SinSeven

I've recently decided to go turbo, but i've been a little skeptic about the turbo that i plan to use. I bought an AiResearch T3 .48a/r off of e-bay for $130. Yeah i know it was a little high, but i was under the impression that the turbo was in good condition. Damn, you should've seen how rusted this thing was. Well, i couldn't return it, so i figured i'd go ahead and send it to Majestic Turbo (DallasTurbo) and had it fully rebuilt. In all i ended up paying $420 for the rebuild. So i guess you could say this thing cost me $550. Then i started looking on the boards around here and found out that i could have gotten a brand new T3/T4 for that price.
So my question to you guys is this. Do you guys think that it is worth me going ahead as planned and use this turbo? My goals are very simple, i'm not looking for anything really high. I lookin to maybe pushing anywhere from 220-300 Hp if possible with about 7psi using a B18a1 that's in my 2nd generation integra. As for internals, they're are gonna pretty much stock with the exception of ARP head studs and a Mr. Gasket head gasket. The fuel and ignition will be upgraded of course and tunning will be done by Jotech wich is like 20 min from my pad.

Any help that you guys can give me will be very much appreciated. I've tried searching for the specs of this turbo, but have had no luck. I kinda want to know what i should expect. ie: low end or high end power, what rpm does it reach full spool stuff like that.

Thanks

tony1

Hate to break the news to you, but that turbo won't make much power at 7psi. I would guess 180ish max. I would get a T3/TO4 E or B, depending on your ultimate goals.

Arturbo

On a b18b with a t3 63 A/R T04E .57trim at 7psi made 230whp. At 12psi 272whp was made. You wont make that much power with that turbo, and you payed way too much for that rebuild. If you want, IM me if you want and I can get you a turbo to make that power.

art

Phoenix GSR

you are better off not rebuilding it (if it isnt already done) re sell it on ebay for $50-$75 (what it is worth) then buy a bigger turbo

SinSeven

I guess i got F***ed!!! Damn. I'll see if i can't sell it.

UberTeg

I'll give ya $50 picked up

You might wanna try ebay, just say its a skylin jdm turbo and some tard will buy it


[Modified by UberTeg, 7:29 PM 1/21/2003]

SinSeven

Uberteg,

Thanks for the offer, but $50....come on now . I've already rebuilt the damn thing. You know what though, i'm gonna stick with your idea about selling on e-bay or to some "tard" like you said.

Type Wah

is anyone making 200hp at 8-10psi on a T3? I have a T3 and plan to install this summer, don't want to be superfast, just at least 50-75 more hp to be a lil quicker..

Drag_Dc2

I would not completely discredit the T3 turbo. A few weeks back my friend ran a 11.9 with that turbo boosting 13-14psi. His setup consists of a stock bottom end b20, b16a head, and the turbo like i said was a t3 from one of those sohc turbo setups, using them extremly small in diameter piping. This setup is located in a heavy Del sol weighing at 2350-2400lbs with driver!!!!

Im sure you can make more power with a bigger a turbo at a lower psi. But heck like us we use what we have!!!

Sonny

Tell us more about that turbo. The T3 came in many configurations of different turbine wheels, turbine sizes, and compressor wheels.

IMO, if you haven't boosted before, that would not be a bad starter turbo. You will have much more room for error with that turbo vs a T3/T04E.

Sonny

SinSeven

Hey SONNY & DRAGDC2, thanks for the positive feedback. Yeah it is my first time to boost. I wanna get familiar with boosting and then gradually uprgrade. Exactly what do you mean by me having more room for error with this one compared to a t4/t4. Don't you mean i'll have less room for error? I know that the majority of the guys here boost much higher numbers than what i'm looking for. I gotta take "baby-steps" before i can run, right? I only want to boost about 7psi. I'll be happy with a max of 250hp.

The turbo is off a Saab 900, AiResearch T3, .48 a/r exhaust side, .42 compressor.


[Modified by silverG2, 8:52 PM 1/21/2003]


[Modified by silverG2, 8:59 PM 1/21/2003]

Sonny

If you mis-manage a T3/T4 or T3/60-1 at 10 psi, you will likely grenade the engine.

