eduble2

I was looking though Acurazine and was interested in purchasing a Turbo Kit and how much it would cost, but I've only seen one post with this guy from Mazda who was thinking of making one.

Does anyone have a clue on where to find a Turbo Kit for a 3rd gen TL??

Laxplaya11385

there's nothing for the TL yet, and if there is to be one made, it won't be for a while.
if you really want an affordable turbocharged car, buy a used silvia/civic/integra/mr2 and build it up. (that's what i'm currently doing haha)

ek9hatch

I saw a guy around my area with a completely custom twin-turbo setup. Of course, he said it had cost him some obscene amount of money to build the motor internals and turbo plumbing and cooling. The car sounded mean, but I'm not sure I would trust the trans. to stay together. Never seen a kit though...

ndabunka

Your statement is vague. Are you saying that someone in your area built a custom turbo FOR A TL? A number have claimed that they were going to try but NONE have shown ANY progress. There is one MAJOR obsticle to doing this with a TL and it's initials are ECM. Do a search, you will find more details than you care to know but the short answer is, no.

ek9hatch

Thanks for the lecture, but I saw what I saw. The entire world doesn't exist on a message board either, so the idea that it can't be done if you haven't heard of it is pretty silly. As to the ecm, it was probably a year ago now, but I believe he was running some kind of standalone engine management system. Didn't spend the afternoon with him, just talked for a couple minutes in a parking lot.

Also, I believe the question was 'does anyone have a clue where to find a turbo kit?' My answer was 'no, but I saw a guy who had a custom job.' Don't see how that was vague at all.

I hate cars

No one makes one that I know of. You can always address the ECM problem by adding a standalone like a FAST or any of the newer management systems. The biggest drawback is it would not pass smog and they're not cheap.

k24em2

We have one in development.

Old Fart

Who is "we"?

I am new to the board and don't know everybody.

ndabunka

Almost funny if it wasn't sooo consistent... "somebody MUST have done it" and then quote some company that tune civics... but it just doesn't work that way.

This is incorrect as well.

I have one. Just send me 1.3 million and it and the plans are all YOURS!

ndabunka

He is new too, 25 posts. Probably simply blowing smoke as this topic has been BURRIED more than herman munster

k24em2

Just because I don't find it necessary to post a huge amount doesn't mean I'm gone.

Old Fart

It is doable; it's just getting past the barriers to make it happen within the parameters.

Considering that turbo kitting is elective in nature, and that North America is a semi-regulated free market, I can only assume that the market potential for a 3Gen TL turbo kit could not currently support the cost of developing and marketing such a kit.

As far as passing a smog test, technically, all you have to do is pump enough ambient air between the exhaust headers and the cat to force a desired reading on the O2 sensor. However, I do not know if this is legal. Back in the '70s, when I used to run a street dragster, we used to put smaller pulleys on our "smog pumps" to achieve a similar result.

What is more interesting is that there is a supercharger kit which seem to pass smog tests. Is there something special about supercharging that other forms of forced induction cannot duplicate?

k24em2

The supercharger kits can be smog legal due to the fact that the factory installed catalytic converters remain in the OEM location. Moving the cats will cause a vehicle to fail a smog test.

Old Fart

I am still missing something.

O2 sensors are placed before and after the cats. They are an attempt to measure how lean or rich the fuel mixture is prior to combustion by an inferred measurement of hydrocarbons in the exhaust. They do this by measuring electrical resistance as the exhaust gasses pass over the O2 sensor. They are part of the feedback loop to the fuel management system.

Is the real problem the recalibration of the fuel management system?

ek9hatch

I had forgotten why I stopped visiting message boards like this, but thanks for reminding me. Apparently those of us who don't sit in front of a screen all day posting useless text to up our post counts don't actually know anything.

A stand-alone engine management system can be built for any car. It does work that way. By definition a stand-alone system elminates the factory control setup and runs the fuel/emissions/ignition systems on its own. This allows the tuner to start from scratch and determine his own fuel curves, ignition timing, etc. to match the application he is tuning. Expensive? Hell yeah, but possible. Also probably not street-legal (see below).

