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What's the path to big turbo?

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Hot Springs
#1
I've been reading/researching quite a bit lately as I'm wanting to go the path of big turbo. The one thing I'm unsure of is where to start! I know you need supporting mods, intake/dp/exhaust/intercooler/etc., but what is the most efficient way to go about it? Would I go Stage 3 then transition over? What would you guys suggest I do? I want to go through DHM for this, as many do, so should I start with their intercooler and crash bar? Intake and small stuff first? I just want to buy parts smartly and efficiently so I don't over-buy, under-buy or buy more than once. Any help would be appreciated!
 


OffTheWall503

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#2
Nowadays with stock replacement turbo upgrades you can get a Cyborg39 or Pumaspeed X-47 with a front mount intercooler and be within 90 to 95% of the power people are making (if you're wanting 275 to 300hp).

After that you can do intake, full exhaust, charge pipes, auxillary fuel...but technically stock intake and exhaust are fine if you're willing to give up some power, most turbo upgrades are compatible with stock components.

Of course you would also need an Accessport for tuning. So in short, the path can be as short or as long as you like, depending on the power level you're aiming for.
 


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Indianapolis
#3
If you're going to do it, do it right. First purchase would be an Accessport, second purchase would be the DHM race cooler with crash bar, third purchase either hybrid turbo, a DHM turbo kit. Then start looking at tires because you're going to need them.
 


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453
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156
Location
West Bloomfield
#5
Yep OffTheWall, Fiestarawpower, and Hijinx hit the nail on the head. Only thing I would add is just be aware the crash bar has had absolutely real no-crash testing done on it at all. There's many solid stock location IC options like DHM's or Depo that would support 300whp power numbers. Just a thing to be aware of. Removing vital safety systems for performance on a street car doesn't make sense to me, especially if you cart your friends and family around. Just doesn't seem worth the risk imo.
 


frankiefiesta

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forked river
#6
DHM race cooler and crash beam. High flow intake filter. Rear motor mount. Cobb accessport. Stratified aux fuel. Catback of your choice. DHM 360r kit.

Don't listen to the hybrid guys. On e30 a hybrid will get you in the 275whp range. On e30 the 360r kit will get you close to 380whp.
 


Sourskittle

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#7
Yep OffTheWall, Fiestarawpower, and Hijinx hit the nail on the head. Only thing I would add is just be aware the crash bar has had absolutely real no-crash testing done on it at all. There's many solid stock location IC options like DHM's or Depo that would support 300whp power numbers. Just a thing to be aware of. Removing vital safety systems for performance on a street car doesn't make sense to me, especially if you cart your friends and family around. Just doesn't seem worth the risk imo.
By that logic, the stock intercooler will support over 300whp. You just have to use race gas and a 450whp turbo... There pretty much isn't a good stock fit replacement. Not even the DHM stock replacement is a good one for anything but a stock turbo IMO. True, they are better than stock. And it's not there fault that there is only so much room up there...

Access port
DHM race intercooler
Choose your turbo by the power you'd like to have and the budget your account can handle.
Downpipe
Meth injection ? Lol.
Air intake
Charge pipes
Tires tires tires BRAKES.

If you buy any intercooler that is not the race cooler, and you want more than 300whp, be ready to spend that money twice and do the install twice.

I suppose the crash testing stuff is some what relevant. But having a HUGE aluminum "crumble zone" and a very well built tubular crash bar is likely better than the stamped pos ford put in there. But there is no 100% way to test that within reason. I personally don't feel any less-safe, and at the end of the day, it's a 2700lbs car in a 7,700lbs pick up truck world. No stamped front beam is going to change that out come...
 


OffTheWall503

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#8
DHM race cooler and crash beam. High flow intake filter. Rear motor mount. Cobb accessport. Stratified aux fuel. Catback of your choice. DHM 360r kit.

Don't listen to the hybrid guys. On e30 a hybrid will get you in the 275whp range. On e30 the 360r kit will get you close to 380whp.
There's no reason the hybrids aren't a valid option if you don't have high power goals in mind.
 


Hijinx

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#9
Most people have high power goals in mind. They just don't know it until they've spent the money, realize they want more, and have to do it again. HOWEVER, there are outliers. Yes, I believe that the guys who can actually stop are the outliers. I have more to say on that subject, but it's not the point.

