Converting non turbo to turbo?

[toms_supra]

Hello everyone, i own a 1988 NA Supra that i recently just blew the motor in it and im totally devasted. So my question is how hard is to convert from a non turbo to a turbo because i would love to have a turbo. I also own another 88 supra which is turbo and thinking about taking the necessary parts required to do the swap. The thing is that my turbo supra isnt as nice and clean looking as my NA so im wondering on how hard is it to switch it over and how long it will take. Also the stuff i need to do it. I will have my uncle to help me since hes a mechanic.
Any help or sites on where i can get more info would be greatly appreciated, thanks for reading. :icon_bigg

 

[shaeff]

if you have a donor car that runs well, it's easy as pie. here ya go!

http://www.speedtoys.com/~stryder/

basically, you'll want to pull the engine harness through the firewall, then lay it on top of the motor. disconnect everything, pull the motor/tranny as a whole, (on both cars) drop the new stuff in. (hopefully they have the same transmissions? - if not, tell us!) and slap the new stuff in, bolt it down and go!

there's a few things here and there, like if one car is an automatic, and the other is a manual, that might hang you up for a little bit, but if you have a donor car, then you have everything you need already.

-shaeff

 

[toms_supra]

hey Shaeff thanks a lot for the reply man, appreciate it. Yeah the car i wanna put the turbo engine and stuff into is a 5 speed and the car im taking the turbo engine out of(donor car) is an automatic, any big issues gonna happen while the conversion? thanks again.

 

[shaeff]

are you keeping the 5 speed or are you converting to auto? if i were you, i'd keep the 5 speed.

for use with the automatic tranny- you'll need the gear selector, remove the clutch pedal, install all pieces essential to the auto tranny working. not worth it in my opinion. i like manuals.

for use with the manual tranny- you CAN use the automatic wiring harness with the manual transmission. just disregard the plugs for the ECT ECU (tranny computer). let them hang under the dash, as they arent needed with the 5 speed.

basically, pull the turbo motor, and the n/a motor. switch the tranny's, keep the wiring harness on the turbo motor. pull the ECU's out. put the turbo ECU in the car you're putting the motor in, drop the motor/tranny in as a whole. (much easier this way) bolt it all up, connect all grounds etc. (it wouldnt hurt to put a new clutch in.

****even though you have a turbo motor, you'll be using the stock N/A tranny, so you'll need a clutch for a NON TURBO supra. ****

i would get an upgraded clutch, as the stock clutch wont hold elevated boost levels for too long. i have a clutchmasters stage III. it feels stock, but holds a bit more power.

also, you'll need the front driveshaft section that came off your car, not the one from the auto. (basically, keep it like this: use the auto front half drive shaft if you're going auto, use the 5speed front driveshaft if you're staying 5 speed. they're different lengths)

feel free to post back with any questions.

-shaeff

 

[MDCmotorsports]

You "neewbs" crack me up.

You sign on with a name of "Toms supra".... and ask questions that if you just took a second to use the search button, you would find its been asked/done/explained A BAZILLION times before.

Any who, you can just slap on a turbo, a manifold, and a FPR to actually be boosting.

Will it last?

No.

Swap out the harness with a turbo harness, turbo engine, R154 trans, and a turbo/manual ECU and you're good to go.

Enjoy, and happy boosting.

 

[toms_supra]

Yo Shaeff thanks again for your time man. If i have further questions i will ask.

But hey MDC, you dont have to be all negative and sour about it, Yes im totally a newb to this turbo boosting stuff and i love it a lot. I have seen lots of people around who are exactly like you MDC. What does that mean?, your once a newbie too man, take a second or a minute to think about what you say in life because it dosent hurt. thank you for tips but hey Shaeff answered most of it already so your tips are pretty much useless and i know who to ask when i need help. But hey is that your black supra? im not diggin the big shopping cart handle/ wing on it man. It only looks good on the bold 93 and up supras, sorry i had to say but i gotta give you back some of you medicine that i didnt need.

 

[suprabad]

I like the "shopping cart handle".

 

[Squid699]

I converted my 89 NA to turbo......using a 91 engine. You're luckin in that both cars are of the same year so that everything will be a direct swap. I agree with Shaeff in that I would used the R154 over the Auto trans..........if you do that you'll need the driveshaft from the turbo as well.

One more idea that I would personally do is swap the differentials. The NA has a 4.30 and the turbo has a 3.91. The 4.30 will be a little too much gear for the turbo, in my mind. The 3.91 works very well. Feel free to ask me any questions as well.......the conversion isn't as hard as you would think.

 

[Supra Blues]

I converted my 89 NA to turbo......using a 91 engine. You're luckin in that both cars are of the same year so that everything will be a direct swap. I agree with Shaeff in that I would used the R154 over the Auto trans..........if you do that you'll need the driveshaft from the turbo as well.

One more idea that I would personally do is swap the differentials. The NA has a 4.30 and the turbo has a 3.91. The 4.30 will be a little too much gear for the turbo, in my mind. The 3.91 works very well. Feel free to ask me any questions as well.......the conversion isn't as hard as you would think.

Don't mind MDC.

Use the manual trans.

Squidd, the gearing thing...I am starting to agree with you after I did my swap. The 4.30 doesn't seem to "fit".

Tom's, I just finished the swap, feel free to ask questions. Although, I am now working out the bugs.

 

[Squid699]

frankly i didnt think it fit the NA - too many RPMS at cruise, but it was needed to help with accelleration. I think the 3.73 was too low and the 4.3 was too high. Of the 3 standard USDM gears I think the 3.91 is the best, but I'd like to get my hands on a 4.10 torsen

 

[shaeff]

** the car he's putting the turbo motor in is an N/A 5 speed. he'll be keeping the w58 tranny, which means that his ratios wont be screwed up!**

-shaeff

 

[Squid699]

actually it will.....the gear ratios in the transmission itself are still pretty much the same. The r154 is just more robust and can handle more power. My comment was more about the power and accelleration of the 7mgte vs the 7mge not the trans - as I said.....the trans ratios are about the same.