Im new to this and need advice

[Bumble-bee]

Hi guys!

Had my mr2 since September last year and I love it, only thing is I want more power like more boost! But I have limited car knowledge and getting to do this myself would be a disaster!

I have the 1991 Rev 2 tubby - I want about low to mid 20's psi of boost but where do I start? I can't do it on a standard engine and standard turbo?

I have some HKS boast gauge in the car when I bought it, put a pod filter on with a heat shield and getting a full stainless steel exhaust system customs made this month with no cat, but I want the feel of proper boost and not blow my car up! It's got 85k on the clock mixture of km and miles I think, what's the cheapest and safest route to take to get more boost without blowing the car up as I use it as a daily and I just want to feel more force from it, and hear the noises - I currently have it on 8-10 psi because someone mentioned it can't go over 13psi on here so I'm playing it safe

Any help is appreciated but I'm not sure what I need to do, but if it's something like forged internals rebuild with new radiator and intercooler and new turbo then there's no point trying :') but I can cross them off one by one

Thanks

[jimGTS]

i would have a good read of this

http://www.mrcontrols.com/primers/power.htm

although the power figures differ slightly to over here, it shows you which order to do things.

[Peter Gidden]

What's the magic reason for wanting mid to low 20s psi of boost?

Start with aftermarket ECU, forged engine, larger turbo, stronger clutch and all other supporting mods.

£4K-£5K should do it.

[Bumble-bee]

Well the mid to low 20's is just rough, that's what I want to aim for I don't want ridiculous boost but I want something I can feel,

I have a strong clutch already when I swapped the gearbox and driveshafts out at the same time

I don't really want to throw 4k at it, but I guess if that's what it needs to reliably have the power than I will have to

[jimGTS]

you do understand that more boost doesnt automatically mean more power??

you could go to a larger turbo and run less or the same boost and make MORE power??

dont assume you "need" more boost. you need more "power".

[Poker Face]

Have a look at suspect turbo failure I should change it to suspect piston failure.
I was aiming for 1.2bar 17 psi but was getting det so stayed at 16 psi on setup on a dyno but then it went pop on the road not long after picking it up. I have spent a few quid on bigger turbo injectors etc and now about to fork out more on pistons if I'd done it correctly I'd have saved myself a few quid and a lot of trouble/ heartache.

I also posted a link on safe levels of boost that has the boost people where running when their engines went pop. I should add mine to it really so people don't make the same mistakes. I was convinced if mapped safely I'd get decent power without the cost of going forged but was way off. Buy cheap buy twice.

It may be cheaper and easier to by a car already modified either forged or not depending on price. 300bhp on a rev3 is achievable and you would notice the difference from 220 bhp.

Listen to some of the experience on here I didn't and now it's going to cost me.

[jimGTS]

aside from a let down, i dont think its "cost you" really.

you technically havent lost much aside from a mapping session?
(and maybe transporting the car around).

you could have had 1000s of happy miles with the setup, you just got unlucky. (or it wasnt tuned very well!!!)

"cost you" would refer to maybe you'd payed ALREADY for a forged build and that went pop. not on a "free" stock motor IMO.


sorry i havent followed your thread, but given the details, id say you just got unlucky. you can still reuse your turbo, injectors, ecu right?

[Bumble-bee]

There is a corsa C owned by a mechanic near me and he done the Z20let swap and has the Vxr engine in running about 24psi he said - and that's sort of my aim because it sounded nice and it's really quick! Based on my little car knowledge this could be costly for me to achieve this, but for on the list will be the forged engine rebuild and then swap the turbo to what? :') going to be a major job but if it's worth it in the end

[jimGTS]

have you read the link??

[Bumble-bee]

have you read the link??

Currently reading it like half way through but they give loads of choices of what to swap the turbo to, what's the best one?

They also say the "best" isn't the best but I struggle making decision when I have a choice :')

[Poker Face]

I know what you mean Jim and yes I was a bit unlucky and it really depends on your goals, the OP stated he wants to run high boost, which turbo and size is also a factor. I'm just saying there are more cost effective ways in achiving what you want. I had a rev2 went for 540 injectors then, rev3 engine(rev2 went pop but that was bad luck and abuse by a so called friend) 800cc injectors and bigger turbo.

