I am planning on turboing my car this christmas, and i have christmas break where i have 3+ weeks off school and no work so i can do whatever i want. I will also have a large garage spot to work on my car. And i also have 3-4 best friends back home that love working on cars and would love to help me with this type of stuff, even in the wee hours of the night.

I'm thinking the installation of whichever turbo system i go with (most likely greddy TT) is going to cost somewhere around $1000-2000. I'd rather spend that $1000-2000 on tools and do the work myself because i have a passion for working on my own car with my own 2 hands. If i was going to do this install myself what tools would i need and what would the cost of those tools be, also what would i have to learn to do the install.

Thanks guys,
Alex Parshall

 

Unless you can afford to rebuild the motor, I would go with someone familiar with either Greddy experience, VQmotor experience or a lot of tuner experience. These kits can cause major problems.

However, if your willing to work through them and are financially and mentally capable of worse case scenarios then go for it. But try to get everything done at once that has to do with the engine.

Such as radiator, thermostat (moderate climate or hard driving) and oil cooler.

 

I'm going to install a TN kit at home but installing the Greddy at home seems like quite a task. Good luck! If you can you should rent/borrow/maybe buy an air compressor, and buy some air tools. Makes some of the work alot easier. Some of the "duh" stuff Jack stands, lots of metric sockets/wrenches, drills, screwdrivers, I don't know if you have to do anything with the ac but you need a specific tools for that, do you need to pull the motor to install the manifolds in the Greddy kit? If you do... then there's some more stuff..... Dang...

 

the exhaust manifolds and wastegates will give you hours of micro-wrenching fun on the greddy kit. not to steer you away, but i did most of my install with the motor out. it is all pretty simple really, if you have a head for mechanical stuff. if not then don't even mess with it!! the mechanical parts are easy if you know how to wrench, but leave the tuning part to someone else.
the fact you are posting this gives me doubts, and the greddy directions are open for interpretation on some parts and kinda vague, but if you know your way around a motor, you will be fine.

 

oh ya, if you plan on boosting more than the stock greddy kit recommends, then figure in alot more time and money!! not knocking greddy, but hp comes with a heavy price tag on this car no matter what kit u use.

 

Well put, couldn't agree more!

 

Alex-
There are two ways to go about installing the greddy tt kit (or any tt kit for that matter)...
1) you could buy every variation of specialty angled wrench in sizes 10,12,14 that are made...and plan to want to kill yourself as you are turning a nut 1/8 of a turn at a time to get in tightened down, in the meanwhile cutting your hands and inflicting compression bruises to your forearms...

2) get the nissan manual and pull the motor...this is really easier than you think, go to an authorized place and discharge your A/C (in my opinion-and pull the motor out with the tranny through the front)...
the motor will take approx 4-5 hours to completely pull out of the car--this is for a first timer (that's how long it took me)...with the motor out of the car it will be sooooooo much easier to install the kit and all of the accessories..

make sure you address a few things in the greddy kit to avoid blowing your motor: timing retard harness (tune and monitor real time timing after you have made changes to ensure safety-or go with the e-manage ultimate--talk to sharif@forged www.forgedinternals.com he'll explain more of the details of the advantages of EU over the emanage blue), depending on your desired power levels, a fuel return system, upgrade the fuel pump regaurdless of what you decide- walbro 255, also talk to sharif-

ummm, i'm sure i'm forgetting lots, others will chime in, installing this kit is definately not brain surgery, if your friends are mechanically competent and can turn a wrench, go for it...it's always more rewarding when you do something yourself, just take the proper precautions afterwards as far as tuning, i don't want to hear about you blowing up your motor because you took it out for a few runs before throwing it on the dyno!!!

oh yah, get the autosport harness too, this will make it much easier to complete the wiring, this too is not impossible, i have never done any job like this before and with a little bit of guidance, i wired up my emanage ultimate all by my lonesome

 

You do not need to disconnect the compressor to pull the engine... Just unbolt it from the block and leave it to the side... no need to discharge. That will save you some time and $$.

 

If I were doing it all again I would probably do it this same way (engine removal). Jackstands and Greddy TT installation took me close to 70hrs to complete and had very disturbing looking hands afterward. If you don't feel comfortable with engine removal it is def. doable with patience on the car. Just take your time and don't cut ANY corners...you don't want to have to rebuild the motor if you don't have to (and since we are both students, I know you don't ) But like 350zDCalb said, give Sharif at Forged Internals a call. He will let you in on any info you need.

BTW...I did mine over X-Mas break last year. Be ready to get addicted to the power and plan on spending alot more money than you want to.

