teil wastegate. one goes to the pressurized side of turbo. i went before the intercooler on mine. some go after the intercooler

the other line off the wastegate would go to the booste controller if you were running one. I ran this line to the intake side of the turbo (filter side).

 

[landtank]

As long as you don't have any codes you should be fine on that. I'm a little concerned about the visual that they give and how strict they might be.

I had one guy give me crap about my lift so I went somewhere else.

 

[MSGGrunt]

I have a local guy that is very highly recommended for oustanding exhaust work and skilled fabrication that I will have doing my exhaust work. I will ask him who is a 4x4 "friendly" shop for my inspection. He has several rigs that are not within what MA states are legal lift heights.

 

[alia176]

Sorry if this has been covered already but will you be sucking it hot air from the engine bay with this air filter setup?

 

[clownmidget]

Looks ready to fire it up Have you started it up yet?

Did you change out your spark plugs to the "colder" ones?

I'd definitely heat shield the wires to your MAF or lengthen them and run them further away from the turbo/exhaust. That will be glowing red after a good run...

 

[MSGGrunt]

I did change out the plugs to the colder ones for a MR2 Turbo. Much more heat shielding is in the works. I have it on the bench just need to install it. I also need to decide on a heat shield for the turbine. I have seen the SS metal ones and one that is:
"stainless construction utilizing the most advanced aerospace materials available. Heat shielding is made of aerospace ceramic fiber wrapped with corrugated aluminum foil." Here is a link to picture of this heat shield.

steelhttp://www.turboneticsinc.com/pa_turboaccessories.htm

The SS metal shields are like these in the pic. Any advice if one is more effective than the other? The downpipe, when the final version is fabricated, will also bee wrapped for heat control.

 

[MSGGrunt]

I am even more confused in regards to my wastegate. As far as I can tell, from looking at the factory pics and trying to feel mine (it is mounted on the vehicle), I only have one hole/port on the top/bottom. Though I did get 2 fittings with the wastegate. Am I just not finding the second hole? I really don't want to have to take it off the truck, but this may be my only option. Do ALL wastegates have 2 ports? Mine is a Tial F38 as pictured below.

 

[landtank]

here is the schematic from my Tial. Basically the one on the side gets connected to the air intake post turbo but pre throttle plate. The one on the end is a vent and in your case might want to be extended to avoid crap getting into it.

 

[Dusty]

just like rick said
you need to place 2 nipples in your turbo plumbing

1. run the side wastegate hose to the pressure side of the turbo. just weld a nipple to the pipe comming off the turbo (the one that goes to intercooler)

2. run the top wastegate hose to the turbo intake. weld a single nipple to the pipe going from the MAF to the turbo-this nipple will then get a tee. you will run your top wategate hose and pcv line from the valve cover to this tee. at leaste thats the way I did it (And I see you already have the nipple)

dony even buy the aluminum wrap unless you want to replace it 6 months from now. go with the stainless shield or spend an hour with some 20g mild sheet, some cardboard, and a rivet gun and make your own shield. at leaste thats what I did. the heat shield controlls the heat much better

you can start and drive just fine without the wategate hooked up. just watch your boost because without the side hose there is no pressure signal telling the turbo to bleed booste and you can thus overbooste and the motor leans out and grenades.....if you do this can I have your turbo?

 

[Dusty]

of note
i wrapped my downpipe in header wrap followed by aluminum wrap and it is still doing great. the turbo itself is just too hot for wrap.

you need to wrap everything within a foot of that turbo with aluminum and I wouldn't even start it till the turbo has some sort of shielding. the aluminum sleeve is ok but the rigid aluminum pipe with the slit down the middle is much more durable and way easier to work with.

I am absolutely amazed at how tough that hood liner is on these 80 series trucks. mine has been exposed to crazy heat and it still looks great

 

[MSGGrunt]

I don't want to be overly confident, but she finally fired-up and ran tonight. I haven't taken her on her maiden voyage yet, that will be tomorrow. I tapped the oil pan and plumbed the oil return line using AN 10 stainless braid hose with Russell fittings. I also finished all of the heat shielding minus the turbo itself and the downpipe. The downpipe will be wrapped tomorrow. I will work on the turbo shielding and exhaust manifold shielding before taking the truck any distance.

I also have to temp. install the A/F meter gauge. The pyrometer gauge is reading 700 degrees at idle.

Boy, can you hear the turbo sucking air when the motor is given some throttle. I am looking forward to seeing how she feels on the road.

Oh yeah, as I did the head gasket with this build I will keeping any eye on that as well. Next project will be fixing a leaking rear main seal that I discovered while under the truck tapping the oil pan....

 

[Cattledog]

Great News! Look forward to hearing about your first ride!

 

[MSGGrunt]

WOW!!!!,
The build was worth every dollar..... What a difference..... Now I know the perfect (for me anyway) set-up..... 6" Slee Lift, 2" Roger Brown body lift, 38" tires, 4.88 gears, and a turbo, with the turbo being the crowning jewel.

I didn't take it out too far or for too long as I still need to get the gauges hooked up and some heat shielding built around the turbo. I can't get over the extra power. I drove probably a total of 5 miles and once back in the driveway the EGT was 1100. It dropped down to around 700 in a matter of minutes while at an idle.

I will post some pics tomorrow. Tonight I will celebrate with a cold one and some meat on the B-B-Q.

 

[MSGGrunt]

One question before getting the grill fired up... Do I really need an A/F Ratio gauge? I really don't like the idea of splicing into the factory O2 harness. I will have an EGT gauge, coolant temperature gauge and a boost gauge. If I should use an A/F ratio gauge can I weld in a seperate O2 sensor and wire it without hacking into the factory harness?

I thank all those who helped me along with this project. The only advice I have for those following in my footsteps.

- The build will cost you more than you budget and take more time than you estimated.