Well, I have been getting a lot of e-mails and PM's asking me for this so here it is.
Basically, I've been dying to turbo my car since the day i got it. But I've always been way to poor to afford a $3000 stage 2 turbo kit. I also realized that the price you pay for the kit is a lot more then what the actual parts are worth. You are actually paying almost double the part value for the convinience of having the kit put together for you. I didnt want to pay twice as much for the same parts, so i decided to undertake this project. There are two basic reason's to make your own turbo kit. One reason would be because you are poor and cannot afford a real one, or the other is because you want a kit with the best of the best parts. And if you were to buy a Star or Hahn kit you would just end up replacing most of the parts anyway.
This article will be in many sections, so if it appears incomplete its because i havent finished it yet. This will show you how I built and installed an intercooled turbo kit for under $1000, but I cant promise the same for you. It all depends on the parts you use and the skills you have.
First things first, what you will need to do the job. you need a basic set of metric sockets and wrenches, adjustable wrenches, pliars, vice grip, Mig welder, welding skill, screw drivers, just the basic tools. Jack stands are pretty much necessary and a creeper is reall nice too.
Now the parts list. these are all the parts i used, and there cost without shipping, and where i got them. links will be posted if i bought them from online stores.
Parts:
Garrett T3 turbo: $100 - Ebay
2g smic: free(i got it from my friends bro)
Exhaust Manifold-
Two 1.5" diameter steel Weld el 90* elbows and two 1.5" diameter steel Weld el tee's-McMaster-Carr
420a header flange and T3 flange-http://turboflanges.com/products.html
Total Cost: $90
Crushed 1st Gen BOV: $40 - Ebay
Down pipe: 2.5" mandrel U-bend: $15 - http://catalog.exileracing.com/index.php?cPath=187&osCsid=78a605e72e44cd8d6e834f59f666ed51
T3 wastegate flange: $15 - Ebay
2.5" generic 2 bolt exhaust flange: $6 - http://www.turboflanges.com/exhaust.htm
Total cost: $36
6' of 2" intercooler piping: $24 - Napa
4 couplers: $15 - Home Depot plumbing section
1 rubber elbow: $6 - Home Depot plumbing section
Walbro 255 lph HP fuel pump: $106 - http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/
Vortech 12:1 FMU: $90 - Ebay
Fuel hose/ Vaccume hose: $30 - autozone/carquest
Hose clamps of multiple sizes... many many hose clamps: $20
Autometer boost gauge: $50 - http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/
Autometer Gauge pod: $30
FCD: $20 - 2gnt.com member
Nuts, Bolts, and Washers: About $10 - Home depot, Ace, any hardware store
Oil Line kit: $70 - Ebay(you could do it for much cheaper, ill explain later)
Parts to modify wastegate: $6 - Home depot
And the grand total is: $723!
now all that of course is without shipping and that a big thing that will differ from person to person. on things i didnt know the exact price of, i estimated a little to the high side. with shipping for everything included, i probably paid somewhere around $900. still not bad for a stage 2 kit.
Now that we have all the parts, its install time!
Basically, I've been dying to turbo my car since the day i got it. But I've always been way to poor to afford a $3000 stage 2 turbo kit. I also realized that the price you pay for the kit is a lot more then what the actual parts are worth. You are actually paying almost double the part value for the convinience of having the kit put together for you. I didnt want to pay twice as much for the same parts, so i decided to undertake this project. There are two basic reason's to make your own turbo kit. One reason would be because you are poor and cannot afford a real one, or the other is because you want a kit with the best of the best parts. And if you were to buy a Star or Hahn kit you would just end up replacing most of the parts anyway.
This article will be in many sections, so if it appears incomplete its because i havent finished it yet. This will show you how I built and installed an intercooled turbo kit for under $1000, but I cant promise the same for you. It all depends on the parts you use and the skills you have.
First things first, what you will need to do the job. you need a basic set of metric sockets and wrenches, adjustable wrenches, pliars, vice grip, Mig welder, welding skill, screw drivers, just the basic tools. Jack stands are pretty much necessary and a creeper is reall nice too.
Now the parts list. these are all the parts i used, and there cost without shipping, and where i got them. links will be posted if i bought them from online stores.
Parts:
Garrett T3 turbo: $100 - Ebay
2g smic: free(i got it from my friends bro)
Exhaust Manifold-
Two 1.5" diameter steel Weld el 90* elbows and two 1.5" diameter steel Weld el tee's-McMaster-Carr
420a header flange and T3 flange-http://turboflanges.com/products.html
Total Cost: $90
Crushed 1st Gen BOV: $40 - Ebay
Down pipe: 2.5" mandrel U-bend: $15 - http://catalog.exileracing.com/index.php?cPath=187&osCsid=78a605e72e44cd8d6e834f59f666ed51
T3 wastegate flange: $15 - Ebay
2.5" generic 2 bolt exhaust flange: $6 - http://www.turboflanges.com/exhaust.htm
Total cost: $36
6' of 2" intercooler piping: $24 - Napa
4 couplers: $15 - Home Depot plumbing section
1 rubber elbow: $6 - Home Depot plumbing section
Walbro 255 lph HP fuel pump: $106 - http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/
Vortech 12:1 FMU: $90 - Ebay
Fuel hose/ Vaccume hose: $30 - autozone/carquest
Hose clamps of multiple sizes... many many hose clamps: $20
Autometer boost gauge: $50 - http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/
Autometer Gauge pod: $30
FCD: $20 - 2gnt.com member
Nuts, Bolts, and Washers: About $10 - Home depot, Ace, any hardware store
Oil Line kit: $70 - Ebay(you could do it for much cheaper, ill explain later)
Parts to modify wastegate: $6 - Home depot
And the grand total is: $723!
now all that of course is without shipping and that a big thing that will differ from person to person. on things i didnt know the exact price of, i estimated a little to the high side. with shipping for everything included, i probably paid somewhere around $900. still not bad for a stage 2 kit.
Now that we have all the parts, its install time!