sdoherty_tjm

hey guys, i sort of plan to custom make my own turbo kit. which will consist of parts for dsm cars that i can buy from the junkyard. if i do it, it will be under at least $1,000, granted that i will probably need to buy some new parts. when/if i finish my little adventure with this idea, i am going to make sure everyone can see it. unfortunately i dont have a dyno around me that i know of, but i would supply you with total cost, how i did it, and my own tested 0-60 times. if you guys could help me with this, i would greatly appreciate it. all i need is part names, i can research it myself, just kind of hard to find a good site that isnt all about "im a ricer look at my good turbo". but yeah, i estimate that with one dsm turbo, i would have about 12 psi. its fifteen stock, but theres two more cylinders, but also more exhuast, so im not totally sure. thanks again guys

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

Exactly what parts do you think you can use from a DSM?

I won't be shy about it, IMO there is no way it will happen and if it did it did you could never do it for $1K. But I would still like to hear exactly how you plan to do with with "DSM parts" and a $1K.

sdoherty_tjm

all junkyard parts basically, because everyone who has a dsm wants a bigger turbo, junkyards have boxs of them. also, since its a dsm turbo, i can find a lot of extra parts from them, only thing that i would have to fabricate would be the exhuast and intake piping for it. and that i really mean make them myself. i could make my own aluminum stuff in my backyard, but piping i would have to buy, and could bend myself. it would be like the biggest do it yourself project ever, but i think it would be worth it. but all i need is a list of basic parts that i need to make sure i have for completion.

sdoherty_tjm

please help anyone, i know some of things i need like a wastegate and bov, but what other stuff would i need? new injectors, fuel pump/rails, spark pulgs? help me out guys.

maxgtr2000

iTrader: (29)

It will go way over $1k from what I've been looking at. Even at $2k it would be a stretch.
$??? Turbo rebuild kit
$200-300+ Injectors
$250-500 engine management
$400 FMU/fpr/walbro
$200 guages
$350-450 Wideband O2 kit
$400 Intercooler w/Piping
$1000 manifold/down pipe

These are guestimates and main parts, you are also going to have to look at fittings, t clamps, oil lines,flanges, etc.

maxgtr2000

iTrader: (29)

Also unless you have a mandrel bender or access to one and know how to operate it I wouldn't mess with doing any of the piping yourself. I've seen some peoples' custom self bend jobs and I would just pay a professional, I wanna boost bad, but not that bad!!

wunfstmax

iTrader: (7)

Its called cut and weld, if you dont have a mandrel bender, which is what ive been doing. If you get it done for under 1K, dont expect it to last long or get any good power gains. Good luck with your endeavors.

subs1000w

have you guys ever heard of prebent pipeing a number of places sell it you can get all the madrel bent pipeing needed for 200-300$ and go by a local mufler shop and buy some striaght peices (or scraps really cheap) and then cut and weld it together its really a very simple process

dont waste your time useing one dsm turbo it will be more of a restriction than a power adder if you want to use dsm turbos youd have to use 2 of them to make any decent power just biuld a normal turbo frwrd ypipe and then split it off into the 2 turbo openings

the turbos have biult in wastegates so no need for those

use stock dsm BOV

figure out the oil and coolant lines (dsm turbos are water cooled)

no need for new fuel injectors just slap on a FMU 200$ (if you dont know what this is you shouldnt even be thinking about biulding a turbo system for your car)

get a 255lph fuel pump 100$ and a wide band 3-400$ for tunning the FMU (not 100% nesicary but if you dont like swaping engines i would suggest one)

really guys there are hundreds of people that have turboed there cars for under a 1k but you have to KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING to have it work right when your done and most people dont. and quite honestly the only people that can get it to work "for cheap" dont need to ask these very basic questions

also if your talking about the st charles IL thats right across from st louis there are several dynos in your area one about 30min from you in st peters MO i dynoed my car there about 1 years ago for 60$ probobly 5 or 6 pulls "the guy that ownes it is very cool" called stegimeyer performance alos you could go to gateway raceway for 1/4mile

one suggestion do ALOT more research it doesnt sound like you know anything about turbos from your post

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

I don't think that is the St. Charles he live in. It is the probably the one that is 20 min North of where I live. I work in St. Charles as well.