As to legality, I can think of two reasons off the top of my head why a custom setup might not pass inspection:
1. Most states (maybe all, but I'm not 100% on my transportation law) require that any part that alters the function of a car in any way be DOT approved. Approval is an expensive process, which is also why a kit like this would never sell enough to justify its cost to design/build/test/produce.
2. If we're just talking about passing the smog test in the testing center, yeah it's all about fuel system tuning. It's always been a balancing act to tune a forced induction car, but tightening emissions standards are making it harder and harder for someone without a computer engineering degree to do it right. If the mixture starts to lean out your NOX emissions jump. If you run it too rich, your hydrocarbons go up. The window is so small and the trial and error factor so great that it's quite difficult for someone without the budget of a small corporation to make it all work perfectly.

Clearly some people find ways around all this but I don't know anything about that

03TL_S

there is no turbo "kits" for the TL and never will be unless you are a custom fabricator who is from Japan

Pizza4Everyone

There is no room for installing intercooler. you need a custom made front bumper.

k24em2

Who said anything about an air to air intercooler?

KN_TL

iTrader: (3)

Have you been able to get to this project yet?

Eoanou

The biggest problem is that for any company wishing to create a kit is that they're is no aftermarket for this car, therefore any aftermarket products that'll be needed to run the turbo more efficiently, such as bigger injectors, an improved fuel rail, etc, will need to be included into the kit. That'll drive the price of the kit up a few dollars, making a kit run about $6,000 or so. Highly doubt you'll get more than 20 buyers.

k24em2

We've already established the kit price in the other thread.

KN_TL, we are currently in the CAD/Design phase. We should be prototyping some parts by the end of August.

JOES05tl

aahhh sh!t- k24 is the truest!!!

ndabunka

What other thread? The one about the electric fan as a turbo? That one was a joke (of course). The only other one you've posted on has ABSOLUTELY no information. Just another poser. So sad!

Laxplaya11385

dude, shut the fuck up already. I think everyone here knows your stance on a turbo kit for the TL. "look at me i'm ndabunka, i'm faithless about a turbo kit for the TL. There will never be one made, only posers talking about making one, blah blah blah, listen to me b/c i know everything."

if you don't care for a turbo kit or don't believe one will be made, then stay out of these threads.

i'm so tired of your shit.

i would love to see a turbo kit for a TL, even if I wouldn't have the money to buy it. It'd be cheaper for me to just turbo my 240. But, i'm all for aftermarket parts for our fellow members. Good luck with the build. I just hope one comes out, so ndabunk would shut his face...

KN_TL

iTrader: (3)

Cool! Thanks for the update!

ndabunka

Nice language there (for a 12 year old) now to address this in a more "adult" manner. My POINT is that there is no "other thread" with any type of designs nor pricing. The guy is simply "leading you guys on" and it seems that NOBODY really gets it.

As an FYI, I live in an area of the country where some of the most advanced turbo guys IN THE WORLD live (at the moment). I had a 240SX that ran right with my stock CLK55. I'm not OPPOSED to a turbo so get that out of your head right now. I am just VERY TRIED of IDIOTS who have ABSOLUTELY NO FREAKING idea of what it takes saying..."Hey, wouldn't it be cool if someone turbo'd a TL. I've got some pipe in my garage and I took a welding class in high school...blah, blah, blah....could someone tell me how to program an eManage system to work on a Turbo'd TL...you know the one I'm "gonna" make any day now?"

So, just think of my position as that of a heavy skeptic. I'm not from MO but if someone wants to "claim" that they have the answer, all they have to do to "shut me up" is to SHOW ME!!!!

Until then Lax-i-dazical - I have just as much right to be here as do you so go blow it out your exhaust (Son).

trancemission

Both of you just need to chill out.

If they are truly going to design one then great.

But until then lets try to act civil. Im warning you both of at this point.


Remember, one warning then vacation..

