*Constructive criticism and input is welcome. If you want to tell me every thing I purchase is **** then keep your thoughts to yourself*
So I'm starting my build thread today because my parts needed for fabrication are starting to come in. I got a garret TB0356 turbo with wastegate and a 7psi actuator from a saab 900 turbo. The turbo had a slight amount of shaft play so I decided to rebuild it and clean it up a little.
Here it is all cleaned up.


I built a DIYPNP MS2/Extra but I am still waiting for the electrical components to construct the alternator voltage regulator (they should be in tomorrow). After hours of sourcing parts I feel I have found the best deals on parts for a cheap build. I realize some of the parts aren't the best but I'm in college and on a budget. I tried to get good quality parts for the vitals of the turbo such as water cooling lines and fittings, and oil lines and fittings.
A shipment of parts from summit racing came in today and include:
-4AN SS line 90 degree to straight fitting
-6AN 90degree fittings for water cooling
VDO oil pressure sender and fittings to install
Fittings and SS line for oil drain
IAT sensor bung
Some mandrel Bends 2.5"
2.5" Flex bellow

Here are some pics of the parts:
MS2/Extra (minus the voltage regulator)


Water cooling line and fittings


Oil drain


Oil pressure sender


I'll update every time something new comes in or something new gets fabricated.

 

What year Saab was the turbo from? Where are you from Vaughn? What manifold are you planning on running?
Welcome!

 

Thanks for the welcome Todd! I'm from Athens, GA. I believe the turbo was off an 89. I may be going wrong here but I'm going to try out the OBX T3 manifold. I plan to fabricate my own SS tubular manifold and SS downpipe later on, but for now I'm going with aluminized steel and the cheapest manifold I could find. It was a only $224 after tax and shipping.

 

I'm sure you are aware but the OBX manifold has been known to crack over time. I suppose it may last you a little while until you get a new manifold made like you are planning, but you just should probably be aware and prepared for when it does crack.

If this is your DD, a cracked turbo manifold is really annoying to have to deal with for any lengthy amount of time.

 

Dont use that **** manifold. Pick one up from Begi. Send them the turbo as well and have them port the wastegate and mill off the stupid dome out of the back of the turbo outlet...have them build a DP for it while they are at it.

 

greenday: I am aware that they are low quality and wont last long but I do have a second vehicle that I can drive when the manifold does fail. But maybe I will be lucky and it will hold up ok for now. I was planning on getting a T25 later on down the line so I will go with a better manifold at that time.

Brianeack: I was seriously considering a manifold from Begi, but the one that I wanted (S4 w/ external WG) was $899 and could not afford it at the moment. I was thinking of having the dome milled off anyway, the flange I got was just straight inside so it doesn't seal very well. I do have a connection with a milling machine so I think I will take your advice and have it cut off.

 

Get the cast one and spend less than half that. or buy the obx one and repair it every few weeks.

 

Or pick up a decent secondhand manifold here in our classifieds...

Wait, I assume you have an NB since you are playing with the regulator? You have no details listed for your car so I don't know what advice to offer.

 

Sorry for not clarifying. Yes it is an NB, 1999. I did look in the classifieds but had no luck.

 

Dude... nobody keeps their thoughts to themeselves here. If you're fucked up, expect to be told. Brain is being nice, but that manifold you've bought has a long and detailed history of ******* people at the drivethrough. You will thoroughly regret buying it. You will not get lucky. It will fail within a few weeks and **** you. As luck usually runs, you'll get a crack that blows 1000* exhaust gas onto your oil feed line, rupturing it and causing a fire that burns your car to the ground. DON'T DO IT!

Be patient in the classifieds. It's a bit dry this week, but next week there might be 10 guys parting out entire systems. I promise you that there is a Begi/FM manifold right now making it's way out of somebody's engine bay and onto the workbench that has your name on it.

And you're making the biggest mistake that can be made when turbocharging a car. You're trying to do your build around a turbo you already have. Turbo's are cheap. You can pick up a quality turbo for $100. I'm pretty sure that Saab thing you've got is some funky proprietary 5-bolt non-Ford flange that won't work with any of the typical manifolds. Have you checked? I could be wrong.

Bravo on building your own MS... I was coward and had mine built by Brain... will have my next one built by him too.

Oh... and fill out your LOCATION in your profile and put something in your sig so nobody has to ask you what car you drive... and post pics of your girlfriend or mom.

 

not a lot of '99 BEGI T3 manifolds...or any other brand for that matter.

 

I always laugh when people post "Don't tell me its ****". They already know that its ****, but keep telling themselves that somehow they'll get it to work. Gotta love denial

 

So what exactly makes .42/.48 Garrett T3 a "piece of ****" for trick2789's project? BEGI has 3 manifold choices that'll work (cast, S4 and S6), and different styles of exhaust/wastegate housing (or whatever you call it, and i believe it is a standard 5 bolt pattern) are readily available on EBAY, even a v-band one with a 3" outlet. I would even guess that the BEGI downpipes could be used with one of the different waste gate housings as a bolt on.

I will admit I don't know a lot about which turbo to choose, but useful information rather than useless opinions would be helpful. I would bet that's what the op meant about not saying it's ****.

 

we're talking about his ebay manifold choice being ****.
stfu

 

Well I guess I'm just up **** creek without a paddle because I had ordered it before I started this thread....hopefully I will get a week out of it lol. But on the up side the components came in for my alternator voltage regulator and the DIYPNP is completely finished now (Thanks to the circuit designed by Jason Cuadra). I have the firmware loaded and base maps are set so I will install it tomorrow, I need vacuum line for it otherwise I would install it tonight. Hopefully it will start...I am in the process of removing the grease from the oil pressure gauge to get faster response and trying to decide if I want to tackle the wire re-wrap.
The boost gauge came in today also. I am not interested in running high boost so I opted for a gauge with a max of 15psi so I would be able to actually read the gauge. It is manufactured by Stewart Warner. So here it is:

 

Ah, that explains all of your positive input. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

 

Well after about an hour and 15 minutes I am left with this:

My gauge in pieces and a lot more work to do....

 

You're not listening lol.

You're going to take the time to tear the engine bay apart, install this piece of **** just to watch it break and have your car be down again. Now you have to dismantle the entire hotside again, and wait around until you find another manifold, then re-install everything. It makes no sense. You will regret it. It's not worth it. Don't do it. You spent $220 on it, and you're going to end up spending another $200-$300 on a decent used piece if you can find one that fits your turbo... brand new Begi and FM manifolds are $400 shipped.

Sell that piece of **** manifold to somebody who wasn't smart enough to google "TURBO MIATA" and click on the very first link that pops up before they started buying parts.

What you should do to make life really easy is give up on that turbo. Sell it on CL or something... and WAIT (you won't have to wait long) for somebody selling a complete hotside (turbo/mani/dp) in the classifieds.

 

No. I kiss yours.

 

That gauge. I think this noob might be cool.