3sgte turbo upgrade? Need help!

[davidleonardi]

The problem is that there is no "suitable" amount. It all comes down to the package - cooling, fuel & ignition tuning, turbo selection, fuel choice, etc. Personally, any more than 1.0 bar or 14-15psi is where you should definitely start to look at a motor rebuild with forged pistons.... but there are plenty of people out there who have run 20+psi on different engines without adding forged pistons.

I have changed with the standard piston, BUT CERAMIC COATED. Is this good enough if I'd like to pursue 14-15psi ??

[Shifty]

As mentioned, you won't have a problem up to 14-15psi with standard pistons. Ceramic coating is nice but it doesn't make a huge difference, it's all really about your tune. Too much timing, not enough fuel, or intake temps that are too high, and you'll go bang whether you have a $20k motor or a $200 one from a wrecker.

[davidleonardi]

As mentioned, you won't have a problem up to 14-15psi with standard pistons. Ceramic coating is nice but it doesn't make a huge difference, it's all really about your tune. Too much timing, not enough fuel, or intake temps that are too high, and you'll go bang whether you have a $20k motor or a $200 one from a wrecker.

If u're looking at 14 to 15 psi, how much horsepower are we looking at on the wheel ? Mine's rear wheel drive

[The Real Roadrunner]

it varies from source to source, but it's 14.5psi - 14.7psi = 1 bar..

How does it vary? its a conversion of one scale to another.

1bar = 100kpa = 14.7psi and it always will.


David, a safe boost pressure to run is 1bar or 14.7psi the engine will handle this easily provided your tune is correct for your engine combo and the type of fuel your running.

The hp numbers will vary depending on what turbo you run and what fuel your using and how hard your reving the engine + how well its tuned, so unfortunately nobody will be able to give an exact figure. guesstimates are about as good as you will get until its put on a dyno.

[twentyEight]

1 Kilopascal = 0.145037738 psi.

Therefore, 100kpa = 14.5037738psi.

[davidleonardi]

How does it vary? its a conversion of one scale to another.

1bar = 100kpa = 14.7psi and it always will.


David, a safe boost pressure to run is 1bar or 14.7psi the engine will handle this easily provided your tune is correct for your engine combo and the type of fuel your running.

The hp numbers will vary depending on what turbo you run and what fuel your using and how hard your reving the engine + how well its tuned, so unfortunately nobody will be able to give an exact figure. guesstimates are about as good as you will get until its put on a dyno.

Gees...thanks a lot for the tip. I'll look after on on those points which you mentioned earlier.

[mattysshop]

thats exactly what i mean how it varies.. i always say 14.5.... but then you get people who swear black and blue that it's 14.7..

[RA35GT]

1 bar = 14.503 psi

1 bar = 0.9869 atmospheres

1 atm = 14.6959psi

Confusion comes from 1 bar being 100kpa.

Whereas atmoshperic pressure is 101.3 kpa.

101.3kpa = 14.7 psi.

[Blind Kid Seeks]

you say potato.....

I say... .

meh....

awesome thread... learning heaps about 3sgte turbo mods here... keep it coming.

I'm buying a Gen3 Caldina ST246W with gen4 3SGTE.... i think it has the C20b turbo... wat sort of boost would a stock engine like this be able to take. Also.. which EMS would be advised for this engine?

[mattysshop]

you say potato.....

I say... .

meh....

awesome thread... learning heaps about 3sgte turbo mods here... keep it coming.

I'm buying a Gen3 Caldina ST246W with gen4 3SGTE.... i think it has the C20b turbo... wat sort of boost would a stock engine like this be able to take. Also.. which EMS would be advised for this engine?

didn't you used to have a AE101 20v?? and live up here in brisbane?

[Blind Kid Seeks]

didn't you used to have a AE101 20v?? and live up here in brisbane?

nope... i used to drive a white AE92 SX with a Small port... and i still live in Melb.



i remember you from Twincam.org days though

[mattysshop]

true... sorry for the thread hi-jack.. thought you were a guy i meet at a TC dinner!

[The Real Roadrunner]

1 Kilopascal = 0.145037738 psi.

Therefore, 100kpa = 14.5037738psi.

Late night on that one, probly should have left Kpa out of it

[Shifty]

If you're looking at 14 to 15 psi, how much horsepower are we looking at on the wheel ? Mine's rear wheel drive

Your power at the wheels will be the engine's power output, minus any driveline losses. It is hard to predict but an arbitrary figure for driveline losses in a small to mid sized rear-wheel drive car is around 15-20%. A lot of people will claim 30% and 40% driveline losses to make their cars sound more powerful, this is particularly common with V8s and I think a lot of it came from shonky dyno operators, engine builders trying to make their engines sound like they go better than they really do, and also from people getting 280hp at the wheels with "400hp" heads. Of course people don't know that "400hp" heads mean they'll flow 400hp with appropriate supporting modifictions, not that your car will make 400hp when you bolt them on and do nothing else.

Also magazines do a lot of this so that they can put big power figures on the front cover and sell more copies of their magazine.

As for predicting power from boost, it is impossible. Think about the logic of someone removing a small turbo running 14psi, and fitting a larger turbo but still running 14psi. Why would they do this if X boost simply means you will make X power?

The reason is that a larger turbo will flow more air at a given level of boost (assuming sized appropriately, accompanied with the necessary supporting modifications like fuel system & intercooling, and run within its efficiency range) and all things being equal will make more power. You engine is just an air pump so the more air you can get in, and out, the more power you will make.

To give you an example, a mate's 13B turbo RX3 made ~280rwhp on 9psi on a GT45, but with a standard RX7 turbo fitted to the engine it would be lucky to make 180rwhp on the same boost. Turn the boost up to 20psi and the GT45 is capable of say 500+rwhp without a worry, but the RX7 turbo at 20psi would be lucky to make 320-350rwhp... and on top of this the GT45 is capable of running a further 10psi of boost as well!

The Real Roadrunner - mate it took me this long to realise what your avatar is. Piss funny!

[shaggy]

Hi guys great thread my names Shaggy and this thread popped up while I was researching tuning stuff for my ST246W. For a while there I felt all alone with my newly imported ST246W.

I've been looking for the best and most affordable way to tune my car. As they run a little rich and could definitely benefit from a mild tune and a little more boost.

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with the Greddy e-manage / Ultimate as an affordable upgrade? As it is around $700 to $900(with or without harness) and seems to have the necessary tuning requirements needed for a basic tune. And this is a family car and and auto so I will not be chasing big power figures just a more responsive and enjoyable ride.

Also if anyone can help I would like to know if there are any Caldina GT-4 tuners/experts in the Brisbane, Queensland area?

Sorry If I have high jacked this thread. But I thought as we were on the topic of turbo's and there required tuning when installed this may be of interest.

Cheers and good to meet ya's via post.