OK someone discuss the ups and downs of adding turbo to DE or a BB DET. Im familiar with the differences in the engines im more importantly asking about the ease of installation and MOST importantly cost. Is it easier to add a T25 to a DE and drill and tap the block or just swap engines?????

Easier to swap motors. (I have done 3 t25 installs and many motorswaps, I would swap the motor over installing turbo parts ANYDAY!)

BB DET has lower compression, oil squirters, and (odds are) lower miles than the engine already in your car.

BB DET can take more aboost (abuse, boost, get it?) because of above.


It really all comes down to your skills, your budget and your preference. If you can bank a det swap, I would suggest you go that route over installing turbo parts.


david lau

Originally posted by PNWser
Easier to swap motors. (I have done 3 t25 installs and many motorswaps, I would swap the motor over installing turbo parts ANYDAY!)

Why? If its for durability then you explained that. Is the turbo install a huge PITA? It would seem that the oil is what most have had a hard time with. Greg P. has a great setup for that it seems. Drilling the block would be scarry also. After that you seem to have some advatages to keeping the DE. THe engine is known to you (if its in good shape you already know that). The higher compression has better throttle reponse then a BB. You don't have to pull and engine. Chris at SR20dev has stated to me that a DE with a T28 is a nicer daily driver then a BB with a T25.

Steve

Unless your engine has a problem, don't go det if you have a fairly limited budget. Dets are comparitivley expensive, especially to do it "right". Its not just simply engine costs, ya get nickel and dimed on everything. But its all fun. :)

I would pick installing turbo setups over swapping motors anyday.


Terrin
92 SE-R

Let me be more clear; I guess I forgot to mention something that I think of as part of a turbo install... a clutch job.

Unless you already have a kick ass clutch, if you are going to boost, you will need a new clutch.
by the time you have taken the oil pans off and drilled and tapped the block, then taken the tranny off and put a new clutch in, I consider it much easier to just take the cross member off, the radiator out, the side mounts off, disconnect a few wiring harness connectors, and yank the motor out. swap the tranny out of the car, and drop the new motor in.

Especially if the car has AC, or at least b13's with ac. The ac makes drilling and tapping the block a MAJOR PITA... it is like a freakin circus act to get the drill in there w/o screwing the ac heat exchanger up front.

david lau

Why not just Drop a DET and then upgrade to an F-max?

I'm kidding folks.

The DET swap was Easy compared to Custom fabing the Turbo Setup.

Well some of us don't have a garage to work in to do a swap or somewhere to store the other motor like me :) . It seems to me it would be much less hassle to just install a turbo on my DE block since I only have the street in front of my house to work on car. I mean I would like a swap, but I can't really do it now.

Jose...

Is it realistic to try and autocross on a turbocharged motor??? I know about the wheelspin but what about spoolup??? Im thinking of a T25 on a 9.5 motor running a conservative 4 PSI should spool ok no??? and 6 to 10lbs for drag racing??????