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Adding a turbo/intercooler to my '95 Pathfinder


2milehi
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I'll assume that I am in the right area. I have been posting this build at nissanforums.com and here is the link to it -> My link. One of the members said I should post this up over here so here I go.

 

I have the up-pipe and down-pipe for the turbine done. The intercooler is plumbed to the turbo and intake manifold. What's left is getting oil to the turbo and returning back into the pan.

 

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Edited by 2milehi
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the 300zx had a bolt on plate where the oil filter goes to supply oilt to the trubo. The oil filter screwed onto the plate. If you got a smaller filter(to clear the frame rail) or a remote filter kit you could use the OE 300zx part for your oil supply.

have fun

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the 300zx had a bolt on plate where the oil filter goes to supply oilt to the trubo. The oil filter screwed onto the plate. If you got a smaller filter(to clear the frame rail) or a remote filter kit you could use the OE 300zx part for your oil supply.

have fun

 

Thanks for the heads up on that. I will look into that.

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Finished up the oil supply. I tapped a banjo fitting with a 1/8" pipe and screwed in a 3/16" female flare. Then I ran that to the turbo. Always fun trying to get metric stuff to work with American stuff.

 

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Two more hurtles. The oil return for the turbo and the broken exhaust stud on the passenger side. I broke an easy-out in that stud. :headwall:

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What will you be running the set up with? Z31 ECU? Nistune? Megasquirt? How many PSI? Are you going to retain the factory NA injectors? Are you going to go with 3"+ exhaust?

 

Looks good man! Can't wait to see it finished!

 

Your link doesn't work by the way.

Edited by Kingman
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What will you be running the set up with? Z31 ECU? Nistune? Megasquirt? How many PSI? Are you going to retain the factory NA injectors? Are you going to go with 3"+ exhaust?

 

Looks good man! Can't wait to see it finished!

 

Your link doesn't work by the way.

 

OOPS! Link fixed.

 

I have a MegaSquirt mostly ready to go. I've done a similar swap to a Subaru with awesome results.

 

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I will run the stock ECU for a bit to chase out the mechanical bugs. I'll run easy on that with no more than 5 psi boost. At my elevation (~10,000 feet) air pressure is about 30% less than sea level so I need to run at least 5 psi to be on par with you shore lovers.

 

Ideally I'd like to run 15+ psi boost once everything is working correctly. I probably will have to change injectors and fuel pump. As for exhaust it will be 2 1/2" mandrel bent tubing into a Hooker max flow muffler (flows as well as a straight tube of the same size).

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BTW - thanks for the comments and suggestions. The people over at nissanforums.com had nothing to say about this project that I am taking on.

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Sounds like a good set up. Although, you're likely going to choke the engine/turbo with that small of exhaust. A 3" system like I have on my Z31 woke it right up compared to factory, and that's only running the stock 7PSI. I bet you'll get a pretty good amount of lag out of the smaller exhaust. I would definitely go 3" but that's just me. :aok: 4" systems are not unheard of, it's actually fairly common.

 

The factory fuel pumps are only good for around 250-270HP so if you plan on making more than that (which 15PSI should put you around... 350-ish with the stock engine) then it really needs to be upgraded. Same with the injectors. If you can make them work, Z32 VG30DETT injectors should suit you fine. The fuel pressure also needs to be raised 1PSI per every 1PSI of boost, otherwise it'll lean surge and melt some pistons.

 

Now, 15PSI on a 9.3:1 VG30 is asking quite a bit. I'd be worried about some knocking and burning ring lands even with premium fuel and an intercooler. Maybe consider using water/meth injection in addition to intercooling to keep things safe?

 

In the picture it looks like the turbo is a liiiitle close to the master cylinder. Is that just the angle or do you have a heat shield to wrap around the turbo?

 

Glad to see someone is actually doing this the right way! You're getting my all antsy now...

Edited by Kingman
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Very nice, but can you take pictures or explain your exhaust manifolds, i am curious what route you took. i know that the z31 manifolds bolt up no problem, but there is not enough room for them to fit by the firewall.

 

look forward to seeing it complete.

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Yeah the master cylinder is close to the turbo. I will be adding a heat shield to it.

 

The factory pressure regulator increases 1 psi per every 1 psi of boost.

 

I can barely fit 2 1/2" out of the turbo.

 

15 psi at my elevation is about 10.5 psi at sea level. I am currently running 22 psi boost on a forged piston Subie with 9.25:1 compression. I do have to pull some timing and I also run a E85/premium mix to bump up the octane.

 

The exhaust manifolds are the stock ones. I flipped over the driver's side and merged the crossover into the T3 flange. I will get some pics of the set-up at a later time.

