bmyles

Only problem is, it fuels the fire for all the guys posting "Hey gaiz, which cheap turbo can I haz?" weekly....if you're not knowledgeable and try to do this, bad things are more likely to happen.

bmccann101

iTrader: (16)

I've come to the conclusion.that nothing will stop them.anyways.
I think its time we embrace it..its happening anyways w or w out us. The only difference is that Alberto isn't around to scream at em like the good old days lol.

Honestly...
There's certain times when one customer was NEVER going to be the other.
Much like my knock off junction produce curtains in my Chrysler
..I was NEVER going to be a 300 dollar authentic CURTAIN customer lol.. it was on the cheap or nothing at all..
The opposite was the case w my fi build...but I'm sure the newbs or the vets that tackle a cheap fi build either A know what they're doing or B were never going to be a 15-20k fi buyer in their lifetime in any dream they may have had.
So someone showing what can be done on the cheap is cool..I just hope corners don't get cut here needlessly...

bmyles

Now if only someone would come out with an eBay Vortech kit, heh...just love me the sound of a N/A-S/C vq.

Resmarted

iTrader: (2)

Where you can cheap out:
Intercooler (I have an ebay one. Holds pressure fine)
BOV (I have an rps one, $100bucks. Read great things about it)
Wastegates (I have tial knock offs)
Buy a fmic kit on ebay. Mandrel bends can be bought cheap on the bay.

Basically if it's a basic part, that is simple you can use cheap stuff. Plenty of v8 guys have used ebay intercoolers, bovs, and wastegates.
Turbo I didn't mess with ebay crap. Rather just buy a precision one with the money you saved. My turbo kit cost me about 2,300 give or take a hundred or two. Without the labor.

bigcloud

iTrader: (7)

Good post bmccann101. You make some really good points. I think that there will be two "classes" of FI groups in the 350z community.

Those that are baller status and drop 30k+ on a build for >500 hp.

And those that are less fortunate, but have a decent shoe string budget <5k for < 400hp.

Those clear demarcation points are similar to the GT-R and 350z.

Just look at the performance differences between a >500whp Z vs. a <400whp Z.

I think there is room for the "cheap" "budget" guys. We need to embrace them. Hell we embraced the GT-R's when they came out. Why can't the "upper class" FI citizens.....new term coined (patent pending) embrace the "middle class" FI citizens?

Cux350z

iTrader: (162)

Keep the politics bs out of here. No one should care if someone cannot afford fi at any level. Fi is not required.

People are not spending 30k for just 500whp. More like 600whp and up.

Also the gains are what you should look at.

Stock 240whp to 400whp is a gain of 160hp.
To 600whp is 360hp. Big difference.



His money he can do what he wants with.

bigcloud

iTrader: (7)

No one is using politics here. My point is that there are guys here that have spent 30k+ on their builds and really look down on people trying to do things on the cheap. Hence my post about "upper class" fi citizens VS "middle class" fi citizens. It was by no means to be political, but to CONVEY what goes on between the big spenders and the cheap skates. That's the abstract I've taken from the FI forums in general.

RudeG_v2.0

iTrader: (1)

LOL Brian, you ARE crazy. It's never the right time to install poor quality or inadequate parts, especially a cheap turbo kit that is known to have crap quality.

Alberto is still around and is still vocal against retards and cheapskate dreamers. Cheap defective curtains won't have any chance of blowing your motor up like a cheap defective turbo or wastegate will. OP could have a decent turbo kit that would still be a budget project if he only upgraded the turbo and wastegate and got a larger intercooler core. But the OP is talking about installing 2 BOV's instead of getting a decent and reliable wastegate.

Highway Riding

iTrader: (6)

Alot of great points and the most important which i stated early on is not to cheapo the wastegate and bov. While ur at you can get a good Journal bearing precision for around 900 . If you really give a f about the car ditch the Utec and go uprev and double check all the welds EVERYWHERE. Cheap insurance. keep it simple make sure everything is buttoned up let's see what this thing can make. Again GL.

bigcloud

iTrader: (7)

Rude I totally agree with this statement. However, I think in the essence of "science" the OP should go with the turbo and IC and wastegate that is included in the kit. That way the first "documented" sample of an ebay turbo kit on a 350z is pure. With how cheap stock blocks are OP could be back up and running if his motor does pop and loses everything.