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

So you can try and use a stock DSM turbo that is way, way to small for our motors and a DSM BOV. That is about 1/10 of a turbo project.

Brad92SE

iTrader: (9)

Good info! This would be the minimum stuff that you need, but even then, $1K would be a stretch. If you have that small of a budget, don't turbo. Save your money, and do it later. Even if you did get everything in and working reasonably well for a thousand, you will inevitably have to replace parts, and there are a whole bunch of little things that come up during the process that you don't initially count on. Things such as bolts, nuts, tools, etc. It would be much much better to do it right the first time than to have to go back in and fix something. Wrenching on your car every weekend to fix things really gets annoying, at least for me. As Subs mentioned, you will need 2 turbos, one would be a waste, since they are made for a 4 cyl. Do some research, and good luck if you do decide to go through with the project.

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

Like the others have said... If you need to ask this question you don't have what it takes to piece together a turbo kit on your maxima, let alone one for the rediculously low budget of $1000. Someone with knowledge I can see pulling it off for $2000, but I don't think anyone could do it for $1000 on a maxima, and if by some chance in hell they did, I don't think it would be running for more than a few weeks with all the corners that would have to be cut. You need to do about 300x more research and then start asking yourself these sorts of questions "ok what do I need for 10psi turbo."

slimer

iTrader: (13)

there are tons of dynos near st. charles. mike, where did they move that one that was at CJ's on Fabyan Pkwy?

liqidvenom

iTrader: (6)

well....i know im gonna get flamed for saying this but if u slap a turbo at the rear of the car where a muffeler would go then make your own oil lines and charge piping back to the tb then if u run a low enough boost u might not need a ic. or u could mount a fmic which u might be able to find at a yard and fab the rest of the pipes. but u still need tunning stuff and a clutch and injectors and.....ect. but if ur nuts and want to build it for cheap then that might be a cheap start. i think the biggest pain would be running the charge pipe back to the front of the car. but if u want to build a kit for a g then im sure u could figure that out

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

The thing that gets me is that to run 10psi you need larger injectors and different clutch. There is more than half you $1K right there.

sdoherty_tjm

thats true, but, im still doing research and its not like i plan to start tomorrow. but in part of my research i should at least get some advice by the guys who have done it to a maxima. and another thing. i know of a guy who used twin dsm turbos on a 350. which means that a single dsm would be marginally too small for our engine, but not that much. one reason why i choose the dsm is because its the most readily available one i could find in a junkyard. if it were up to me i would use one from a 300 zx twin turbo, like a 93. that was a 3.0 litre v-6, the vg30de. that would be ideal, but how would i know if i could find one. another thing bad about that is that i read it was way to small for any wanted performance because nissan had a well designed cooling system already they didnt need to have a large turbo too keep temps. down. so in my understanding a dsm turbo should be just slightly to small, but would provide 10 psi, so big or small turbo it would still add power.

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

You are underestimating how small the DSM 14B is. I'm assuming you mean a 1st gen turbo and not the T25 from the 2nd gen, that is even smaller. For comparison that turbo flows about exactly half as much air as my turbo does. I don't know how you are doing your math but if someone used two 14Bs on a VQ35, what makes you think that one 14B would be anywhere near appropriate for a VQ30, the displacement difference is only half a liter. The VQ30 is however a full liter larger than the 4G63, and has much higher compression.

So yeah it will "work" technically, but if you are looking to boost 10psi through your VQ you don't want to be cutting corners which is EXACTLY what you are describing. Unless of course you enjoy having to fix your car every day because you used Elmer's glue to put together a turbo kit.

Chief Brody

iTrader: (2)

Cheap DIY turbo setups depend on abundant, cheap turbo manifolds and cheap suitable size turbos. For a honda maybe, but not a Maxima.

