I am just going to run low boost. . . yea right!, A warning for anyone who wants to boost a 5sfe Options

[HardHead93]

This is a cautionary tale to anyone who thinks they are going to slap a turbo on a high mileage engine and run low boost. DON’T DO IT! In December of 2014 despite all the posts that say, don’t boost your engine unless it is low mileage or rebuilt, I went for it. Is the 5sfe a great engine to boost, yes, but do it right. This post will tell the LONG, expensive, frustrating story to creating my 5sfte. The below write up is what happened.

Background
It has been a long road for this 5sfte build. Here is the engine I started with:


I saw what Supershannon77 did with an Ebay T3/4 turbo for her 6th gen Celica 5sfte and I tried to duplicate it (with a few upgrades). I bought an Ebay kit with the idea that I would need to modify or replace some of the parts that came in it but the bottom line was it would give me a turbo, intercooler, exhaust manifold, downpipe, and some miscellaneous needed parts.

As I started the build I found the kit seriously lacking. The big one was the downpipe was for a CT26 turbo not a T3/4 so I had to order one. There was no oil return line and there was not enough intercooler piping. It took 3 months to resolve all the issues with the advertised “bolt-on” kit (there is no such thing as bolt on from Ebay), I ended up with the following build:


8 psi boost
T3/T04E Turbo
Turbosmart Wastegate
2.5 inch full exhaust
Magnaflow Muffler and Catalytic Converter
AEM FIC Piggyback
SSQV Blow Off Valve
460cc RX-7 Injectors
FMIC
Walpro 255 Fuel Pump
3sgte 3 Bar MAP Sensor
Custom downpipe from Demon Motorsports
Ebay tubular exhaust manifold

I started noticing when I would pop the hood after a drive that there was an extreme amount of heat coming out of the engine bay. I also saw that the under hood insulation was burning away. After doing some digging, I found that the tubular manifold I was using was giving off too much heat instead of shooting it down to the exhaust. I needed a 3sgte manifold. I went to the Toyota dealership and they told me that all their warehouses are out of stock and that the best bet was to find a used one. That led to one option, Ebay. After about a week of missing out on bids I finally scored a 3sgte manifold. It arrived and I was so excited, I ceramic coated it and put it on and the car was back!


Then another problem reared its head, the clutch started slipping. I bought a SPEC stage 2 clutch, got it installed and the car ran like a champ. In the process of tuning the car, I sprung a fuel leak that lead to an engine fire. I think it the Walpro fuel pump put too much pressure on the original lines coming from the fuel filter and something popped.




Now here I am, where I should have started. In hindsight I should have rebuilt the engine before going down the turbo route. My plan was to fix the fire damage and rebuild the engine to a 14-15 psi boost-able monster. My goal is 280-300 horsepower. Based on what I saw in Pressure2’s build, I can use stock pistons and rods but I will need a metal head gasket. I planned to swap the California cylinder head with a Federal head so the fuel injectors fit perfectly.

[HardHead93]

So everyone sorry I have not posted any status on the car lately but I have some bad news. I was driving the car hard today and BAM, rod knock. This 5sfte setup is killing me! I need to change this thread to "5SFTE. . . DON'T DO IT!"

Before I get into that, let me pick up where I left off. After I got the hood on the car I finished the build. This was around September 2015. The build at the time was the following:
8 psi boost
T3/T04E Turbo
Turbosmart Wastegate
2.5 inch Magnaflow full exhaust
AEM FIC Piggyback
SSQV Blow Off Valve
460cc RX-7 Injectors
FMIC
Walpro 255 Fuel Pump
MaXspeeding Forged Rods


I fought and fought with this set up. The car drove great but boost would only kick in at high speed which basically meant I only got to feel that push when I got on the freeway. Plus I was continually having problems with the AEM FIC piggyback. The car would idle great, drive great on vacuum, but once I hit boost the car's A/F ratios would shoot to 10.0. This is when I thought it was time to take a new direction with this build. In comes the 16G CT26 turbo and the Megasquirt DIYPNP standalone.




Around Dec 2015, I get the CT26 turbo installed and I start to have a serious oil leak plus high engine tens on boost. At this point I am ready to set the car back on fire. I go through and replace the head gasket and couple other seals but the car continues to leak. By Feb 2016 I am out of ideas so I take it to my mechanic. He spends about an hour with the car and runs dye through the engine. The results, every seal is leaking, wtf! At this point I am tired of working on this motor and I was happy to find a mechanic that would so he replaces all the seals. I drive the car home park it for the night, wake up in the morning, the engine is leaking AGAIN!

I take it back to the mechanic multiple times before we finally figure out I have high crankcase pressures and it is blowing out my seals. He brings his "Turbo Guy" in to look and the car and points out the fact that I do not have any crankcase venting routed back to the intake. So I build a custom intake out of intercooler piping, move the battery to the trunk and the problem was fixed.

Below, before custom built intake:


Below with custom built intake:


I take the car out to the track in May of 2016 to see how it will do only to find out I still have a lot of work.





Mainly suspension and the standalone ECU. The suspension is original to the car and the AEM piggyback is not working out. So I put some new KYB Excel G struts with some ground control coilover springs.





I get that all installed and start tuning the ECU using the autotune feature in TunerStudio. My set up is now the following:
12 psi boost
16G CT26 Turbo
2.5 inch Magnaflow full exhaust
76 pin DIYPNP
Electronic Boost controller
SSQV Blow Off Valve
460cc RX-7 Injectors
FMIC
Walpro 255 Fuel Pump
MaXspeeding Forged Rods
Ground Control Coilers with KYB struts
TRD front lip (side skirts being modified to fit)
Wings West Spoiler
VIS Carbon Fiber Hood - Zyclone style
2 piston calipers from Toyota Avalon

The car is running great then just this evening while driving the car BOOM, rod knock. DAMNIT! I love the look of this car and I love this car when it is running but this 5sfte turbo build has been nothing but a headache! I should be out eating Honda Civics and other ricers for breakfast not dealing with a temperamental car.

I am at a crossroads right now. I have learned a lot about motors on this car and I feel I have the knowledge now to do a swap. I am stubborn, this car WILL run boosted. This is what I am thinking:
1. Get a 3rd gen 3sgte (Use the 3sgte ECU or my DIYPNP and swap in my 16G CT26)
2. Get a 4th gen 3sgte (Use the 3sgte ECU or my DIYPNP)
3. Do a 5sgte build (really not sure about this one seem like it could cost ALOT)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

This post has been edited by HardHead93: Jun 9, 2016 - 12:23 AM

[HardHead93]

I have taken some time to reflect on my rod knock issue. I think I have 2 really good choices moving forward.
1. Rebuild the current engine but go with low compression pistons, webcams, and a high flow oil pump.
2. Get a 4th gen 3sgte and do a swap since I already have a front mount intercooler set up on the car.

Any suggestions?