Brian's ballin' azz Precision turbo build

[bmylez]

Alright, hoes, time for me to finally make this thread. I have a 4 day weekend comin up (thanks, Air Force) and I just so happen to be getting my downpipe from Jeff "The Man" Mason (s/n mason) on Thursday. I have basically everything else I need except the Tial outlet flange for a dump tube. I ordered it on the weekend, so maybe it will be here in time...I'll work that out later.

Ok, build specs:

Steedspeed T3 manifold with 38mm wg port
PTE 5857 with billet compressor wheel
Tial MV-S EWG with 16psi spring combo
TurboXS MBC
3" downpipe made by mason
Eventually going to make a custom 3" intake, but that's not a priority

Ok, n00dz:


As you can see, I don't need Dustin's crutch, his modified oil lines. The stock banjo bolt is M12x1.5. This banjo has a .060" restrictor, the correct size for journal bearing. This setup should work perfectly.


Turbo blanket (it's beat up because I used it on my Focus turbo build)

[PunjabiPlaya]

[Bucker]

tl; dr.

[mason]

NICE!!!!!!!

[bmylez]

Got the wastegate outlet flange today. That means I'll be able to grandma it to the exhaust shop when it's done. Downpipe should arrive tomorrow. That means I'll be prepping the car tomorrow night. It will take a while to cool down, so I'll do things like battery, alternator, intake, charge piping. Not much else. It will give me a good head start, though. I want this all done Friday.

[11cruzito11]

Where you getting your DP from?

[bmylez]

Originally Posted by bmylez I just so happen to be getting my downpipe from Jeff "The Man" Mason (s/n mason) on Thursday.

Originally Posted by 11cruzito11 Where you getting your DP from?

[bmylez]

Ok, downpipe got delayed by a day, so Friday. No biggie. I can install everything else without out. Gonna start taking the car apart right....naow!

[11cruzito11]

Originally Posted by bmylez

Did he make it for you? Or he sold you his?

[bmylez]

Custom made. I already have the car disassembled a good amount. A lot of my turbo and manifold bolts were super loose for whatever reason....so I actually avoided massive exhaust leak by doing this, yay.

[11cruzito11]

So Mason makes custom DPs?

[bmylez]

Yes. He had to guess with mine, though. He has the Steed twin scroll manifold, which puts the turbo closer to the alternator. He had to guess about 0.7" over for my manifold since it's stock location.

[bmylez]

Ugggghhhh, things slowed waaaay down when it came time to undo the rest of the manifold bolts, undo coolant lines, etc. Pain in the ass. I FINALLY see what everyone is bitching about, haha.

So I hit a major snag. I wanted to use my own custom oil feed setup. Well, it would have worked perfectly except that right around the oil feed port, there are ridges on the block and my custom banjo fitting isn't tall enough...so my plan is file down the block to make it fit. Ghetto, but it will work. I'm dead tired, so callin it a night.

[bmylez]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand, FAIL in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. After I removed the stock oil feed fitting, I tried to put my custom bolt in by hand. Didn't seem to want to go in. I tried the stock bolt...also didn't want to thread in more than a turn or 2. I test both bolts on the turbo itself and they threaded right in. I took the belt tensioner off to have more room and kept trying and trying to hand tighten either one of the bolts back into the feed location but it would always tighten up after a few turns. One time I got the stock bolt to go in a few turns and tried tightening with a wrench...then the bolt went sideways, so I was like WTF. I only tightened one turn, so I thought I was ok.

Long story short, my oil feed port is stripped for whatever fucking reason even though I was as careful as I could be and every single time I would put a bolt in, I always tried to hand tighten it a few turns...but I guess the one time I tried using the wrench, it tweaked it. No idea on that one. So everything is at a prolonged halt for now...

[triplejumper18]

Why? Because Obama Rigged.

[I Love Brownies]

good shit man good luck with your build. looks very promising with the hardware

hope you can get that oil feed fixed soon. pics of dp?

[dougefresh_]

Why don't you take the alternator off so you have full, unrestricted access and make sure it's stripped, and not something screwy going on.

[bmylez]

Originally Posted by triplejumper18 Why? Because Obama Rigged.