06WDP-TL

It is easy to make a turbo "kit". Just good luck trying to make a standalone engine management system. Believe me, if u find a way to implement it and still have A/C and multiplexor system fully functional with the ability to bypass and trick the OBD2 inspection system, give me a holler.

Ndabunker has made all the RIGHT points. +rep

Who really turbos their car, looks for good power, and expects to be street legal????

norcal21jg@yahoo.com

I wish there was one

Laxplaya11385

ok, see, THIS is an argument that I could accept. At least, this is more concrete. All your other posts have been, "omg, here's another turbo thread. Lock it now." So thank you for clearing that up.

Questions stimulate thought, and thoughts stimulate action, and for the most part, actions end in results.

I am w/ you on the fact that some people here think that all you have to do is slap some pipes together, throw in a turbo and you're good to go. And again, I agree that it's just not that simple.

Most people don't know that the stock manifold is welded to the engine itself. Also, w/ F/I, you'd need a stronger manifold, then you'd need pipes that'll fit in the engine bay, along w/ an intercoolor. Also, our bumper doesn't allow space for an intercooler (from what I can see anyways). and then other parts, depending on how much power you want (stronger clutches, wastegate, BOV, injectors, etc. etc.)

The reason i flipped a shit was b/c I love to see questions turn into ideas, turn into results. And, your responses were always filled w/ skepticism and pessimism. (at least that's how it looked from my POV).

Anyways, if there's any beef, it's squashed.

Now to stray off topic....
Btw, where are you located? So Cal? The 240 scene out there is huge. I just recently bought one, for what I thought was a bargain, but after completely stripping it down, i found soo much damage to the frame. It's now turned a money pit, and i'm highly considering parting out the good ol' Acura to pay for it. Were you running a KA-T, SR-T, or RB-T?

06WDP-TL

i havent been around these forums much recently, but from i've read so far, the ppl who said they were constructing turbo kits for the TL bailed right? (ie. teamxrsx or soemthing like that) and several other folks as well?

A consumer would also have to look into why they decided to bail out. In this situation, i think they hit a dead end with it somewhere. Lack of tuning options, complicated fitment requirements, etc etc.

Hence, the result of lack of optimism for a turbo kit on the forums. You can only disappoint ppl so much to the point where they want to see the item when the announcement is made instead of just tossing ideas around.

ndabunka

LAX - No problem and I think were OK now. I'm from Denver, NC but now live in Charlotte, NC. Do a search on turbo's and you will find a lot of guys around here associated with a LOT of racing. My parents were fairly active in NASCAR in the 7-'s, 80's and early 90s. My father owned a few business parks and even leased out buildings to a number of race-oriented businesses (some are dirt track, others are formula one-related (build engines), others build/re-build historically correct cars, my father's brother was VERY heavy in F1 in the 80's and 90's). In "most" cases, these aren't the local "import tuner" but rather are related or associated with either the motor mfg's or custom-tuning related directly to competitive racing. I've talked to a number of these contacts and in each case, I've been told that the pipes can be done, no problem. The issue (as I try to point out "somewhere" in each thread I've posted into is that the fuel management systems simply aren't there for this car). However, the relatively recent hondata reflash news looks to be changing that as well so maybe the turbo isn't so far off. My racing is VERY limited to a little road track time in the distant past and then drove a "prototype NASCAR" around 185MPH on the Charlotte Motor Speedway. I had a 280 I tuned back in college (early 80s) and then the CLK55 was really simply a street car I played with.

I've

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

As a newbie I would like to re-open this can-of-worms and ask Who would want a turbo TL...

IMO - K24 swap into a 1998 2 Door Integra.... course bore it out and stroke to a k26 throw a nice sized turbo and build the motor right...

guaranteed well over 400whp...

There will never be a market for making a TL into a street-legal mean machine... that's for the civic and integra crowd...

I am 21, I bought a TL to be driving around like a 40 year old...

chill_dog

Read any of the numerous old turbo threads...lots of people want a turbo...as you said, 400+ hp guaranteed...lots of people would like that.