'99 Ex Sport sohc Turbo buildup underway | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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'99 Ex Sport sohc Turbo buildup underway

I’ve started my turbo build.

Here is what I have done, and where I am now.
johnnybee23
The truck is still up on jacks, and in pieces.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I don’t have huge power goals, more so I just want to have the novelty of having a turbo on my truck right now, with all factory options still functioning (a/c, cruise, 4x4 etc).

I use my truck as a daily driver, so I'm doing as much prep work as possible.

I used JAW wideband, and mounted it in my rear view mirror
th_mywideband.jpg

johnnybee23
. I’ve since been driving it watching it and becoming familiar with its behaviour in different driving conditions.

Normally aspirated, when flooring it under load, it tends to drop to 13.4

Idle is at 15.75-16.5 and jumping to wayyy leaner at times. I welded it about 8” behind the passenger side collector.
th_IMG_0212.jpg
I had to take it off since I am not a pro welder.

See attached graph I made driving home one day. Remember, the truck is not running with the turbo connected yet.

widebandfloorinit.jpg


I've tee’d the oil supply from the sensor location – actually, I added another tee to my oil press gauge tee that I already had.

The return is a large ¾” high temp hose, and I have
another post
showing my struggle to accomplish this. I really wanted to avoid a pump. I hate the sohc 4.0 two-piece oil pan. Removing the “ladder” took me a whole day, with help from Chris.
02012.jpg

th_02017.jpg

Whooose laughing now!!! I nearly had to rent another car (to get my frustrations out) on this job!
johnnybee23


johnnybee23

It was so involved and frustrating, that "I invented new swear words" (-james t) while doing this.

The turbo exhaust exits rearward and the inlet is typical of the remote mount style… I’ve been using mandrel j-bends and 2.5” pipe. Clearances for that hot pipe are tough.
th_IMG_0213.jpg


I get the exhaust gasess about 4’ after the cats and merge the two pipes, turning them to the front (I haven’t welded this part yet).
IMG_0217.jpg


The charge piping exits behind the front bumper passenger side, then into a junkyard intercooler, then into the intake. I tried to label it for you all.
layout.jpg


My plans for tuning were MS, sniper or sct. Because I have an auto, and popularity of SCT, I will go SCT.

I’m stuck right now on blow thru vs draw thru. I fear I have no space for a MAF behind my cone filter,
turbo011.jpg
right against the turbo inlet. Either I will pipe the air intake line from behind the bumper, far away, and then go draw-thru, or I will take the easy route and put the Maf immediately before the throttle plate and be blow thru. Anyone with ford experience on MAF placement?

I really could use help with the following:

Where do I put my BOV, and can I use a cheap vw bov?
Do I go Draw-thru or blow-thru?
What do I do with the two hoses that were in the intake tube – one is pcv, the other is source for idle valve (I guess)?
I can't understand where check valves go nor why they are needed.
What is the approx point where the stock MAF is pegged?
How do I ensure no metal shavings from my piping, get into my turbo?
Is there a recommended way to start up a "dry" turbo like this one? Should I prime it by hand?

Any other help/advice you can offer.
here's where I am stuck now.

turbo007.jpg

turbo008.jpg


This site has been amazing.
The posts by some of you and in particular, l8psiexplorer, 97explorersport, Amac, justin146, rocket 5979, turbocat, jah81592, jakee, v8rangerboy, and more, have been my inspiration.

I know my work isn't terribly good, but its my first shot at welding, fab, and turboing. i still have a long way to go, but I feel I'm more than halfway there with the hardware.

I wouldn't have even attempted this had it not been for this site, nor the help of my friend Chris.
 



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Second method...

Run all lines into a big catch can. The line from the valve cover doesn't really need an inline oil separator (there is an oil baffle beneath the cover on this side) but the one from the PVC will need this. If not, you'll be blowing oil back in the intake.
Powder Coated Parts 004.jpg


Powder Coated Parts 005.jpg


Powder Coated Parts 006.jpg


From the catch can you'll run the lines into the intake pre-turbo. In other words, you cannot run this back into a pressure side of the intake or it will not work.
Powder Coated Parts 007.jpg
 



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Second method continued..

This is what the inside of the intake looks like. You'll want to have the two pcs welded in at 45 degree's. The angle cuts on the ends are also 45 degree's. When tilted and welded in the angle is straight with the intake flow and around .25 to .5 inches in the flow. This will create a little restriction and the restriction on the two angled tips will create a vacuum. This vacuum will suck the pcv flow and help it out of the engine.
Powder Coated Parts 008.jpg



Good...