I made tons of changes until DHM landed on the scene. I saw the capabilities and ability to grow.

You know what else I see? Nearly everyone upgrading their hybrids over and over. Jumping between tuners, settling on not so great intercoolers... Save your money, save yourself the trouble, and do it once.


Some Guy On The Internet
 


LilPartyBox

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NYC
#11
Everyone here is passing on very solid advice. The one thing you MUST do before listening to any of it is to define YOUR goals and be honest with yourself! I myself know i don't care to go over 300hp. I'm an "outlier". I arrived at this conclusion only after i got off of the Cobb OTS tune and onto a Stratified OTS tune.

While i want more power, I don't want all that much. I enjoy where my car is now and at times admit to myself that it can be a bit of a challenge to keep pointing straight. And if i'm going to be honest with myself, driving a street car pushing BT hp numbers would be of little joy to me. I imagine the car would be even more of a challenge. I like to drive hard and when hard equals 370hp of tire smoking and steering wheel wrestling, i don't want it. I want to mash the gas, get around 250 whp and manage it without feeling too out of control. Even at hybrid hp numbers, this lil FWD of ours will be a challenge from a dig.

I know 370hp can be modulated, but i don't wanna modulate. When the mood strikes, i wanna mash & GO! lol And FWD cars with TONS of power are not a mash and go kinda drive. My brother knows a guy who had a 1,200hp C6 Corvette. He actually spun the tires of his wheels doing a burnout on the highway, at speed! He sold the car a few months later cuz he finally admitted to himself that there is such a thing as too much power for the street. lol

I suggest you get a Cobb AP from Stratified (includes a GREAT tune) and see how you like it first. No risk as you'll need the AP to go BT anyway and you'll get a quick taste for what more power feels like. So, again, just be absolutely certain of the driving experience you are trying to achieve and don't get caught up in the HP wars just for the sake of putting down big numbers. But if you like tire smoking and wheel wrestling, then by all means start a build thread go for it! I'm an avid voyeur of BT builds ;)
 


Messages
14
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2
Location
BROOKLYN
#13
Everyone here is passing on very solid advice. The one thing you MUST do before listening to any of it is to define YOUR goals and be honest with yourself! I myself know i don't care to go over 300hp. I'm an "outlier". I arrived at this conclusion only after i got off of the Cobb OTS tune and onto a Stratified OTS tune.

While i want more power, I don't want all that much. I enjoy where my car is now and at times admit to myself that it can be a bit of a challenge to keep pointing straight. And if i'm going to be honest with myself, driving a street car pushing BT hp numbers would be of little joy to me. I imagine the car would be even more of a challenge. I like to drive hard and when hard equals 370hp of tire smoking and steering wheel wrestling, i don't want it. I want to mash the gas, get around 250 whp and manage it without feeling too out of control. Even at hybrid hp numbers, this lil FWD of ours will be a challenge from a dig.

I know 370hp can be modulated, but i don't wanna modulate. When the mood strikes, i wanna mash & GO! lol And FWD cars with TONS of power are not a mash and go kinda drive. My brother knows a guy who had a 1,200hp C6 Corvette. He actually spun the tires of his wheels doing a burnout on the highway, at speed! He sold the car a few months later cuz he finally admitted to himself that there is such a thing as too much power for the street. lol

I suggest you get a Cobb AP from Stratified (includes a GREAT tune) and see how you like it first. No risk as you'll need the AP to go BT anyway and you'll get a quick taste for what more power feels like. So, again, just be absolutely certain of the driving experience you are trying to achieve and don't get caught up in the HP wars just for the sake of putting down big numbers. But if you like tire smoking and wheel wrestling, then by all means start a build thread go for it! I'm an avid voyeur of BT builds ;)
You're not alone. The FiST is supposed to be a fun DD, so I know I can't go nuts or else I'm where I ended up with my Mustang (a car that handles amazingly on an AX course, but feels like hell on the street). I got a stratified tune, love it, and plan to stay "Stage 2" until my Mustang project is done. Then, a hybrid turbo and a DP+catback next year and call it a day. I don't need or want 300whp in my FWD daily driver. I don't want a project car that is no longer fun to daily drive on the street because I'm constantly afraid it'll break somehow. I don't race in it, after all, so who am I impressing?
 