SlowNFurious

In for results. I put an ebay turbo on my old passat (with 170,000 miles on the odo). It had a GIAC reflash which upped the boost to around 17psi. I literally drove it accross the country the day after I installed the turbo. I put 10,000 miles on that turbo within the first 2 weeks. Sold the car with 15,000 on that turbo still running fine.

That car cost me $2000, so I didn't mind trying out an ebay turbo.

iideadeyeii

iTrader: (6)

I am not changing anything unless failure occurs. Everything from the godspeed kit is going to be used.

I AM going to run dual bov(not uncommon). A type rs that came with the kit(not a fan of it) and a RFL as a cheap overboost valve. That's the only modification I see fit to save an $1800 block.

The utec already has a tune for for the TN kit and the APS kit. One of those should give me a great base tune to work off of. I have street tuned turbo cars with just a narrowband and a SAFC and also with a wideband and a megasquirt.

meanz

iTrader: (23)

In for the win...good luck.

bigcloud

iTrader: (7)

That's good to hear. I'm really glad you're doing this BTW. I'm rooting for you to succeed.

Resmarted

iTrader: (2)

Instead of preparing for overboost you should be disassembling your wastegate, inspecting it and possibly replacing internal parts. You can also use a high grit sand paper, and some graphite to smooth up the mechanical bits on the inside of wastegate so you're less likely to have failure.


You can do things cheaply, but still correctly. You just need to spend more time being your own quality control management.
IMHO it's stupid to be so gung ho, when most of these add on mods will all together be less than a grand and directly bolt up. If ~3 grand is too much for you to fork out, wait till you start breaking things because your parts fail. I guarantee you won't be happy if you get metal in your intake, or detonate and snap a weak little rod.

We're going to see more and more budget derp derp crap threads though. Which is going to be annoying, because most people have no idea what they're doing.

rcdash

iTrader: (18)

I thought the UTEC had overboost protection with a fuel cut? Parts fail, but if the tuner doesn't set up basic safeties, it's hard to blame the kit.

kellam

new here but not new to FI.

there is alot to this. But to broad'n the spectrum here, my last FI set up was an lq4 v8 w/ a PT88 in a mustang gt. the turbo was not balanced properly. only after the rebuild from garrett was it where it needed to be. i think this issue is through many companies not just ebay crap.

in the mustang world they have done this budget build process. there is a company that sells a 2k dollar turbo kit. 400 whp is easy bone stock 5.0l (fox body old stuff). the kit is built so it can be upgraded. lots of people are running this with no issue. guys are making 6-700 hp now. same pipes.

need to remember hopefully you are paying for quality piping and manifolds. all the other things can easily be switched out.

just my .02

Mike

iideadeyeii

iTrader: (6)

There ARE a bunch of budget turbo threads, but I've actually purchased stuff to back it up and I have the mechanical skills to do all of the work myself.

I kinda like the crap threads. They are very amusing when I'm at work

MI 35th

iTrader: (16)

OP I have a Turbosmart 38mm WG, Used 2 bolt flange. I will sell it for $100 to you if you are interested.

But on a more related note.

Budget parts dont have to be cheap parts.

Holset HX35 in good condition is only a couple hundred dollars, order a rebuild kit and do it yourself its not truly that hard, order a vband exhaust housing.

www.timturbos.com

For less than $500 you have a 400hp capable turbo.

Wastegates, the problem with the cheap metals used in the knock offs if the longevity. It will make power and might hold up for a little bit.

Turbosmart are decent gates for under $200

$700 for turbo and gate
There are better ways to reduce cost as well.

boostedmaxima

But don't bovs only function under vacuum when the throttle plate closes? That won't prevent overboost, only prevents compressor surge. If the throttle plate is open the wg is the only thing bleeding off the boost. Maybe I'm missing something here...