Debating Turbo Set up...
 

I just pulled a D15a3 out of an 85 Crx Si. This is what i know about the motor. It has 12548 origional miles. I also know that it was built, by my uncle(sorta).... when the motor had 1000 miles on it, ruffly, it was pulled, crated, and shipped to california, built by a racing company, (RC Engineering so im told) in 88 or 89, then raced scca for ther remainder of the milage on the motor. My uncle built many race cars in his time, mostly lamans(spelling) cars, corvettes, camarhos, etc. This car ran when it was parked some time in the early to mid 90's at his shop, and has not been run since. The origional engine harness was chewed up by mice, no biggie, since i have an 87 civic si, that shares the same motor. If i choose to do a swap, i would what to turbo it. What all would this require. i know ill have to go through the motor, basically routine maintanence etc, but aside from that what should i do? Rebuild entirly, or check it out, if its good go with it? The motor has never had a drop of oil leak from it, it looks as if it was just put into the car, and rolled of the assymbly line.. I see many turbo kits on ebay- ranging from 300-2500 bucks. i dont want to spend more than say 4-500 on whole set up, to leave room for added necessities. Any ideas on kits, or would i be better off building the kit my self, and buying the intercooler, and manifold? The local junk man, im friends with, has 3 turbos, not sure what they are yet, but will part with them ranging between 40-100 bucks, and i know for sure that 2 of them need rebuilt, extreme amounts of shaft play. I guess what im looking for, is over all, with the given situation, should i attempt this? or just forget it?
Thanks in advance for any input
Joseph

Re: Debating Turbo Set up...
 

Re: Debating Turbo Set up...
 

already been there. Ill get some pictures of the motor im wanting to use, and maybe that will help with why i am asking.(D15A3) it has a different exhaust manifold compared to all the others, so im having trouble working out the differences, and how to do everything. I figure ill have to end up with the turbo some where on the back side of the motor due to this, and i dont even know where to start, i have seen a thread, a while back, where some one did this, and after an hour of searching posts, i havent found it. Maybe im just a dumb noob when it comes to FI, but im trying.

Re: Debating Turbo Set up...
 

if you want someone to tell you every part you will need and the place to buy them its not going to happen.you will need to fab stuff.look around.your not the first person to boost a third gen civic. check out cheaptrixracing.

Re: Debating Turbo Set up...
 

If that motor was "built" and did the racing it did. I'm guessing that it's a NA build and probably rocking some everest like piston domes. That's if it was "built" or just rebuilt then it'd be safe to boost. Dude it's a researching and learning experience. Then get yo boost on sucka!

Re: Debating Turbo Set up...
 

The motor was built, not rebuilt. I dont have papers/dynos, but my uncles says its already around 200hp give or take some.

but none the less, the problem im having, i know what parts i need, not looking for a list, i have reasearched more and more, and i still have yet to find some one that makes manifolds that will fit the motor. I have it pulled outta the crx, that it was in, and i will get a picture of the manifold. Its not the same as all the kits i find, like for example, the hf mani wont work. different exhaust ports. i dont know how to weld, but am going to learn, based off of this extremly lowbudget build, im gonig to attemp. also after much research, is it absolutly to use an intercooler, i under stand the benifits, but dont know if i can go salvage one at the local junk pile, so if i cant find one, could it be done with out it.

Re: Debating Turbo Set up...
 

Thats almost definitely a high compression motor which is no good for boost. Your going to need to rebuild it with low comp pistons so basically that motor does you no good.

Re: Debating Turbo Set up...
 

no dude, your going at this all wrong. that motor is probably not what your looking for, and if that motor is a 200 hp 1.5 liter NA motor, then you shouldn't need any boost.

but if you want to, then do it, that motor is probably high comp. and no good for boost.

if i were you id shell out the money for a d15b or something like that to boost.

i bought my intercooler for 5 dollars, look on craigslist dude.

enginemanegement depends on what wiring you are using, if your using an obd0 system i believe it is possible to modify the ecu ( i dont know a thing about obd0)

at best some kind of apexi hack and msd ignition, not a stupid vortech fmu.

if you want to do this, you need to do lots more research. i can tell by the questions your asking.

Re: Debating Turbo Set up...
 

I know im asking some stupid questions regarding. i have two D15a3 motors, one that was built, which is the one that i wanted to boost, but after all the input, it may very well be a high compresion motor, which i know is no good for it. I also have a stock one that is in my 87 civic si, that i drive daily. Maybe i should avoid boost, and just go with what i got. I have never turbo'd a car before, and just kinda wanted to do it, just to have the fastest 4cyl in my area, the fastest track times around here for 4cyl motor is like 13.45.... bad... plus i love to piss off everyone around here that drive camarhos, and big block bs
well thank you for the input, and ill post up the pictures of the motor that i took as i was pulling it outta the crx.

Before i pulled the motor
Attachment 17569
After i Pulled it
Attachment 17570
The motor
Attachment 17571

Thanks again
Joseph

Re: Debating Turbo Set up...
 

I under stand this. Something i unfortunatly overlooked, but i do have another D15a3 in my civic, which is the car i drive everyday, it is a bonestock motor, would it be more along the lines of what im looking for to boost.