A few questions came up during research

[Checkered-Member]

Background:

I’m building a turbo kit from nothing, I’ll be running 9psi with a T3/T4 on a stock KA24DE. I have a place that will do a custom manifold, intercooler piping, and down pipe. 1. What is the difference between a $100 wastegate (no brand: eBay) and a $300+ wastegate (HKS, ect), I mean they perform the same function, so what am I missing here?

2. On the same topic wastegate come with a spring I see on eBay listings like 8 psi spring how do I get a 9 psi spring, do I need to go threw the seller, manufacture, after market?

3. When doing intercooler piping what material to use? Steal, Aluminized Steal, Stainless steal, Aluminum, others?

4. Right now I have a 2.25 crush and bent exhaust with a street magnaflow muffler, will this seriously hinder performance? I know I “should” get a 2.5 mandrel bend. But will my current setup kill my whp?

5. Intercoolers are they all pretty much the same? Or are there specific things I need to look for/stay away from?

6. Do I need a new fuel pump on 9 psi (I know it’s recommended, but do I need it)?

[aleph1]

1) Quality, just stick with TiAL. Period.

2) TiAL makes a number of springs dunno if they have one at exactly 9psi, but I suggest getting a lower one than you think and using a boost controller for any more psi, so if something goes wrong with the turbo or what not you can always limp home at like 4psi.

3)Aluminum or powdercoated mild steel seems the most popular, personally Id go with aluminum because of the lighter weight.

4) I would suggest moving to a 2.75"+ piping exhaust. Stock is like 2" I think and that chokes the turbo bad, .25" helps, but not much.

5)Stay away from Bar and Plate IC for street use, they have higher cooling efficiency but lower the amount of air let into the radiator. Try to get side tanks that have the openings either in the middle of the core or like slighty above the bottom. Although its not a big deal, if the openings are level with the bottom of the core, not much air will be dispersed to the upper area of the IC and all the air will be crammed in the few rows of the bottom...get me?

6) Yes. Its like 100 bucks (Walbro 255lph), why even risk blowing your engine over saving 100 bucks? But most likely you will, you could prolly get by with stock fuel pump at like 6psi...but not 9. Not to mention if its the stock fuel pump its prolly getting old and most likely doesnt perform as good as new rated.

[rco8786]

Background:

I’m building a turbo kit from nothing, I’ll be running 9psi with a T3/T4 on a stock KA24DE. I have a place that will do a custom manifold, intercooler piping, and down pipe. 1. What is the difference between a $100 wastegate (no brand: eBay) and a $300+ wastegate (HKS, ect), I mean they perform the same function, so what am I missing here?

2. On the same topic wastegate come with a spring I see on eBay listings like 8 psi spring how do I get a 9 psi spring, do I need to go threw the seller, manufacture, after market?

3. When doing intercooler piping what material to use? Steal, Aluminized Steal, Stainless steal, Aluminum, others?

4. Right now I have a 2.25 crush and bent exhaust with a street magnaflow muffler, will this seriously hinder performance? I know I “should” get a 2.5 mandrel bend. But will my current setup kill my whp?

5. Intercoolers are they all pretty much the same? Or are there specific things I need to look for/stay away from?

6. Do I need a new fuel pump on 9 psi (I know it’s recommended, but do I need it)?

1) A better quality wastegate will improve response, be more accurate, and flow more air. I say improve response b/c the wastegate actually has to start opening a bit b4 the boost level is reached. A quality(TIAL) wg will open later than a cheap one and still serve it's function.

2) TIAL will get you a 9lb spring if you want it...or u could buy a boost controller

3) Alum or mild steel(like aleph said)

4) I would reccomend at least 2.5" mandrel bent. a 2.25" crush bent will probably restrict your exhaust and cause your turbo to lag more than it should.

5) Exact quote from aleph...water cooled intercoolers are always an option but they are mucho $$ and mucho custom stuff.

