Turbo Questions

[buguy]

That car is bad a$$!

[Lo Cash John]

Here's the most recent pic of my car just for funsies

I can see the image in the post but if I click on it, it takes me to IMGUR but it's just a blank screen. Am I doing something wrong?

[Clonebug]

I ran single HD springs for 5 years and never had any issues with valve float to 5500 rpm. I used the W-100 cam and up to 23 lbs boost.
For the last year I used 1.4 rockers on the W-100 cam and CB 650 outer springs at .522" lift and still had no problems with valve float. After over 3500 miles everything was in beautiful shape. Cam and lifters had a combined 46,000 miles on them and they looked like new.

If you are blowing through a carb you should not need any carb heat. I did two seasons blowing through a stock Bocar 34 Pict in Washington State and never had any icing issues. I ran it in pretty cold conditions and never saw any icing issues.
The turbo will add at least 20 degrees to the ambient intake temps with running any boost.

[Spaceman7Spiff]

Thanks for the advice on the valve springs but based on Clonebug's testimony, it sounds like what I have should be plenty for right now. Also sounds like I won't need intake heat which is good. Still looking for suggestions on carb size, though. 40 or 44? or maybe it doesn't really matter as long as it's jetted properly?

And, what are you guys using for image hosting? I think the last time I posted a photo on a forum was the samba which has it's own image hosting service and before that, I used photobucket... it's been a minute! I tried to post using google photos but it doesn't seem to work. Imgur is the only other image hosting site that I know of... I suppose I could just go post my stuff on the samba and link it here...

[Spaceman7Spiff]

Here's another one hosted on the samba, let's try that...

[Lo Cash John]

On valve springs: You may be fine with stock 35.5mm intake valves. My buddy was running CB Panchito heads with 40mm intakes. The larger surface of the 40mm valve is more susceptible to boost pressures floating the valves.

Carb: Try the 40mm. I think it'll flow enough for decent power and have good drivability when off boost.

On pics: I post ALL my VW pics at the Samba then use the "forum link" to link into topics here. You can also post pics directly into a topic as an attachment.

That's a badass looking Baja.

[madmike]

Glad u decided to toss that POS progressive The 44 IDF may just work ,I've used a 45 DOCE on a 1915,,Once Boosted ,,, You're gonna need bigger Paddles then them Desert Traxs Nice Baja,,,

[Ol'fogasaurus]

For posting on this site; if I can do it it is easy;

The first thing to do is to edit down the size of the pix. For my camera I use 640 X 480 but some are up closer to 1000.

Page down to to attachments and click on it and you will see "Add Files".

Choose the pix you want to post then cluck on it and a file name will come up.

after choosing a spot hit "place inline" and

leebuggy-12 copy.jpg

You can add several pix but there is a limit of "attachments" to each post.

Lee

[Spaceman7Spiff]

Okay time for a small update and a few more questions.

I decided to just go ahead and commit to crank-trigger ignition. I ended up ordering an IGN-4 coil pack, fuel pump mount bracket, distributor plug, and sensor kit from The Dub Shop. I'm really impressed with the quality and can't wait to install everything. Also, after some research, I came to the conclusion that MegaJolt is just not cost-effective enough to justify the expense so I decided to go with a full stand-alone EFI ECU. Megasquirt seemed to be still too expensive for my cheap-@$$ so I went with a Speeduino unit from a local outfit called Speedy EFI that came highly recommended by some friends who know the owner. $300 for a completely assembled ECU and 2ft wire harness. Also had to buy a laptop since I've only ever owned a desktop computer and it recently died on me. Anyway, got tunerstudio installed, updated firmware on the ECU and started poking around a bit. I have a TON left to learn and I'm pretty intimidated but also excited about the possibilities.

Coil: https://thedubshop.com/ign-4-coil-pack/
Crank Trigger Kit: https://thedubshop.com/external-crank-t ... type-1-vw/
ECU: https://speedyefi.com/product/fishdog-u ... duino-ecu/

As for actual shop time, I've been taking the project slow through the holidays so not much else to report except that I will be taking the case in to get line bored next week and we've discovered that my valve guides are right on the edge of needing replacement. So rather than go through that process and spend money on something that may or may not be long for this world, I'm considering a set of aftermarket heads (here we go with project creep).

