Turbo Setup - ECU

[Limbo]

Hi All I've been reading around but i'm not getting the answer i need at the moment so i'll ask the question.

I've got myself the following;

T3 Turbo (off a Skyline)
Stock Skyline intercooler
Oil line and return, waterlines for turbo
A friend who is making me the Turbo Manifold, piping and dump pipe. (does exhausts for a living)

Maybe an oil cooler if i can get my hands on one

All these parts are to keep costs down, cos i got most of them for free.

Now my question is do i need bigger injectors? Will the turbo be alright to work with? and do i need some sort of ECU remap, either piggyback or full?

I'm only looking at about 6psi boost at most, and maybe making about 120kwATW (an maybe pulling 13s down the quarter if that's possible). Nothing overly powerful as i wanna drive it to and from work also. Main objective is keeping it low cost as i'm not supose to be spending any more money on the car :cool: . Also i don't wanna loose the factory ECU driveability (bad experience from previous Aftermarket ECU on previous ride).

I currently have an ek4 VTIR.

Any help would be welcomed.

[poweredbyhonda]

First things first, you need to have your fueling and ecu set up for boost. Do not go cheap on injectors and ecu. Get yourself a set of 440cc's, fuel pump and a piggy back. T3's are a good turbo, good response and good fit for the engine bay. Piss that little cooler off and get a proper one.
You also need to get a new exhaust made up (which your freind will do).

[ProECU]

you will need bigger injectors, something like 440's will be enough for 6psi.
At 6psi with a T3, you will make a LOT more than 120kw, if you dont, the tuner is shit.
You will definately need a remaped ECU.

[Limbo]

Will one of the APEXI VACF or something work for remapping the ECU? or should i go something better or fuller like powerfc?

Also do i need a fuel pump upgrade?

With the smaller cooler i was told that keeping it small and the plumbing shorter will reduce the turbo lag and since it is only a small turbo i didn't need a bigger one? can someone comment on this?

[BLKCRX]

I personally would stay away with VAFC devices, or anything that intercepts signals, n yes the powerFC is much better than the VAFC.

Get your self a nice intake bosh fuel pump, or a walbro pump, properly easier 2 source a bosh one thow.

As for the smaller cooler, that’s absolutely correctly the smaller the cooler plumbing, in both length and size, and the smaller the cooler the less lag you will have, thus boost will come on harder and faster, thus creating more power sooner. But with anything there is a efficient and correct size everything must match. Its critical that your parts and chosen correctly, matched correctly so you can benefit 110% from your setup.

As for expecting power, I wouldn’t worry about a power number, power will be what ever it is at the end of the day, a dyno number is way 2 ambiguous to guess without eye balling and knowing the exact setup and engine condition. But yes the b16 love boost and respond very well to boost, although the setup is what is critical. For instance you can have a b16 setup on 6psi making 150kw, or a b16 setup on 6psi making 110kw. Why is there a difference ?? simple answer to a simple question matching and correctly chosen parts. Just remember boost is’t boost ! its all about efficiency

If you need any help regarding designing your setup, parts recommendation, or anything feel free to call me on 0417 875 785 iv designed many turbo kits throughout Australia and own the most powerful b16 turbo charged engine in Australia. Good luck boosting your engine !! you will love it !

Regards James

[ProECU]

iv designed many turbo kits throughout Australia and own the most powerful b16 turbo charged engine in Australia. Good luck boosting your engine !! you will love it !

Regards James

Am I the only one who throws up whenever James (continuously) mentions his setup. LOL

James, rumour has it, that Honda's 5hp Lawn Mower engined make more than your engine at the moment.

[Q_ball]

Am I the only one who throws up whenever James (continuously) mentions his setup. LOL

James, rumour has it, that Honda's 5hp Lawn Mower engined make more than your engine at the moment.
ROFL!!! LOL

[Limbo]

James i read on the Hondatech site that using a fuel pressure regulator can do away with the FMU system if your running low boost?

[BLKCRX]

Evan, well I’m very proud of my achievements if you don’t like it well yeah that’s your opinion, but you will never stop me from feeling proud by making childish comments like above nor stop me from promoting my research, development, testing and praise that iv had gained thought-out the years not to mention the results I achieved with the b16 engine. Now back on topic !


