After 3 years I'm finally boosted...
10-07-2005, 06:04 PM
#1
3.0 BAR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: NE-PA
Posts: 4,666
After 3 years I'm finally boosted...
Well, like the title says after 3 years of being on here and doing research, I finally blew the dust off my turbo and got to work. Setup is a d16z6 obd1 swap in an 89 civic hatch, running an Apexi VAFC2 controller on dsm 450's for the time being. Pushing the hot air is a 1st gen. eclipse turbo (tdo5h) mated to a CRX hf manifold courtesy of Weir Racing for the adapter. FMIC is from an '04 Evo VIII, piped in with 2.5" pipe. Tell me what ya think guys...
This is the guinea pig for the project...my 89 civic hatch...
Here's what i started with...a stock z6 running obd1 and a vafc2 on dsm 450's...
Here's the ugly-*** downpipe I had to make in order to get it to clear the front crossmember...I did clean up the crappy welds after i found out my welder ran out of argon right after i started welding, and i cut the "homemade" adapter plate to match the stock exhaust downpipe as well to give it a cleaner look...
Oil pan return bung... just an old brass fitting i had laying around and gooped with JB Weld
Hasn't leaked yet...
Turbo abd downpipe mounted on motor...notice the flange facing the wrong direction for the IC piping...I had to cut it off and spin it 180 and reweld it back on to make it work...
Compressor outlet spun and welded, and turbo and manifold painted with VHT high heat paint...has lasted 3 weeks so far and no peeling or cracking...
Mounting the Evo 8 intercooler...this thing is huge and i had to cut out a bit of the front to fit it in. Also could not put my bumper support back on, so all it has now is just the plastic bumper cover :P
Passenger side charge pipe...just some old crappy 2.5 crush bent i had laying around welded together with no air leaks and attached with home depot fernco's to IC...
Driver side piping...went right behind the wiper fluid container with no problem. I did have to relocate the coolant overflow container to the passenger side though to get the pipe up through...
Temporary location of overflow can, and IC piping attached to the old AEM intake...
Bumper cover back on. I had to notch out a little around the mouth to fit the charge pipes...the little pipe sticking out is a 2.5" pipe leading to the turbo inlet with a piece of screen clamped over it. I figured the colder the air is going into the turbo, the less work the intercooler has to do, and hopefully less abuse on my motor from hot temps...
Another shot of the FMIC and the dsm bov in the background...
Hood closed, ready to roll for a test drive...
Seeing that I waited so late in the year to put everything together, the car goes in the garage in about 2 weeks. Right now the turbo is set at 6 psi on the "wastegate" which is the old carb spring trick. Works like a charm and never goes above 6 psi, although is does have a slight lag to it. Not too noticeable though, by 3200rpm the turbo is at full spool all the way to 7500. The trickiest part was tuning the vafc controller. Next upgrade is going to be an AEM engine management from one of my friends for a hundred bux and the apexi unit, as well as new pistons and rods, block work, and the block filler trick for the cylinders. Thanks to everyone on here that put up with my bullshit, and for helping me out so much.
This is the guinea pig for the project...my 89 civic hatch...
Here's what i started with...a stock z6 running obd1 and a vafc2 on dsm 450's...
Here's the ugly-*** downpipe I had to make in order to get it to clear the front crossmember...I did clean up the crappy welds after i found out my welder ran out of argon right after i started welding, and i cut the "homemade" adapter plate to match the stock exhaust downpipe as well to give it a cleaner look...
Oil pan return bung... just an old brass fitting i had laying around and gooped with JB Weld
Hasn't leaked yet...Turbo abd downpipe mounted on motor...notice the flange facing the wrong direction for the IC piping...I had to cut it off and spin it 180 and reweld it back on to make it work...
Compressor outlet spun and welded, and turbo and manifold painted with VHT high heat paint...has lasted 3 weeks so far and no peeling or cracking...