Sourskittle

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Lakeland
#14
I'm down grading from a 363whp big turbo to a 280-310whp hybrid. This car doesn't need infinite power to be fun and useful.

That being said, the new GEN2 turbo's with that DHM360 is pretty the real deal. But cost can be and will be a factor too. And let's not kid ourselves to think that a car that makes 310whp any day, everyday, on the most basic fuel is going to the same component life of a car that makes 250whp. Tires excluded lol.

Personally. I'm not looking for road course track days, or Saturday night drag race king, or 50mph roll race heart breaker. I'm looking for trouble free, simple fitting and tuning, max power band potential that doesn't include 7400rpm, and something that I can just have a ton of fun with on back roads with a few friends while pushing the car 80% and letting it catch its breath after every 2 minutes of 80%. And the DHM360 would be perfect for that as well. But for the cost and the power level I want/require, a hybrid fits the requirements better.

For drag strip, 1/2 mile, Miami style roll racing to 160mph, yea... your gonna want a DHM kit. Maybe even the DHM450 ( which is prob going to be nuts when someone tunes one on a GEN2 turbo ).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


Messages
176
Likes
33
Location
Stafford, CT, USA
#15
Path? Hold credit card in one hand, dial 248-941-4992 with the other. Have the parts forwarded to the country that you plan to seek refuge in once the wife gets the bill.

Easy peasy
Sounds like a great idea to me. I just can't justify putting that much on a card. Especially when I am looking for a house.
 


Messages
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60
Location
Cherokee
#16
Houses are cheaper in third world countries

Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk
 


Messages
85
Likes
21
Location
Toledo
#17
Looking at the specs of the factory camshafts and the rotating assembly, ANY turbo larger than the super tiny stock turbo can take a BIG advantage with a larger camshaft. Too bad there's none stateside yet that can do that, not to mention the HPFP doesn't have a high ceiling. The factory cams are PUNY and this engine can easily support the hard cutoff of 7400rpm.
 


OP
M
Messages
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1
Location
Hot Springs
Thread Starter #18
Looking at the specs of the factory camshafts and the rotating assembly, ANY turbo larger than the super tiny stock turbo can take a BIG advantage with a larger camshaft. Too bad there's none stateside yet that can do that, not to mention the HPFP doesn't have a high ceiling. The factory cams are PUNY and this engine can easily support the hard cutoff of 7400rpm.
What about the Mountune camshafts? They are available for us here.
 


antarctica24

Active member
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Location
O'Fallon, MO, USA
#19
I've been reading/researching quite a bit lately as I'm wanting to go the path of big turbo. The one thing I'm unsure of is where to start! I know you need supporting mods, intake/dp/exhaust/intercooler/etc., but what is the most efficient way to go about it? Would I go Stage 3 then transition over? What would you guys suggest I do? I want to go through DHM for this, as many do, so should I start with their intercooler and crash bar? Intake and small stuff first? I just want to buy parts smartly and efficiently so I don't over-buy, under-buy or buy more than once. Any help would be appreciated!
Anything you purchase that would support a stage 3 setup will support any bigger turbo that will go on this car except for a few of the much larger turbos. What you will find here are an unbelievable amount of opinions on what you should do. Hijinx, if I am not mistaken has taken his the farthest in regards to just all out power, and if you want all out power DeadHook is the way to go. However, after putting 175,000 miles on mine, and here's the kicker, I'm still on the factory clutch. I have done every mod except the larger turbo, (see build page) and I think you might owe it to yourself to experiment with the factory turbo before spending $5K on a larger setup. To do a bigger turbo you need a larger intercooler, and may or may not need a larger downpipe. To do stage 3 cobb says you need the downpipe upgrade. What you more than likely don't need is a larger exhaust. The factory exhaust will support 300hp. Another very important thing you need to do is dyno every step of the way including before you do any mods, or the people on this forum will call you out.

I chose to go stage 3 with the factory turbo, and that's not to say that I wont do a bigger one later, but 230HP and close to 290FT Tq, is a lot of fun. A LOT OF FUN. Having owned much faster cars, I know the difference. The stage 3 is a awesome good time. I think I'm waiting on something to break and then have my sights set on a DeadHook Engine with turbo upgrade which is about $11K. There are many others on the forum that have done the stage 3 using the factory turbo and its a lot of fun.

Just thought I would offer another opinion.
 




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