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Too many miles for a turbo?

N

nafunu32

CEG'er
Joined
Feb 28, 2006
Messages
101
Location
East Texas
I've found a couple of Stock SVTs in my area that I would love to pick up and then turbo. The problem is, they all have 100-135k miles on them. Is that too much to be running enough boost to hit high 13s with?
 
With that many miles, I think your money would be better spent doing a 3L with a Terry Haines tranny. Then, when your drivetrain is brand new, you can save your money for the forced induction.

Or, just for fun, boost it until it blows up.:cool:
 
nafunu32 said:
I've found a couple of Stock SVTs in my area that I would love to pick up and then turbo. The problem is, they all have 100-135k miles on them. Is that too much to be running enough boost to hit high 13s with?
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Honestly, the blocks on these engines don't wear out. If they have good compression, at least 180 across the board then throw the kit on.

If you want you can re-ring these engines with bearings and valve seals with a valve job in the $350-$600 range and have almost a brand new engine. That is chump change considering the power.
You get a 3L you still gotta drop the $300-$600 in parts to do the same type of overhaul, then you're left with less power than a Nautilus turbo kit can provide on a tired old SVT engine. :shrug: For about the same price. The nautilus kit is easily expandable though and you can make way more power than any 3L could think to make.

Sounds to me like the choice is clear.
 
I found one im interested in. Nice mods, newer engine, tossing out the amount im willing to pay. Hopefully he will take it.
 
You may get away with just installing new rod bearings, and use Clevite 77's. But if you going to turbo a pree 2000 SVT you'll have to keep the boost low (~8psi) as the pre-2000's have a thinner oil ring land that people have shown to break once they start cranking up the boost.
 
Stazi said:
You may get away with just installing new rod bearings, and use Clevite 77's. But if you going to turbo a pree 2000 SVT you'll have to keep the boost low (~8psi) as the pre-2000's have a thinner oil ring land that people have shown to break once they start cranking up the boost.
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Whats an average price of a rebuild you are talking about? Shop labor included. May have the performance shop rebuild it when I decide to turbo it.
 
If you are worried about rebuilding a 2.5 so that you can run boost reliably you're kind of taking a step backward. Honestly putting in a 3 liter will be close to the same price as a rebuild + a turbo kit. Sure you might make more power and sound cool cuz your car is turbocharged, but running the 3 liter will definitely be more reliable in the long run. Plus think about it, if you spend all that money and actually make 30-60 more hp then the 3 liter you're gonna have to compensate, because obviously your drivetrain won't be able to stand up to that much power for long. The stock clutch is only good for about 220hp and who knows how long your stock diff will last either.
 
dairdevyld said:
If you are worried about rebuilding a 2.5 so that you can run boost reliably you're kind of taking a step backward. Honestly putting in a 3 liter will be close to the same price as a rebuild + a turbo kit. Sure you might make more power and sound cool cuz your car is turbocharged, but running the 3 liter will definitely be more reliable in the long run. Plus think about it, if you spend all that money and actually make 30-60 more hp then the 3 liter you're gonna have to compensate, because obviously your drivetrain won't be able to stand up to that much power for long. The stock clutch is only good for about 220hp and who knows how long your stock diff will last either.
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If he drops in a set of forged pistons on the 2.5L then he is DONE. He would have no worries. If he reworks the combustion chamber a little like we have done for the hybrid then he can have around 9:1 compression and have the confidence to run a lot more boost. If the stock rods can take the 400 hp that it looks like the can, then what 2.5L needs to buy forged rods?
Why would the engine not be reliable? Not to mention if you install new quality rod/main bearings, good valve job with new seals and a general overhaul of the other parts you will have a very nice motor.

I don't think reliability is the big issue with either engine. I would think it is a matter of cost. The $500-$800 for a quality 3L engine that does NOT need major work is the same price as a set of forged pistons for the 2.5L.
Most people won't need the power of a 3L with turbo....if you can even put it to the ground.
Now on the other hand a perfect shape 3L engine on stock internals will make about as much so if you old engine is worn out then 3L may be the way to go.
In my book they are equal.

For the average guy, it is a no brainer to pop in the turbo kit on your 2.5L and run it for as long as it runs because if it does go, then you have the 2.5L or 3L option for under $1000.
So it boils down to pay a little now to play, and pay a little more later to play more.
 
The turbo set up will pretty much fit on the 3L when the 2.5 does go right? I just don't feel like putting a 3L in it right now. Not sure what I'll do yet. As of right now, I'll just be driving it stock and prolly put the headers on it. I have a 99 Cougar ATX with the 3L in it, ran a 15.4. All im looking to run is about a 13.5 or so.
 
I think you misunderstand me. I'm not saying that you should just buy a 3 liter and then turbo it. I'm saying that if you want to make reliable power and not have to worry about how it's gonna effect you in the long run. I mean cool if you don't care about blowing up anything and just want to make power now. But the nautilus kit hasn't been tested longterm on a cars drivetrain especially one with higher mileage, so if you want to drive your car reliably a 3liter would be a more tried and true solution for your aims at more power. You definitely won't make the same amount of hp as with the kit, but then again even if you do have your motor reworked those extra horses might not be worth it in two months after you grenade your stock differential and have to wait three weeks before you can afford a replacement tranny or to upgrade differentials. But maybe you can, I was just responding to your post and to title, and the practice of adding forced induction to higher mileage cars isn't a wise decision, any mechanic will tell you that.
 
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I plan on reworking the transmission not long after I turbo it. My uncle can pull the tranny, install all the parts, and put it back in free of charge... worst case, buy him a Coke. I'll just be out the parts which are still a decent amount. heh
 
He has already pulled a 2.5 and replaced it with a 3.0 (in my 99 atx cougar) and he almost disowned me after the project was completed. I doubt he will want to do it again unless I fork over some serious bucks. ha! He doesn't like spending his off days stressing out over a duratec.
 
Just a quick question sort of on topic, and just tell me if it's been covered (I don't own a Contour anymore so I haven't searched); but am I under standing this right: the 2.5 has more potential to make higher numbers than the 3.0 when turbo'ed? I know next to nothing about FI stuff.
 
No.

Bang for the Buck.

The turbo 2.5L will outperform a Naturally aspirated 3L every time and cost the about the same or a little more, with a LOT less work to install.

So same money, more performance and less work. This means it is the better short term buy.

Now if you turbo a 3L engine the 2.5L cannot touch the 3L in turbo performance. IF both 2.5L and 3L are built engines then it comes back to displacement.

For reliability, a NA 3L with moderate performance is probably the better guess than a 2.5L turbo. ONLY because the average owner will keep cranking up the boost without regard to the reliability.
 
i am almost at 100k miles and i am also putting the nautilus turbo kit on with headers.

i figure i will use it carefully till something goes.
 
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