I would like to mess around with a low boost turbo on my rebuilt 2.8.
My main question was wondering if anyone has bought this kit I found on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/221016447051 If anyone has please let me know what you think about it.
P.S. I know that there will be people who want to tell me to just do an engine swap. I am aware that there is a larger hp gain for the money, but I want to stick with the 2.8.
I'd get a TD04 from a 90s Subaru for cheap, and build a custom Y-pipe to bolt right in, and place the turbo in exactly the best place in the Fiero, and call it a day.
If you were to use a subaru turbo, do they need oil lines running to them and all that? I looked at a turbo for my bike once and running oil lines is kind of what put me off.
Just run a braided line off a T to the oil pressure sensor hole. You will need to drill a hole in the pan and either weld a bung in, or do what I do. Use an air fitting, a nut and some crush washers to create a bung. Easy. Hour job
My old setup used a stock computer but had a 80's Buick ESC module that took knock sensor input and retarded the ignition as necessary. Unfortunately, fuel was not managed well by the stock computer and I seemed to run out of fuel at 4500 rpm. Injectors were stock but I had an adjustable FPR and the pressure was turned up. Power came on at 1800 to 4500. This was a 3.1L rebuild.
Best thing to do is the '7730 conversion which can be programmed to handle a turbo. For a 2.8, you can pick up cheap used Ford Mustang injectors that should let you run up to 10psi.
Personally, I believe exhaust-driven boost is a dinosaur and I'd love to get a 48v battery installed and run the new REAL electric superchargers. They essentially replace the exhaust-half of a turbo with an electric motor. They can make boost independent of your engine speed.
Will I have to get a new ECU? Or will my current stock computer setup still work for a low boost?
The stock ECU will be OK for low boost. It just doesn't have boost control or knock sensors (not that the 2.8 has any mounting locations for them anyway).
You can just program static tables into the MEMCAL module. It will be fine as long as you always run the right octane, keep the boost low, and keep the distributor locked to the right position so it doesn't turn to advance the timing too much.
Adding a turbo is no easy task, unless its a good kit designed specifically for your make and model.
If you are going to go through the trouble I would recommend getting a good turbo that is sized properly to the engine. Also, I would recommend adding a oil cooler, and even better a water cooled turbo.
Manufacturing a turbo pipe can be very labor intensive. They may not look like much, but it is one of those things specific to the car. Considering the cost, you might as well purchase an inexpensive (HF) welder and some pipe and do it yourself. You are going to have to fabricate a new exhaust anyway.
Originally posted by RotrexFiero: Manufacturing a turbo pipe can be very labor intensive. They may not look like much, but it is one of those things specific to the car. Considering the cost, you might as well purchase an inexpensive (HF) welder and some pipe and do it yourself. You are going to have to fabricate a new exhaust anyway.
The only piece of exhaust one needs to fabricate really, is a custom Y-pipe section, to mount the turbo. This is exactly why I suggested an OEM TD04 turbo, which has an internal wastegate. Right size for the 2.8, very easy and inexpensive to get, and very easy to make a custom Y-pipe/downpipe setup for that fits in the Fiero.
Stock exhaust after that should be fine, or upgrading to say the Pacesetter cat-back system would work very well with that turbo. I don't recall how the coolant flows exactly via the throttle body deicer tubes, but one could theoretically re-purpose those to use for the coolant lines for a turbo.
I believe that this is the kit that JCircs had on his 3.4L engine. AFAIK he was never able to get it tuned properly to get the engine horsepower that he was looking for so he sold the engine and went on to install a 3800SC. I saw the install, it fit well, it looked neat but the oil lines included did not work.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
So here is an update: I will hopefully be getting a T3/T4 hybrid turbo 2.03" inducer 2.75" exducer 45lbs./min A/R 63 housing off of one of my friends. It is oil and water cooled, so I won't have to worry about any problems with keeping cool. I will be manufacturing a custom y-pipe (and maybe some headers) with another friend who is a pipefitter. Going over my fuel system and probably upgrading my injectors to 24# Intercooler And possibly meth/water injection. I will see how things go with the stock ECU, and determine if a piggyback system is needed down the road.
For all intensive purposes, they are stock internals. However I will clarify that when I say low boost, I mean 5-10 psi and I only plan on gaining 40-50 horsepower.
For all intensive purposes, they are stock internals. However I will clarify that when I say low boost, I mean 5-10 psi and I only plan on gaining 40-50 horsepower.
8 PSI will give you about 70 HP gain. If you only want 40-50, stick to around 5-6 PSI.
For all intensive purposes, they are stock internals. However I will clarify that when I say low boost, I mean 5-10 psi and I only plan on gaining 40-50 horsepower.
I had the Design One Fiero turbo system. I dont know if this is the same. I also agree about seeing pictures. I bought my kit years ago when I did my Ferrari kit. I put it on a 3.1 engine using the 2.8 intake and exhaust. If I remember I usually ran around an 8 pnd boost. I was very happy with it. The turbo was losing some of its power when I sold it with 100,000 miles. If it is the DS1 setup, that was about what I paid at the Carlisle swap meet and it came with every part including screws and bolts and was a direct bolt on. The shop that did the engine did all the tuning since thats not my expertise.
In my experience the tuning was the toughest part, I upgraded to the 7730 PCM that made it a little easier for Ryan (Sinister) but still was a long and agonizing feat. It actually took less time to swap to a 3800 then it did to tune the 3.4 turbo.
Yes, to the tuning issues. I could never get a good idle.
As far as running the coolant and oil lines, that is what makes the whole turbo pipe such a critical design. I position mine right about the Getrag, and remember adjusting the height several times. All those lines coming in and out, it has to be in the right spot. Also, you will need to plumb to the intake from the turbo.
Installing turbo, now that I think about is, requires good plumbing skills!
Unless, like mine, you get a ready to bolt on complete kit made for a Fiero. They had no trouble installing mine and just had to do a bit of playing with the ignition timing. It ran perfect for 100K. The only engine work I needed in that time was a couple of ignition modules and a water pump.
So here is an update: I will hopefully be getting a T3/T4 hybrid turbo 2.03" inducer 2.75" exducer 45lbs./min A/R 63 housing off of one of my friends. It is oil and water cooled, so I won't have to worry about any problems with keeping cool. I will be manufacturing a custom y-pipe (and maybe some headers) with another friend who is a pipefitter. Going over my fuel system and probably upgrading my injectors to 24# Intercooler And possibly meth/water injection. I will see how things go with the stock ECU, and determine if a piggyback system is needed down the road.
T3/T4 hybrid will make way more boost than you are looking for initially. But boost is fun so expect to use everything it makes. I.E. Get a proper ECM and tune. 7730 or similar.
Your oil temps will be sky high with the turbo. Get an oil cooler. Use heavy quality synthetic oil. Get an oil temp gauge.
I plumbed the heater hose to first go through the turbo then through the heater core. You won't have to worry about cold feet anytime soon.
You will run out of injector pulsewidth quickly with 24lbs injectors and more boost. If you go higher than your 5-6 lbs boost then get bigger injectors. I'm running 30lbs on a 3.4L with a simple T3 turbo and still hit 100% duty.
Here is my home built crossover. It's 45 and 90 weld els from the local pipe supply store. The expansion joints are from a front wheel drive car in the junk yard. The expansion joints are critical to keep the heat from bending things. Learned this the hard way.
