Turbo Upgrade

[Rye_conquest18]

I'm thinking about upgrading the turbo in my Conquest to an HKS 2835 GT.  When doing this, what should I do to make sure my engine can handle the extra boost?  Where can I get a good intercooler, what would be the best company to choose from?  Should I put the time into an electronic boost controller?  BY the way, the turbo is guessed to boost the car to about 350hp.  Also, should I have a 2.5" or 3" exhaust for this application?

 

Ryan

[Sonny_Jim]

Man, don't waste your money with HKS stuff. Go to www.turbochargers.com and get a t3/t4 or t4 turbo for $450 and get a SFP header for it. You will have to end up buying a fuel mangement system with either turbo, for higher boost levels. As far as the intercooler goes; Spearco have good ones...OR you can custom a fuso intercooler.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Jay

[franco101]

Will a t/3 or t/4 match up to our quests, or do you have to modify anything?

[eeaston]

Neither one bolts to the stock manifold.  SFP makes a tubular manifold that'll fit 'em.  Downpipe will have to be modified.  I have seen a stock manifold with a plate that adapted it for a t3 turbine housing.

[TopDawg_43]

I'm thinking about upgrading the turbo in my Conquest to an HKS 2835 GT.  When doing this, what should I do to make sure my engine can handle the extra boost?  Where can I get a good intercooler, what would be the best company to choose from?  Should I put the time into an electronic boost controller?  BY the way, the turbo is guessed to boost the car to about 350hp.  Also, should I have a 2.5" or 3" exhaust for this application?

 

Ryan

 

You are going to have to beef up your engine to hold that kind of hp.  Atleast change the pistons to hyper-u or forged.

 

Or is the engine already built?

[quest88_TSI]

The answer is this...depends on how much money you have to spend.  Let me tell you 1st hand, it cost money to make a nice power quest.  I am at the end process of a quest rebuild, having it professionally done and not myself.  I am an IT geek, not a wrench head.

 

I researched a lot in asking the very same questions, getting references and so on.  Not only this board, but people themselves.  I live in San Jose, CA, found a local quest club and began to do the Q&A to members as well.  Here is what I experienced:

 

You need a complete engine redo to get 350 HP without a meltdown.  New pistions, rights, top end, everything.  If you can afford it, go forge.  When you are redoing all that, plan on new radiator, clutch, fuel pump, new hoses, wires, etc.  Basically everything you can see on the top side.  Then you need to get a down pipe, Blow off Valve (BOV), air filter and open up the air can.  List goes on.  A good mechanic who has good references will be able to help you on the laudry list.

 

If you want top notch work, plan on spending 5-7K on the engine rebuild.  For the Turbo I went with a rebuilt 18G with high/low switch setting.  For daily driving set at 10 PSI, high end is in the 20's.  This pulls nearly 350 HP to the rear wheels.

 

By the way, I had to replace my suspension as well, another 2K.  

 

Paint job is next, boding and int is in great shape, so I will not have to spend a lot of money there.  

 

If you wanna do Q&A further, drop me a mail, I can share with you my experience and give out other references.  Porsche928_gts@yahoo.com

[mcrisfield]

    That is very disappointing.  I would like to pickup a 88-89 Starion/Conquest sometime in the next year or so as a backup to my 91 3000GT SL and a project car.  I want something capable of 13s and possibly 12s with the right components.  I don't know what that translates to in horsepower or parts upgrades though.

 

What do you think is the right upgrade path and what times to expect (low 15s would be nice to start)?

 

What upgrades do you think it will take to run 13s?

 

Do you think that the Starion is a good platform - I always thought the bottom end was bulletproof, the tranny was nearly bulletproof, and you just needed to upgrade the heads?

 

What do you think of Top-End Performance and their claims?

 

Why didn't you choose their "Stage 3 Engine Rebuild" for $3900?

 

You mention you run 20PSI boost.  How much boost can a Starion run on pump gas without detonation?

 

Have you thought of propane injection to run higher boost - some 3000GTs have done this succesfully.  Check out this link:

 

http://www.importpoweronline.com/propane.html

 

 

Thanks,

 

Michael

[Silver_Bullet]

Low's 15's are easy in a Starion.  

 

STAY AWAY from anything TEP advertises as an engine.  

 

Find a reputable local machine shop and go from there.  You could also ship it to a shop in Richmond, VA that does excellent work on the 2.6L - Ballos Machine, 804-264-5992.  

 

They have been building race engines for years, including the infamous 2.6L.  They charged about $2200 for it.

 

I have one in my 87 Starion!   ;D

[Ratmtattat]

First, do the free mods..you can find them at  

www.t-racing.com   Go there and go click on the link that says "Starquest free mods page."   Those mods alone will get you into the mid 14s.   After that, go with a larger exhaust system, a bov, and hardpipes.  Those should put you into the low 14s.  If you want quicker times, then get a better fuel pump, a k&n fuel filter, an a/f guage, and a better boost guage (one that's actually accurate), and then have fun boosting.  Be careful though, once you go past 15psi on the stock turbo (use that as a reference point), the engine will be under a ton of stress and leaning out at those high levels of boost will spell doom for your engine.  

 

Have fun and all the aforementioned stuff should get you into the 13s.