The Ghettocharger Lives!
 

Finally the ghettocharger project is complete, after a few misteps along the way. These misteps lead to the installation of a built motor and a TEC-IIIR engine management system.... Hardly ghetto by anyone's definition but critical to the success of the project in its final form. The ghettocharger itself is fairly true to its name.

The ghettocharger is a SS Autochrome manifold, a chinese made T3/T4 hybrid and a cut down Ford F-150 Powerstroke intercooler. The piping was all fabricated for a song and a dance and nothing more than a junked HKS BOV and a new Tial wastegate rounds out the package. The Tial is controlled by a Greddy profec-B boost controller.

In all it shows that this crappy $175 manifold and $200 turbo can form the basis of a kit that is capable in excess of 300 RWHP. It's currently running 10 PSI of boost and as near as my butt dyno can guess, it's north of 250 RWHP.

Mark

You make me laugh. But good to hear its alive. Drink to that. :beer:

Definately makr the compressor wheel and nut with a marker to know their positions relative to each other. Then loctite that nut back on. Ive seen alot of pics on the internet of those nuts coming off and getting sucked into the intake charge.

what kind of spool do you get with the ghettocharger?

He said he starts making boost north of 4 K

Ya, it spools kind of late. Around 4500 RPM, the built motor can easily go to 8500 RPM though so it's really a wash. Below 4k RPM this turbo has nothing. At 10 PSI, I suspect I am somewhere north of 250 RWHP.

Mark

wonder what a smaller CH turbo would do (CH=chinese)

When does it hit full boost ?

Have you considered buying chinese manifolds, fixing them up and reselling them for a profit? Or do you think it would be too much work/cost compared to doing the job right in the first place?

hey mark... did you do a tear down on that turbo before you put it on? I'm curious if everything in there "looks right". After having a turbo apart it doesn't seem like they are horribly complicated to manufacture provided the assembly is correct and the c-clips are seated. I'm interested in seeing how this one holds up to the milage.

yeah he did, pics are on miata.net somewhere.

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showpost.p...8&postcount=22
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showpost.p...0&postcount=23

Im glad this turbo is working for you mark. I still wont pass judgement on this turbo until you get more miles and run more boost on it;) I wish my engine would rev to 8500....that would be nice.

Agreed, jury is still out, but the initial results look promising.

Mark

Before 5,000 RPM, I haven't data logged it yet.

Mark

What did you do to hit 8500 rpms? Upgraded valve springs or something?

Built bottom end, shim under buckets, titanium retainers, and dual springs with 70# pressure seated 180# open.

Mark

any chance you could take some pix of the trigger wheel and mag sensor on the motor?

im trying to get some ideas for when i get back to fab up the mount for the mag sensor

If you are using a chinese turbo, then why not a chinese wastegate too? Or do they not sell any on ebay? I never looked but I figure they do like everything else.

Only a million of them. Bunch of Tial and HKS copies. I've heard they work well but have no firsthand experience. Running a Turbosmart on my other car.

Frank

Actually I chose the Tial WG because a failed wastegate can blow a motor quickly where as a failed turbo might make a mess but is unlikely to blow up my motor especially when you consider the intercooler in the way of debris from the turbo. Also I paid $220 for the Tial which seemed to be very reasonable.

So I chose not to cut corners there because I have seen the results of a failed wastegate, and it's not always pretty.

To answer the other question, yes, the wastegate is still above #4. Seems to be working adequately there. While not an optimal location, it is functional.

Mark