Pick-a-part Turbo? Which car?

Looking for a pair of cheap used turbos from a 3.0+  Liter engine I can find in junk yards.  

Which cars are likely candidates?   It would be nice if they’d have intercooler too  but size will be an issue since I’ll need a pair of them too. 

What is your power goal? The only thing I can think of is to look for diesel truck turbos. Look at a 4bt, 4bd1t, 4bd2t or similar sized truck engines.

In reply to buzzboy : Thank you, 

Power goal?  Some’s good, more’s better, too much is just starting to get fun.  ( insert smiley face here) 

My goal has a lot to do with budget and absolutely nothing to do with ultimate power.  

I’m looking for a pair of turbo’s I can find relatively easy in production cars I’m likely to find in a junkyard.    

I’ve used Saab Turbo’s in the past with a decent result on the street. But they are on the small size.   A 3  liter engine or even a 4 liter engine is likely to yield something with more. 

If there was room in the engine bay, a pair of Eaton M112’s would work nicely. Those are common enough that I would know which cars to look for.   

However I just didn’t pay attention to 1980-2000 turbocharged 3 or 4 liter cars to compile a mental list 

It would be wonderful if the car turned into a problem, rust bucket, had transmission problems, or some other issue that condemned it to the junkyard early leaving the turbo to survive.  I do know how to sort good from bad turbos when checking out  function. 

Since this is going in a low buck race, car bottom end boost can be easily lived without.  So as long as some boost comes in by 3-3500 rpm I’ll live with whatever I get at 7000. 

If you don't want to use multiple smaller turbos, big diesel stuff is your best bet.  Look for powerstroke Fords, the turbo is up high at the back of the engine- they seem to get snatched quickly by the truck guys, but usually diesel vans and ambulances still have them attached and they can be accessed through the doghouse from inside the vehicle.

Lots of Saabs are turbocharged and they tend to hang it out in front of the engine where it's easy to get to.  VW 1.8t turbos are tiny so I'd avoid those.  What kind of stuff is usually in your local yard?

Holset hx35 or hy30. Came off Cummins trucks,  you won't need two. If this going on a jag inline 6. If this is going on a jag v12  I suggest an hx40. Doubt you'll find these in junkyards but you'll find them on CL for really cheap. 

Also 300 frame Borg Warners. I bought 3 for $600 off of Here

Also view their "DIY & junkyard turbo" section of the forum for insight. The turbo forums

In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ : I do want to use a pair of Turbo’s 

A single turbo would be a nightmare to plumb in an already crowded engine bay  

 Yes I’ve used a pair of Saab’s in the past and it made respectable power with remarkably decent reliability (from what I can tell, I sold it more than 15 years ago and still see it around.). 

  But like everybody else I want more!  

The little T2’s made no more than 6-7 pounds of boost  which I suspect was because each was feeding 3 liters instead of 2. 

Since I’ll be using  E85  with all that nice cooling alcohol I’m certain that 7.8-1 compression motor can tolerate  15 pounds. 

Diesel turbos would probably be your best bet, tbh. Or if you want twins, would K03s do just fine?

And in regards to the M112, what do you find those on? I typically only find M90s.

What about a couple of Chinese Ebay turbos of the T3/T4 variety?

Volvo 850 turbos and V70/S70 turbos have single turbos hanging off their 2.3 liter engines. Two of those would work. They're definitely well built. I always saw a ton of them in the junkyard when I was still going. Three years ago, BC. (Before Children)

What engine are you using? 

For a single turbo the extra piping would be a crossover pipe which can be ran many ways. I cant see how a single turbo + intercooler piping more of a nightmare to plumb than twin turbos + intercooler piping. 

In reply to dculberson :

Aren't they tucked between the engine and firewall?  That's why my go-to is always Saabs, for access, but I've never actually tried to pull a turbo off the 5 cylinder Volvos.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:

In reply to dculberson :

Aren't they tucked between the engine and firewall?  That's why my go-to is always Saabs, for access, but I've never actually tried to pull a turbo off the 5 cylinder Volvos.

You are correct; they are an enormous pain in the ass to pull from the car in the yard, now that I think about it. The AWD models are even harder to pull - you need to get the driveshaft out of the way.

singleslammer said:

What about a couple of Chinese Ebay turbos of the T3/T4 variety?

