Ever play those games where someone starts a story, says a sentence or so, and then the next person adds another sentence, and so on...until a story is created?

Well, i wanna do that. But there is a catch. I'm gonna start off by saying something that I know about turbo'ing a honda motor that i learned through first-hand experience, and everyone that has learned something first-hand is encouraged to add to this...(all others, be adults, just read and learn!)

I want this thread to serve as a reference for anyone thinking about turbo'ing their car as to the do's and don't's of FI on a honda.

i'll start:

1) Truth: you aren't in boost all the time...only during the short bursts where you wanna race/show-off your BOV are you boosting. otherwise stock motors cannot boost for long periods of time. you will be driving around in vaccuum a lot!

Tom



[Modified by Tomakit, 12:05 AM 12/16/2001]

 

do ALL the work yourself or get another daily driver.

 

I'll add in the sense that for seeing othrs experiences and consquences. 1)I learned myself that top end runs isn't something you want to consider on an FI honda/acura with stock internals or the results can be "explosive", and (2) make sure before you consider upping the boost on stock internals that TUNING should a be a main priority as well as the necessary fuel upgrades. I know that most of the guys who have been around here know better but for the rookies who think bringing the boost higher than normal levels is "OK" should think it through first. Hope this could help your post here Tomakit

 

Well, here goes.. TRUTH: Walbro intank pump cannot support the fuel pressures needed when using an FMU with high rise rate disk. How do I know this? When i first put a turbo on my car i got lucky and just happen to have a Bosch pump laying around so I used it inline with the stock pump. Then I got my hands on a Walbro 255 lph intank pump and put that in the tank and removed the inline pump. The very first test run up the street I noticed my A/F going straight to red at about 5 psi. Needless to say I put the inline pump back in and the problem was solved. A few days later I just happened to be looking at the box for the pump and hey what do you know, at 90 psi it's pretty much done. At the same time my friend realized why he'd just blown up his last motor in his supercharged Mustang, he didnt read the damn box.

 

Hmm... how about this, the key to a properly running turbo is tuning. tuning = getting the proper A/F ratio and making sure your internal parts can handle the extra boost.

Personally I think I you plan on boosting more than 8-9 PSI you should consider a true standalone engine management system, and upgraded internals.

oh and for all the newbie's If you want good info on how turbo's and turbo components work, buy Corky Bells book "Maximum Boost". It's got a lot of basic information in there that will help you get started.

 

Always remember: Following someones advice is a reflection of the quality of your judgement, not the quality of their advice.

And the three most important TURBO rules:

1) good tuning, and
2) good tuning, and
3) good tuning.

bad tuning = number one reason for turbo engine failure.

 

Truth: All BOV's do not sound the same. . .I learned this the hard way and blew my turbo because I was surging.
Truth: Turbo install is easy. . .it's just the little things that take forever. . .ie pipes don't match, not enough hoses, blah blah blah.

 

I want to add somthing about FI top end runs, on a stock Honda/Acura motors.

Just don't do it. I learned this after my first motor. I was racing my friends Supra, actually two Supras. It feels good, but the real question is "How long would the motor last?."

Now, I spend most of the time at vaccum, and once in a while would go into boost at top end. No more racing on highway for me...well, sometimes. I cannot remember the last time I raced on the highway.

 

OMG I am in trouble....

 

here's what I have learned in the last 8 years..

Get a plan
Do as much research as possible before hurting your wallet or vehicle
Weed out any info that can not be proven or that seems to be misleading
Work on your own car as much as possible
Stay within your driving, engine capability and budget limits
And HAVE FUN...

 

drealgsr...

here's what I have learned in the last 8 years..
Get a plan
Do as much research as possible before hurting your wallet or vehicle
Weed out any info that can not be proven or that seems to be misleading
Work on your own car as much as possible
Stay within your driving, engine capability and budget limits
And HAVE FUN...

you got it bro' i agree with you!
all i can say is............................ "Expect For The Unexpected"

 

You have to swap out your sparkplugs to ones that are 2 steps colder such as
NGK BCPR7E-11 and ZFR7F-11 plugs. Gap them in between .028 to .032. Don't rush your turbo install and be patient or you'll learn the hardway like I did.

 

Honda engines were not built for turbocharging.

 

Truth: No, honda engines were not built for turbocharging. However, with *proper* fuel/timing/spark/etc management they can live a very happy life as a turbocharged engine.

Truth: ball bearing turbo's spool quicker...

Tom

 

Truth: Always weld your oil return line into the oil pan, if you dont your looking at giving the pavement a nice hot oil bath sooner or later.

Truth: What is the difference between a turbo honda at 8psi and 15psi on street tires? Nothing, both have no traction!!!!

 

i am building a custom kit right now....should be installed very soon...all i can say is...

hondatech search function is your friend

 

truth: you cannot tune your a/f with just an inline fuel pump and FMU

 

You also CANNOT / SHOULD NOT tune under boost with EGT or A/F gauge readings....ONLY trust the tuning done on a dyno!

Most A/F gauges are good for show only....EGT gauges are generally a bit more reliable as an indicator or a/f mixture, but still neither are "reliable" as a true representation of a/f. If you're "trusting" the readings on these two gauges as your boosting you may still blow your motor from being too lean, even though the gauges showed you were fine.

A really good way to "calibrate" your EGT gauge is when your on the dyno, look at the EGT reading based on what the dyno a/f gauge is reading and then use that as a base reading.



[Modified by greyzone, 10:47 PM 12/16/2001]

 

Truth: you want a turbo honda? you NEED a helms manual!!!

Tom

 

You need a Helm's to do just about anything on a honda, putting the turbo kit on is about the only thing i've done without using the helms tho

 

Bringing to top in light of recent new posts...

Tom

 

Cool stuff,,

Thanks.

 

When working on your car. Plan to work on it 3 or 4 times longer than you think you actually need to.

 

Plan on getting to know the guys who sell Craftsman tools at Sears.

 

The DRAG kit comes with a 12:1 FMU

Also get larger injectors, you cannot run 120 psi of fuel pressure forever. It may work now but let it fail once and your engine is toast.