Lemons Car: Above trunk mounted turbo
 

We are trying to think of something interesting to do to our lemons car that we wouldn't normally do to any car. One of the ideas that we thought of was doing a rear mount turbo to simplify the need for a turbo manifold and downpipe fabrication. With this I could use any turbo and the flange doesn't matter as long as the turbo is roughly the right size.

I think I can get the whole thing done for a lemons friendly $125-150 including a used vortec FMU. The exhaust leading up the turbo wouldn't count in the lemons given $500 budget except of the flange for the turbo.

A couple issues came up. The first one that came up of how to get the oil back to the pan without the need of an expensive oil pump. The solution to this is obvious and it is to elevate the turbo high enough so that there is a decent downward slope in the oil return to let gravity do the job. The second one is whether running a 10-12' oil supply line would cause a problem.

The exhaust tubing right at the turbo would much thicker and have bracing going out to the floor or the trunk in four locations making a pyramid shape.

Give me some input.

I highly doubt the oil would evacuate properly even if you sloped it a tad bit (and you can't really slope it any more than just a teeny weeny bit anyhow)

in for results lol

Sounds quite awesome. What do you mean when you say the exhaust wouldn't count for the $500?

I think it would be really cool, and definitely unique, but I can't see it lasting through an entire race without having a problem. As far as the oil feed and return, the worst part would be just at startup, but once there is oil moving through the system, it should be fine.

I say go for it, we all want to watch

Responding to 18psi's post, im envisioning the turbo at a height above the trunk, which would give it more height to slope down a oil drain. I agree with him though, it will be hard to get the entire drain line to be a downhill slope the entire way to the engine.

The turbo will be sitting probably 12-18" above the trunk. I think I can get a decent slope or decent enough that a buffer reservoir, like a larger starting diameter.

Turbo exhausting across a big-ass wing, F1 exhaust-blown-diffuser-style?

--Ian

I think it would be better to find something to pump that oil from a junkyard. This is a really rad idea for a lemons car. The distance that the turbo to manifold intake pipe has to run acts as an intercooler so no busted front mount from love taps, it also keeps the heat out of the engine bay. Are you allowed to run a second oil can in the rear that can be triggered with a switch to drip on the exhaust for James Bond smoke outs?

Edit: Could you use a fuel pump to pump the oil, you could get those for free?

I'm pretty sure it would just burn up the fuel pump to have something like that getting pumped through it. At least, I am sure enough that I wouldn't want to rely on it. The smoke screen might be frowned upon. ;)

Just a thought. Instead of going all the way to the back of the car. Why not mount the turbo above the hood or on the roof. It is Lemons after all.

People have done the above the hood before, but not above the roof. If they hadn't done the above the hood one, then that i probably the route I would go. I don't really want that right above us though. I just wouldn't be comfortable with that.

how about using a pressurized bladder (balloon) or gravity that feeds the oil to the turbo an then just let the oil drain into a can in the trunk, heck onto the track if its allowed.

That last part was a joke right? It would need to be a circulating system getting oil from the engine and getting back to the engine. Anything else would either be too expensive or just wouldn't work for more than 2 minutes.

i bet you could make it last longer.

Ever see one of these? They could run hours on a cup of oil. Yes its different, but applicable to my argument.

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1323700480

Oil on track isn't a very good idea, but why must the engine and the turbo share oil system? Can't you make a silly-simple oil system with a small electric pump and an oil tank in the back of the car, circulating thru the turbo? Of course safety (as in: Leak on track) could be a problem, but I don't see it being much safer to run a line from the engine and back again...

Anyway - love the idea. Keep us posted!

I have yet to find a pump that seems to be suitable for oil, that I can rely on, and is cost effective. If you know of one, by all means please let me know. I am all ears to entertain the possibility of something else.

I agree with Torkel. Just run a second oil pan for the turbo. Easy and Done.

OK, explain a cost effective way to circulate the oil. I am all ears, but I can't see it being any cheaper. It would certainly be easier, but I don't think cheaper. I am working off about $150 here total.

have a vortech fmu that will be for sale soon, its still on the car. but i dont need it any more have a ms and walbro.

I just picked one up but thanks. The vortech and a turbo should be on their way.

Could you take a factory gear driven pump like the 7MGE Supra pump and put a belt driven gear and mount on it and weld barbs to the feeds?