alrite i have read countless threads about turbos but i still have a couple questions....

what is a reasonable price to pay for a used turbo kit (preferably greddy)
what are the dangers associated with buying a used turbo and what signs do you look for with crap kits or broken kits?

how hard are they to install for someone that is somewhat mechanically inclined?
what is the hardest part to install? why?

as far as tuning goes... i noticed that the cobb ap is most recommended but could i get away with a cheaper controller?
how much does it cost to go somewhere and get it tuned?
can i tune it myself without an AP?
is there anyone in the Virginia Beach, VA area to help with an install/tune?

thats all for now, thankw!!!

 

bump

info prease....

 

1: Unfortunately you probably didn't read the threads that mattered. Specifically the build threads in this same forum. Read them, the trials, the difficulties, the troubles, the solutions, the costs, etc...

2: Unfortunately there isn't a reasonable price. The sellers know how much the kits are worth, so the less you pay for the kit, the more trouble you will have and the farther from being ready for installation it will be. Your final net total will still be roughly the same regardless of the initial kit cost. Start with a budget of $10,000 for a start to finish FI installation, and you might be left with a little left over, but at least you will be close to the final price. Going FI on this car isn't a plug and play, it isn't cheap, and it isn't trouble free. No kit works "out of the box".

3, 4, and 5, you will have to go to build threads

6: the COBB AP is recommended because it's the best. It's just a tool though, you have to use a tool properly to get use out of it. Other solutions are out there, but they are patch jobs, trying to trick or fool the ECU into doing what it wants, or they are expensive complete ECU replacements. The AP is the best simply because it doesn't trick or fool anything, it simply makes the stock ECU changes that are needed. This isn't something I would cheap out on, but since the AP is fairly cheap considering the cost of the project as a whole, there isn't any reason not to.

7: Your tuning costs will vary wildly, but you absolutely must have someone who know both MAF tuning and rotary tuning, plus whatever tuning method you choose.

8: You do have a bit of luck in location. Another member who knows how to tune the 8, and tunes his own turbo'ed 8 will be living in the Norfolk area when he gets back from Iraq. He doesn't take kindly to idiots though (most of us don't), so you need to get serious about reading and researching before you start asking him.

 

thanks?? is the greddy (3900 from BHR) the best new kit to go with if i dont really have a huge hp goal and am thinking about later adding the aem water/meth injection?

 

I suggest you also take it one step at a time. You have a long way to go before you even start thinking about meth injection especially with the questions you asked in the OP

 

Water/Meth isn't a power adder, it's a life preserver.

Seriously, go read. You are in over your head at the moment, and you need to find your footing.

 

i know that its for safety not power

 

...but you aren't making the connection that it should be put on when you are most likely to blow the engine...immediately at the start when you still have to tune. Putting it on later after you blow the engine doesn't help much.


Just another point that shows that you really really really need to start reading the build threads.

 

Just hoping that you actually start reading....

Start here: Power Adders (FI) For Dummies (Turbo, Supercharger, Nitrous)
Move to here: greddy turbo kit F.A.Q's. post them here
Then here: Definitive Greddy Turbo Fixes - Here they are
Then go here for a list of people who have gone FI, and their build threads: The Official Overboosted Overlords Club

All located in this subforum, along with the build threads: https://www.rx8club.com/forumdisplay.php?f=93

The 4 I linked are stickies even...


READ!!!!!!

 

Wow, you're being really nice to day.

 

thanks alot... is it easier/ cheaper to go with the petit racing supercharger?

 

nothing is easy or cheap, its all relative

either can be cheaper than the other, but again, thinking about it that way will only cause more problems.

choose turbo vs sc for their intended application, not for their price

 

i read that the sc is much easier to tune... i think im pretty set on saving for the petit racing

 

Thats a pretty quick decision in a day. it all tunes the same if you know what you are doing. I dont see how you made your decision on that

 

well ive been on the fence for about a month now end it was either... get a s/c cuz i think they look good on top of the engine, or spend it on like carbon fiber show crap

 

Well, at least your priorities are in order...


If show is all you want, I'm sure you can get a nice shiny top mount turbo and have it mounted in the engine bay, but not connected to anything.




You obviously aren't reading though.


Superchargers tune the same way as turbo's. Both can screw you if you don't know what you are doing, and both can blow your engine just as easily. The primary difference between the two is the supercharger kits cost more, and need less fabrication or modification to complete the installation. In the end, they also end up being roughly in the $10,000 range. Even the Pettit S/C needs modification, it won't work "out of the box".



I think I am done trying to give you advise you aren't listening to though... I'll just watch for your blown engine thread.

 

turbo, turbo, turbo = research, research, research

All these same questions have been asked and answered in previous threads. As another member has already mentioned you are reading the wrong threads. Pay particular attention to the turbo build threads.

 

yeah i did read some and it will be like 2 years before i can save enough money so of course my decision isnt permanent.

 

then its sounds like you have 2 years of reading to do. plus in that time there will be plently more info with people that have done the research and had the cash.

 

I did 2 years of reading before I bought the 8....

My decision was permanent though.

 

Go read a book. I've always recommended (and heard recommended) Turbocharging or Supercharging both by Corky Bell. It won't bring you up to date on the latest ECU flashing technology, but it starts from basics. I wouldn't classify either of these books as "FI Bible" material, but they are easy reads. After finishing one of these books, you'd at least be better equipped to find answers to questions you may have. Spending $30 on a book can save you big money in the long run. Also, it'll let you navigate the turbo threads on here with some idea of what is good information. I bought and read both of these books a few years ago around when I bought my 8 and found them to be fun enough to read.

 

im also considering not taking such a huge leap into FI since im still in high school. i may just get zex and spend the rest on cf

 

Not a bad idea. There is a considerable amount of info on nitrous on this board as well and it is generally lower budget hardware-wise. Then, when you go broke, you stop filling up the bottle for a while.

 

yeah and it wont take 2 years to save up for it... whats the current budget needed? do you know

 

I'd budget 2000 for it and be happy when it comes in less. It depends on what you want. If I remember correctly, a 5115 NOS kit runs about $500-$600? Do you want a bottle heater? Remote bottle opener? BHR TB spacer? Is the bottle in the base kit large enough? Does it have mounts you can use? Can you install it yourself? Do you want any supporting mods to make sure your tune is on, everything runs well, and to monitor the system? The way I do things, I'd probably spend $2k on a NOS install on a stock car. I'd probably get the spacer, heater, opener, an AP, and an ignition upgrade (not that it'll make a difference power-wise, but the stock coils are rubbish). I'd probably go straight to a 55 shot as that seems to have predictable results. However, I'm unaware of anyone having any success running higher than that predictably, so I wouldn't consider going higher. If I did the install myself, I'd probably start with a smaller shot during the shake out period.

I like bells and whistles so maybe there are other things I'd buy to get a system where I wanted it. I never went down that path so my research is somewhat limited.