alright well i've done a search and read a lot of posts.
what i still don't understand is what's the bother.

<u>this is what i HAVE</u>
Saab T3 turbo mounted to HF manifold
DSM side mount intercooler
DSM bov
T3 oil lines with the flanges
misc. lines and fittings

<u>and i read that this is what i need to make it "reliable"</u>:
fuel pump, 440cc injectors, fuel rail (to handle injectors), apex-i safc (at least), boost guage, air/fuel guage, oil pressure guage, and a turbo timer.

i add all that stuff up (according to prices from http://www.optauto.com and http://www.importparts.com ) that i "need" and it comes to another $1100.

so my question is, why don't people just go out and buy a Greddy kit (~1400-1500) and use some junkyard intercooler? at least with the kit you can bolt it on and go have fun. all this fuel **** is intimidating me. so what is the BARE MINIMUM i could add to what i HAVE already to make it (the setup/my motor) last for more than a week??? i mean it's only a ZC and's cheap to replace, but i'm broke, and everything i already have for this turbo deal, i got for free. and i don't have much money to waste. actually no money to waste.

anybody have any insight on this???
btw: i posted this in the FI forum as well, so i appologize if you've read it already.

 

I'm just starting my junkyard turbo setup and have minimum money invested into it, I'm doing it because I get to do all of it and you probably learn more. Is it really that much cheaper to go with a retail turbo kit?

 

You really don't need a turbo timer. Just watch it after a hard run.

 

you could just get the fuel pump, injectors and a fmu.

you don't necessarily <u>need</u> the boost gauge, a/f gauge, oil pressure gauge or turbo timer. you could get hose things over time.

 

I bought my Greddy b/c I wanted boost; and didn't feel like waiting to learn enough to build my own kit and go through the hassels of putting it all together. If I did another turbo though, it would be a j/yard setup. I paid $1200 for my Greddy kit (Greddy TD04H w/ BOV, FMIC, piping, FMU, Black Box). It wasn't that bad of a deal, but I would like to be able to do my own next time...

You don't NEED the fuel pump, injectors, SAFC, or TT.

If you want to do a decent 8psi daily, you will need some larger injectors and a SMC. I am running DSM 450cc's ($50) and a SMC ($89+s/h), and I run rich in every gear a 8psi... The ZC fuel rail can handle the injecotrs, and the SAFC is pretty and all, but the SMC does the same thing. TT; just sit in your car for a few mins after hard runs.

Get the DSM 450cc injectors, SMC, boost/af guages, and you're money...

jB


[Modified by PelowisheshewascoolTudo, 10:12 AM 10/16/2002]

 

ill try and tackle your questions one step at a time:

"alright well i've done a search and read a lot of posts.what i still don't understand is what's the bother."
Its hundreds of dollars cheaper and can work just as well as any turbo kit on the market.

"and i read that this is what i need to make it "reliable":fuel pump, 440cc injectors, fuel rail (to handle injectors), apex-i safc (at least), boost guage, air/fuel guage, oil pressure guage, and a turbo timer."

you dont need a fuel pump, you dont need a fuel rail, you dont need a boost gauge, you dont need any gauges or a turbo timer. Your stock fuel rail and fuel pump will work like a champ with 440cc injectors, as for gauges sure they could be nice but if you got the afc, you can use that to monitor your boost. Turbo timer is unecessary, if your turbos watercooled you really dont have to worry about it, if its only oil cooled just let the car sit for a minute or two after hard driving.


"i add all that stuff up (according to prices from http://www.optauto.com and http://www.importparts.com ) that i "need" and it comes to another $1100. o my question is, why don't people just go out and buy a Greddy kit (~1400-1500) and use some junkyard intercooler? at least with the kit you can bolt it on and go have fun. all this fuel **** is intimidating me. so what is the BARE MINIMUM i could add to what i HAVE already to make it (the setup/my motor) last for more than a week??? i mean it's only a ZC and's cheap to replace, but i'm broke, and everything i already have for this turbo deal, i got for free. and i don't have much money to waste. actually no money to waste. "

Why do we do it? ill show you why:
$100-t3
$200-safc
$225-custom turbo manifold for b series
$70-starion intercooler
$100-dsm injectors, radiator piping, miscelaneous oil lines
=695 total, now i have never seen anything out there with a t3 size or similar kit for this much complete. Greddy kits come with small little turbos pretty much about the size of a t25, and my buddy just got one at the junkyard for about 55 bucks so knock 55 bucks off my kit and you have what a greddy kit would cost, matter fact knock about 200 off cuz hes got a zc and doesnt need a custom manifold so what thats about 440 bucks. thats nearly half the cost of a greddy kit. now ofcourse this is just a estimate and im giving you my example which could be off by a bit, it all depends on how resourceful you can be.

If your second guessing your ability to do it and think a greddy kit is more worth it then my opinion is for you to go get a greddy kit. Junkyrad turbo setups arent for everybody, for most ppl that is the challenge and where they get enjoyment from, goin out to the yard and piecing it together, savin a couple bucks and being resourceful. Hope that helps.

 

What is a "safc"? What about a "vafc"? Can you get the piping from Home Depot? If not, where?


[Modified by 1990hondaHF, 3:56 PM 10/16/2002]

 

radiator hoses for piping works well....u dont need most of the stuff u listed either...the map out put on the sacf can tell u how much boost u have....and o2 out put can tell u how rich or lean u are running....all u really need is the injecters whcih can be gotten cheap....safc...pump is optional but helps, turbo, manifold, piping, IC optional, BOV and coolant and oil lines...with a saab turbo u dont need a turbo timer really since its oil and water cooled it will be ok driiving normal drive it hard and let it cool off a lil before shutting down u can easily do a junkyard turbo much cheaper than a greddy kit....good luck

 

"What is a "safc"? Can you get the piping from Home Depot? If not, where?"

SAFC is same thing as a vafc except without a vtec controller and a little more options. You can get radiator piping at any auto zone, go to the radiator hose aisle and just look for something that you can rig to work for your application. All custom turbos take is ingenuity.

 

alright thanks for the help everybody

so just injectors and the safc and i'll be fine huh.
would either the 440s or DSM injectors bolt straight onto a ZC rail? if not, what exactly is needed to make them fit correctly?

also, can somebody explain to me what an FMU is exactly and what it does?

 

fmu=fuel management unit. it basically works like a fpr. when it senses boost, it restricts the return line and builds up pressure in the rail. a 12:1 fmu raises the fuel 12lbs for every lb of boost it senses.

 

ah...I'm still lost as to what they do? Can some ne explain what those are to me?

 

its an air fuel controller changes teh map sensors voltage goin to the ecu which changes the amount of voltage goin to the injecters which rthen makes u run leaner or richer