Cheap ebay intercoolers (Now just my tuning thread)

[Coyotemutt]

I can barely remember what my own is! I would think at that compression you should be fairly safe on detonation at 10 psi. With the W/I i would say for sure you are. I built a tube with a cap that i tapped and glued in an air chuck. That way i can blow air into the system to listen for leaks. It helps alot. I found like 9 or something on mine when i built it.

Yeah! I did the same thing basically. One thing I still need to do is loosen up all the rockers so all the valves are shut and pressurize the whole thing.

[nbuscemi]

Here is my "cheap Ebay intercooler" setup. I'm running the universal $60 unit. Datalog shows IATs to be around 10-15 degrees above ambient on 10 psi of boost. Compare this to almost 200 degrees at same boost level without the intercooler.



-Nick-

[Coyotemutt]

I ended up going with water-injection. Running all the extra plumbing for my intake seemed like a hassle and also difficult to make durable for hard offroad use. Works great but it has it's own difficulties. It's like tuning a secondary fuel source.

[Coyotemutt]

So I got a funny one for ya. I'm using a tri-mil Baja merged header for my engine. It uses springs to hold the merge onto the primaries. Anyway, I blew the turbo off the other day. It was hilarious!

Anyway, no harm done. Put it back on and switched from springs to bolts on the slip joint. I took it for a test ride and that hiccup at 9psi was GONE and it zipped up to 15psi before I knew what was happening! Not good! I didn't hear a ping but the AFR was at 13 or so.

Back to the drawing board on the tune now...

[split1950]

So I got a funny one for ya. I'm using a tri-mil Baja merged header for my engine. It uses springs to hold the merge onto the primaries. Anyway, I blew the turbo off the other day. It was hilarious!

Anyway, no harm done. Put it back on and switched from springs to bolts on the slip joint. I took it for a test ride and that hiccup at 9psi was GONE and it zipped up to 15psi before I knew what was happening! Not good! I didn't hear a ping but the AFR was at 13 or so.

Back to the drawing board on the tune now...

Sounds like a win to me! Sorting a tune is easier than chasing that hiccup.

[buguy]

That's funny stuff! I can imagine your expression!
Anyway i would find a way to check that joint still. I bet your still getting leaks there. When you add boost air leaks from all over! Would be a shame to have to start your tune over again when you find other leaks. That's why you need to pressurize everything you can with air so you can find all the little leaks.

[Coyotemutt]

It must have been lifting off at higher load and then the springs just pulled it back down by the time I parked somewhere. Other drivers probably thought I had some weird trombone thing going on!

But yeah, I pressure tested the intake side. I guess I better try to do the exhaust side now.

[buguy]

The springs are a good boost control!

[66brm]

I was going to mention a blow off valve...

[Coyotemutt]

I was going to mention a blow off valve...

How cheap can I reasonably go on one of those?

The car is all tuned up now. Holds the correct AFR up to the 10lb goal, nice and streetable at low throttle too. It spools alot faster with the leaks closed up... hahahah!

All that's left is getting a smaller water injection jet (currently spraying 4 times as much water as I need and after a freeway run you can see the steam coming out of the breather) and installing some sort of blow off valve.

[buguy]

I have a $50 eBay BOV on mine and its been working fine for a year.

[Clonebug]

I use a SAAB BOV...I think I paid $8.00 on Ebay for it. 7 years without a problem.

[Coyotemutt]

I put in an order for an inexpensive BOV that should be easy to install on my intake.

Also, since I had no audible ping and the AFR was holding in the mid 11s, I decided to slowly turn up the boost until it started leaning out to see what the limit is. Now I can safely (from what I can tell) run around 13PSI, my gauge only has numbers up to 10psi though... I then started inching my advance up a degree at a time. I now hold 21-22 degrees advance from about 5psi on up to the max. The car sounds phenomenal honestly! Cylinder 2 finally seated the rings it seems, which I didn't expect. I still have a new set of pistons and cylinders and total seal 2nd rings on the shelf for later. I'm sure I'll need them eventually.

I still need to install a BOV and reduce my water injection nozzle. Almost where I want to be.

Otherwise, here's the setup:
1776cc
MOFOCO 050 Rasser heads (40x35)
69mm forged counterweighted crank
CB Unitech rods
90.5mm AA p/c
CB 2234 Camshaft
1.5" Tri-Mil offroad header chopped up to mount a turbo
2002 Subaru WRX Turbo (TD04L)
Pertronix SVDA distributor with the canister modified to provide 10 degrees of boost retard and 8 degrees vacuum advance. I have it set at 31 degrees max mechanical advance which makes it 21 degrees once the turbo spools.
Boost referenced stock fuel pump

Dual 40mm Kadrons:
30mm Vents
165 Mains
47 Idles
Air jets modified by soldering the two lowest pairs of holes shut, opening the upper 2 pairs to 1.3mm, and reducing the air jet to about 1mm

Currently have a 250mL/min water injection jet that kicks on at 6.5psi. It's excessive and causes misfires at lower loads. 1GPH nozzle coming in the mail soon...

Kadrons are kind of a PITA to tune with a turbo. Gotta say.

[Coyotemutt]

1gph nozzle is just a hair too little. I finally got to actually hear ping at the very top of third gear at 13psi and 5000 or so RPM. I'll just turn down the timing and the boost for now but I'll be saving pennies for a stronger pump. I think the 1gph nozzle would cover that last bit with a proper 150+ psi behind it.

[Clonebug]

1gph nozzle is just a hair too little. I finally got to actually hear ping at the very top of third gear at 13psi and 5000 or so RPM. I'll just turn down the timing and the boost for now but I'll be saving pennies for a stronger pump. I think the 1gph nozzle would cover that last bit with a proper 150+ psi behind it.

Most nozzles will flow less with higher pressure.......at least my Devil's Own nozzles do.
1.0 gph is only good for the hp/rpm it supports. I would say it will do it's job until about 10 lbs. boost. At 13.0 lbs. you need a bigger nozzle or two smaller nozzles.
I run two nozzles staged at 4 lbs and 9 lbs........it's that way for a good reason....well, a couple good reasons.

At 13.0 lbs boost and 90 degree ambient temps your air temp coming out of the turbo will be right at 200*F. That is way too hot for a 1.0 gph nozzle to help.
You also should be running a good prefilter before the water pump along with very clean alcohol, distilled water and confirming that the nozzle isn't clogged. It would help to run a plastic tank too to make sure you don't get rust in the system.
All fittings need to be stainless, brass or plastic to keep from corroding.
Methanol is quite corrosive while Denatured Alcohol isn't quite as bad.....Who knows what that colored boost juice has in it.

I prefer to mix it myself so I know what I have......one gallon will go over 1000 miles with normal driving..... 700 miles with more spirited driving.