Turbo conversion Q&A

[bangers]

I thought i'd do a Q&A on converting to turbo. Where we can tell each other what we've done, heard or seen. Then we can agree or debate. I haven't done it myself or seen it but i have heard some things.

I heard that its better to run N/A pistons (for streetability) unless you want heaps of boost (which isn't really necessary). Also use N/A inlet to create pressure and big outlet to get it out. Sort of like small hose and lots of water creates pressure. And with the head only port the exhaust, not the inlet for the same reason. But smooth out the inlet to give BETTER flow, not port it to give MORE flow. And of course do the camshaft.

[vlct400]

well i would of thougth the standard n/a pistons would just shit them selves with any hint of boost thats wat i have been told by my mechanic

[ucwepn]

Yeah the turbo has different pistons which give the turbo motor lower compression therefore allowing more boost. NA pistons are around the same strength as turbo items, Nissan build tough motors. A decompression plate can be used between the head and the block to give the same effect (its really just a copper gasket). I have heard there are tuning shops around running bullsh1t times with standard NA bottom ends sourced from the wreckers.

[customcaraudio]

Yeah the old rb30 series are pretty strong. They can run on the n/a engines up about 12-14 psi. You will need a malpassi fuel reg and bigger pistons. Also you can use the n/a ecu. since it doesnt know boost it will give u more fuel than needed.my friend did this for a while when his turbo ecu shit itself. It ran ok off boost but jittered a bit as boost came in but went pretty good after that.

[Lion Chaser]

Can anyone please help me with picking up the oil lines on a Series 1 motor so I can Turbo it, How would I go about it without tapping the block, Is there another way, I have looked everywhere

[VLDavo]

Can anyone please help me with picking up the oil lines on a Series 1 motor so I can Turbo it, How would I go about it without tapping the block, Is there another way, I have looked everywhere

go and buy a series 2 bottem end with the provions already on the block... there not hard to find..

lol i have 2 series 2 bottem ends sitting at home....

[VLDavo]

Yeah the old rb30 series are pretty strong. They can run on the n/a engines up about 12-14 psi. You will need a malpassi fuel reg and bigger pistons. Also you can use the n/a ecu. since it doesnt know boost it will give u more fuel than needed.my friend did this for a while when his turbo ecu **** itself. It ran ok off boost but jittered a bit as boost came in but went pretty good after that.

im surprised that your mates even ran with an n/a comp seeing as it has different pulse rates for the injectors..

[VLDavo]

I thought i'd do a Q&A on converting to turbo. Where we can tell each other what we've done, heard or seen. Then we can agree or debate. I haven't done it myself or seen it but i have heard some things.

I heard that its better to run N/A pistons (for streetability) unless you want heaps of boost (which isn't really necessary). Also use N/A inlet to create pressure and big outlet to get it out. Sort of like small hose and lots of water creates pressure. And with the head only port the exhaust, not the inlet for the same reason. But smooth out the inlet to give BETTER flow, not port it to give MORE flow. And of course do the camshaft.

n/a pistons arent as strong and will just give u a high compression... meaning u have more power at less boost...but they dont hold up to anything over 10 pound for very long ...

theres a great debate about the n/a inlet and turbo...but i would say the longer runners give it a ram efect

lol as far as porting and flowing... its the key to making power u want to cram the most air in there fast get it out fast.. u dont want restrictions in there if u wanna make power

[Bax]

What are you after at the end of the day?

I was running the conversion on my old vl, n/a bottom end, vlt injectors and comp, everything else was n/a, including the fuel pump, stock regulator. Timing was retarded but up here it's damn hot, down south you could probably get away with it alot better, an intercooler would stop the pinging aswell.

Having had the conversion and now having a lower compression turbo motor, the difference isn't huge, but the responsiveness of the high compression was fantastic, and it went quite well.

Do it man, keep the fuel up too it, if you notice it pinging retard the timing, if you notice it still pings, put some 98ron in it, if it still stuffs up, look into getting some more goods. But you shouldn't have any trouble.

Can always buy a cheap s2 block off forums and build a bottom end for it while you have the n/a bottom end in there. If the n/a bottom end ever dies, you've got a 3/4 built turbo bottom end waiting for you to put the head onto - and you'd have all the other bits ready.

And as for boost, 6 pound is what I was running, you don't need more - to start with anyway.