How can you make a custom turbo or use superchargers from salvage vehicles?

Question

I read in the internet some time ago that you can use the turbos or superchargers from salvaged vehicles to fit in to your car(mine is a '91 integra),but now I cant find the web site anywhere. Honda Tunning Magazine had an article some time ago,but it never gave any details how,what parts, or where? plus never returned my emails (wonder why?) Since I cant afford to misletoe my rear pocket and pay $3000 in shop and aftermarket parts, i would love to make one my self, I like to go to yunk yards, I keep running into Volvos and Mecedes Bens and Mini Coopers S with parts available starting at $100, It would be a great project!!! Please Yahoo questions PIMP MY RIDE!!!!

Answer 1

The good news is that my friend did this around 8 years back. So I know everything he did on this...even the mistakes he made.

Basically he went around to salvage yard and picked up a turbo from the Buicks. He usually picked them up for $100-$350. He actually owned his own muffler/radiator shop so this was easy for him. Basically he weld a flange onto the headers and then he custom made the pipes that went from the turbo into the intercooler. From there he custom made some more pipes from the intercooler to the throttle body. He actually made his own intercooler by getting an intercooler core and then chopping a 3 1/2 inch tube in half and used each half for the endtanks for the intercooler. He then sealed up the bottom and top with some sheet metal. He then cust a 3 inch hole on the endtanks and welded a 3 inch diameter pipe to each side. Honestly it didn't look all that great, so I would recommend buying an inexpensive intercooler for around $200-$300. This will save you time, however you will be spending around $100 more by pre buying a build intercooler. But bascially it is that simple to mount a turbo onto your application.

Now the problem he had when doing this was he did nothing in regards to his tuning. He shorly blew his engine and had to get it rebuilt.

Later on down the road he purchased larger injectors a larger fuel pump, and he got it all custom tune by using a hondata system. As you can see this is going to be the expensive part where it cost him around a $1,000.

A cheap alternative is to run larger fuel injectors with a larger pump and use a FMU. You can save around $600.00 by going in this direction. It will not work as well as a custom tune Hondata (chip), however it will work perfectly you will not have to worry about blowing your engine. Using and FMU instead of a chip will save you money.

Basically that was a run down of what he did. Here is a list of parts you will need.

*Turbo compressor
*Headers made for turbo
*Intercooler
*Wastegate
*Pipes
*Sleeves to connect pipes
*Blow Off Valve
*Boost controller (optional)
*turbo Timer (optional)
*oil feed and oil lines
*fuel injectors
*fuel pump
*FMU or Chip (hondata, EMS...Etc.)

So basically those are most of the items you will need. I might have left some stuff out however those should be the most important parts. As you can see it still will end up costing a lot. You are still looking around $1500-$2000 for a setup that will not blow your engine.

I will suggest that you buy are look at a book written from "Corky Bell" the book is called "turbocharged" It bascially tells you how to make your own turbo system. He also has a book called "supercharged" which explains how to make a supercharger setup.

I would explain how to make a supercharger system however this direction will be a little more difficult since you have to make brackets and other stuff. The turbo is the easier way to go.

Answer 2

I am sure there are a number of cars with turbos, but the company that has the most experience is Saab. Virtually all Saabs have had turbos for years and the turbos for Saabs (which I believe are made by Mitsubishi) have been very reliable if you stay up on the oil changes. in fact the high pressure turbo for Saab squeezes about 250 HP out of a 2.3 liter engine. Not bad for a four banger! The Audi 2.7L twin turbo is the S4 is a pretty nice engine too, as is the MB Kompressor line. in fact, if you go to Europe you will see tons of turbo diesels. They have gotten to the point over there where the engines have lost most of their bad traits (smoking, bad smell, poor acceleration, hard starting) and retained great mileage. I wish we would try that here!

Answer 3

you can do it by tracking down the same year and model car with a turbo and swapping parts such as intake manifold exhaust manifold turbo and exhaust pipe just the first section is enough on that and all the intake air tubes computer and air mass sensor there will also be some other small items I haven't listed because I am going off the top of my head but this will give you a idea of the joyful thing in store for you I would suggest that instead you consider finding a complete turbo equipped car with say a blown engine for a few hundred and work on it instead until it is ready it will cost less and be easier to deal with good luck !!

Answer 4

Make Your Own Supercharger

Answer 5

To make a turbo you would have to be a physicist to design one, a mechanical engineer to adapt one for your engine, a foundry to cast parts, a precision machinist to cut the parts to exact tolerances. The job is so complex, I don't believe any one person could do it.
There's a reason it costs $3,000 to retrofit...it is a complex job.
My suggestion, look for a vehicle equipped with a turbo or supercharger and trade yours in. A 16 year old vehicle may not have much life left in it.

Answer 6

Of course you can. Junk yards is not the way to go. I wrenched for Honda for over three years{ the best cars ever} 90-93. Check with a place in Tulsa called Surf-Side. If their still in business they can hook you up. Honestly though, having your head drilled for nos is the only way to get max proformance. What I mean is drill a port for each cylinder to hook up directly. Don't put the switch on the steering wheel, put it on the throttle body so the only time it fires is at wide open throttle. GOOD LUCK & USE ALL SAFTY EQUIPTMENT

Answer 7

no idea, i know that years ago guys use to take the superchargers from old tractor trailer trucks and put them on cars, i would think that it wouldn't be very simple, especially now with all the electronics. i think in the long run you would be better off going to the shop and spending the money, at least then u know it would work.

Answer 8

You need to salvage the correct parts to build your turbo. http://www.ultimateresourceguides.com/turbo/index.html
This website sells information on how to build your own custom turbo kits. Take a look at it and learn how the parts work. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/turbo.htm