Where should I start?
 

I'm on a very tight budget and have my mind set on building a turbo kit for my 96. My plan is to just buy one piece at a time. I hope to maybe start off small while I learn and then move up to a bigger turbo later. I am thinking maybe I should start with an emanage first so I can play with that while I collect other parts like manifold, downpipe, etc. Or should I start with something else first sence i won't be running much boost at first? I'm also having trouble finding downpipes for 1.8l. Is there some other options other then FM and fabricated? If so do they have to match a particular manifold? I still have alot of research to do on turbos befor I pick what kind i want and it seems that its easier to find turbos then manifolds. Any advice would be great.
Thanks,
Tim

Try begi or RM the emanage is good from what i hear but dont discount the power of the fpr the ultimate way to do it on the cheap is to do alot of research and then go from there. So just be patient and get comfortable you have alot of reading to do. Heck my 1.6 turbo project cost 2000 dollars including a new clutch wich i installed all by myself along with my dad. sweat equity will pay off eventualy. good luck

thanks

I have a 96 with a pretty low funded DIY set up. Your thinking about starting w/ the EM is a good one, you can take advantage of timing w/ the EM as well, a good place to start. After the EM, get a WBO2. Don't get discouraged by the lack of DP's. Just get the correct output flange for your Turbo, any decent muffler shop(even Midas) should be able to connect the the flange to your cat...

start with the manifold.

the manifold is going to determine the turbo you need to look for, downpipe, turbo position, etc.

determine what method of timing and fuel controls you plan to use next.

from there, make a list. all-encompassing. there will be a lot of stuff you'll forget about if you dont and you'll be surprised how stuff you didn't take into account adds to the price.

if you're on a tight budget, make a realistic power goal and stick_to_it.

Thanks! I think the list idea is good. It will force me to put the whole set up together mentaly instead of one piece at a time with surprises. I think I'll leave it up to what I find cheap first, ether a manifold or emanage. Should I look at any other fuel/timing controlers?

just buy my kit :) its cheap, and will give you the power and more that you want....

if i had the money right now i would buy it in a second.

Welll puting togther a kit takes alot of reading and understanding of turbos and your car, I recommend STREET TURBOCHARGING by HPBOOKS, this is a very awsome read very informative and full of info, It's one of my fav reads...Good for you that you are starting out with a em blue, thats going to be my next step...hopefully i can get one for my b-day lol, anyways I have a 94 that im building my own kit for as we speak, Im using a T25 From a SR20DET,bell manifold,greddy type s,vortech fmu(for now),Saab Ic,Mk2 injecters(light green backs),2.5 inch custom catback,Im getting a custom downpipe welded, and I still need to get some custom bends for the IC done...so far im at $900, I need to tap the oil pan and get oil lines and find a way to route a water line to the turbo...Im having some trouble with that....But all in all it will be worth it.

thanks for the tips. i'll check out that book.

I would also recommend "Maximum Boost" by Corky Bell. It helped me a great deal.

Good luck!!!!!

i'll check that one out to. thanks.

OK, I didn't buy am emanage first. I bought the manifold, turbo, DP, and wastgate off That Guy. I also ordered "Maximum Boost" by Corky Bell. Now what? Do I save for managment or piping? Should I rush and go with no inercooler or save up? It'll be a little while till I can afford anything.

Awesome, now he'll stop asking every NEWB who shows up to buy it!:)

Have you read through my thread titled "New project started, guru's look here" in the DIY forum. Lots of good info there... You've already bought the hard parts. That thread is for a 1.6, but almost all of the theory and most of he parts apply. I know the 1.8 has a returnless fuel system (I think) and some other differences... but all the discussion and "thinking" should lead you to a few answers you don't currently have.

To make it easier, group the remaining parts into 3 categories: Fuel, Spark, Cooling.

Cooling: the logical choice is an Air-to-Air IC, you could also go with a Water-to-Air IC, or water/methanol injection to cool the intake charge. I would not run the turbo (even to start) without cooling the air. I know it's tempting, but don't do it... wait until you've got all the parts.

I'll let another guy tackle fuel and spark for the 1.8.

Have you seen this site:
http://www.linuxpupil.com/darthmaulata/t1_index.html

And this one... for a 1.6, but good info:
http://www.pacificsites.net/~hakuna/gearhead.html

And here:
http://www.diymiata.com/powermods.htm

thanks, those websites are great

Will a oil sandwich plate work for a oilf feed line? I read on another forum that it would make the turbo leak.

it will only leak if it is not installed properly or gets kinked broken etc.

Well I completely went another direction then I was going to. I bought a bipes and a jackson racing fuel pressure regulator. I won the bipes on ebay. It came with a MSD boost retard. Why would I want both? I was also wondering how nessesary it in to upgrade me fuel pump at 8 psi of boost? I now in search of a n intercooler set up.

you might want to do research on the walbro 190HP pump..Just to make sure you have enough fuel supplied to the engine.

I was thinking about one of them. They really are not that expensive. I just wasn't sure I needed one.