How much will it cost to turbo my car?

[ajcarson11]

If you choose a reputable kit, install it carefully, understand all of the pieces and how each functions, and spend a good amount of time reading the forums and recommendations from the manufacturer you should be OK. Your best bet is to buy a used kit in my opinion. I've seen SBD kits go for anywhere from 1.5k to 3.5k used. At ~100 increased wheel horsepower you may need an oil cooler, and potentially clutch. If you don't increase boost more than that you should be OK without additional supporting mods (although things like catch cans or a built engine will always increase engine longevity at any increased power level).

You don't need engine/diff/trans mounts or axles or drive-shafts at the power level you are looking at. You don't need a whole slew of track-ready upgrades (unless you are planning on doing more than daily driving). ~100 extra horsepower isn't going to beat this car up (although there is always risk of failure, even when stock). The problems occur when you get tired of the extra 100 horsepower and want to push the limits more. Then you need to consider Chronology's list of extras.

If you do it right, and are willing to wait for a deal, you can go FI with either a turbo or SC for under 3-4k. Personally, I'm happily boosted at ~100-125 extra wheel horsepower with a total investment of 3k. I was able to do this by selling my OFT (to offset the cost of the ecutek license), borrowing an ecutek cable, buying a used SC kit, installing myself, and making smart choices on aftermarket parts. You don't need to pour tons of money into this car if you try to work from the used market.

The only things I would add:
1. Make SURE you choose a reputable tuner. The tune is the MOST important part of a boosted setup. If the tune is no good, it doesn't matter what other supporting mods you have in place. A good tune can limit risk to the engine and make your experience much better.
2. If you go with a turbo setup, be prepared to add gauges/hard-ware fail-safes. Don't rely solely on software. It takes just a few seconds of overboost to ruin a good time.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Scrappydoo

Understanding has to be understood?

Outstanding

Hey, I understood his understanding that he understood. Understand?

[NyC Zn6]

around 5k

[gillster91]

I spend about 10k. Jackson racing, south bend stage 3 clutch, e85 pump, injectors, jackson racing oil cooler and radiator, delicious tuning tune, and headers, exhaust and rims and tires to put all the power down and keep some money as a back up when the motor blows. Once you drive a boosted car you will never go back!

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

I'm scared to boost it. I was dead set on boosting it sometime next year after I propose to my gf (man of priorities and all that), but I read so many stories of blown engines that I'm scared. I don't know if this happens even with base power increases, or just to people going well over 300 whp but considering I have no skill or space to work on my own car and have to rely on shops and be willing to accept the inconvenience and financial impact that may bring, I think I'll stick with minor upgrades.

[ajcarson11]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanadaEh

I'm scared to boost it. I was dead set on boosting it sometime next year after I propose to my gf (man of priorities and all that), but I read so many stories of blown engines that I'm scared. I don't know if this happens even with base power increases, or just to people going well over 300 whp but considering I have no skill or space to work on my own car and have to rely on shops and be willing to accept the inconvenience and financial impact that may bring, I think I'll stick with minor upgrades.

Good idea. I wouldn't boost if:

1. You don't have a place to work on things, and/or your shop isn't very close by.
2. You don't have a second daily driver.

Also -- Don't let the forums scare you. There are hundreds (probably a few thousand even) of boosted 86s. If there weren't, then there wouldn't be so many players in the FI manufacturing market. You don't hear from 80% of people who are boosted and happy -- You mainly hear from those who lost their engine and had trouble.

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

Originally Posted by ajcarson11

Good idea. I wouldn't boost if:

1. You don't have a place to work on things, and/or your shop isn't very close by.
2. You don't have a second daily driver.

Also -- Don't let the forums scare you. There are hundreds (probably a few thousand even) of boosted 86s. If there weren't, then there wouldn't be so many players in the FI manufacturing market. You don't hear from 80% of people who are boosted and happy -- You mainly hear from those who lost their engine and had trouble.

Part of my fear comes from owning a Mini Cooper S, which was also turbocharged. I had to deal with increased oil consumption, weird turbo noises when cold, numerous oil leaks at turbo feed lines which kept coming back, and finally I was driving along at around 120 kmh and the engine started shuddering and that was the end. Two of the cylinders showed 0 and 50 psi of pressure (I think normal was 140 and above). I'm not sure if that's just a shitty engine, or if it was abused by its previous owner, but I fueled it with 94 octane, used premium bmw approved oil, fixed everything, and it still died. It had 136K on the odometer. I consider that an early failure. Meanwhile non-turbocharged Coopers have very few issues. Plus it is a daily driver and the only one at that, so while I would love to do it, I am really apprehensive. I'll see what the usual CAI/OFT/UEL route will give me. To be honest, a lot of times I'm driving this car and I'm thinking to myself "this is fast enough". I really love this car as it is. A touch more power wouldn't hurt but I don't want to give up any of the reliability.