1) This method uses a free suction to aid the pcv flow out of the engine. This can increase performance by helping the rings seat.
2) Is relatively inexpensive.
3) Will prevent boost from entering the system
4) Is friendly to the environment
5) Should not contaminate the air charge like the first method.

Bad...

1) The intake could possible get a little oil mist? (Would have to go thru two catch cans though)
 






For the second method, you'll have the two stock lines on the intake manifold that need to be plugged. I'm actually going to use these two lines for a dual feed meth injection set-up. (Cut the lines, tap with 1/4 NPT threads, and presto)
 






Thanks Jakee. I'm absorbing what you have shown. I have heard about hobbs switches. I wouldn't mind adding one to my setup anyways, and adding it to as my second Analogue input on my X3 datalogger. I'm going to research them, and then decide this weekend.

My turbo has never made any real boost. Only 3-4 psi at max.

Took the turbo off, took it apart, cleaned it out with wd-40 and reassembled it. Really, I only split off the housings on hot and cold side. After that, it spun really smoothly with my fingers - like a bb turbo!

I still had a few tiny exhaust leaks, and I put a new gasket right under the T3 exhaust inlet. That and fixing a slight exhaust leak made a HUGE difference. Man, turbo's really don't spool well when there are even tiny pre-turbo exhaust leaks. I'm going to get rid of any other exhaust leaks, (even though there may only be a few pinholes left or squirts around exhaust clamps).

Today was the first time I firmly tied my wastegate shut. My homemade support for the internal wastegate I reworked was poorly done. After tying my wastegate shut and doing all of the above, I went out for a 35 mph run - "to see what would happen..."

I managed to hit about 8 psi with part throttle around 4000 rpm. I almost crapped my pants! The truck has never pulled like that! Amazing. It stank like suplhur and black smoke. The truck hasn't been run decent like this for months.

I haven't been pushing the truck, just taking it out for 3 min drives consisting of part-throttle runs. Its funny how boost builds. I never drove a turbo car with a gauge (the renault had no gauge in it). It takes about 4 seconds of decent part-throttle acceleration and no boost, then suddenly, the boost gauge slowly rises, lots of whistle from the turbo now, and at even 1-2 psi the truck starts to pull much harder, then boost rises really quickly from 2-8 psi (remember I'm only part throttle at this point in my tuning) and the truck pulls insanely, and then I chicken out cause the AFR's are bouncing everywhere, (from 11.5-25) and the boost tickles up to 8 psi and then drops. POOOOOOOP. My truck dies and I'm about to faint. I pull over - won't start. Look under the hood and see I popped a 90 charge silicone coupling. Whew. Put that on and she starts... Now to fix the oil barfing problem from the oil cover vent!

Now I'm off to change my underwear.

After "cleaning" the turbo, is it normal to hear lots of whistle from my exhaust?
 






Yes, you can hear a strong whistle in mine because it's located under the passenger’s seat. I think it has a little to do with the air filter you use too.

Johnny - Option 3 (for a temporary set-up), you can add filters to both the valve cover and PCV side of the engine. This will for sure block boost from entering the crankcase but you'll start to smell a bad odor by doing this. You'll probably notice it idles better with this set-up, but like I say, this is a temp fix.
 






Thank you Jakee. I'm not disagreeing with your setup at all. In fact, I'm going to use your method #2, as I trust in it.

Yes, I tried your second method (albeit I admit I only created one vacuum port on the intake, instead of two as you had done, due to lazyness). The bad oily/gassy smells were gone! Yesss! But, after about 10 minutes of driving, my truck smoked badly. My turbo puked oil all over. I thought I had blown a seal or something. The oil leak appeared to come directly from the turbo, as it was dripping out of it too. If I left it to idle for 5 minutes, it would clear up, but as soon as i would drive in boost, it would smoke again badly. Apparently, oil pressures and crankcase pressure were working against each other... I read numerous articles about this, similar to turbo cars suddenly puking oil due to a clogged air filter... too much vacuum in the wrong places...

But for my own understanding, could you help me understand this a bit more? I'm assuming that the pcv valve you are using is now operating in exactly the OPPOSITE to the way it should in its stock form. (Since the stock one (with a tee'd head) doesn't seem to let air out of the crankcase...it only lets air get drawn in - I tried blowing and sucking on it to determine this. )

So, if this is the case, in your second setup, I'm wondering where is the crankcase is getting its fresh air from? Is it simply relying on the blowby and crankcase pressures, generated from boost and boosted engine operation, to let the smelly stuff out, and not using "fresh" air at all? Are both the valve cover vent and the crankcase route therefore "exits".?