I didn't out and out say go forged, I know many guys near 300 in rev3 engines and the money you could spend on getting a rev1 to that power you could probably buy a rev3 and sell your rev1. I'm just saying once you get to a certain point then it maybe time to cosider forged, my next step was a new i/c to get me from 280 to 300 and then forged next year, so I'm just a year early now.

Also what Jim is saying about boost is spot on, Mine made more at 1.1bar than at 1.2 bar and I do think I was unlucky because the guy mapping it was cautious because of the det he was experiecing if he went above 16 psi. Got to get back to work now and I don't think I have explained myself very well.

[Bumble-bee]

From that link, I've change my filter to a cone with a heat shield - I already have the spark plugs stated- im getting my exhaust done soon and then I just need a decent intercooler and then I can push the turbo to what it can handle? But i can always change the turbo but if im happy with the result of them changes then im sorted

[jimGTS]

your exhaust wont include or mean a decat.
the CAT comes off the turbo, and isnt part of what you would call the "exhaust system".

you need to look into a decat downpipe. these are a pain to fit, so be warned.
your exhaust place wont be making one of these.

plenty on ebay, though best one to get is a berk downpipe (has a built in flexy to stop cracking).
to be honest, i would even forget getting the exhaust "made", there are plenty on the market, and cheap ones on ebay that look shiny!

you need to look into a boost controller, and fuel cut defender to be able to raise the boost over stock.

14/15psi should be fine.
this should get you to 240-260hp.

next up would be a turbo upgrade to something like the turbo off of the rev3+ cars, this is alot better. at the same time its worth looking into a metal headgasket as the rev1/2s are known to be weaker.
at 16/17psi this should get you to 280hp.

then look into an ecu upgrade and ditch the afm system, this should get you close to 300hp at 17psi.
or choose a bigger turbo and maybe run 320hp.

behond this, it gets EVEN MORE expensive.

what ive mentioned above is still 1-2k worth of mods.

[kev8611]

As the others have said. To get that sort of boost you need to spend big. I wouldnt take a standard ct turbo anywhere near that level.

You can achieve it with Garrett turbos etc but if your gonna buy a Garrett and run it at that pressure then you will need to spend big on supporting mods.

[Bumble-bee]

The people who are doing the system for me said they'll decat it for me though?

And I'm getting the system made because I don't like any of the ones on eBay and I want a duel exhaust which isn't jap speed

I have a HKS EVC thing in my car? I don't know what that is

And I'm looking at getting the rocker gasket done I don't want to go mad! I'll be happy around the 280 with 16/17psi I want it reliable still so I don't want to push it

[jimGTS]

The people who are doing the system for me said they'll decat it for me though?

And I'm getting the system made because I don't like any of the ones on eBay and I want a duel exhaust which isn't jap speed

I have a HKS EVC thing in my car? I don't know what that is

And I'm looking at getting the rocker gasket done I don't want to go mad! I'll be happy around the 280 with 16/17psi I want it reliable still so I don't want to push it

it wasnt the rocker gasket i was talking about, but the headgasket.

i would do a bit of search and google image what a decat is on the mr2 turbo. they wont be building you a downpipe/decat im confident in that.

they are clearly refering to a NA (non turbo) car when they talk about making a decat, as thats simple to do on the NA car, as the cat is just a straight foot long pipe under the car that bolts to the exhaust.

the cat on the turbo car is a kind of S shape pipe coming directly off the turbo (which they wont have flanges for) which starts in the upper side of the engine bay!

theyll just be building a CAT back exhaust im sure.

[Bumble-bee]

The head gasket is harder to get to though aint it? I'll do both

And yeah I spoke to the guy on the phone told him its a turbo and everything I wanted and he said he can decat it for me so I guess he knows what his talking about - again my limited knowle on cars -

But do you have any idea what the HKS EVC that's in my dash actually does? And what that means the cars had done to it?

[jimGTS]

I'm pretty sure that's a boost controller.

Google the model number and learn how to use it.

[Bumble-bee]

Alright thanks for your help man I'll follow that page! But first exhaust then intercooler and new turbo will be last

[kev8611]

yeah the hks evc is a boost controller, a very good one at that!

As Jim said, get an MLS headgasket in there with some ARP studs.