Yes, I had to make the car faster. I
purchased a 7mgte without any accessories for $300.
I plan to build up the bottom end of the 7mgte and slap the 5mge head on top. For now, I'm
borrowing its exhaust manifold and ct-26 Toyota turbo, which have been slapped onto the 1982 spec (8.8 to 1 compression ratio vs 9.2 to 1 ratio the stock 85 motor had) 5mge that resides in my 1985 Supra. I did nothing to the 82 motor, but jb weld a knock sensor fitting to it (82-84 mk2 Supras don't have a knock sensor, but the 84 does have a fitting). The main issues you must deal with when turbocharging the 5mge/6mge are as follows:
Turbo:
You can probably find a used ct-26 for a minimal amount of money. If its bad, you can send it to Turbonetics or some such shop for an upgraded ct-26. The cost from Turbonetics is about $500 with a core. Be sure to get the turbo elbow, or you'll have to fabricate a piece with the 02 sensor bung. Dean Marcum @ trponline.com sells what appears to be a very nice flange for this purpose. The cost is $40.
Intercooler and piping
Actually, this part isn't mandatory, but is a very good idea if you want your intake temperatures at a reasonable level. Cooler air is more dense, and makes more power. The turbo forces more air into the motor by compressing it. This act of compression heats the air dramatically. A mk3 Supra intercooler fits nicely in the mk2 Supra, and seems to be the most popular choice for the first-time mk2 Supra turbocharger. This intercooler isn't the greatest unit in terms of efficiency, but it is definitely a good starter, and can be found for a decent price. I've found the mk3 intercooler to go from $50 all the way up to $250. There are some slight differences through the various years this intercooler was offered. I've only seen two different intercoolers. Everything appears to be the same with the exception of the intercooler outlet pipe. On one of the intercoolers, this pipe is simply shorter than the other, and the outlet faces toward the ground when installed in the car. The IC outlet on the other unit faces toward the passenger side of the car. Either intercooler should work fine for you. I prefer the second setup. I also have one of these intercoolers for sale. $100, shipping included. Drop me an email if you are interested. I check my email everyday (a few times).
Turbo oil and coolant lines
You will not be able to use the hardpipe oil lines that run from the 7mgte block to the ct-26 turbo. The only option for oil lines is to do some custom work. I can get you custom turbo oil lines. Email if interested. On October 3, 2001, after seven months of use (approximately 5,000 miles), I removed my custom oil lines, and inspected them for deterioration, oil sludge, etc. They looked great, with the exception of the the little yellow plastic rings that came with the AN fittings (they were melted, due to high heat). These plastic rings serve no apparent purpose.
Fuel- rising rate fuel pressure regulator
The car will run without one, but you'll most likely toast your motor due to detonation. This unit increases fuel pressure according to boost. More air necessitates more fuel, which = more fun.
Gauges
Want to know how much boost you are running? Want to know if you are getting a good air/fuel mixture? Get a boost gauge. Get an air fuel mixture gauge.
PCV system
This line runs from the intake cam cover (directly behind intake pipe, near throttle body) to the intake plenum. Since you are forcing more air into your motor, you'll get more crank case blow-by. To avoid pressurizing the crank case, vent this unwanted blow-by to the atmoshere (not the most environmentally sound idea, but the best I know of) by using a crank case breather. A K&N unit will work just fine.
Performance?
Before the turbo install, the car put down 129 rwhp, and 136 ft/lbs of torque. At 7psi, the car made 208 rwhp, and 232 ft/lbs of torque. I currently run 8 to 8.5 psi.
Here are some links to the finished product. Enjoy.
Thanks to Steve Lee, Jake Reed, Ray Fong, and Phil Dupler for the help and information they provided me for this project. If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line. I also highly recommend Corky Bell's "Maximum Boost", as it covers things you should know about turbocharging.
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