Shadow

iTrader: (15)

Maybe you should look at some compressor maps and such before just assuming that a DSM turbo would work. You can't just say that a guy used 2 DSM's on a 350 so 1 would be marginally too small. 2 of those turbos are probably too small for a 350, so just because he used them doesn't make it right. A stock 14B is too small for most Hondas. They work, but don't make that much power. It's amusing that you think a turbo designed for a 2.0 (and it's on the small side for that application) is only "marginally" too small for a 3.0.

FWIW, no one has pieced together a turbo kit for a Maxima at under $1K, not even remotely close. Everyone who has tried has found out that it's impossible. You're looking at more than $1K in parts.

Maximum Tune

GET SOME BOOKS! There are many good books on turbocharging with details on tubro matching, intercooling, and more!
One of the most basic books to start with is "Maximum Boost" by Corky Bell. Back in the day he was (some say still is) the man in turbochaging Datsun/Nissan. The book is a good starting point. The only issue with the book is that Bell is not a tech writer and it reads like it. But, if you can get around that it is good read.

midnightmax01

i am still in the process of getting all the parts for my turbo kit, i have already spent approximately 1500 to 1600 dollars and i still need an intercooler, fuel injectors, fuel pump, adfpr, and all the tubing and miscellanious nuts bolts clamps etc. im already expecting to spend another 1500 or 2000 dollars. i personally would not bother with a junk yard turbo unless you were going to get it rebuilt, its just something that you cant really take a risk on because of the detrimental effects that it could have on everything else (namely the engine). i honestly would not sacrifice quality to save a few extra bucks. from my experiences so far it would be better for you to either save up and buy a kit, or save up all the money you need until you can buy all the parts at once. at least that way if something else happens to your car in the meantime you dont have to worry about having all the extra parts laying around anyway. make a list of all the parts you need price them at what you think they cost, add 5 to ten percent to each price and then you ought to have a more realistic idea of what it is going to cost. also take the amount of time that you think it will take you to do it yourself and multiply it by 2 to get the actual amount of time it will probably take you.

there is plenty of information floating around in the forum to help you, just learn from other peoples experiences...somebody has probably tried putting a dsm tiny turbo on their car and has been able to see just what it is worth.

turbo
oil feed line
oil return line
oil feed flange
oil return flange
exhaust mounting plate for the turbo
b.o.v.
wastegate (if not internal)
fuel injectors
fuel pump
boost dependant fmu
actual fuel management system
wideband o2
exhaust tubing
intake plumbing
silicon couplers
intercooler
assorted nuts and bolts
clamps
z32 maf (or if you have emanage a map sensor setup)
assorted gaskets for turbo
(im sure im forgetting something)

............but most importantly someone who knows what hes doing and is willing to help you through all this.

go to www.turbocalculator.com if you want to learn how to read compressor maps.
there was also a link floating around somewhere in here that had a table that would show the potential horsepower output of a certain turbo per boost and displacement.

after all that said i guess what im trying to say is do a little research, dont get your hopes up on building a kit for under $1k think realisticly about it or your only hurting yourself and take the forum members comments as advice from experience not as a no you cant do that kind of thing

good luck to you man with turbocharging the max i cant wait til i actually start my project in about a little under a month so i know how you feel with the turbo dreams and all.

Starchild2K2SE

Yeah im going to start my turbo project in a month so I know how you feel. Im going with arias pistons with crowler rods for my vq35. I know only pimpjuice was the only other one to do a turbo setup on a 2k2 but I plan on being the second. I plan on running 15psi with a garrett GT35R turbo, im just having a little trouble finding 440C fuel injectors for the vq35(maxima) engine, all I see are g35 and 350z injectors and I heard they are different. Im getting an electronic fmu, and the greddy emanage ultimate with a walbro 255 fuel pump. My kit is going well over $6000 and that's not even with the custom piping and install. Im just going to build the motor from top to bottom(head studs,valves,retainers,metal head gasket etc.) so I can run 15psi safely. But someone told me the turbo starts to break up after 12psi on the vq35 motors because of the intake manifold, does anyone know if this is true. Please share, mardigras I know your out there somewhere.............

midnightmax01

when i say fmu i mean fuel management unit as in a fuel pressure regulator that gives a specified increase in fuel pressure as related to boost please explain the electronic fmu and tell me what you mean when you say the turbo breaks up because of the intake manifold. and as for the fuel injectors im pretty sure that they are the same.......somebody correct me if im wrong. no offense but reading what you wrote is making me hope that youre not the one doing the install or tuning.