 

So far i've heard a lot of things i like. So this is a feasible task for me and my friends it appears. I am not an expert with the motor, but i wasnt really an expert with anything on my car when i first got it, now that i have had my Z for 2 years i know how to completley wire an entire sound system (in any car), build Sub boxes, Install cats/test pipes, change out rims/tires, install intakes (on any car), i did my kinetix intake plenum and a ground kit myself also. And i guess i also installed my short shifter by myself as well (pain in the ***). I've removed and restored my front bumper 3 times and even removed a full headlight assembly and put a new one in. I'd say my strong point is definately wiring and electronics, but that's just because i researched and practiced so much. I'd love to be better at working with engines.

One of my best friends is a manager at pep boys and he's done fuel pumps, clutchs, flywheels, etc etc and he can help with the install. Another friend has a huge set of compression tools as well as welders, plasma cutters (if thats what theyre called), etc. And a few other friends just like helping out and drinking beers.

How much easier would it be to install the TN kit at home compared to the Greddy? If i do the greddy i want to pull the entire engine and do all the work with the engine out and then replace the engine, do i have to pull the engine with the TN as well? One of the main reasons im leaning toward the Greddy is because i want to keep my exhaust system - i love the look and sound.

 

With the TN kit, you keep the stock manifolds, so most people install that kit with the motor in the car. If I were you, I'd get the GReddy if money weren't an issue, and plan on pulling the motor to install it. Also figure in a fuel return system and an Emanage Ultimate if you do GReddy. With those things you can be up around 450whp with a good tune on a dyno.

 

please explain in more detail, i didnt know this...

 

ya the compressor is just bolted to the side of the block. i just left mine hanging in the engine compartment when i pulled the motor. power steering pump too. save some money for not having to recharge the system.

 

The attached pic is from this thread: https://my350z.com/forum/engine-drivetrain-and-forced-induction-diy/111571-how-to-swap-your-own-built-engine-by-bruschijr-updated-6-17-2005-a.html

Look at posts 7-20 in this thread...


EDIT- LOL, you even posted to this thread! (post #26)

 

I can't comment on self-install of the greddy or TN, but I did my APS single install. I had help throughout most of it, and would highly recommend having another set of hands available throughout. There were certain steps where it just isn't feasible to do it alone - some of the exhaust nuts/bolts come to mind, where having someone hold a wrench on a bolt head while you get the nut from the top side of the car for example.

Specifically on the APS, I bought an impact wrench and impact sockets, universal joints, and extensions - I needed ~36" of extension plus a universal to get the aforementioned exhaust bolts done. I already had a compressor, so while expensive, it wasn't crazy money. Be prepared though, the impact sockets/extensions/universals are all much more expensive than chrome sockets, so they add up. Harbor Freight crappy stuff for the most part works fine, although I'd pay the extra bucks for craftsman universals - they are *MUCH* better. Highly recommended is some LARGE needle nose pliers, both straight and angle tips. An ex-mechanic friend recommended this before I started, and on a whim I picked up a cheapy set in CostCo. I used those damn things at almost every step - I'm looking to get quality ones to replace the cheapies because of how useful they were/are. Other than that, I'd say 'standard' hand tools - 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" drive sockets and extensions, open/box wrenches (ratcheting box wrenches also highly recommended), screwdrivers, allen bits (3/8" drive) and the std 90 degree keys. I can't remember if I needed my torx bits (also 3/8" drive), but probably *ALMOST* everything is metric, but a couple american sized items popped up. Oh, and a creeper. I think I would have died without mine - such a PITA to be on the concrete for hours at a time.

Nothing really weird tool-wise. Biggest thing is taking your time. Do *NOT* get frustrated and take shortcuts. Be prepared to cut up your hands working in confined spaces, and to have to stop and look at a problem, devise the appropriate tool(s) / method(s) and then get the task done. Certain tasks I puzzled over for 30 minutes, but when I figured out *HOW* to do it, only took 5 minutes to do. Don't be afraid to post questions on the forums if you can't figure something out. You get tired and may not be thinking right - ask, before making an expensive mistake.

This was, by far, the biggest project I've ever undertaken car wise. I built my SpecMiata (basically, strip it, put in a cage, and install a suspension), and that pales in comparison to this. Its a *LOT* of work. Go back and read the install threads for whatever kit you decide to get, and prepare yourself for the inevitable trials and tribulations. It was incredibly rewarding to finally spin the motor and have it fire up and drive up and down the street.

ahm

 

I fit into the 3 cat..... Drink beers after a long day, and be the official ''Safety Inspector'' ieay money to get pros to do it!