[Scrappydoo]

I suspect it'll be more reliable than your BMiniW


What a travesty.

So sorry Issigonis

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ajcarson11

Good idea. I wouldn't boost if:

1. You don't have a place to work on things, and/or your shop isn't very close by.
2. You don't have a second daily driver.

Also -- Don't let the forums scare you. There are hundreds (probably a few thousand even) of boosted 86s. If there weren't, then there wouldn't be so many players in the FI manufacturing market. You don't hear from 80% of people who are boosted and happy -- You mainly hear from those who lost their engine and had trouble.

Those are the guys that knew what they were up against, knew how to do the work properly, understand the cost and implications to other aspects of the car up front and knew exactly what their end goals were beyond "I want 300HP". Even if they did blow their engine they just quietly fixed it without whining or having to get cyber advice from people that can't look at or hear the car.
They are not the guys that ask the question "How much will turbo cost?". I am all for guys modding their cars to what they want but they need to know WHAT they actually want beyond "I hear 300HP is perfect" and they need to start with some basics and work up to such things as turbos.

Hell, when their follow-up question is "So I don't need to wrap the headers? I'm fine with just the turbo kit and a ecutek?" you just know they are headed for disaster.

Not trying to discourage anybody but even the best kits out there do not just bolt on and you drive away into the sunset to live happily ever after and the new guys to the hobby need to know that up front. If they can afford the cost and having the car down for long periods so that they can learn by trial and error then all is good but I get the feeling that if they are asking about costs that is not a luxury that they have.

[ajcarson11]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Those are the guys that knew what they were up against, knew how to do the work properly, understand the cost and implications to other aspects of the car up front and knew exactly what their end goals were beyond "I want 300HP". Even if they did blow their engine they just quietly fixed it without whining or having to get cyber advice from people that can't look at or hear the car.
They are not the guys that ask the question "How much will turbo cost?". I am all for guys modding their cars to what they want but they need to know WHAT they actually want beyond "I hear 300HP is perfect" and they need to start with some basics and work up to such things as turbos.

Hell, when their follow-up question is "So I don't need to wrap the headers? I'm fine with just the turbo kit and a ecutek?" you just know they are headed for disaster.

Not trying to discourage anybody but even the best kits out there do not just bolt on and you drive away into the sunset to live happily ever after and the new guys to the hobby need to know that up front. If they can afford the cost and having the car down for long periods so that they can learn by trial and error then all is good but I get the feeling that if they are asking about costs that is not a luxury that they have.

Agreed. It's interesting that you say 'Even the best kits out there do not just bolt on'. It's true -- Everyone's version of 'bolt on' is different, depending on how much experience you've had with our motors, or other vehicles in general. To me, 'bolt on' means that you get the kit with most of the pieces you need, and you don't have to fabricate brackets to get it all together. To some, 'bolt-on' means that they expect a full kit with step by step instructions, built in such a way that you cant' screw it up. Some other folks (mainly the older guys who have done this a few times) might consider 'bolt-on' to be a properly sized set of parts that has been installed enough times to be considered adequate for a 'kit'.

In general, whether i'm frequenting a car forum or a facebook group, I've come to learn that 50% of people will have no idea what is going on, are susceptible to bad choices, and could care less about the technical or logistical aspects of how something works. They just want to have some fun, and not spend a lot of money doing it.

And perhaps there's something to be said for that. But that's the thing about a forum -- We get both types of people. And as a collective group, we don't want to see the other's motor blown to bits.

[Insane]

So I've never modified a car before and I am interested in buying one or modifying one myself, can you guys please edumacate me as to why a Turbo/Supercharger kit, installed and tuned by a professional can't be drive off into the sunset no more to pay?? My honest expectation from paying a tuner 10k to turbo and tune my car, I would expect the whole drive off into the sunset thing?

[brzaapi]

Originally Posted by Insane

My honest expectation from paying a tuner 10k to turbo and tune my car, I would expect the whole drive off into the sunset thing?

You could. But if you expect that to be a 99.9% certainty, then that is the warning everyone is saying. I have boosted a few cars, and all with a mixed bag of results. Not bad, but each experience had some headaches and challenges. Now, the less power you make typically means less trouble, and the inverse is likely true.... more power there will be more to experience/learn/fix/repair$$$.

It may be as simple as CEL light that has to be reset all the time. It may be as simple as some rough/touchy spots with partial throttle. Idle and WOT are not usually problematic, its the partial throttle that will get you. And its not always the mapping or tune. It could be fuel or injector related. Now, kits for our cars have been around a few years now so a ton has been learned, but there are always little hiccups that arrive. Your car stock, may not drive off into the sunset....likely...maybe, but most certainly not a guarantee. And, any modification is likely to move your chances away from the sunset, than towards it.