I'm infeering pcv directions from your statement: "The line from the valve cover doesn't really need an ...oil separator ... but the one from the PVC will need this. If not, you'll be blowing oil back in the intake." So the pcv now vents to the pre-turbo intake?

Right now, I had tried a pcv valve on the back of the crankcase (experimenting in both directions), connecting it to a catch can, and finally connecting it to my pre-turbo intake.
Findings from pcv switched both ways, where I always left the front valve cover vent wide open. Both ways I had the same problem: The truck pukes oily watery sludge out the valve cover vent, even at idle. And it stinks so bad, that I open the window every time I get off the highway and hit stop and go traffic. The strangest part is that either way, the rear vent does not EVER emit any visual oily mess, unlike the valve cover vent. This makes me believe that the stock pcv setup is best, since its only seeming drawing air in here. With the pcv positioned either way, and with the valve cover vent left open, there is no oil burning/dripping problem.

I'm really lost here. In the meantime, I will try your EXACT setup, because clearly I can't grasp this whole concept, and see if my woes go away.
 






I’m trying to visualize exactly what you’re set-up is like but I’m having trouble. If it’s exactly like method # 2 the ‘boost’ side and ‘non-boost’ side of the intake is separated and boost should not be finding its way to the crankcase nor the turbo. I'm trying to think what would be causing your turbo to puke but I cannot connect it to the # 2 PCV method. I have heard of turbos leaking oil from a clogged intake; too much oil flow to the turbo (use a restrictor), a pour exit oil drain flow (trying to drain uphill or a restrictive bend in the drain hose) or boost pressurizing the crankcase which pressurizes the oil drain side of the turbo rendering it useless) Last but not least, the turbo shaft seals are gone. The so called "seal" is not what it seems. It will not seal oil from getting into the intake or exhaust if the oil level rises above the shaft. This is why it's extremly important to have the oil draining a little faster than the oil feed; otherwize the oil level in the turbo will rise too the shaft level and find it's way out. Method # 2 really doesn’t connect to any if done like showed.

For a TEMP test disconnect the hose going into your non-pressurized side of the intake and plug the hole left. Then add a filter on the catch can where the hose exists into the intake side (side you just plugged). See if that does anything different. Don’t buy any parts; if you need a filter, let me know and I’ll send one to you.

I'll give a better explantion of how the stock PCV system works so we can get on the same page; We can go from there.
 






But for my own understanding, could you help me understand this a bit more? I'm assuming that the pcv valve you are using is now operating in exactly the OPPOSITE to the way it should in its stock form. (Since the stock one (with a tee'd head) doesn't seem to let air out of the crankcase...it only lets air get drawn in - I tried blowing and sucking on it to determine this. )

When the engine is turned off the PCV is fully open. There is a spring that holds tension on a ball and that ball is not restricting the opening when no vacuum is present (engine off). The valve goes toward the shut position when vacuum is present (During idle the valve is almost completely shut) and once the throttle is pressed the spring tension is overcome by the vacuum tugging at the ball. At WOT the valve is almost completely open and this is where the highest amount of blow-by takes place. The PCV valve becomes restrictive during WOT and the “inlet” side now acts as the main vent; So the sides basically switch roles during WOT.

So the PCV side should allow the pressures in the crankcase to escape and more so during WOT.

So, if this is the case, in your second setup, I'm wondering where is the crankcase is getting its fresh air from? Is it simply relying on the blowby and crankcase pressures, generated from boost and boosted engine operation, to let the smelly stuff out, and not using "fresh" air at all? Are both the valve cover vent and the crankcase route therefore "exits".?

Yes, method 2 is doing away from the "inlet" side and using both sides as outlets. I WISH I would of tested this before I said anything because I only have theories from research I did when planning this. Unfortanatly, I still haven't got my engine back together.

I'm infeering pcv directions from your statement: "The line from the valve cover doesn't really need an ...oil separator ... but the one from the PVC will need this. If not, you'll be blowing oil back in the intake." So the pcv now vents to the pre-turbo intake?

Yes, it should vent during idle and more so during WOT. But your right. The PCV valve is designed to be fully "open" when vacuum is not present and start to shut with vacuum. So this could be a problem. You should see more vacuum at WOT when connecting to the intake pre turbo. Dang, I really wish I would have tested before I told you about this. To see if this is the problem, you can take out the PCV valve and replace with a wide open fitting (something to connect the PCV hose from the engine to the hose that connects to the top of the valve) Ofcoarse, if the problem goes away, that was the problem and I'll have to think up a solution for you.


