t3's, t3/4's etc

[Jay Rabe]

  I used to have a medium sized t3/4 on my 4kq.  It had 5kt CIS for a while. 
  I was running 23psi in it.  When a freind was selling his turbo (15 hours 
of time on it) i bought it.  Before i bought it i was considering buying a 
rennsport for my car.  (This is the one that bolts right up to the exhaust 
manifold and downpipe.)  I had to make an adaptor 'pipe' to mate the 
manifold to the exh housing and remade the first foot of the downpipe to 
make the t3/4 work.  Oil and water lines were not very hard to make at all.  
Mine were all shot anyways so it worked out well.
  Boost came in a little later (3-400rpm's) It still boosted up decently 
even with the cam retarded a tooth.  (i like top end)  Boost didn't 
fluctuate in different gears anymore either.  Power was a little better but 
boost maxed at ~17psi instead of 23psi with the k26.  This boost level with 
either turbo was using all available fuel from cis and running lean (i had 
an air/fuel gauge and it said rich. damn narrow band 02's)  I should have 
known it was lean, i burnt the #3 exhaust valve, it was a freshly done head. 
  The added power was from efficiencies of the bigger turbo - better flowing 
intake and exh. housings.  After i burnt the exhaust valve i decided to go 
EFI.
  What a world of difference.  Much improved torque everywhere and being in 
boost has to be experienced.  Its nice when you have fuel for all that air.  
Once boost comes on first gear is gone and bouncing off the rev limiter in a 
blink.  I would guess it had 325hp.  A very fun car to drive.
  One problem with garretts is that crankcase pressure can blow oil out the 
exhaust seal if the crankcase doesn't breathe well.  My freind decided it 
was because of high oil pressure and put a restrictor in the oil feed line.  
I did the same when my car smoked.  (turns out the smoke was from a bent oil 
ring that gouged a nice grove in the cylinder.)  The restrictor didn't help 
but i forgot about it.
  The car got progressively slower (it was mind boggling to me) until i 
found all the slop in the turbo bearings and the compressor wheel chew'n the 
housing.  (big) OOOPS, i should have taken the restrictor out.   Also my 
plastic bosch BOV was backwards, It didn't blow off hooked up correctly (too 
high of boost?) and i find out later it leaked BAD under boost.  I switched 
the way it was plummed but the damage was done.  Before I blew up the turbo 
I was considering making manifolds for the 10v.  There is not much room at 
all for the manifolds.  I decided it to be too much of a PITA and decided to 
go 20v and a bigger turbo.
  I went for an even bigger turbo than i planned (t3/60-1) and am making the 
20v out of a MC block.  The rod journals on a 10v crank are bigger than on 
the 20v, i wanted that and i had a set of 10v pauter rods from the first 
engine.  I could have bought a complete 20v $$$$ and put a bunch more $$$$ 
to get it the way i want it.  It was a simple decision.  The 20v head fits 
perfect, and I was getting pistons anyways (valve clearance & compression 
ratio).  But the timing belt I'm still a little fuzzy about but i think i've 
got it right.  I'll see when i get all the parts.  The motor is almost done 
:)
  I'd recomend an extra injector controller first and a better IC.  If you 
still want more, a programmable EFI and a bigger turbo. If thats not enough 
an even bigger turbo.  If thats not enough, you've got problems.  With all 
the different familys and sizes of compressors and turbines you can get 
anywhere from very low lag & low hp to extremely high hp and huge lag.  
Steps between turbos are small.  Its very easy to get the turbo you want.
  I get all my turbos from   http://innovativeturbo.com/

extra injector controllers can be found @

  http://www.sdsefi.com/index.html    @ the bottom click on EIC.

Jay

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