Turbo Build Diary
Eminence, I'm just running stock fuel for now. As I said...only running around 6-7psi of boost. In a few months I'm gonna upgrade the headgasket to a thicker one, change out to 550cc Denso injectors, walbro fuel pump, and also run a different engine management system(still deciding and researching on which one I should go with).
Also, I don't really max out the car that often now. A few short bursts punches every so often but that's about it. I keep a careful eye on the AF/R and EGT all the time when I hit boost. So far everything is still in check and has not strayed from my settings.
Also, I don't really max out the car that often now. A few short bursts punches every so often but that's about it. I keep a careful eye on the AF/R and EGT all the time when I hit boost. So far everything is still in check and has not strayed from my settings.
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Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: FL
I tried a coolant temp resistor instead of cutting the wire. It worked , but I don't think our cooling fans come on if it's showing the engine temp cold? I didn't want to chance it and warp the head. I have tried many things to get our ecu to stop relearning. I have a little different situation and I am also running 20 lbs of boost but I am going with the HKS F-Con Pro V. It is the only affordable thing that works flawlessly. By the way, great job on your project and great thread. Good luck.
Mar 18, 2007: It's sunday...ghetto rigging day because no shops are open.
Home Depot is your best friend when you need to make "custom" parts when no other place is open...heh.
- Ghetto rigging, and more ghetto rigging.
- Eventually everything worked out with only a minor oil leak...lol.
- First start with the new turbo today. It was LATE at night!
- Obviously I didn't make it to the Sunday DFW Lexus meet lol.
Start off with the hose coupler. I needed a 90'degree 3" to 3" coupler. No shops open today so I had to improvise.
The CHEAP-O return flange cracked in half too so I had to make do with parts on hand.
After some cutting, drilling, and tapping....
The finished product...custom *** return flange lol.
Cut up some of the couplers I bought from Home Depot. It all worked out just fine =)
About to hook up the pipe to the intercooler.
Return flange installed on turbo with liquid sealant gasket. Fits like a glove!!! And no leaks!
My stainless line was for a 10-AN fitting, but the custom *** return flange has a normal brass hose barb. Thus, I just use hose clamps and put a rubber tube extension. The return line is very low pressure, so no real problems using this setup besides the aesthetics.
Home Depot is your best friend when you need to make "custom" parts when no other place is open...heh.
- Ghetto rigging, and more ghetto rigging.
- Eventually everything worked out with only a minor oil leak...lol.
- First start with the new turbo today. It was LATE at night!
- Obviously I didn't make it to the Sunday DFW Lexus meet lol.
Start off with the hose coupler. I needed a 90'degree 3" to 3" coupler. No shops open today so I had to improvise.
The CHEAP-O return flange cracked in half too so I had to make do with parts on hand.
After some cutting, drilling, and tapping....
The finished product...custom *** return flange lol.
Cut up some of the couplers I bought from Home Depot. It all worked out just fine =)
About to hook up the pipe to the intercooler.
Return flange installed on turbo with liquid sealant gasket. Fits like a glove!!! And no leaks!
My stainless line was for a 10-AN fitting, but the custom *** return flange has a normal brass hose barb. Thus, I just use hose clamps and put a rubber tube extension. The return line is very low pressure, so no real problems using this setup besides the aesthetics.
Installed EGT Probe. Install tip for those of you working in cramped spaces. Coil the wire up like in the pic so its easier to turn.
4 couplers bolted to each other. This is probably the most ghetto part of my setup...good thing it's covered up by the bumper lol. Surprisinly, no leaks so far and it hasn't popped off. I'm very very surprised! I will get this part custom made at a shop with new custom bent piping soon.
There's the other two couplers bolted to each other lol.
Filling up the holes in the intake tube. This particular intake was from my old car so it had the connectors for the vacuum lines. I hacked them off and sealed up the holes.
I wonder what my neighbors thought when they drove by the back of my house lol!
Close up of the front.
Everything bolted up nice and tight.
Refill system with coolant. Getting ready for first start. It's about 11:30PM on a Sunday night. I don't think the neighbors feel so good about me starting the car with no exhaust system hooked up. The exhaust is dumping straight out of the downpipe
BTW: Yes I know the date on that post says March 18th. I was supposed to post it up 1-2 weeks ago, but I was too busy. I'm just now doing it because I have some free time. More late posts to come 
Becareful boosting with those home depot couplings. It takes very little pressure to burst them. I had an emergency on my Supra and had to use a small home depot coupling on my Bov. It blew a hole in it within an hour or so of regular driving.
Mar 19-20, 2007: Final touches and custom exhaust.
- Installed SAFC NEO. Pulled the wire thru the firewall.
- Cut, spliced, and soldered stuff into the new wiring harness.
- Hook up tuning laptop.
- Went to a muffler shop and got a custom exhaust section made.
If you ever need to run a SAFC or just any kind of small wiring thru the firewall, go from this hole. It's right above the fusebox area. Look around and you will see it. Stick a screwdriver thru so it can hold the rubber boot out of the way for you to pull the wire harness through.
It comes out right from behind this fusebox next to the brake fluid tank.
Pulled the harness all the way up next to the ECU. Getting ready to splice and solder in the wires.
This is what the patch harness is useful for. You splice and cut into the patch harness instead of your factory harness. Make sure you solder and tape up everything. You don't want any wires to come loose!
Everything closed up and wires straightened out.
Here's the end of the connector inside the car. Everything hooked up and good to go.
Tuning laptop hooked up and good to go.
SAFC NEO and my Gauges next to each other.
- Installed SAFC NEO. Pulled the wire thru the firewall.
- Cut, spliced, and soldered stuff into the new wiring harness.
- Hook up tuning laptop.
- Went to a muffler shop and got a custom exhaust section made.
If you ever need to run a SAFC or just any kind of small wiring thru the firewall, go from this hole. It's right above the fusebox area. Look around and you will see it. Stick a screwdriver thru so it can hold the rubber boot out of the way for you to pull the wire harness through.
It comes out right from behind this fusebox next to the brake fluid tank.
Pulled the harness all the way up next to the ECU. Getting ready to splice and solder in the wires.
This is what the patch harness is useful for. You splice and cut into the patch harness instead of your factory harness. Make sure you solder and tape up everything. You don't want any wires to come loose!
Everything closed up and wires straightened out.
Here's the end of the connector inside the car. Everything hooked up and good to go.
Tuning laptop hooked up and good to go.
SAFC NEO and my Gauges next to each other.