I've poked around a bit and I've seen just about every aftermarket head mentioned in a positive light but maybe someone here could educate me on what I should be looking for in a cylinder head, as it pertains to my build.

Any turbo-VW tuning advice resources would also be appreciated.

[Clonebug]

Okay time for a small update and a few more questions.

I decided to just go ahead and commit to crank-trigger ignition. I ended up ordering an IGN-4 coil pack, fuel pump mount bracket, distributor plug, and sensor kit from The Dub Shop. I'm really impressed with the quality and can't wait to install everything. Also, after some research, I came to the conclusion that MegaJolt is just not cost-effective enough to justify the expense so I decided to go with a full stand-alone EFI ECU. Megasquirt seemed to be still too expensive for my cheap-@$$ so I went with a Speeduino unit from a local outfit called Speedy EFI that came highly recommended by some friends who know the owner. $300 for a completely assembled ECU and 2ft wire harness. Also had to buy a laptop since I've only ever owned a desktop computer and it recently died on me. Anyway, got tunerstudio installed, updated firmware on the ECU and started poking around a bit. I have a TON left to learn and I'm pretty intimidated but also excited about the possibilities.

Coil: https://thedubshop.com/ign-4-coil-pack/
Crank Trigger Kit: https://thedubshop.com/external-crank-t ... type-1-vw/
ECU: https://speedyefi.com/product/fishdog-u ... duino-ecu/

As for actual shop time, I've been taking the project slow through the holidays so not much else to report except that I will be taking the case in to get line bored next week and we've discovered that my valve guides are right on the edge of needing replacement. So rather than go through that process and spend money on something that may or may not be long for this world, I'm considering a set of aftermarket heads (here we go with project creep).

I've poked around a bit and I've seen just about every aftermarket head mentioned in a positive light but maybe someone here could educate me on what I should be looking for in a cylinder head, as it pertains to my build.

Any turbo-VW tuning advice resources would also be appreciated.

Congrats on the project creep.....been there done that......multiple times.....in fact I'm in the middle of creep #16 I think......

Since I've been where you are now I think you are in a position to move along a little farther. The cost might sound high but in the end it isn't that bad. I suggest getting the ignition to work well and start gathering parts for FI. You will need FI intakes, injectors...get 45# at least or you will have to buy twice. A throttle body....Go on Ebay and grab a 94 Volvo 940 turbo TB for cheap. They fit quite well on a centermount intake. If you don't have the turbo accessories you can get a Saab or Porsche Blow off valve for cheap. I paid $12.00 for mine. Boost control can be manual or EBC. Anything over 10 lbs in blow through will need intercooling of some sort and/or WI. Start planning for that.

The wiring from Mario is worth the money....If you think it's too expensive at least copy how he builds them. Twisted pair is the key. It cancels noise.

As for heads.....The fancy ported heads are nice but the price is way up there. I'd buy a set of AA 40X35mm heads and just increase boost. You can get them from Keith Branch in Camano Island for a reasonable price. He will ship I'm sure.
Just clean them up a bit if you want or else run them as is. I didn't notice much if any difference going from stock heads to 40 mm valve. A 1915 might wake up a bit with them though.
Make sure you run a cam that gives good lift for those valves...I'm at .520" thereabouts with my FK-42 and 1.38 rockers.

[Spaceman7Spiff]

Thanks for the advice on fuel injection parts. I will keep that all in mind for the future but for right now, I am already going to be over budget (and that doesn't include all the little unaccounted odds and ends that come with any project), and adding another $1k worth of parts is absolutely out of the question. Not to mention, our annual Oregon coast trip is in June and I fully intend to have a car by then.

Good to know on the blow off valve. By the way, I actually will need a wastegate actuator. The one I have is in poor condition and might not even work, based on the way I have the compressor housing clocked. Should I go aftermarket? Just find something that works or fits?

Another question I forgot to ask earlier is that I've seen "turbo head studs" on aircooled.net... is that a need, or a nice-to-have?

