vectorminds

Currently I have a black '91 vert with 82k on the engine and body, engine still runs fine and the body is practicaly mint, I am nearing completion of my stereo install (empeg, pioneer, ppi, focals for those interested) and its time to start making the car faster.

So I looked into getting an exaust, mazdatrix has that dual pipe racing exaust for like 1400 bucks which they said gives about 28 percent, and then i was thinking an intake and possibly a supercharger from atkins... but that all was looking like it was going to cost way too much money, and I was going to end up poping the engine if i tried to get too much power from it. (as well as the tranny which already grinds a lil into 3rd).

So I think I've settled on swaping in a TurboII engine and drivetrain into the car, and then hopefully being able to swap the N/A internals to the T2 body and resell that to make back some of the money.

I've been researching this for a while now, but would definately like the advice of anyone who might have done anything like this before.

My plans are (and this is all kinda iffy cuz it would depend on what i can get on the T2 already):

Ported engine
Mazdatrix racing exaust system
HKS Intake
FCD
some sort of upgraded fuel pump
some sort of boost gauge, since im going to leave the N/A gauge pod in place


I figure that should be a good start, If im missing anything from that list id definately like to know... also since im new to upgrading TurboII's if thats not the best set of things to do I should probably do other things

So thats basicaly it, my goal is to try and make this cost about 3 - 4 thousand... (that is only including the net loss after hopefully selling the now N/A TurboII).

Do people think this is doable? Is there anything else I should know or watch out for? And of particular importance, is there anyone in the NJ area who has a TurboII car they would like to sell me so i can get started

RX-Heven

iTrader: (1)

Your plan sounds good. If you do not have much exp with TII's considering swapping the engine as compltely stock and get it running with that then do upgrades is a good route. That of course is providing you can find a decent running TII car. A rebuild would not be a bad idea with a small street port job while it is out, but even with that, you may want to consider intalling everything else as stock and get it running like that. The few upgrades you have listed should not pose any real problems. The reasoning behind keeping it simple in the beginning is that you minimize potential problems that may arise due to the swap with many new unknown variables and inexperience.
This isn't the way I'm doing mine though, I upgrade everything then install it....now I'm just waiting to get my engine back since everything behind it has been swapped and/or rebuilt.

Driftfc3s

iTrader: (11)

My thoughts exactly

vectorminds

I agree, I will probably be swaping it in mostly stock, and then getting it to work and then going from there, probably the only thing i might do while it is out (if i dont get it rebuilt and ported) is to pull the air pump / acv off, and put the mazdatrix exaust on...

I've been reading some mixed things about the wiring, some places say that all i need to change will be the engine wireing harness and the cpu that is on the passenger side, and that that will then click into the main wiring harness... other places say the whole dash has to come apart to replace the entire wiring harness...

Does anyone know what the deal will be with that... and also, how hard will it be to keep things as together as possible during the swap (just to speed things up and hopefully not introduce new problems), like keeping the engine and the tranny together, and the rear end together, things like that?

vectorminds

Also, assuming its a good condition T2 that i buy, how much do you think i would loose when i resell it with the 82k mile N/A engine/drivetrain? Or might i be better going and not putting the N/A stuff in it and just selling the N/A stuff and parting out the T2?

RX-Heven

iTrader: (1)

The engine harness is all you need to make it run. Whoever swapped the main (driver side) harness probably wanted the TII speedo & gauges. They did it the very hard way if thats the case.

The entire subframe with the rearend can be removed together then installled all together also. May want to replace bushings while its out...

The engine and tranny can be removed and installed together. I think it is easier this way, but thats just me.

vectorminds

Thats good to know, should make things a lot easier... i was really pissed when i found out i was gonna have to take the dash apart... cuz those things never ever go back together right, and it would rattle.... complicated trim peices from 12 years ago just shouldnt be messed with.

So, rx-heven... how long did it take you to find your TII for the swap, cuz it looks like you are doing exactly what I'm doing (also, what kinda mods are you doing to the TII engine... your target hp and things like that)?

RX-Heven

iTrader: (1)

Actually I bought a non-running 89 TII parts car for my 10AE. It needed many interior parts etc. I also had the intention of getting a vert later on to do the swap with. It took me over a year to find a candidate car. A white series V vert w/ 5-speed in immaculate condition except mechanically is what I was looking for and finally found. Actually the engine is still good and passses smog but the tranny was shot.
I have already done/installed the following and driving it na right now till the motor is done being built. Actually I'm lapping it this Sunday at Sears Point.
-Larger swaybars with adjustable endlinks, poly bushings, dtss elim bushings, Tein flex coilovers with camber plates, camber links in the rear, rebuilt 88 TII tranny with shortshifter (89 tranny is holding the back end of my 20b up in the 10AE), TII rearend assembly, ACT clutch/pp and 9 lb. flywheel, new driveshaft, stainlees brake & clutch lines, rebuilt calipers, new drossdrilled rotors (don't help with braking really but look cool ) with hawk hp plus pads & roll bar.
The engine will have the 5 yr warranty build from www.pineappleracing.com with a small street port and all the oil mods plus 13b-rew rotor housings. All will be polished or powdercoated.
The engine and all upgraded crap will be installed together.
Still to come for the engine is the GReddy turbo (TD06/25g), intercooler kit, dual exhaust (no cats), bov and wastegate plus all the fuel upgrades i.e. pump, injectors, regulator etc necassary to feed it and a haltech e6k with other crap to manage it all. The basic tb mod and a larger radiator with new water pump.
I will be happy with anything over 325 rwhp @14psi or less. Should be done by sevenstock.

vectorminds

That sounds really good, I would love to be able to do even half of that to mine (maybe more if money provides... ), and I definately will look into pinappleracing to do my rebuild if it comes to that, because a 5 year warranty would be great.

Do you have any pictures... of the cars or the install process, if so post em up.

Sounds like thats gonna be a really fun car when you are done with it. Ive gotta focus now on finding a TII to do the swap with... Which is proving not very easy... seems like all of the TII's that are for sale are either on the west coast or down south... non in the NJ area