Tatanko

iTrader: (34)

I definitely know that a 10 PSI setup can't be had for under $1000, probably not even under $2000. But if I'm doing my math right, I'm hypothetically "piecing together" a turbo kit. Mind you this is only on paper, and, it's only meant for about 5 PSI. So far my total comes out to about $1287. This is not including shipping costs for anything, and it's not including tuning costs due to the fact that the setup doesn't include a wideband. It also assumes I'll be installing everything myself (not true, but the help would be free in my case). The setup is also intercooled, but running on stock injectors, hence 5 PSI. But it is a very SAFE 5 PSI. The setup is the following:

-A nice, used factory turbo from another car (not sure specifically)
-Oil feed/return lines
-Tial 38mm wastegate (unless the turbo has one internal already)
-Reverse Y-pipe setup
-Downpipe
-Walbro 255
-Boost-dependent FMU
-A-pillar guage pod
-Boost guage
-Small front mount intercooler (ebay)
-Intake filter
-Piping (to compressor, to intercooler, to throttlebody)
-MAF adapter
-S-AFC 2
-Manual boost controller
-1G DSM BOV


Again, this is 5 PSI running stock injectors. What am I missing? I don't plan on actually doing a turbo setup in the near future, this is just a "study" of sorts on whether it's possible to do a cheap, low boost setup.

Starchild2K2SE

For returnless fuel systems. The new Aeromotive Billet Digital FMU is a fully adjustable, scalable electronic FMU designed specifically for returnless fuel systems. The Aeromotive FMU senses manifold pressure and automatically provides the fuel pressure that you dial in, maintaining proper air fuel levels at all operating conditions. When used in conjunction with an external fuel pump, the Aeromotive Billet Digital FMU will allow a supplemental pump (sold separately) to provide the proper volume thereby increasing the system pressure. The Digital FMU is scalable and completely adjustable to provide increased fuel pressure levels at any boost. The unique capability of the digital FMU, unlike traditional FMUs, is the ability to provide “any” fuel curve throughout the power range. The FMU features LEDs that are tied to a scalable rotary ****. This allows you to create a fuel pressure curve that corresponds to your boost curve. The housing of the controller is made out of Billet 6061-T651 aircraft aluminum alloy and is finished with a bright dip red anodize.

Is that good enough for you, I can't get a regular fmu, because I have a fuel returnless system so I need an electronic fmu, learn something new everyday huh? And 350z and g35 injectors are different than vq35 maxima injectors. WOW you learned two new things today.

And Im not 100% sure, but I heard that the turbo breaks up after 15psi because the manifold can't hold that type of pressure, im talking on the vq35 not the vq30. Im not sure, but this is just what one boosted maxima guy told me, who happends to work at nissan also........

midnightmax01

look man maybe you took my post the wrong way. i wasn’t trying to insult you, i personally had never heard of a digital fmu. nor could i understand what you were talking about when you said that the turbo starts to break up after 12 psi…….and yes I did learn two things today. Im better off learning than acting like or assuming I know everything though.

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

Have you calculated what fuel pressure it will require to run 15psi (~450whp) on just 440s at a reasonable DC? How much does the electronic FMU cost? Maybe you've already looked into this but it might be cheaper to go with larger injectors and forget about the FMU altogether? Worth a look at least if you haven't already.

Oh and I don't know what you mean by turbo breaking up above 12psi or whatever. 12psi is the minimum boost I run (wastegate spring is 12psi). Where did you hear this and from whom? And what exactly did they mean?

turbomax97

iTrader: (6)

man.... i was hitting near 100 psi of fuel press on stock injectors at 11 psi.... but at 15? jeez.... do it right, if you don't have the money, scrap the project, its as simple as that.