If you mis-manage the T3 that you bought at 10 psi, you might grenade the engine, but you will be far less likely.

My vote is to keep that T3 that you have and get your car running good with it. Find out what it likes and then upgrade.

Sonny

SinSeven

Thanks! That's the type of response i was looking for. Like the title said, what are the "advantages".

Sonny

First, get ALL of the specs on the T3 that you have:
Compressor a/r
Compressor wheel trim (it's most likely a 50 trim, but you need to check)
Turbine a/r
Turbine wheel trim (it's most likely a stage 1 turbine)

If you build your setup and get everything (downpipe, exhaust, piping, etc) all done and put together, you can work on getting the car running well.

After that, if it's not enough power, upgrade the compressor. You will not have to refit everything to do this (you might have to make small changes to the charge piping, but DP and exhaust won't change...huge plus, IMO).

Sonny

EMod Civic

I'm running the same Saab 900 T3 turbo on my Civic, and I find it to be very well sized for my application. Mine has the same A/Rs as you quoted, and I've got it on an 86 Civic Si 1.5 motor in my Street Mod car. It spools up fairly low, and makes good power at 10psi. I've never dyno'd my car, but it did run an 8.2sec 1/8mile with my full autocross setup (read - no traction due to camber & toe settings), so I'm guessing that I am in the 180-200hp range. The 8.2 was run with no intercooler at 10psi. I'm now running an ice water to air intercooler, so it's probably pushing another 20hp from when I ran at the strip last.
I think that straight T3s tend to get a bad rap, particularly from Honda people. Back in the day, modded Merkur XR4Ti's were making 325hp with the stock T3s (which do have larger A/Rs than the Saab units). Also, the Chrysler 2.2 guys have been posting similar numbers for years with various versions of T3s, and both examples were with internal wastegates.
I'd keep the one you've got, mainly because it'll be a lot safer for your engine. Yes, it's going to be out of it's efficient range at higher rpms, but it should spool low, and the inefficiency at high rpm or high boost is like a built in safety valve. If you mess something up and the turbo tries to overboost, the efficiency drops off, so the intake temps shoot up and the amount of actual oxygen being pumped into your motor doesn't spike up and cause you to go lean and blow your motor.

Of course you could always just sell me the one you just rebuilt for $100.

-Chris

Loco Honkey

I got some news that will make you cry... I know a place in AZ (forget the name- it's in my address book) that will sell you a rebuilt straight T3 center section with wheels for $130 shipped. Ouch.

b16ahybrid

That turbo is perfect for a sohc civic, but for a dohc b-series it's a little to small IMO.
I ran that exact sam turbo on my car for over two years, first with the stock d15 then with the b16a.It performed way better on the d15 then it ever did on the b16a.I have since upgraded to a t3t4 and it has made a world of a difference. it's a totally different car now.

UberTeg

It was a joke.... a freshly rebuilt t3 is worth about $200. Expect to take a major hit if you sell that turbo. I suggest you just use it.

SinSeven

You guys have been more than helpful in regards to the problem i'm in. I've looked elsewhere and no one can give me a definate answer.

My next question is. Is it feisable to make about 250hp with this turbo? I'll more than likely sell it and upgrade later, but my cash funds suffered tremendously with this turbo. Understand?

*And if i do decide to sell it, i'm gonna shoot for $300.00. Yeah i know it's high, but i GOTTA at least get more than 50% of what i've already paid for it and rebuilding it.

b16ahybrid

You could make that much power but it will take about 15psi of boost or so.That turbo is a tad to small so it will heat up the charge temp quite a bit.I was able to make roughly 230whp with that turbo on my b16a at 10psi. Which to me is not that impressive thats why i've since switched to a new turbo.Sell it and see what you can get for it.If you have reciepts for the work done you should have no problem getting $300 for it, sell it to someone who has a sohc civic, because that turbo is perfect for the sohc's.We have all made mistakes in our past, i did the same thing, i had my turbo rebuilt only to find out that i could have gotten a brand new one for the same price (bigger one at that).