6) Yes, I wouldn't trust the stock pump in prime condition over 4psi. a walbro is 90-100 bucks..why risk blowing a 1500-2000 dollar investment?

[DbD]

5)Stay away from Bar and Plate IC for street use, they have higher cooling efficiency but lower the amount of air let into the radiator. Try to get side tanks that have the openings either in the middle of the core or like slighty above the bottom. Although its not a big deal, if the openings are level with the bottom of the core, not much air will be dispersed to the upper area of the IC and all the air will be crammed in the few rows of the bottom...get me?

Do you have any pictures of different kinds of intercoolers so I can better understand what you are talking about?

[C-Kwik]

For a street car, you won't see much of a difference between a bar and plate and a tube and fin I/C. You're off the throttle too much on the street to have to be concerned about this. On a road race course where you are on the gas for long periods of time with little time off boost, you have to start thinking about heat soak of the intercooler and blockage to the radiator.

[aleph1]

Good=



Not as good, but still works fine=

[aleph1]

For a street car, you won't see much of a difference between a bar and plate and a tube and fin I/C. You're off the throttle too much on the street to have to be concerned about this. On a road race course where you are on the gas for long periods of time with little time off boost, you have to start thinking about heat soak of the intercooler and blockage to the radiator.

Well, personally, Id feel more comfortable with a tube/fin IC, even for just street. As a side note, I hear the Apexi FMICs tend to flow the most to the radiator with a slight sacrifice to cooling efficiency.

[andrave]

apexi has a special design for that.Anyway it would depend on the intercooler, some tube and fins would block air more than some bar and plates. It depends on how thick the sections are that the charge is running through compared to the thickness that the ambient air is running through.

[WDRacing]

Actually, a 3'' exhaust is what you want, if your gonna upgrade you might as well go big.

WD

[hannibal]

Just to clarify, the HKS and XS intercoolers are tube/fin and Greddy I/C is bar/plate??

[tapdeznutz]

quick question:

Actually, a 3'' exhaust is what you want, if your gonna upgrade you might as well go big.

WD

with that big of an exhaust it will be loud as #### right?

[WDRacing]

Depending on the muffler, could be quiet, could be loud as all hell.

WD

[Checkered-Member]

Question: instead of a boost controller cant I just get a very high quality wastegate, that will be set to my max psi, so it will act like a boost controller.

[aleph1]

Question: instead of a boost controller cant I just get a very high quality wastegate, that will be set to my max psi, so it will act like a boost controller.

Eh i dont know what you are asking. It is basically a boost controller, but to control it youd have to switch springs out. The psi the wg is set at is the LOWEST psi you can have ever, even with a boost controller.

[aleph1]

Just to clarify, the HKS and XS intercoolers are tube/fin and Greddy I/C is bar/plate??

OH no no, I thought you wanted pics of the opening placements =) None of those are bar/plate. the Hybrid ICs in the groupbuys on 240sx.org are bar and plate. Lots of ebay IC are bar and plate, I also believe Spearco is bar/plate, although Im not sure if they also make tube/fin...

[C-Kwik]

Question: instead of a boost controller cant I just get a very high quality wastegate, that will be set to my max psi, so it will act like a boost controller.

Actually the wastegate is the boost controller. A boost controller in the popular use of the word more or less refers to a wastegate controller. Indirectly, it controls boost though.

[C-Kwik]

apexi has a special design for that.Anyway it would depend on the intercooler, some tube and fins would block air more than some bar and plates. It depends on how thick the sections are that the charge is running through compared to the thickness that the ambient air is running through.

The density of the fins through the ambient part of the core also make a difference. Essentially though, regardless of type, the higher the I/C efficiency, the more heat passes to the radiator.

[hannibal]

aleph, now i see you were talking about the endtanks. the cores did look kinda the same to me.

[andrave]

c kwik: phrased akwardly, but yes, thats what I was trying to say.