Ted's Engine Upgrade

I decided Ted needs a little more power. I bought a used TBI kit for an L head and a used Saab low pressure turbo. I think fuel injection and a turbo will be perfect for the little L head. Waiting on my TBI kit to come in, but there is plenty to work on. This thread is what got me thinking that a low pressure turbo would be perfect for the L head.

Saab "light pressure turbo" technology? - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com



This morning, I went to the local salvage yard and got the perfect air filter for the project. It is off a Ford truck with a 5.4 liter. As much as I love the oil bath, I don't think it will flow enough air for the turbo.



I cut the intake snorkel off the filter box. This left the grommet behind and revealed a nice barb that I will use later.



While messing around with the filter box, I realized there was a barb on the outlet side of the MAF sensor. Where the stock outlet tube connected is 4.5" and the this other one is 3.5". It would also reduce the height by several inches.



I wrapped the outer housing with some 1" masking tape to cut the housing off.



Which now turned the filter housing into this.



There are 3 holes that need to be plugged up. The little one on the left side is a drain hole. Not sure what the two big ones are.



I cut a piece off the piece of housing I cut off earlier and glued it over the holes.





I cut some of the stock mounting bracket away too so I can use it.



After making up a new bracket that bolts to the stock mounting brackets, it is starting to look like something.



So the plan is, the outlet side will go over to the turbo and the inlet side, which is pointing at the ground, will loop back up, go out the hood and over to an M38 type snorkel on the windshield.

 

I would've loved to see a belt driven supercharger but I guess a turbo will suffice

 

Cant wait to see it finished

 

ECJ5

 

Hey, it’s better than an engine swap. And everything can be unbolted and put back to stock.

And no, I am not promising the impossible with the dyno slips.

 

It is quite crowded under the hood already. I don’t think I could fit another pulley if I had to.

 

Interested.

 

Cant wait for more!!!

 

Custom pulleys are readily available (yea CNC). I would think there are a few Paxton units still floating around that were used on the AMC 250 engines that would work on the 134's and still fit under the hood. I'd love to put several pounds of boost on my square deal engine but have a similar problem-no place to fit either a turbo or blower.

 

I had an old F head block that was sitting in the weeds. I dragged it out to use for a mock-up. I think the turbo will fit like this.

 

I'm not sure the turbo bearings will like that orientation. I tried a Mitsubishi TD04 off of a 1.6l colt which had a good down pipe for me to get around the Ross steering. You will need good valve seals and an overall good seal in the engine or it will be an oily mess Damhik. Good news is the smaller intake will be better behaved than the f-head.
Rebuild for "miles"

 

Sweet! That should Wake up Ted!!! Breath baby!

 

Why wouldn’t the bearings like being oriented that direction?

My engine was rebuilt a few years ago, so it should still be good and tight.

 

It will affect Oil flow to and from the bearings. Specifically oil will pool and coke on the exhaust side, extra oil will slow the shafts rotation.
This is a good book to checkout:
Turbocharging Performance Handbook by Jeff Hartman

 

My Cummins turbo can have the compressed air outlet clocked in any direction I need. This one can be too it looks like, but the wastegate actuator is the issue. Maybe I’ll have to look into mounting it differently.

I tried mounting the turbo the conventional way, but the outlet was pointed at the fender.

 

Nate, I'm interested in putting FI on an F-Head. What did you use for the throttle body?

 

I couldn't come up with a clean looking way to mount the turbo in the correct orientation with the stock manifold. So up to the parts bin I went. I scrounged up a broken exhaust manifold and the intake for it too. After some whittling on the bridgeport, it is something I can use.



I milled it down far enough so I can make a plate that will bolt the intake back to the exhaust manifold. I'll either braze or nickel weld the plate to the cast iron.



Now the turbo can get tucked up closer to the block and look like it is supposed to be there. I also reclocked the cold side. The waste gate actuator will have to be remounted.