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

He didn't say stock injectors he said 440cc injectors.

Tatanko

iTrader: (34)

Soooo...no thoughts on my 5 PSI setup? Should I start a new thread?

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

What your talking about is exactly what I did when I first installed my turbo. So if you want to know about it just do a search. I posted all about running a basic 5psi set up on stock injectors.

As far as your list. You don't need a boost controller, just a wastegate spring. What about a clutch? I put down 260wtq on 5psi, don't think a stock clutch will hold that very well. If you are gonna use an FMU then you really need a fuel pressure gauge, perferably an electronic in cabin one.

$1300....hahahaha. Why don't you put prices next to everything you listed


It seems there are so many guys who like to come in here and tell about how cheap they could do a turbo maxima. "All you need is blah, blah, blah and I got a buddy who will do everything for free!!!! $1500 tops!".

Tatanko

iTrader: (34)

I just found that thread, so I'll be reading it.

Well the manual boost controller was one of those cheapo ones that's meant for basic operation, so if I scratch that I can take off $45. If I use some sort of factory turbo with an internal wastegate, I can eliminate another $150 for the Tial one. As far as clutch, my car is currently an auto with the intentions to swap in the future. If I ever swap, I'll just put something in capable of handling the power right from the get-go.

As far as the FMU, if I'm going to need a fuel pressure guage, then which would be cheaper...FMU + guage, or larger injectors?

Alright, here goes:

-A nice, used factory turbo from another car (not sure specifically) [$200]
-Oil feed/return lines [~$50] (correct me on the price, please)
-Reverse Y-pipe setup (custom, obviously, and assuming I have the y-pipe already) [$50]
-Downpipe [$40]
-Walbro 255 [$90]
-Boost-dependent FMU [$90]
-A-pillar guage pod [$26]
-Boost guage [$56]
-Small front mount intercooler (ebay) [$125]
-Intake filter [$5]
-Piping (to compressor, to intercooler, to throttlebody) [~$125]
-MAF adapter [$5]
-S-AFC 2 [$235]
-1G DSM BOV [$45]

TOTAL: $1142

But keep in mind what I said in my other post, this does not include tiny little misc. stuff, nor shipping costs for anything. This is also now assuming I have a y-pipe already, a good clutch, and that the turbo I'm using has an internal wastegate.


That's not the attitude I'm here with. I'm here to learn and build upon what I already know.

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

I tried to post a response, but honestly I just don't have it in me today. Take your $1200 budget, Double it, then add a few hundred for unexpected items. Then you might have a nasty looking, cheap set up that will have all sorts of problems.

...$215 for all your piping

Tatanko

iTrader: (34)

I'm not saying I have a $1200 budget. Hell, I don't have a budget period, it's all hypothetical. But everyone on these forums seems to be very gung-ho about being overly cautious. I'm not looking for huge numbers...I'm not looking for large boost figures. There's no intention to go any further than a basic setup, and therefore no reason for overkill.

...and I don't know how many times I have to say it, that IS NOT the final figure. I've said it twice already that that does not include any kind of costs for shipping, assumes I have a few parts, and doesn't include prices for all the little misc. stuff. I don't think all of that is going to DOUBLE my costs and leave me with a crappy setup. As I see it, the intercooler and S-AFC 2 are overkill, so I don't see how I would have TOO many problems.

Well, when I can get it all at cost and have all the welding done free then I don't see why that's an unreasonable number. No, it's not more of the "I can get everything done free" BS, it's a guy I've known practically my whole life and he's done projects for my friends numerous times. He knows what he's doing, and he'll do it either free or at VERY low cost to me.


You seem to forget that you were once a noob, too

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

Let me just throw a few things at you then

Are you gonna use regular hose clamps? Have fun with those. IIRC I sent $70 on T-bolts alone.

What about couplers? Are you gonna use some Home deopt rubber hoses? I spent $100 on couplers. You are probably gonna use some reducers. Check out the price on silicone reducers

How are you gonna connect the down pipe to the turbo? V-clamp? Check out the price of V-clamps.

