This will be my first turbo build ever, not pushing for crazy hp at all.
slowly picking up used parts from various turbos civics (I’m on a tighter budget), I decided I’d rather go for used quality parts over cheap eBay stuff. Just wondering what the best ways to clean everything up would be. I’m guessing all new seals for everything, new clamps and bolts etc. very new to this and anything helps! Thanks guys.

 

I’m going to be really honest.
One, I would never buy used parts for a turbo setup. You will just be wasting your money because the part will need to be replaced sooner than later.
Two, if you’re on a tight budget, don’t turbocharge the car. Hope it’s not your only means of transportation as well. Been there, done that.

 

Buy a low mile quality kit or like mentioned stay away cause if that's your only car and it blows your **** out of luck! just like me I had a boosted Integra and blew the engine and it's been sitting for like 5 years since just not worth it sometimes.

 

I'm going to be doing the same possibly this winter but more than likely next winter. For this year I've got the car running and handling as best as I can with b16a NA power and just having fun.

New suspension, brakes, bushes, bodywork but most important basic maintenance stuff. Plugs, leads, oils, box oil, brake fluid, filters, rocker seal, iacv seal, coolant and hoses changed.

Alignment will be done as soon as the suspension is on.

I'm going the other way and gonna buy new but budget, rev9 or maxpeeding or whatever other ebay type stuff is around in the UK. I've a chipped p28 but will probs go hondata for the tune.

Looking for 8pounds and sub 280 @ wheels.

For now I'm just loving the retro vtec power/ weight

 

It's not impossible to do a budget turbo build, I've done a few. It requires some extra care in workmanship and some ingenuity.

What you do not want to cheap out on is the turbo itself, and be prepared to rebuild it if buying used. And then there is the ECU and tuning portion which is the absolute highest priority.

Once you piece it together, you have to pay attention and not beat it until you've worked out the bugs. Cheap parts will be more prone to fail, but in most cases will not be catastrophic to the engine if you notice right away and shut it down.

 

Go-autoworks has some of the best solutions for most people who dont have the means to fabricate things. You could do their kit, or have them make your setup custom if you evision something special

 

Or go with a Pro charger super charger kit if you want boost and an easy and simple install. Go auto sells them, I have a brand-new kit I might sell but it's another option for ya!


GO-AUTOWORKS x ProCharger B Series Super Charger Kit (go-autoworks-store.com)

 

I'm gonna say go for it man. Just have a back up car in case. This is how you learn to work on cars and D-series are cheap.

The first time I boosted my clapped out civic with d15b8 with all ebay turbo kit that costs about $650 in 2010. Got a few homies and took us a whole freaking week. We had some ideas but nobody boosted their car before. We watched a lot of youtube and we finally got it done. Got myself a hondata and learned how to tune it with youtube. No idea how much power it made but we had a blast with 7-8psi. Car ran almost a whole year before the cheap turbo off itself.

Watched youtube and removed the d15b8 out and sold it for 150. Went to junkyard and bought a d16z6 with tranny for $750. Put it in with another cheap ebay turbo. Man vtec hits hard on the z6 lol

We learned a lot and having fun at the same time.

 

My friend bought an 'ebay' turbo kit for his D16Z6. A rev-9 kit. It was installed 3 years ago, and street tuned by me. It's on e85. It's been running great, and was finally dyno'd this year. It made 150whp and 200ftlb torque (flow restrictions). I adjusted timing on the dyno to optimize power and I made a whole 5whp more, basically I had it street tuned within 1% of max power. He does some lap-racing track days every once in a while too. Still a solid setup!

China turbos are fine if they are balanced well. 1/10 china turbos will have some defect, 0/10 garrett turbos will have a defect. If you can test it right away and send it back within the return window you could have a decent turbo for a low cost. China 3rd shift turbos just lack the final quality control steps. If you do those steps, it will be fine.

Moral is, give it love and tune it well and it will last.