[Clonebug]

With a carb blow through you aren't going to get much above 8 lbs. boost without detonation depending on ambient temps if you are doing longer pulls uphill like in the dunes. Anything higher and you will be getting detonation unless your timing is retarded a lot.
I had to go down to 18-20 degrees advance at 10 lbs. in the summer and that was light pulls on the road. Work that engine in the dunes and get it hot and you might need even lower timing.
Make sure you get an IAT sensor and set up your IAT boost retard to protect your engine. I found 130 degree intake temps are a critical point in detonation control. That sensor allows you to retard timing dependent on intake temps alone. You can also retard timing dependent on boost.

As for a wastegate....get one that has a lighter spring in it......you need to be down to 6.0 lbs max to fend off detonation in hot weather. You can use a MBC to raise boost in the cooler weather. You can build one out of a 1/4 NPT brass Tee and a few other parts for around $25.00 or buy one off Ebay for cheap.
The low pressure spring is a safety to allow you to keep having fun in the dunes. If you get detonation at 10 lbs. and you have a 12 lb. spring you either go home or risk blowing your engine. A 6.0 lb. spring is a safety net.
I've gone through 4 sets of P/C's getting to where I am today. I consider them sacrificial for learning... kind of like buying textbooks for college.
Education is never free.

As for head studs....I've run up to 24 lbs. on the street with stock studs. You won't get that high with a carb......well....maybe once.......

I had to run water injection in order to run consistently above 10-11 lbs. Water Injection allowed me to go to 17 lbs. A dual nozzle injection and an Intercooler got me to 22-25 lbs. with near ambient intake temps.
You haven't seen the end of upgrade creep....... Once you feel the boost....you'll sell your left testicle......

[madmike]

Hey Spaceman, I can't help ya with any E.F.I or ecu stuff, but an FK 8 cam w/1:4 ratio rockers also most any 40X35.5 head would be the "Tits" in the Baja

[Spaceman7Spiff]

Alright, Clonebug, I'm ready to listen to you about EFI...

I just started putting together a final shopping list for the weber idf, manifold, pressure hat, and all the other jets and accessories required to run it and I came up with a total of $853. My first thought was your last comment. ...He tried to tell you...

I vastly underestimated the cost of the manifold ($200) and the jets (approx $5 apiece, times 2 throttle bores, times 3 or 4 jet types, times 4 or 6 options) ... you're right, it adds up to a ton. I'm not ready to say that I'm definitely going EFI, just yet, though. First I need to get an estimate of cost to compare it to the carb route.

So anyway, here's what I already have:
Very capable ECU
Crank position sensor
Intake air temp sensor
Map sensor
Engine Temp sensor

Here's what I believe I'll need: (please add to this list if I missed anything major)
Single Throttle Body
Intake Manifold (I'll probably make it myself)
Injected end castings?
Injectors and Rails
Fuel Lines
Fuel Pressure Regulator
In-Line fuel pump

Now for my actual questions: I used to work at a local wrecking yard and can get parts for extremely cheap or sometimes, free so I'm very interested in getting as much of this stuff from there as possible. The catch is that their inventory is not super extensive. Oddball foreign cars from the 90s (like turbo volvos) are all long gone. What they have are mainly the cheapest boring cars you would see driving around on the road today.
Think 2000 and up econoboxes- japanese, korean, american, limited german, and older pickups like rangers and a couple of nissans and toyotas. So I would really like to know what to look for among those kinds of cars.

The megasquirt manual suggests using a TBI setup to keep it cheap and simple and then moving the injectors to the ports later, as an upgrade, and just using the throttle body as "an air door only." I understand that it wouldn't perform as well as port injection but it should still work as well as or better than a carb, right? What are your thoughts on this?

I really want to hear about junkyard parts though. If you can't give me specific makes and models, maybe you could tell me what characteristics I want to look for? Educate me please!

[terryly]

Hey Spaceman you would do well to take heed of what clone bug has to say. Nice car bud. You have a fairly blank canvas back there. here is a picture of some plenum material I bought and bolted to CB's IDF big beef injector manifolds then just figured out the piping to a T and used a ford 52-53 mm throttle body bolted to an aluminum plate.Doing it this way you don't have to deal with the stock style end casting restriction. Lots of ways to skin the cat Might give you some ideas any ways i am sure your take on it will be over the top.