What type of fittings. Are you gonna try and just use Ace Hardware brass fittings? Or are you gonna do it right and use AN fittings that won't leak. Check out the price on AN fittings....your gonna need at least a dozen.

Is this piping gonna be stainless steel? If not are you gonna get it powder coated? Do you want rusty intercooler piping?

How and where are you gonna mount the turbo? Hmmm....

Where is the flex section gonna be on the piping? You getting one of those for free as well?

Is this 3" madrel bent piping? Or you think your gonna be happy with 2.5" crush bent crap?

You gonna try and run even 5psi through a stock cat back? What about a test pipe? What about the flange for the BOV?

Is this gonna be oil and water cooled? If only oil cooled what about a turbo timer? How long to you want this turbo to last?

What about relocating the battery?

You have any idea of the heat your gonna create? What about wrapping the pipes....that stuff is more expensive than you think. Or are you gonna spend the money for ceramic coating?

Can your car be down for at least a week while your friend has to redo the piping several times to get any kind of ground clearance? You do know that with an auto tranny your ground clearance will be nill. Maybe you will use oval piping...you know how much that costs?



The problem is that this is all hypothetical in your mind. In your world you don't have to worry about this stuff. All your trying to do is find the cheapest prices on the most basic parts needed. Well, that is only half of what it would actually take if you were actually going to do this. But since you are not then why am I spending my time discussing a hypothetical turbo maxima.

wunfstmax

iTrader: (7)

Your figures for the feed and return lines are off(if done right). For some stainless steel hose(4an) its costing me about 5 dollars a foot, for the return line(12an) its going to cost a lil over 7 dollars a foot, plus the cost for all the fitting which will probably run clost or maybe over 50 dollars alone. The downpipe and feedpipe figures are really cheap, Im doing the welding on my own and its still costing me more money then the prices you have listed. Not to mention the prices of any flanges you may need.

Tatanko

iTrader: (34)

Ok, I see your point in a way. However I still don't see how my price is going to double. Increase, yes. Double? Ehhh...

As far as the pipe stuff goes, yes it will be either stainless steel or powdercoated, this guy does powdercoating if I want it. Flex section? No, not free, but cheap. Turbo timer? What happened to just letting the car run for a while after you drive it?


wunfstmax, I figured my prices were off on some stuff. Thank you for correcting me.


You both have very valid points, and I'm not arguing them. I just think you exaggerate a little. And I guess I need to mention for a 4th time, this assumes nothing on shipping costs, and ASSUMES I HAVE A FEW THINGS ALREADY (i.e. y-pipe and a larger exhaust).

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

Nevermind dude.

Note to self, don't participate in these threads anymore.

Tatanko

iTrader: (34)

Having a bad day?

Nealoc187

iTrader: (23)

Tak, seriously man, you've probably got at least another grand worth of parts you are going to need. Those parts mike listed that you didn't that's probably another $600-800 worth of parts right there. As for the piping, to totally custom fabricate a kit for your car, I bet your friend if he is the most experienced welder and custom kit maker in the world is looking at 40-50 hours of work. Nothing ever fits the first time, ever. Hell mike had a kit that was ALREADY INSTALLED on another maxima and we had to spend HOURS and HOURS fitting, removing, cutting, welding, refitting, etc. These were pipes that were already successfully installed on a max. You seem to think we're exaggerating but we aren't. You're probably looking at at least double, I'd actually say more like triple, your budget. Your figures on stuff are so low it's almost laughable. Oil return and feed lines alone with el cheapo brass fittings are gonna run you $150, plus the cost of the flanges for them, gaskets, etc. If you get nice fittings like earls or aeromotive you are probably looking at $200 at least rather than $150, etc.

I don't want it to seem like I'm coming down on you hard, but you seriously need a dose of reality if you think you can do a turbo kit for $1100. You say you have no budget limit which is good, because by the time you've used your allocated $1100, you aren't going to be more than 1/3, MAYBE one half of the way done using the cheapest, most piece of **** parts available. It will never happen.