Not really. I had a pretty good idea for oil feed, but previous owner used to have BT on it...so I'm thinking the oil line has been messed with before. I saw what appeared to be metal filings on my bolt *before* I used a wrench. Either it was metallic looking thread locker, or it really was aluminum and it was stripped before I even did anything. I lost count of how many times I tried hand tightening.

Originally Posted by dougefresh_ Why don't you take the alternator off so you have full, unrestricted access and make sure it's stripped, and not something screwy going on.

Doug, I took the alternator AND belt tensioner off before I even started touching it. I wanted to make sure I had a straight shot to everything. Even with everything out of the way, not even the stock bolt would thread back in easily right after I took it out whereas everything threaded back into the turbo very easily.

[dougefresh_]

Originally Posted by bmylez Doug, I took the alternator AND belt tensioner off before I even started touching it. I wanted to make sure I had a straight shot to everything. Even with everything out of the way, not even the stock bolt would thread back in easily right after I took it out whereas everything threaded back into the turbo very easily.

You sure that custom line was the correct size/pitch? That sucks man. Shoulda used a DJ crutch . I'm close to having a similar problem w/ one of my top power steering bolts... not sure how many times I'll be able to take main off before it goes, and I'm sure it'll cost me to fix/replace that. GL with the fix... let us know how you approached it, and how it came out. GL

[bmylez]

Yes, it is correct size/pitch. M12x1.5. It threads very easily into the turbo, as do *both* stock feed bolts. Not even the factory bolt would thread back into the block right after I took it out. It looks a lot like prior damage to me considering how careful I was.

[mason]

yeah, sounds like it was cross threaded in befor you had it. and when you took it out, it ripped the threads to shit!

dont sweat it, everything is fixable.

[bmylez]

Ummm...this one is a little more complicated, haha.

But I really think the threads were already fucked. Previous owner had a 3076 on it...not sure if it was stock flange or not, but I know he had a tubular manifold with EWG. I just don't see how it could have been me when I tried threading it in by hand at least 20 times before using a wrench. All the other bolts on the car threaded just fine.

Oh, and I can fit the turbo and manifold together into the engine bay without taking the cowl off. I guess the stock setup is somehow bulkier despite being a tiny turbo. You just need to give the metal heat shield a little love. My Precision isn't that big, so I don't think you could do this with a 3076, but you could try. Taking the cowl off might make it possible.

[mason]

i did not take the cowl off with the 35R, OR THE ALTERNATOR. or the valve cover ect.....
it wasnt that bad at all to me at least.

[bmylez]

Nice...but you did have to smash that metal heatshield in a little, right? Maybe not...my turbo blanket is hitting it and a turbo blanket makes my exhaust housing bigger than a 35r. It'll just take a small hammer tap.

Also, had a chat with Gerry and he had the same problem as I do. Mazda fails at pairing bolts with an aluminum block. Just by removing the bolt, you run the risk of stripping the hole...and looks like I was a lucky winner. There are threads left further in the hole, so I need to try cleaning it out and getting a longer banjo bolt!

[dougefresh_]

Originally Posted by mason i did not take the cowl off with the 35R, OR THE ALTERNATOR. or the valve cover ect..... it wasnt that bad at all to me at least.

You must have little ninja arms and hands.

[mason]

Originally Posted by bmylez Nice...but you did have to smash that metal heatshield in a little, right? Maybe not...my turbo blanket is hitting it and a turbo blanket makes my exhaust housing bigger than a 35r. It'll just take a small hammer tap. Also, had a chat with Gerry and he had the same problem as I do. Mazda fails at pairing bolts with an aluminum block. Just by removing the bolt, you run the risk of stripping the hole...and looks like I was a lucky winner. There are threads left further in the hole, so I need to try cleaning it out and getting a longer banjo bolt!

no i didnt have to smash in the heat shield. it is close but i got about an 1in. but i dont have a blanket either. not yet anyways

[NJSPEED3]

yeah I got Doubleflusher's 35r in without having to remove anything either.

[bmylez]

Originally Posted by NJSPEED3 yeah I got Doubleflusher's 35r in without having to remove anything either.

Yeah, like I said, the turbo blanket is really fat. Makes it bigger than a 35r housing. I'll make it work. Gerry, your tip worked, just like you said. I just kept working the banjo bolt in and out by hand, and little by little, it got easier because I was getting the shavings out of the way. All I had was a little Dirt Devil hand held vacuum, so I'm not sure what I got out, but there is a definite difference.