Now, that being said...I love modifying my cars, hiccups and all. If you want a more OEM type feel and experience. Pick a less aggressive setup and don't get cheap on suggested support items. I would say the JRSC or EBSC are both designed to be a simple bolt on and go, and stay pretty OEM feeling while you are doing it.

But, I am installing an EBSC at the moment onto my 17 PP. And, guess what.;....the EB doesn't fit, because the alternator is different on the 17 manual cars. So now, I have to source an early model alternator and install it.
And there is no guarantee that it will be a solution. I am the first one with this problem, so there is no one to guide me to a known solution. I welcome the problem, but if that doesn't sound like your cup of tea...then maybe aftermarket FI isn't for you. And my car has been out of commission for a few weeks. No it is not my only car. Learned my lesson there.

There are usually surprises of some kind. So, if you modify be prepared to learn some things, in fact enjoy it. But, be prepared to be without a working car some of the time. It may never happen, but it also very well could. Its happened to me and I have worked with some very reputable tuners. In fact one of my projects was built and tuned by a shop that builds, competes and has won the 24 hrs of Daytona. But, some problems still came up. And these guys have decades of experience with P-cars. Still, hiccups do happen.

So don't be afraid to FI, but have your expectations set to realistic. And that's it...no more no less.

[bfrank1972]

Originally Posted by brzaapi

You could. But if you expect that to be a 99.9% certainty, then that is the warning everyone is saying. I have boosted a few cars, and all with a mixed bag of results. Not bad, but each experience had some headaches and challenges. Now, the less power you make typically means less trouble, and the inverse is likely true.... more power there will be more to experience/learn/fix/repair$$$.

It may be as simple as CEL light that has to be reset all the time. It may be as simple as some rough/touchy spots with partial throttle. Idle and WOT are not usually problematic, its the partial throttle that will get you. And its not always the mapping or tune. It could be fuel or injector related. Now, kits for our cars have been around a few years now so a ton has been learned, but there are always little hiccups that arrive. Your car stock, may not drive off into the sunset....likely...maybe, but most certainly not a guarantee. And, any modification is likely to move your chances away from the sunset, than towards it.

Now, that being said...I love modifying my cars, hiccups and all. If you want a more OEM type feel and experience. Pick a less aggressive setup and don't get cheap on suggested support items. I would say the JRSC or EBSC are both designed to be a simple bolt on and go, and stay pretty OEM feeling while you are doing it.

But, I am installing an EBSC at the moment onto my 17 PP. And, guess what.;....the EB doesn't fit, because the alternator is different on the 17 manual cars. So now, I have to source an early model alternator and install it.
And there is no guarantee that it will be a solution. I am the first one with this problem, so there is no one to guide me to a known solution. I welcome the problem, but if that doesn't sound like your cup of tea...then maybe aftermarket FI isn't for you. And my car has been out of commission for a few weeks. No it is not my only car. Learned my lesson there.

There are usually surprises of some kind. So, if you modify be prepared to learn some things, in fact enjoy it. But, be prepared to be without a working car some of the time. It may never happen, but it also very well could. Its happened to me and I have worked with some very reputable tuners. In fact one of my projects was built and tuned by a shop that builds, competes and has won the 24 hrs of Daytona. But, some problems still came up. And these guys have decades of experience with P-cars. Still, hiccups do happen.

So don't be afraid to FI, but have your expectations set to realistic. And that's it...no more no less.

Well said, bravo

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by brzaapi

So don't be afraid to FI, but have your expectations set to realistic. And that's it...no more no less.

What I have been trying to get across in a nutshell right there ^.


I have had great experiences with turboing or engine swaps and I have nightmares. Since it was my hobby even the nightmares were acceptable to me though. The big difference was that if I blew a 440 apart because I misaligned a cam shaft (I have) or seized a 327 by having too much fuel pouring in (did that as well) I went to the wreckers, bought an engine out of a wreck for $50, swapped all the parts over, and started again. Since the prices have gone up just a tad since that era it is now a much more nerve wracking proposition to go FI when a small issue can cost thousands. The last engine I blew up was my 1991 Talon TSI AWD. That was my own fault since I got cocky and felt I knew more than the engineers that built it and decided there was no need to change the timing belt at 100,000 kilometers and I would know when it was starting to fail and would change it then. They knew better, it did need to be changed, I had zero warning. A $5,000 built engine (in 1995 $s) became $30 worth of scrap metal very quickly. Shit happens when you mess with stock and it can be expensive.


If you do not have the space, tools, alternate transportation, cash on hand and the skills to troubleshoot then even paying somebody to do the work is risky. If willing and able to take that risk then go for it!