Right now, I had tried a pcv valve on the back of the crankcase (experimenting in both directions), connecting it to a catch can, and finally connecting it to my pre-turbo intake.
Findings from pcv switched both ways, where I always left the front valve cover vent wide open. Both ways I had the same problem: The truck pukes oily watery sludge out the valve cover vent, even at idle. And it stinks so bad, that I open the window every time I get off the highway and hit stop and go traffic. The strangest part is that either way, the rear vent does not EVER emit any visual oily mess, unlike the valve cover vent. This makes me believe that the stock pcv setup is best, since its only seeming drawing air in here. With the pcv positioned either way, and with the valve cover vent left open, there is no oil burning/dripping problem.

With the left valve cover having a filter, the pressure is probably trying to escape but just can't fast enough. Because the PCV side is connected to the intake pre-turbo and the valve starts to close with more vacuum (now at WOT) the pressure can't get out from this side anymore, leaving one little filter for all the pressure to try and escape.

I think that's the problem; method # 2 that I posted up has a serious flaw. I apoligize. Let me know what you discover and I'll be thinking of solutions....
 






davidTJ I NEED HELP

HI. I am new at this, I put a turbo, at my ford explorer 1991, but is limited to the 3000rpm , if you can help that not limited to 3000rmp and run more, well, if you not understand, is because I do not a lot of english, well, I hope this help, and what I am here for the that deal.
 






As in it will not rev above 3K?
 






HI. I am new at this, I put a turbo, at my ford explorer 1991, but is limited to the 3000rpm , if you can help that not limited to 3000rmp and run more, well, if you not understand, is because I do not a lot of english, well, I hope this help, and what I am here for the that deal.

Where did you get the turbo from?(what did it come off of?) If this is a junkyard turbo, it could possibly be bad(not spinning) and restricting airflow. Then the engine can't breath and therefore won't rev up. That's my guess:D
 






davidTJ

the first, thank you for answer my question, well, my turbo is the of mistubishi eclipse 1991 , I put all the components of turbo, how the turbo, blow off, and an intercooler of an audi A4 2000, well, but, I do not if the turbo of eclipce this very small for my explorer.

other people, say that change the fuel pump, because the fuel pump is not the sufficiently strong for supply the motor, and that change also the fuel regulator, but, I do not, well, I hope this reviews. and thank you.
 






Hello - did you get the PCV figured out?
 






PCVOn Woes

I still haven't completely exactly done what you showed. I would like to thank you for your detailed description and pics. I did manage to take the rear line and redirect it into a homemade catch can, and then to the intake pipe, pre turbo, post MAF. The valve cover line still has to be run to the inlet, however, I can't find a good place for it - my intake is already cluttered with a port for the other pcv (rear) line, as well as a metered source for the IAC... so it's still hanging relatively loose though (I made a shroud so its 95% drawn back into the engine). I don't want to cause pollution so, (I do care about the environment), I've got to fix this better. At higher revs, this line appears to draw air into it. I'll spend more time on it in the coming days.

So far, I've noticed that the catch can gathers nothing from the rear... Interestingly, The valve cover line near the front spews out quite a bit of muck over time, at idle.
 






update on my setup

Just an update on my setup. I haven't posted in a long while.
Back when we last talked, I ended up changing the vent line routing... The one from the back of the engine still uses a pcv valve, one i picked off of the shelf of my local auto parts store. It's check valve operates in the same direction (puking out of engine). Then it goes to a copper homemade catch can I made, which then goes to my pre-turbo intake (after maf).
The remaining line, the valve cover vent, no longer pukes oil, it just barely has a whiff of oil vapour, which I used clear tubing for (out of curiosity), and it is connected to the intake too, a few inches away from the other vent line.

The truck cab no longer smells of oil/exhaust and the truck runs great and idles even better. This is how things have been for over a year.

I've been boosting at 5.5 lbs (as measured directly on my intake manifold), and using my homemade manual boost controller I sometimes dip into 9lbs for fun. The truck drives great, very fast and pulls hard, but is hard on gas.
I have been meaning to send James another datalogue and further tune it, but the last tune he did for me has been more than good enough for my daily driving.
I have an occasional problem, (compressor surge? and I guess I will post it as a separate post now...)

Thanks for all your help :)
 






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