Sixshooter's Slow Torture™ Build, A Study in Automotive Masochism
02-10-2012, 09:02 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tampa, FL; Lake Jackson (Atlanta), GA
Posts: 1,902
I WANT TO VENT about this turbo I am trying to fit
I have a super sexy barely used genuine Garrett that I was hoping to use on my car that won't fit with my two currently owned turbo manifolds. 
The turbo is physically too large to fit under the hood with my HKS top mount cast iron manifold, and too large to fit between the Flyin' Miata side mount cast manifold and the frame rail. It is a journal bearing 2860, so it isn't super huge on the inside but the exterior of the compressor housing is thicker than the standard automotive version and the leg of the turbine housing is slightly longer than the more compact automotive version. These two things together combine to make this a PITA for me. I am so pissed. If I had a different manifold it would probably work. If I had a different compressor housing it would likely work with the FM mani, but I would have to buy a matching wheel for it, too, because all the housings I see for sale are for a different trim wheel.
And there are no certainties that it would fit after I spent the money on the housing and wheel. I might still need to do something with the turbine housing to make it fit with this manifold and that would be more money. I might even need to do the turbine wheel to get the readily available turbine housings to fit with it. 
And by the time I buy all of that crap I could have easily bought a brand new Chinacharger in the ~2871 size that I really would like to have and passed this turbo on to someone that had a mani it would work well with. So I haz dilemma.
I'm not even sure that China 2871's will fit between the FM manifold and the frame rail. Most sellers have no specs on exterior dimensions. Frustrations are frustrating. I need more smileys to express my angst.
The turbo is physically too large to fit under the hood with my HKS top mount cast iron manifold, and too large to fit between the Flyin' Miata side mount cast manifold and the frame rail. It is a journal bearing 2860, so it isn't super huge on the inside but the exterior of the compressor housing is thicker than the standard automotive version and the leg of the turbine housing is slightly longer than the more compact automotive version. These two things together combine to make this a PITA for me. I am so pissed. If I had a different manifold it would probably work. If I had a different compressor housing it would likely work with the FM mani, but I would have to buy a matching wheel for it, too, because all the housings I see for sale are for a different trim wheel.
And there are no certainties that it would fit after I spent the money on the housing and wheel. I might still need to do something with the turbine housing to make it fit with this manifold and that would be more money. I might even need to do the turbine wheel to get the readily available turbine housings to fit with it. And by the time I buy all of that crap I could have easily bought a brand new Chinacharger in the ~2871 size that I really would like to have and passed this turbo on to someone that had a mani it would work well with. So I haz dilemma.
I'm not even sure that China 2871's will fit between the FM manifold and the frame rail. Most sellers have no specs on exterior dimensions. Frustrations are frustrating. I need more smileys to express my angst.
Last edited by sixshooter; 02-10-2012 at 09:05 AM.
02-10-2012, 09:42 AM
#5
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: DC Metro
Posts: 257
Depending on what garrett turbo it is, it might be more purchasing an entire CHRA and compressor housing to get it to fit. The compressor wheels on the GT stuff aren't servicable.
Manifold becomes the cheap option. though not as cheap as notching a frame rail.
Manifold becomes the cheap option. though not as cheap as notching a frame rail.
02-10-2012, 09:56 AM
#6
MFz Regular
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 200
You know what to do.
That or use a scissor jack and/or rachet strap to pull the engine over towards the passenger side. That is if getting it on the studs is the issue.
That or use a scissor jack and/or rachet strap to pull the engine over towards the passenger side. That is if getting it on the studs is the issue.
Last edited by sixshooter; 03-07-2012 at 01:25 PM.
02-10-2012, 10:06 AM
#7
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tampa, FL; Lake Jackson (Atlanta), GA
Posts: 1,902
If it was just notching the little sheet metal part of the frame rail that sticks out I would be fine with it but I'm not keen on digging into the big rectangular box so much. Y8s, it is a journal version so it all comes apart but the $ aren't making good sense to me at this point. I'm going to need to stew on it a bit longer.
The hood cutting idea has merits on a real race car but it would end up being a poster child for fail if I did it to mine. I don't want a fail blog feature pic car.
Still taking advice/commentary/bright ideas.
The hood cutting idea has merits on a real race car but it would end up being a poster child for fail if I did it to mine. I don't want a fail blog feature pic car.
Still taking advice/commentary/bright ideas.