I am planing and researching like crazy before I buy anything at all. Even the car. I want to build a FI car on a budget. What I seem to have learned is a quality turbo kit is always necessary.

Overall Plan
Get Car (aiming for B1.8 in Integra)

Fix all leaks, head gasket, water pump, ect...

Install exhaust, coilovers/progressive lowering springs, bigger TB and intake, Half size dual core radiator and new fan, high temp brake pads, bigger injectors.

Then ECU, the turbo kit I have questions about, Hondata s300, professional tune.

Goals
Build a solid scaling build. Something I can buy and run NA while I save for turbo/tune. Run car with stock rods and pistons and add a turbo that can either scale up with future power, or be replaced with minimal work. At this point I would like to be at 250-275 HP at the wheels.

I happen to think 250-275 hp is a lot in a light car. I don't want more.

Information I don't have

Turbo kits are everywhere on the internet. From my research I have found that most if not all of those ebay kits are piles of scrap. I am not looking to spend crazy money on a turbo kit. Really the end of my budget would be about $2.5k (for the kit not the whole project) I could allocate more if it was really necessary. I have no idea where to look for proper kits, and I am very intimidated by piecing together my own. I wouldn't be total against it but I am afraid I will forget little parts, or incorrect drain lines or something that wont fit. I am new to this forum, but I have read a bunch of guides on here, and as a whole the community seems knowledgeable.

 

Inb4 everyone else tells you to get the Go-autoworks kit. Or just piece one together yourself, you can buy the parts separately new or used. I bought my Full-race kit for 1700 used, and that was with half the parts still in the boxes unopened.

 

Are you inferring it's bad, or just a very common kit? I am ok with it being common.

 

Its a good kit, there are ony a handfull of vendors that specialize in kits for our application and go-autoworks is the cheapest and has sold lots of kits probally the biggest name in the game known for being cheap and effective. Full-race makes excellent kits but they dont offer any cheaper kits like go auto does


this is not nearly enough, you will need roughly double that amount
turbo kit starts at $2000
injectors $400 (new)
Fuel pump $100
Hondata $600
Tune $500

So thats about $3600 and thats assuming your motor is healthy and everything goes as planned without breaking. Additionally this does not include any labor costs, welding the oil pan drain, welding the downpipe to your current exhaust setup, it also does not include other parts such as upgraded clutch, motor mounts, tires, suspension etc. so $3600 would pretty much be bare minimum but these prices are for new stuff you can always go used but IMO that really is hit and miss

 

I'm assuming he meant for the kit only. There's also the clutch, catch can, spark plugs, handful of odds and ends (I'm sure you know)

 

Treadstone sales a kit with all Turbonetics parts that is great for sub 300whp applications for like $1,850.00 and it is really complete.

https://www.treadstoneperformance.co...o+kit+B+series

 

I am aware costs get out of hand fast. I also know you need a good tune and ecu. I don't really want to lean out an engine kill it by not having enough fuel.

I was just saying the kit itself shouldn't be more than 2.5k. That is a big chunk of the budget I don't even have yet. I am trying to not spend 15k on a project. I am trying to keep it to about 7.5k total.

What do you think of the plan? Buy the car, change out gaskets/pumps as needed. Upgrade fuel, intake/exhaust, clutch. Run it NA and then turbo afterwards. I am trying to minimize time that the car will be un drive-able. I don't want to do it all at once.

 

You could. why run NA then run turbo? Many times we just get straight to it. If it can run 275whp, then it can run NA. No need for the delay if you're trying to deduct time. Compression / leakdown check, replace pumps / injectors, DONE. No need to run NA first.

 

I am trying to be realistic about my time, money, and abilities.

I some experience modding cars. Generally if I think it is going to take $100, an hour, and will be easy, reality will be $150, an afternoon, and busted knuckles. I have only the weekends, I need to find some place that will let me work on it, and I am not a pro.

I would rather do mods to support the turbo and still drive it, than put in a turbo and not be able to drive it until I can finish all the supporting mods. If time, money or skill runs out before I get to the turbo I still have a functional car. I feel like typed out it doesn't make that much sense I hope you can understand what I am getting at.

 

The only thing you need to worry about before hand is the clutch and fuel pump IMO. Both of those you could do in a weekend casually working if you have a set of hands to help and a good "How to"

A turbo kit is fairly simple IF everything fits up right. The things that will bite you generally are the oil return, down pipe connecting to the rest of the exhaust, and charge pipe fitament. Everything else should be pretty straightforward. I dont have any experience with the goautoworks kits but I know they are quality parts.

Nothing will ever fit perfectly the first time. So be ready to do some modifications. I think your budget is more then adequate. I was able to find a used greddy kit and buy all the supporting hardware for my first turbo kit right around that 2-2.5k mark. I would argue the tune is the most important part. Find someone you can talk to easily and trust. The local "Street tuner" is most likely not that person.

 

Would it be unheard of for a local shop to let me use there space? I would pay to get access to a lift and do my own work. Besides a place like that would probably have people I could pay to weld stuff.

I definitely don't have a welder... or that skill at all. last thing I tried to weld went poorly.

 

Ebay kits are pretty good, I use em all the time. Just replace the turbo, the manifold, the exhaust piping, the BOV, the wastegate, and the intercooler that comes with the kits and you have a decent turbo kit on your hands.

 

They will rent you that space. There's a shop here in Austin that rents out tools, lifts and the space. They charge by the hr I think. Check around, you might be able to find something similar.

 

In other words, don't bother with the eBay kit because you have to replace everything anyway , plus learn how to weld and fix the mismatched B.S. parts of what's left...

Ok. So Let's try this again.

 

which equals $800 for intercooler piping and shitty oil lines, you can get quality items for much cheaper

 

Im pretty sure that post went wayyy over your head lol

 

I know sarcasm, and that line regarding eBay wasn't that.. It was simply a terrible attempt at humor

 

 

Everyone always says clutch.. Yes a new clutch is needed but mounts are also important.

Nothing like getting everything together, tuned, then do a couple rips down the hwy and the boost leaks, downpipe cracks, axles and driveline are screwed..

those mounts are a very important part of any new boost project.

 

Haven't had a change of OEM mounts on 450whp for years. Yes, nice to have, but not needed as much as a good clutch and tyre., (of course, presuming the original mounts aren't completely trashed and filled with a substitute.)