reggiegrip

i want to know if anyone can give me ANY info on putting a turbo on a 3.0L V6 4Runner. I know there was another thread about one for sale on eBay (which is why i am inquiring about this topic), but i need some info on what parts are needed, what parts work best, how to do the actual install, ANYTHING. I really am interested in doing this to my truck, but don't really know where to begin.

jimbo74

find yourself a good fabricator, i dont think there are kits avaialbe to do anything... .do research o nthe way a turbo works, even with a good fabricator, you are going to need to design the system.....

Randomness

I've heard the ct26 turbo from the earlier Supras mentioned...but that's all I know...

reggiegrip

yeah, i figured there wouldn't be any "bolt on" kits. But i was just wondering how much fabrication was needed. Just to see if it was worth it. Also if anyone has a turbo installed, was it worth it? Also, besides the turbo itself, what other parts are needed to make it a complete system?

jimbo74

bare minimum you are going to need custom air ducting and a custom manifolds

Flamedx4

First and most important, turboing a 3.0 will probably only blow head gaskets...

But, a turbo setup is highly technical. You have to design it to spin at the right speed for various rpms, and be able to regulate the boost pressure precisely, and adapt the fuel system to provide the right mix, stuff like that. It is not just sticking a turbine on there and making boost.

Adam F

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...ighlight=turbo

reggiegrip

how about a turbo timer? Would that help with the regulation of boost pressure for the different RPMs?

CynicX

A turbo timers function is to keep the engine running after you remove the key from the ignition and lock your door and walk away....minute or two later the engine will shut off....this lets the turbo spool down to a safe rpm so when the engine stops pumping oil you wont still have a scorching hot turbo running at 50,000 rpm with no oil. They dont have any performance effects what so ever, just more like a safety device....

You can get a manual boost controller, even make one yourself to control boost. An electric boost control are more fun and are adjustable on the fly but wiring one to a toyota not meant for a turbo would be another head ache...I'd start with the MBC, then move on from there....

NCSU-4runner

save yourself the trouble and do a supra swap. its already built for a turbo.

reggiegrip

that sounds like a good idea, but i just had this motor rebuilt so i was hoping to not go the route of complete motor swap.

reggiegrip

yeah, i was looking into turbo timers after i posted that and realized that that is what they do. Thanks for the manual boost controller advice though, i am going to look into that.

Bumpin' Yota

I have my doubts about the HG being an issue, but im no mechanic... DEFINATELY gotta watch the coolant temp, and that will take out HG's and heads and tons of other stuff.

Not so much spin at the right speed vs rpm so much as that the turbo wont be surging when you lug the engine at high boost. And that you will be in the highest percentage efficiency you can be given the pressure and volume moving - hence the joys of compressor maps upon which you can spend HOURS.

The reason I mention ct26 is because that is what the stock 7mgte's use which are 3.0L inline 6 cylinder engines. The supra owners were saying that they were into full boost at 2200 rpm and the turbo was "running out of steam" so to speak at ~5600rpm or so. The only issue would be it's overall size to cram into the driver's side of the engine bay, the size of the down pipe size, and the heat generated.

Whenever you swith from NA to forced induction, you will need to not only change the FPU (Fuel Pressure Regulator) but either increase injector size or add injectors. Ideally you want a FPU that will increase the pressure by 6psi for every 1psi of boost. This combined with larger injectors should keep you from leaning out.

If you turbo, you will DEFINATELY need an AF gauge, a pyrometer mounted pre or post turbine, and an oil pressure gauge, and if you are really craving data, a tranny temp guage and a water temp gauge.

boost pressure is cake by adjusting the waste gate spring.

turbo timers are definately a good thing, they allow the turbine blades to cool down after hard driving so that they do not warp from too rapid cooling. You dont necissarily need a turbo timer if you let the engine idle for a mile or two before your turn (when that's available.)

whenever you compress air, it has the nasty habit of heating up. This can and WILL reack havoc with even the most built engine if it gets too high. This is why you see intercoolers - their job is to cool the air intake charge's temperature.

This can also be done without an intercooler by doing WMI (water/methanol injection). Basically this works on the premise that by atomizing a water/methanol mixture into the air intake charge you will significantly cool the air by the water/methanol's evaporation. WMI has worked GREAT for the 6.5L turbo diesel (when modified to run higher boost pressures) from IHI and GM that was never equipped with an intercooler. Stock boost pressures were usually 6psi or so...

maximum tunability would be ideal so using a piggyback programmer like the smt 6 would be great.

As far as the actual installation - that will be 100% custom. Of the turbo 3.0 that I know of they all have capped off the exhaust portion of the driver's side exhaust manifold and have cut a hole in the top of it to feed all of the exhuast to the turbine. From the turbine runs the down pipe which you will want as large as possible with as few restrictions as possible...

hope some of this helps.

ps - the pic of the compressor wheel/impeller in my avatar is actually a shot of the GM4 turbo used on the IHI/GM 6.5L turbo diesel on our 1ton. i have few other pics of it but spinning

Fun fact - compressor wheels/exhaust wheels on turbos spin at speed around 100,000 rpm. Some can exceed 150,000 rpm!! This is why oil pressure is so critical for turbo bearing life.

Ganoid

I think it would be alot less work to stuff a powerdyne SC in there with out having to deal with all the exhaust issues. Everything else would still apply but your pipe work would be restricted to intake and air filter mounting. You would however need to be creative with brackets and mounting such a device. If I had a smaller powerdyne unit to play with for a while Im sure I could come up with a mounting bracket but I done know any one that has one. Any of the smaller self lubricated SC's would be easier than a turbo but a new SC will cost ya more than a new turbo.

MTL_4runner

A centrifical S/C (Vortec, Powerdyne, etc) would certainly be a viable option because they are essentially a gear driven turbo in design. It would still be a good idea to use an intercooler if at all possible.

Also some low inertia turbos can even hit 200,000 RPM but 100-150k is far more typical.

reggiegrip

wow, thanks everyone for all the advice. I will be looking into all of that stuff.

Bumpin' Yota

if you are interested in going F/I, definately go lurk on www.honda-tech.com, the supra forums, and the cy/ty (cyclone/typhoon) sites.

reggiegrip

also, what turbo would be best for this setup, people on here have said supra, and i have also heard mitsubishi.