They typically sell in the $165-190 range from what I can see and I picked up junkyard T2’s for $15 each. ( I suspect they are past $50 now though) 

yupididit said:

What engine are you using? 

 

For a single turbo the extra piping would be a crossover pipe which can be ran many ways. I cant see how a single turbo + intercooler piping more of a nightmare to plumb than twin turbos + intercooler piping. 

Jaguar XJS V12 you can fit a postage stamp in the engine bay but only if you fold it exactly the right way ( slight exaggeration). 

Seriously  the big problem with Racing those cars is the compartment is so crowded the valve springs actually overheat and loose tension. 

When I built my first one I stuck the turbos in the fenders behind and above the tires. And dumped the air right back into  the intake without benefit of intercooler. 

FuzzWuzzy said:

Diesel turbos would probably be your best bet, tbh. Or if you want twins, would K03s do just fine?

And in regards to the M112, what do you find those on? I typically only find M90s.

 

 

 

 

 

what cars use the Ko3’s? 

supercharged Jaguars. But I assumed it’s a common enough blower 

frenchyd said:

yupididit said:

What engine are you using? 

 

For a single turbo the extra piping would be a crossover pipe which can be ran many ways. I cant see how a single turbo + intercooler piping more of a nightmare to plumb than twin turbos + intercooler piping. 

Jaguar XJS V12 you can fit a postage stamp in the engine bay but only if you fold it exactly the right way ( slight exaggeration). 

Seriously  the big problem with Racing those cars is the compartment is so crowded the valve springs actually overheat and loose tension. 

But you want to run two tiny turbos, intercooler, plumbing? Any t2 turbo is going to be way too small for a v12 even if running twins. How about having the turbo forward like right behind the headlight or something?

I believe VAG, mercedes, and porsche used K0 turbos.

I know the A6 2.7T came with the K03.

I believe the Passat, A4, etc VAG products also came with the K03.

If you're really lucky, while you're looking at the VAG cars for a K03, you just might find a K04 thanks to the previous owner doing an upgrade before it got junked.

FuzzWuzzy said:

If you're really lucky, while you're looking at the VAG cars for a K03, you just might find a K04 thanks to the previous owner doing an upgrade before it got junked.

What are VAG cars?  

In reply to frenchyd :

VW/Audi

yupididit said:

frenchyd said:

yupididit said:

What engine are you using? 

 

For a single turbo the extra piping would be a crossover pipe which can be ran many ways. I cant see how a single turbo + intercooler piping more of a nightmare to plumb than twin turbos + intercooler piping. 

Jaguar XJS V12 you can fit a postage stamp in the engine bay but only if you fold it exactly the right way ( slight exaggeration). 

Seriously  the big problem with Racing those cars is the compartment is so crowded the valve springs actually overheat and loose tension. 

But you want to run two tiny turbos, intercooler, plumbing? Any t2 turbo is going to be way too small for a v12 even if running twins. How about having the turbo forward like right behind the headlight or something?

Yes I know a pair of T2’s are too small. That’s why I’m looking for bigger. 

As for space there is a lot of room in front of the radiator grill but wouldn’t that look funny?  ( lame attempt at humor) 

seriously there is nominal room between the radiator and the water pump 

think Corvette with a bigger engine  like 1&1/2 times as many cylinders   You can take a V 12 out to 9 liters 

FuzzWuzzy said:

In reply to frenchyd :

VW/Audi

Thank you.  How big an engine are they found on?  Something with a V6? 

What’s most likely the reason they are being junked?  Accident damage? Transmission?  Just too expensive to repair?   

Any particularly easy to chop out of their home?  

Since I’ll need a pair it would be nice if  they were relatively common 

finally please let them be mechanically controlled rather than computer controlled.  It’s hard enough to figure out fuel requirements. Controlling the wastegate  too would be a killer for my feeble skills. 

What are you running this Turbo on? 7.8 C/R sounds like a Mazda/Ford F2T.  If so a cheap eBay T3/T4 is the easy button, as well as a Holset HX35 off a Cummins 6 from a Dodge Ram.

In reply to dansxr2 :

Jaguar V12. A pair of Turbo’s. Stock they come up to 366 cu in ( 6 liters)  in a very  narrow engine compartment  so only a pair will work. One turbo in each fender behind and above the tire.