HomemadeTurbo - DIY Turbo Forum - The 2.3T Is Back!!!!

Late last year, I had a leak in the oil feed line and it caused a fire in the engine compartment. I ALWAYS have a fire extinguisher for every car I own (saw one too many cars burn to the ground and all could of been saved with a $30 extinguisher). So I was able to get the fire put out without too much being damaged (mostly just vacuum lines).
I travel alot for work, so I just let the car sit for a few months. Since I travel 4-6 weeks at a time, I have lot's of internet time in my hotel rooms. Which lead to lots of internet shopping :cool:
I ordered a bunch of stainless 3" piping, Stinger header, 38mm wastegate

http://home.earthlink.net/~te_n_me/i.../23header1.jpg

24x12x3 front mount

http://home.earthlink.net/~te_n_me/i...colermount.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~awsomalx/...ated/inter.jpg

and various silicone couplers along with having some stainless oil feed and return lines made.
I already had a K27 turbo and blow-off valve from a 735 BMW (yep yep, first time I had ever saw one in my life as well ). I gutted the upper and ported the lower (lot's of work) and installed a SC 65mm throttle body. I have full 3" from the turbo to the rear bumper.
I get everything fabricated and installed and fix all the little gremlins (no fun there) the past few days.

http://home.earthlink.net/~awsomalx/...3Tcomplete.jpg

Well now the car RIPS!!! Rev's so quickly to red line it surprises me. When I originally installed the drivetrain (straight from an 88 TC from the local JY) I left it painfully stock (manual boost controller) for 6 months or so. I eventually installed a Garret .60/.63 in place of the IHI. Didn't really see much of a power difference with the T3 at all. Now with all the changes/additions, it's nite and day different!
The blow-off is a bit louder then I would like (ricers will be in awe I'm sure :rolleyes: ) and the exhaust note is a tad on the loud (I have a 3" cat but no muffler). Outside of that, it's running like a champ. No over heating, no hesitation, idles fine (well for a 2.3t, lol).

Now the thing that scares is me the reliability probably is non existant, lol. I say that because I have a TwinTurbo 95 GT, with all the goodies (heads, intake, cam, Tremec, full suspension Blah, Blah) and it's a constant assault of broken parts and upgrades (really is a such thing as too much power when reliabilty is involved).
I'm scared the 2.3 is headed that direction. I can already smell the cltuch when I get on it hard (fair enough. seeing how the clutch has Lord only knows how many miles. It's exactly as it came from the JY close to a year ago)
The brakes are woefully inadequate now it seems. I converted to five lugs with Bullits during all the upgrades but I just used some Ranger axles and disc. I didn't think I'd need any new brake ware (pads/shoes are the same from when it was four lug) but I'm going to rescend that thought. I'm going to change all the pads/shoes and rear drums this weekend. I'm sure it won't take the brakes to the level of the SN95 model. But I'm hoping it will be better then the current arrangement.
So clutch kit and brakes and it's only been running for a few days. Man, I never changed much outside of oil and filters for close to 1 year prior to that and it was my daily driver. Sure hope this thing does not become the maintenance monster the 95TT is.
Anyhow, rant off..........Thanx for reading :thumbup: