Turbocharging a k8 - need some advice

[iRobsta]

Hey guys. I've been doing some reading and I understand that a majority of you do not support ebay turbo's and I understand why -cheap and unreliable.

But here's my reason why I would; very cheap compared to a brand names, not for racing or for show car just for a little fun.
A buddy of mine from my old work owns a 99 civic si with a bolt on turbo. This turbo wasn't installed with a full turbo kit and that car only had exhaust work on it other than the turbo. When he popped his hood personally I couldn't find his turbo ANYWHERE, it seemed to be totally hidden. He said the brand was "sky .." something but I assume it was a ebay turbo because he payed very little for it and it make his car fly. Over time (1 - 2 months later) he blew his engine considering it couldn't handle the amount of boost on the engine (the km's were 290k +). He had since swapped the engine for a Acura type R engine. He gave me an idea that if he drove around the way he when he was giving me a spin (showing off how fast his car was) that in two days he'd have to refills his tank from full easy. Not sure if that helps at all.

I'm wondering if I could install a similar "bolt on turbo" on my k8 (94 gs 170k km's) that won't make it fly but it'll give it a little bit more boost. I'm not asking to hit low 7's and high 6's but maybe high 7's ish (for 0 - 60) and at a point where it won't just destroy my engine like my buddy's civic.

Am I asking for something that is impossible? I'm not very knowledgeable in this area so lay everything straight and hard for me.

[Mikey_D]

You get what you pay for, thats all i have to say. There is "no bolt on turbo" for the mx3. You will have to do some custom work to make it fit. If your not good at doing custom work then i wouldn't bother. Personally i wouldn't even bother turboing the k8. Its a waste of money and horsepower you will gain wouldn't be worth it compared to the KLZE. It would be cheaper to install the KLZE and have more horse in my eyes. Even if you have to pay someone to do it, it will still be cheaper. I love the KLZE in my car. My only regret is, i wish i put it in earlier.

[Nd4SpdSe]

Indeed, the performance gain from a cheap turbo setup would cost more than a motor swap with net you less power than a ZE, and the KL swap would be much easier and all bolt in, better on fuel, and much more reliable. Turbo kit still requires someone who can weld...People like to put a turbo on a K8 just to swap in a KL later anyway, pending if that's your plan, but if your looking for a performance boost for a good price, a turbo isn't the way to go. Both cases you'll still need to upgrade your clutch too FYI

[SuperK]

A turbo will be a lot of work. If your "friend" had a device that didn't use an intercooler, didn't require a turbo manifold and didn't require any custom fab/work, then he didn't have a turbo.

The end.

If you're looking for a "bolt on" turbo kit that doesn't require any custom work, stop looking forever.

Swapping a KL engine and ditching the K8 is forever easier than any of the simplest turbo swaps. If you say, "no I dun wanna do n-jin swup, cuzz I dun wanna pull n-jin, lol no tools n no money jes' wanna go fast 'n stuff wit bolt on k thx"

Then please delete the internet from your computer.


I'm not trying to be a eternal douche, I just want you to know that whatever you're looking for just doesn't exist, so please don't argue that it does. If you have what it takes to swap out your engine (money/time/know-how), a KL-DE is a good base for a boosted engine, a KLZE is good if you just want to go for the cheapest and easiest method to add significant power.

If you do NOT have what it takes to swap your engine, then please for the love of Al Gore, who invented the internets, do not look for the "fountain of cheap horsepower" because it's only just a story.

You'll struggle for eternity trying to find 10-20 extra ponies from "bolt-ons"

[Nd4SpdSe]

Could be a rear mounted turbo? One of those stupid things....

Oh, oh! Or maybe, an electric turbo!

So you know of the turbo, but have you seen it at all, even before he put it in?

[MrMazda92]

How's a downstream Turbo stupid? Low boost, air cooled without an intercooler, easy to hide from your friends... If I went Turbo, I'd do it.

[SuperK]

yes because running yards of intake piping underneath your car, as well as yards of oil and oil return lines, as well as all the custom fabbing, as well as the fact that there's such little space to run all these lines underneath the car, as well as the fact the "cold air" intake piping, in order for it to be tucked cleanly would have to be near the exhaust pipe, these are ALL good reasons why you'd want to do it.

I am sure the added weight, tacky piping and crazy long oil lines are all a great idea, and everyone should be doing this.

[MrMazda92]

Now now, we don't all have to like the same things do we?

New Scenario, that probably wasn't considered:
1) Wrap the "cold" piping, which will keep it "cold" without shortening the life span of your exhaust.
2) Downstream turbo = no need for an intercooler, which saves more weight than the additional piping adds.
- In addition to a weight SAVINGS, the weight is pushed to the center/rear of the vehicle. Balance anybody?
3) "It's ugly", how many people are peeking their heads underneath your car? They'd barely be able to see the frame rails on mine...
4) Run oil feed/return lines parallel to fuel lines, zip-tied if you're not patient enough to "do it right".
5) "Custom fabbing" - We drive MX-3s, show me something that isn't custom?

As for the exhaust run channel, there's enough room to run dual 2" pipes(believe me, I know), so space isn't an issue either. For dual exhaust, you'd have to stagger the resonators and mufflers, as they would be too wide if placed parallel to eachother. That's another topic though...

Edit:
Added solution for oil/feed lines.
Added to weight argument.

All in all, the downstream turbo vs. engine bay turbo is all about preference, as most modifications are... If you don't like it, don't do it.

[SuperK]

OK if you want to do a rear turbo for the sake of doing a rear turbo, that's cool. that's why we all have different tastes.

If you're doing a rear turbo because you want to pull performance out of your engine, sure you'll get a performance increase... but not as much as a front-mount turbo configuration. More piping, more oiliing issues, more custom fabbing, more leaks, more lag, more weight (intercoolers are anywhere from 5-15lbs), more expensive, more unfunctional. You wanna do stainless piping? or you prefer corrosion?

All for less efficiency, economy and performance.

AND you want to put a turbo, custom piping, a oil pump, and an air filter in a filthy part of your car where there's no room for anything.


Who the heck is going to put anything back there?

All for what, the fact you don't have to install an intercooler? you can't see the turbo from underneath the hood?



This is not a good idea. And if it's not a good idea, then it's a bad idea. Bad ideas are not smart, they're stupid.

So therefore, the logical conclusion is that a rear turbo is a stupid idea.
Although, I always wanted a nice hot turbo next to my gas tank...


I might like a triple stack spoiler, so i might put one of those on my mx-3. I might also brag about my triple stack spoiler, but it doesn't change the fact that it's stupid. Not a good idea, definitely a bad idea. Bad ideas are not smart, they're stupid.

[MrMazda92]

This is something I was told by a wise friend of mine, and it's one of very few set-in-stone rules of thumb for working on cars. Every single modification we make comes as a trade-off, we give something up in exchange for something else.

That being said: There is a reason down-stream turbo setups exist, whether or not the idea was thought up with a 20 year old Mazda in mind is not up in the air, and who ever said "Down-stream is better than in-bay."? Nobody... It's a different method for accomplishing a similar goal, nothing more. My first "encounter" with a down-stream turbo was on a Pickup forum, I don't even recall which one at this point. I thought it a novel idea, and honestly in that application it was ingenious.

Here's a better angle for you Kris... It clearly shows how much room there is to work with down below. Granted, this isn't an oversized exhaust setup, there's definitely room to work with.


If you look at the oldest threads in this forum's archives, you'll find some "You can't swap a KLZE into an MX-3!!!!" posts, because it was "too hard", or "too complicated", or simply "couldn't be done". Thankfully, those weren't the only members posting... Had they been, nobody would make over 180 or so BHP without boosting.

I don't think it's too late to salvage this thread, but if it goes downhill any farther, I would hope that it is closed quickly. I believe the original poster's question was thoroughly answered previously, so it should be anyways.