hcenteno21

I have a 93 prelude turbo charged h22a it has a garrett t3 t4 hybrid turbo with denso 720cc fuel injectors. I bought the car as is with all mods. I don't know anything about turbos so I thought I'd ask here with the hopes I could get some help. My turbo depending on how I shift kicks in at 2k to 3k rpms. I get up to 14 psi. I seem to get to 14 psi real quick and when it gets there it makes a really loud noise. Like if it were maxed out or something of that sort, and I seem to almost lose power. When it maxes out even if at 5krpm I have to shift to keep accelerating. When it's building up boost it makes a real nice whistling sound and when it gets to 14 psi it just sounds like a loud blower I guess is the only way to explain. Is this normal?

I am afraid to keep going with that noise, it seems like the turbo will give out if I keep accelerating after it has reached the max PSI. Anything helps thank you!


Question # 2

My car does not have an air intake. Is this normal for a turbo charged car?

Westrock2000

#1: Do you happen to know how fuel is being delivered? Do you have a wideband on the car? Could you videotape the boost gauge so we could see how its behaving?

#2: Does it just have the filter or wiremesh directly attached to the turbo? If so its not overly normal, but it is a habbit that people have. The filter is at least a thought in the right direction, but the wiremesh is something you'll have decide on your own (in before "I put 300,000K miles on my turbo with a window screen and hose clamp!")

213374U

Sounds like you're running open dump, and if that's the case, no big deal.

Your wastegate is what controls max PSI, in your case, 14 pounds. Once pressure reaches that, your wastegate begins to open releasing excess pressure to keep it at 14. Now typically, this "exit" on the wastegate is routed directly into the exhaust. But some like to have it exit through a short tube directly under the car, "open dump". Doesn't really help anything, simply aesthetic.

And the reason you feel you're loosing power at 5K, you're running a pretty small turbo for the H and it's longer gearing. If you want more go, drop the coin and upgrade your snail.

So to simplify all this, you probably have nothing to worry about, other than the fact that you bought someone else's boosted Honda. Get it into a reputable shop and on a dyno to make sure it's tuned properly if your want to drive it for very long.

hcenteno21

Thanks for your answers guys, 213374u that def sounds like what's causing it. Now my mechanic decided to clog all the extra vaccum lines with a short tube and a screw is this ok?

Westrock2000 I do not have a wideband, I know autozone has the bosch 17014 but it's for a jetta and it's a 5 wire. Would that work? Also hear widebands are only good for very little. My o2 Sensor is not connected at all. Should I at least get the stock? Would that help me in any way? And lastly am I better off with a mesh or with an actual small filter? Thanks guys

hcenteno21

The wastegate is connected to exhaust I do not see any extra lines? Just one vaccum to the boost control.

Westrock2000

#1: That is acceptable. Make sure there is a hose clamp or zip tie where the hose goes over the thread of the screw. Else the screw can eventually wiggle and blow off which can make the engine run wonky.

#2: You can't just use a wideband sensor by itself, it requires a "controller" to power it, interpret it and display the reading. They usually run around $300 for kits like AEM UEGO. Widebands are critical if you understand their purposes. If the tune is solid and you have no worries you can easily go through life without one. Personally I always put one on a car once you get past the basic intake/header/exhaust upgrades.

hcenteno21

So I bought an air filter and a hose, and the hose had a coupling inside that I was not aware of and I noticed my turbo stopped working. I am pretty sure it's done but I am not sure. Should I buy a new turbo, or is this fixable for cheaper?
How about the turbos that are like 150 on eBay are those worthless? I do not have much money to spend. The turbo makes a grinding noise, so for now I am not going to move the car.
Thanks

cdaiscool

HOLY COW! That compressor wheel is shot.

How much play is in there? Back and forth, in and out, all ways. If it's pretty considerable, it's going to need either a rebuild or it's shot. Take it out, and get it checked out by a turbo shop near you.

hcenteno21

Actually no play at all...Just a stupid plastic coupler got shredded in there. I am considering purchasing this turbo, will it fit?

https://honda-tech.com/forums/forced-induction-16/info-my-turbo-compressor-map-included-2959281/

hcenteno21

bump...

213374U

Alright, strip all the turbo stuff off, sell it, and pick up a nice header and short-ram. Take the extra dough you get to take care of the motor.

The fact that you bought this thing without any kind of screen/filter on the turbo whatsoever tells me it wasn't very well taken care of. Get the motor to the point where it can handle boost safely and reliably, and if you decide to boost again, do it bigger and better.

And buy this book.

Keep it in the bathroom, on a coffee table, nightstand, wherever. It's a great read for anybody wanting to truly understand how forced induction works and how to design a system to meet your goals.


//At least that's what I would do.

hcenteno21

Thank you. We did go over the engine and the whole car. Engine was just redone. This is what the car has:

1993 Prelude

H22a
Skunk 2 pro intake
cp low comp pistons
sleeved block
stage 3 clutch
8 lb flywheel
t3t4 hybrid garret turbocharger (there is a turbo shop in town I will see if they can rebuild)
intercooler wastegate
his blow off valve
dual flow master exhaust cat delete
aftermarket light weight pulls jam
aftermarket gauge cluster
3 inch custom 5 flange downpipes
Denso 720cc Fuel Injectors
walbro 255 fuel pump

And possibly other stuff. I know the previous owner only had it for 1 month, and he was careless. But I could tell previous owner before that definately took care of the car and put a lot of money in it. According to him 6k. (dont know if its true) The car overall is in great condition, and engine stuff is great. What else would you recommend doing to motor? I am new to this stuff, I just got the car in a trade, and it's been interesting me quite a bit. I planned on selling the car but started falling in love with it, and now I want to make it as good as I can. Of course at the moment money is a little tight, but business is always slow this part of the yr for us. What turbo can I run, and how much PSI on this set up?

213374U

Grab that book and read it. It will give you the insight to pick the turbo that will best fit your build for your means and make you happiest.