 

On to progress! :) I researched on the 'net and I have heard about knocking a hole with a punch in the oil pan. To me it is a lot like green eggs and ham. It just doesn't sound good.

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Ok, ok, I will try it. I put a hole in the oil pan. And threaded it too!

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Added the threaded pipe and sweated it in with solder. I think it will work out good.

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Edited by 2milehi
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Did you use the stock 8mm non-stainless exhaust manifold studs? They are prone to breaking even in NA form and are a bitch to drill out. If you haven't already, I'd suggest going to 8mm stainless or pulling the heads and drilling for 10MM studs found in Z31 300ZXTs and VG33 Pathfinders ('96-'01). I'd bet with the stock weeny 8MM studs you'll have issues with breaking them.

 

I totally spaced the elevation when I replied last. 10-11PSI isn't a big deal at all. :lol:

 

Did you get any metal particles inside the pan when you punched and threaded it? VGs are awfully picky about any kind of foreign matter in the oil, aluminum bearings and insanely tight tolerances don't take kindly to it.

 

I'm super stoked to see this finished. I've been wanting to turbo mine for a while now, especially after doing my Z31 swap from TBI. There's also another member on here that's supposedly swapping a VG30DETT into a WD21 but I haven't heard anything about it in a long time.

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I had 4 broken exhaust studs on my Pathfinder - awful exhaust leaks. Three of the four came out pretty easy, but the forth one. That one is being a bitch. I found "grade 8" exhaust studs on a Mitsubishi at the junk yard. I removed them and they wound up on the Pathfinder.

 

The oil pan make-a-hole exercise went very smooth. The punching action rolls the metal into the pan and makes more of a cylinder to tap. Then I put grease on the threads of the tap and start cutting threads. I cut about three revolutions of threads and then back out the tap, clean off the metal shavings, regrease and cut more threads. This seemed to capture a lot of metal chips. If any chips did fall through (which I am sure a few did) the oil filter is after the oil pump so the filter will capture any chips.

 

I drove around the block today. No oil leaks, but a bad exhaust leak from the broken stud on the driver's side. Boost is about 9 psi and the vehicle already accelerates quicker.

 

It is late and I am going to sleep.

Edited by 2milehi
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All right! So I did a quick highway test. There is a hill close by that the Pathfinder (Pf) could only go up at 50 MPH in 4th gear. I got the Pf up to 75, shifted into 5th and it maintained that speed. And that is with the exhaust leak and stock ECU. That was a cool feeling. I got back and everything was dry (no new oil leaks).

 

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Still a lot to finish - exhaust, air intake, thermal wrap the up & down pipe, heat shield, and lastly MegaSquirt.

Edited by 2milehi
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Cost... ok here goes.

 

Ebay turbo $150

V-band flange $22

2 - 1 3/4" U-bends $25

2 - 2 1/2" U-bends $30

1 - 3" U-bend $17

2" 1 3/4 exhaust tubing $6

6" 2 1/2" exhaust tubing $24

Exhaust gaskets $25

3 2 1/2" silicone coupler, straight $20

1 2 1/2" to 2" silicone reducer 90 $20

1 3" silicone coupler, straight $7

Hose clamps $10

Oil supply/return $20

Crossover pipe flanges and gasket $10

Downpipe flanges and gasket $15

Muffler $75

Thermal wrap and bands $50

O2 sensor bung $10

Oil change $13

Air filter $27

Ebay intercooler $110

 

So that adds up to $686 - I'll round up to $700, but you will have extra mandrel bend tubing for the next project.

Edited by 2milehi
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Cost... ok here goes.

 

Ebay turbo $150

V-band flange $22

2 - 1 3/4" U-bends $25

2 - 2 1/2" U-bends $30

1 - 3" U-bend $17

2" 1 3/4 exhaust tubing $6

6" 2 1/2" exhaust tubing $24

Exhaust gaskets $25

3 2 1/2" silicone coupler, straight $20

1 2 1/2" to 2" silicone reducer 90 $20

1 3" silicone coupler, straight $7

Hose clamps $10

Oil supply/return $20

Crossover pipe flanges and gasket $10

Downpipe flanges and gasket $15

Muffler $75

Thermal wrap and bands $50

O2 sensor bung $10

Oil change $13

Air filter $27

 

So that adds up to $586 - I'll round up to $600, but you will have extra mandrel bend tubing for the next project.

 

holy shat that's cheap.

and the intercooler???

and BTW.. cheap ebay turbos (some chinese) are pretty weak. :scratchhead: be sure to check it often. It could do serious damage to your ride

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