A fuel pressure regulator can increase fuel pressure above and beyond the pressure of the fuel pump. The b16 engine runs 38psi factory fuel pressure and the b18 engine runes 42psi. I’m not sure of the static fuel pressure of a stock pump, but a lot of after market pumps have increase flow and increased pressure. Flow is much more important than pressure which is why people prefer to put a bigger pump into a car than just increasing the pressure of the fuel system. Increasing pressure using a fuel pressure regulator can allow the injector system to flow more fuel but there is a limit to how much more pressure you can add. Typically speaking the best way to add extra fuel into an engine I believe is by replacing the injectors leaving fuel pressure standard. On all the low boost setup cars I’ve done around Australia I don’t recommend a fuel pressure regulator, save your money and spend it else where. On a low boost setup good aftermarket injectors and a nice intake fuel pump along with Engine Management is all you need.

It’s a pleasure to share my knowledge with you.

Regards James

[Limbo]

James can you point me to your pricing for Hondata? Your site doesn't seem to let me look at it.

BTW great looking site there's some excellent info there, best i'm seen in a long while. Pity i can't seem to post on it after i registered.

[BLKCRX]

Thanks, a lot of the information I’ve collected for various sources on the net, magazine articles and articles I’ve written my self throughout many years.

I haven’t fully finished my site off, its very hard to find time 2 sit down with my graphic artist and make things happen! But yeah im slowly working on it. Within the article sections of the site you can’t post information, you can only post within the public section. This will be clearer once I spend time fixing everything up.

With regards to pricing feel free to call me on 0417 875 785 or sms me and ill call you back and ill work out what best solution could be suited for your car.
Or drop me email or PM

Regards James

[Limbo]

thanks James will do as soon as i pick up the parts and know exactly what i'm dealing with

[TAKEN]

I have heard that the Hondata is good, I have run a Microtech in a few of my cars and i have loved the power and driveability and cold start.. I guess for the power you are after any computer will do the job..

[superR]

good to hear as i will be runing a microtech on mine soon .......

[pornstar]

microtechs are fine

[poweredbyhonda]

For the price you can't go wrong with the Microtechs. Plenty of workshops would know how to tune them and getting the software and data cable is so easy.

[b00std]

im building a budget turbo kit for a cd5 accord and was wondering i know vafc's arent the best fuel computer but to my knowledge when they trick the computer to add more fuel the computer advances the timing at the same time??? does that sound right? my question tho is if i go with a vafc and retard the timing slightly at the distributor to combat the advanced timing would it be any more safer then not doing it at all? ill prob look to upgrade the computer later on down the track but at the moment im not in the financial position too.. also are the vr4\evo injectors a pretty much bolt in to original fuel rail and the plugs the same?

cheers chris

[BLKCRX]

If you can't afford to do it correctly the 1st time.. don't do it at all... save until you can. How bad would you feel if your engine went bang !! can you live without a car ? The VAFC on a boosted car is so wrong for so many reasons, its only when you understand the nature of how to tune a engine that you understand how important correct and absolute tuning is.

[superR]

vafcs are not realley designed for the amount of tunability needed when going turbo.... they are not half bad on engines that are lightly modded though..... but for turbo , steer clear brother.

[jimmeh]

If you can't afford to do it correctly the 1st time.. don't do it at all... save until you can. How bad would you feel if your engine went bang !! can you live without a car ? The VAFC on a boosted car is so wrong for so many reasons, its only when you understand the nature of how to tune a engine that you understand how important correct and absolute tuning is.

i agree with james on this. it might sounds like he is trying to get you to spend money on things you dont need but he is actually trying to save so some money and some heart ache. for instance. imagine u spend 4k on a set up and then you motor goes bang. then u have to
1. repair whatever broke
2. and upgrade your set up to prevent this from happening again.

so save yourself the heartache and do it right the first time.:D:D:D
i have said this before aftermarket ECUs are roughly all the same. you as an end user will hardly ever(if not never) touch it after it has been tuned. so to me the only thing that separates them apart is the service. and hondata has the best after sales service. you can literally contact james 24/7 and he is willing to answer any questions, whether they are hondata related or not. and james isnt anti-(other-ecus) he is just pro hondata.

[crx_boy7]

from wat i understand I/C are used to prevent detenation which leads to blown motors but with a stock motor running only 6 PSI would u realy need anything more than the stock r32gts-t cooler (yes iv seen the midget) considering that sum geddy turbo kits dont even use I/Cs

[saxman]

intercoolers are used to cool off the intake charge. Yes, cooler intake charges will help prevent detonation, but it's about a lot more than that. You'll make more power with cold air, makes everything run more efficient.

[crx_boy7]

yea sorry i know this but it didnt cum to me staight away as colder air will have more air moleculs than hot in the same amount thus mure efficient power