next step? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

TB0NER · 11-04-2009, 10:21 PM

installed fujita CAI and flowmaster cat-back exhaust,

what do i need to do to prep the car for a low boost turbo?

fishexpo101 · 11-05-2009, 04:38 PM

Ideally, a good sized pile of money, seriously. Lower boost or moderate boost levels, still going to be fairly costly - not just in parts and fabrication - but the end tuning that you need to make this all work.

Chances are - that intake will have to go, unless you can get the intake relocated easily. Catback exhaust, probably can re-purpose, may need to some welding/cutting - depending on the turbo manifold you choose.

Even with a modest bump in power - you'll have to make sure the rest of the car will be able to handle the additional stresses. This means looking at suspension upgrades, tire and wheel packages, beefing up the transaxle (automatic - possible valvebody work, definitely an oil cooler / manual - upgraded flywheel (depends on ultimate power goals, definitely better friction disc and pressure plate). Definitely need to upgrade the brake friction material, no sense going fast or quickly if you can't slow down.

Condition of the engine itself - need to find out if the engine is healthy enough to take even low boost. If it runs well and has good compression - probably a good candidate for boost. But keep in mind, your pushing the engine beyond original design specs. Even though engineers "bake" in an extra bit of strength here and there - eventually, the boost will break the engine. How long? Depends on how you have it tuned.

Lots of stuff that I'm not alluding too - you need to do some research as well and carefully consider all your options. Don't get pulled in the idea that low boost means "cheaper" or "safer" - boost is boost, to get something that puts out reasonable amount of power and can be used in a daily driver - it will set you back a good chunk of change. Think on the order of $3000-$5000 a the typical investment figures. Note that doesn't include maintenance, need to use higher octane fuel, replacement for parts that are pushed beyond design spec, etc.

TB0NER · 11-06-2009, 10:34 PM

the money knocks the turbo out. i'm thinking of a list of sensible performance upgrades. mainly acceleration/top speed based

instead of dropping 6 thousand on a turbo and getting engine cancer... maybe put some underdrive pulleys to get rid of the parasitic drag.

headers,but look on the lift (i'm a work at a shop so its easy to get a lift and some solid mechanics to help me out), my car is cali-equipped so theres actually 3 catalytic converters... one of the smack-dab in the middle of the fuckin header complete with o2 sensor and certificate of fuck on emissions in smogville, ny

so high volume fuel rails, a possibility, i would have to do some programming. also reflash the ecu and shift chip.

what are your opinions?

fishexpo101 · 11-10-2009, 01:31 PM

Not many options to "flash" the ECM - unlike Nissans or Hondas or others. Toyota likes to lock down their ECMs, and others are following suit. You only other options are piggyback EMS or full stand-alone EMS setups. Those can be mildly costly to outrageously costly ($300ish to several thousands of dollars). Depends on what parameters you want to control and how flexible of a system you will need. Usually it is not the EMS itself that is expensive, usually the wiring harness to connect it to the existing ECM that is the expensive bit. Harnesses generally start at $200 or so, not including the EMS "brain" or an appropriate map. Could easily spend $700-$800 for an "inexpensive" system - as even the base maps will not realize any gains until you couple that with a dyno tune. Want to try and "street tune" it yourself - need a datalogger and a wideband O2 sensor + fabrication - another $300-$600 easily.

Underdriven pulleys / lightweight pulleys may help - but don't count on much (1-2HP max). Reducing unsprung weight and overall curbweight would net you the best chance for gains, with the least amount of money (each pound of weight you remove from the corners of unsprung mass will be equivalent to 10HP gain). Same goes for extra weight in the car - if you're lugging around a few hundred pounds of amps and subs - kiss performance good bye.

Typical header/intake/exhaust can help - but as with the pre-cat design (crimped to the exhaust manifold) - your options are limited. No sense (spending money wise) freeing up the rest of the system if you still have the manifold bottle neck. One option is to port the existing header - Celica group have show promising results by porting the OEM header. Plus you won't get a CEL popping up from time to time and be smog check safe.

Plumping up the fuel rail and/or injectors won't do anything - if the car can't burn any more than it currently can. If anything, increasing fuel flow (pressure/larger injectors) will make the car run terrible, as it can't adjust the injection strategy. Hence the required piggyback or stand alone EMS.

Transaxle upgrades are becoming more popular - Level 10 makes a shift kit that allows automatic transaxles shift "faster" than OEM. Won't make turbocharged sort of power difference, but does help in your overall plan.

Another option is to build the engine internally. Custom ground cams, lightweight connecting rods, lightened crank, high CR pistons, port and polish, etc. A costly option, but if you want to get tangible power gains - it will have to be build the motor, motor swap, or forced induction.

If temporary power will fit - nitrous injection is one of the least expensive way to bump up power a significant amount. Keep the jet small enough and following the proper precautions - an instant 50HP to 75HP jump in power is not out of the question on a stock engine. Only downside is finding places to refill the bottle and to double check laws on the legality of transporting nitrous in the car. Some places require you to have a license, otherwise you could be looking at stiff fines/even jail time.