My plan now is to get a bolt to block off the stock port and run a custom line from an oil sandwich plate I just so happened to buy from a friend. A little unorthodox, I know, but that stock location sucks nuts and this setup will work just fine. I'll have a pretty long feed line, but that won't matter once there is oil in it. I just don't trust the stock feed location anymore and blocking it off seems safer.

[steedspeed]

One way to get a bolt to thread into a stripped hole is to tap it on the head as you turn it and it will find its way in smoothly as long as you keep the bolt straight in the hole. Tapping the head peens the threads out of the way that are malformed. I've done that lots of times. It's worth a try.

[bmylez]

Originally Posted by steedspeed One way to get a bolt to thread into a stripped hole is to tap it on the head as you turn it and it will find its way in smoothly as long as you keep the bolt straight in the hole. Tapping the head peens the threads out of the way that are malformed. I've done that lots of times. It's worth a try.

There is absolutely no bite left if I use the crush washers. It DOES tighten correctly without the crush washers, so we're talking a distance of maybe 5mm, if that. I'm thinking it would leak without crush washers even if it were super tight...

[Chimmike]

You should be able to find a metric bolt somewhere like ACE that can plug the stock feed port as you're planning. Use some good thread locker/sealant though.

[bmylez]

I went to Home Depot and they only had m12x1.75. I'll see if there is an Ace somewhere...

[Chimmike]

yah, big box stores SUCK when it comes to metric hardware.

[LiEast]

that was my worse nightmare but i was able to fit everything nicely but i did strip a bolt on the oil return sucks and ruins your day lol... i gotta get that oil feed line to ya then!

[NJSPEED3]

Remember you need to get a bolt that is at least 5mm longer or you will rip out more threads from your block when you go to torque the bolt down.

[bmylez]

You had said 10mm longer the first time, haha. But the thing is, Gerry, I'm not using the stock oil feed anymore, so I actually need a shorter regular bolt because I won't have the threadless banjo portion.

So I've made a lot of progress today. I got the manifold and turbo installed. Just need to put the rest of the nuts on the studs. I need to extend the heater core hoses. Those things fuckin suck. I just need some 3/4" hose and some 3/4 unions. I only need like 1/2" of clearance.

@mason, your downpipe is ALMOST perfect, bro, props. Unfortunately, it runs into my oil drain hose, which is obviously a big no-no because it will cook my oil in just a few minutes. I am going to have to damage a thing of beauty and dent it. I'll take it to a shop and have to change it just a little. It's BARELY off from the catback, but I'm very very impressed how close you got it with how different my setup is. Everyone, if you need a downpipe, go through mason, he won't rip you off and he'll do it right, even when he's doing it blindly!

[mason]

thanks bro! i hope everything goes good with the rest of your build. i hope its a minor change needed. if it is costly let me know.

[NJSPEED3]

you will still need a longer bolt (5-10mm) even if its just to plug off. The length will depend on how many threads you ripped out.

If you torque a shorter bolt down to the few threads left in the block, you will just rip them out as you torque the bolt down. Each thread retains a certain amount of torque pressure, when you rip out a good amount of threads, the rest wont be able to sustain the same torque value needed.

This is why you need a longer bolt to grab more threads to make up for the ones you no longer have. Make sure you use new copper washers too.

[bmylez]

Ok, so the part of the oil line that the banjo bolt goes into makes up over half of the bolt's length. The bolt is 35mm. So that means only about 15mm of the bolt goes in. I ordered a 25mm bolt. I will get back 10mm of threading, which is plenty. Like I said, the bolt was able to tighten without the crush washers...so however thick two crush washers are, that's how many threads I ripped out.

[bmylez]

So I changed my oil drain fitting (still downhill the whole time, don't worry) and mason's downpipe fits perfectly now! It's 2" too short for the catback, but that's no big deal. I just get to run open dump to the shop, hehe.

Oil port bolt will be here tomorrow ($18 for 2-day shipping...for 3 bolts, hah). Car is mostly put back together. Messing with the heater core lines to fit the intake is a huge bitch. So I just need to put on: oil port plug, alternator, downpipe, oil sandwich plate, oil feed line, TIP/intake, and battery.