Mounting the Evo 8 intercooler...this thing is huge and i had to cut out a bit of the front to fit it in. Also could not put my bumper support back on, so all it has now is just the plastic bumper cover :P
Passenger side charge pipe...just some old crappy 2.5 crush bent i had laying around welded together with no air leaks and attached with home depot fernco's to IC...
Driver side piping...went right behind the wiper fluid container with no problem. I did have to relocate the coolant overflow container to the passenger side though to get the pipe up through...
Temporary location of overflow can, and IC piping attached to the old AEM intake...
Bumper cover back on. I had to notch out a little around the mouth to fit the charge pipes...the little pipe sticking out is a 2.5" pipe leading to the turbo inlet with a piece of screen clamped over it. I figured the colder the air is going into the turbo, the less work the intercooler has to do, and hopefully less abuse on my motor from hot temps...
Another shot of the FMIC and the dsm bov in the background...
Hood closed, ready to roll for a test drive...
Seeing that I waited so late in the year to put everything together, the car goes in the garage in about 2 weeks. Right now the turbo is set at 6 psi on the "wastegate" which is the old carb spring trick. Works like a charm and never goes above 6 psi, although is does have a slight lag to it. Not too noticeable though, by 3200rpm the turbo is at full spool all the way to 7500. The trickiest part was tuning the vafc controller. Next upgrade is going to be an AEM engine management from one of my friends for a hundred bux and the apexi unit, as well as new pistons and rods, block work, and the block filler trick for the cylinders. Thanks to everyone on here that put up with my bullshit, and for helping me out so much.
10-07-2005, 06:52 PM
#5
0.5 BAR
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 164
Re: After 3 years I'm finally boosted...
That other guy bashed on your turbo project, which I think is stupid. This IS HMT. If this were Honda-Tech people would be flamming you left and right. Im glad that your boosted, good luck with it and have fun... The 14b is a nice size snail for that motor, youll be happy with it for sure.... Watch for cops man cause your gonna want to hit boost all the time now lol
Blaze
Blaze
10-07-2005, 06:58 PM
#6
3.0 BAR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: NE-PA
Posts: 4,666
Re: After 3 years I'm finally boosted...
Yeah, the fmic is overkill for now, but it'll come in handy next spring when i can run more psi...besides, for $25 what would you do As for the paint, the only reason it's like that is cause the nose of the car was smashed when i got it, so i swapped my old wrecked CRX's nose onto it. It was obviously black, and the "flame" crap was the quickest way i could get it to blend...it's all spraycan. That's another project for the winter...a nice new shiny coat of black on the whole car. So far i've probably dumped about $500 into the whole setup...I'm a sucker for good bargains and poor fools who don't know what they have or what they're doin 
Today was the first day i drove it in the rain...it actually ran better when it was suckin up a little water, but i didn't wanna push it too far. Besides, once it hits the turbo it'll start turnin to steam anyway i'd imagine, or at least a mist kinda like water injection.
As for the paint, the only reason it's like that is cause the nose of the car was smashed when i got it, so i swapped my old wrecked CRX's nose onto it. It was obviously black, and the "flame" crap was the quickest way i could get it to blend...it's all spraycan. That's another project for the winter...a nice new shiny coat of black on the whole car. So far i've probably dumped about $500 into the whole setup...I'm a sucker for good bargains and poor fools who don't know what they have or what they're doin Today was the first day i drove it in the rain...it actually ran better when it was suckin up a little water, but i didn't wanna push it too far. Besides, once it hits the turbo it'll start turnin to steam anyway i'd imagine, or at least a mist kinda like water injection.
10-07-2005, 07:21 PM
#9
3.0 BAR
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: NE-PA
Posts: 4,666
Re: After 3 years I'm finally boosted...
Yeah, i'm keepin a close eye on the whole management situation. The values are insanely rich though (drops down to -23 in higher rpm's) and i have my fpr cranked up extrmely high. The thing idles like a friekin 2 stroke, but better safe than sorry for now until i get the ems system.
