Side mount turbo

[nbuscemi]

After I realized that I blew up my stock 1600 (AE case) with a "slight" over boost I decided to do a performance rebuild. This included CB counter weighted 69mm crank, CB turbo cam, fresh 85.5mm jugs and many other upgrades. I also figured out now is a good time to reconfigure my turbo setup.

Here is how it was pre engine failure (broken ring lands on #4):


Here is the progress so far:


And here is a loose concept of what I'm trying to do:


Even though the old setup was functional and boost came on like a light switch, I wasn't a huge fan of not having the rear apron in place. With the new setup I can put the apron and rear deck lid back on and the engine compartment can be sealed-ish again.

Thoughts, opinions, input?

-Nick-

[Clonebug]

Packaging is usually the biggest issue....we all fight it.

You could have had a cooling issue without all the sealing tin.

What happened to the engine??? Was it destroyed or are you just rebuilding it???

What kind of boost numbers were you running??? Looks like you had Mexican FI there...Is that what you were running???

Give a few details or link to your original thread......

[DerrickfromNC]

How will the turbo be supported?
Will there be a bracket of some type(solid mount) coming off the body supporting the turbo?
Will there be an issue regarding engine movement?

I have thought about mounting a turbo in the same location using a sidewinder header but have always been concerned about that much weight hanging off the end of the header without additional support.

[buguy]

I was worried about the same thing with the header I just built. Yesterday I was hoping to bend one of the pipes just slightly to make them more symmetrical. Grabbed a Jack and was able to raise the whole rear of the car up with barely even a Flex of the header. I believe they are stronger than you think. Mine is 1 3/8" and pretty long. I even grabbed the collector and did a pull up on it on the lift and didn't feel it move really at all. I'm only 155 pounds but still. I wouldn't worry too much about supporting it.
I'm curious as to what happened too!

[Chip Birks]

I was worried about the same thing with the header I just built. Yesterday I was hoping to bend one of the pipes just slightly to make them more symmetrical. Grabbed a Jack and was able to raise the whole rear of the car up with barely even a Flex of the header. I believe they are stronger than you think. Mine is 1 3/8" and pretty long. I even grabbed the collector and did a pull up on it on the lift and didn't feel it move really at all. I'm only 155 pounds but still. I wouldn't worry too much about supporting it.
I'm curious as to what happened too!

Put a blow torch to it, get it glowing red hot, then try the same experiment. I bet something moves.

[nbuscemi]

The turbo is attached to the body via a bracket, which has some flex to it. The engine and trans sit on a solid mount, no rubber.

The engine that was destroyed was a 1600cc with stock crank and rods with Mahle Pistons and liners. The fuel injection is a home brew setup. The throttle body, coil pack, ign module, and crank trigger come from a 1995 ford escort. The intake manifolds are from a 1975+ VW type 1. All of this being ran off of a Megasquirt 2 PCM. The engine ran great and was making 8-10 psi of boost, until I noticed alot of blow by coming from the catch can. A compression test showed cylinder number 4 was at 30psi (others were at 110 psi). An autopsy revealed broken ring lands.

The only thing I am reusing is the case. Its a virgin AE case, uncut, un-machined. A local machinist gave me the green light to build as is. As of now, the only thing I need to complete the engine is a set of push rods.

-Nick-

[buguy]

I was worried about the same thing with the header I just built. Yesterday I was hoping to bend one of the pipes just slightly to make them more symmetrical. Grabbed a Jack and was able to raise the whole rear of the car up with barely even a Flex of the header. I believe they are stronger than you think. Mine is 1 3/8" and pretty long. I even grabbed the collector and did a pull up on it on the lift and didn't feel it move really at all. I'm only 155 pounds but still. I wouldn't worry too much about supporting it.
I'm curious as to what happened too!

Put a blow torch to it, get it glowing red hot, then try the same experiment. I bet something moves.

Have you ever seen your header glowing red? I never really was able to push mine much where I live.

[Chip Birks]

I was worried about the same thing with the header I just built. Yesterday I was hoping to bend one of the pipes just slightly to make them more symmetrical. Grabbed a Jack and was able to raise the whole rear of the car up with barely even a Flex of the header. I believe they are stronger than you think. Mine is 1 3/8" and pretty long. I even grabbed the collector and did a pull up on it on the lift and didn't feel it move really at all. I'm only 155 pounds but still. I wouldn't worry too much about supporting it.
I'm curious as to what happened too!

Put a blow torch to it, get it glowing red hot, then try the same experiment. I bet something moves.

Have you ever seen your header glowing red? I never really was able to push mine much where I live.

No, I'd bet it's been that warm on the dyno, or drag strip though.

[John S.]

I always wondered when someone was going to try this. Looks doable so far.

[nbuscemi]

We will see. I plan to start fabing the pipe connecting the header to the turbo this weekend.

Here is the post of the car in question on the dyno pre turbo with the stock 1600cc on Megasquirt. I consider this to be my baseline. Hoping to AT LEAST double this power with the engine mods and the turbo.

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=150830&p=1267222#p1267222

-Nick-

[nbuscemi]

So, some progress was made today. I fabbed the up-pipe and started working on the down pipe. Most of my morning was spent repairing my welder. Its a modded Harbor Freight 90Amp (made to output DCEN) and the rectifier quit. I only tacked the pipe as I have access to a nicer welder at work to finish it off.

Enjoy...





-Nick-

[V8Nate]

Looking good! I plan on doing something very similar with my aa performance sidewinder header in the future

[nbuscemi]

So more progress has been made on my 68. Since last update I've finished welding the up pipe, have the downpipe mostly done, ran throttle linkage and plumbed the oil return line.





This angle is rather deceiving. The drain hose couldn't be ran directly to the sump as the J-tube is right in the way. So I ran the drain hose around the drain tube instead. The hose still travels down hill for proper drainage (I hope!).

Tomorrow I plan to begin the charge pipe / blow off valve mock-up.

Thanks!

-Nick-

[rubenski]

Looks good!

Can you post a close-up of your throttle cable setup on your TB?

[nbuscemi]

Here is a close up on the throttle cable as requested.





I took a small piece of copper tubing and soldered it to the end of the cable. Dimensional wise, its the same as an OEM Ford cable.



I was able to get the charge pipe made today. Still trying to figure out where to place the BOV and the AIT sensor.

-Nick-