Turbocharging a '99 SOHC V6

[crashwave]

I plan on doing all the work myself with some major help from a friend.

Basically what I need to know is:

- What do I need to turbocharge my '99 V6 SOHC
- Approximate cost, remember to minus labor charges (I'm factoring approximately $1500)
- Any recommendations
- Safe boost level is 6lbs so I've heard for my engine?
- Anyone have any sort of experience in this type of application?
- Reliability issues

 

[tbomb]

thats gonna be really cool. theres another guy on here who's doing a custom turbo, but on an ohv, but it might be worthwhile to talk to him. as far as reliability, im gonna say that you might have some issues there. this is pretty much gonna be an experiment, and completely custom, therefore, itll be high risk for reliability issues.

good luck though. be sure to document the whole thing. i dont even live that far from you, so if you want an extra set of hands once in a while, lemme know and ill see what my schedule looks like.

 

[crashwave]

Sweet. I really appreciate that. I hope there's a pretty much "formula" to doing this, and hopefully right, because this would seriously be one hell of an Explorer assuming it works out.

Talk about badass.

One last thing - assuming you work on it approximately four days a week, how long would it take to install?

 

[Alec]

Personally, I'd go for the s/c kit that is in final R&D from Explorer Express. However, if you want to go with the turbo, good luck!

You'll need the turbo, custom headers (totally custom), intercooler, intercooler plumbing, turbo-intercooler plumbing, intercooler-engine intake, intake-turbo plumbing. A whole lot of pipes!!! Turbos are hard to custom fab due to all the large air tubes that are involved and fitting them in. You will need to custom tune the setup on a dyno and have totally custom computer work done. You'll also need to fully upgrade the fuel system and maybe the ignition too so it's easier to adjust. You're looking at a sh!tload of work and also tons of cash unless you can get the parts for cheap.

Unless you get killer deals on parts and dyno time, the EE s/c kit is gonna cost the same and be much easier to install. Probably more reliable too.

 

[Robb]

If you could do this in the $1500 range (which I don't think is remotely possible), you would be a "god" around here. If you can do it, best thing you could do is mass produce it! Plenty of takers around here for that much money.

Robb

 

[crashwave]

hmm you really think so? Maybe the supercharger is the better route.

 

[Doug904]

Depending on you and your buddies levels of custom manufactoring experience you could do a supercharger for around $2000, thats parts not any labor. I just got a dyno sheet on a custom MP90 4th generation supercharger on a 4.0 SOHC and we're starting off with around 250 RWHP which with a 20% loss should be around 280-290 flywheel hp. Also if your in an emissions area then forget about it and buy the EE kit. Its a very nice kit, very well assembled and will pass emissions testing.

Later Doug904.

 

[SaleenEXP]

Originally posted by crashwave
hmm you really think so?

The problem with a custom turbo charger is the plumbing design. Like Rob said you would be god if you could do it for 1500.

Average custom setups can run up to 10,000 easily b/c it's not mass produced, and then it's a b!tch of time trying to get it tuned correctly scince it isn't mass produced like the TDC kits for Stangs ect ect that can be completed and tuned for a little more then a supercharger install.

The piping/plumbing has to be so exact and thats whats time and $$$$ consumming. Labor would be a b!tch also unless you have some very good/serious turbo plumbing skills and know how to install everything correctly.

Not worth it to spend all that money and never be close to what the turbo is capable of producing, if somebody was going to drop like 5-10,000 for a custom setup you might as well drop in a V8 with upgraded internals to be able to up the boost of the turbo and really pump out some insane power reliably. Kind of a waste to spend all that money to only run 6lbs of boost

 

[crashwave]

Very valid points, from all of you. Didn't realize it was *quite* this involved.

Onto another project....