DIY - TB45E turbo install

[jff45]

I've noticed elsewhere that these TB45E turbo builds usually generate a fair bit of interest so I thought I'd add mine and explain with pics how I went about it.

I've had this vehicle for 7 years now and I've gone through the usual stages of extractors + 2.5" exhaust system and finally added an Xede piggyback to make some changes to fuel & timing.
Each of these changes adds a little more performance but, as I'm hoping to hook up a fairly heavy caravan one day for the traditional lap, I really thought I needed a bit more power in reserve to cover those overtaking situations that many talk about.
I had thought about selling it and getting a 4.8 but the old 4.5s aren't worth a lot these days even if mine is a Ti with only 132,000 kms on it. I've done a fair bit of work on mine and just knew I wouldn't find a reasonably priced 4.8 in the same nick.
Then there's the fact that I have a heap of spares for the 4.5 (even a spare auto trans), I have the manuals & PDFs, etc and they are a far easier engine to work on than the 4.8 e.g. tappet adjustment is a $300 dealer job.

So, what about power.. the standard 4.8 puts out ~ 130 - 135 rwkW. Most turboed 4.5s can be made to reliably produce ~150 kW under 7 psi. I'm planning to run with the standard internals (don't see any point in opening a 130k kms engine) and limit the boost to 0.3 bar (~4.5 psi). That should give me what I need and still be reasonably kind to the auto trans. I have already fitted a TransGo shift kit to the auto and done the line pressure solenoid mod with a 2k ohm resistor as well as an additional big Davies Craig trans fluid cooler. I have a temp gauge on the trans and run Castrol TransmaxZ in it. My research tells me it should hold up if I don't drive it like an idiot.. at 68 not much risk of that..

Cost.. I did a bit of research and decided that I could keep this project under $4k if I do as much as possible myself. I was a mechanic in a much earlier life (70s - early 80s) and have a pretty well equipped shed. I have a welder and plasma cutter, a press, etc so just about all I need for light fabrication.
There was no way I could have swapped into a 4.8 in the same condition for that kind of money..

This is the vehicle I'm starting with..






These are my costs so far..




One thing I've done throughout this project is always keep the vehicle drivable. Even making up the IC frame, I could always get the airbox and intake pipes, etc back on within a half hour if I needed to use it.

You can't use the TB45E airbox so why not use a different Patrol airbox that drops straight into existing holes and lines up with the original hole in the inner guard where the snorkel enters.
To do that, you need to move the charcoal canister. If you throw it away, you won't get complianced.
I moved mine down behind the bumper. I welded up a simple bracket from some scrap flat bar. Obviously, you'll need longer vacuum hoses.





The clean air intake for the canister must be removed from where it goes into the inner guard. I routed it up behind the left headlight and fitted a small air filter to it.




An important point here is that you'll need to fit check valves into the 2 vacuum hoses to stop pressurising the canister under boost.

Here's the TD42 airbox fitted in place of the charcoal canister. The 3" silicone elbow will point down towards the turbo compressor once it gets fitted.



The mod for the cobra head is easy. There are threads elsewhere where people have done some better mods with flanges, etc but I kept mine simple and just cut the original outlet off with a Dremel and inserted a short length of 3" exhaust pipe with Sikaflex and 4 screws.



I cut the flat flange off the intake and passed a 3.5" short silicone hose through the hole to join the airbox intake to the snorkel. You need to pop out the left indicator to tighten the hose clamp inside the guard.






More coming...

[jff45]

Engine management:

I've had an Xede piggyback on my N/A setup for a while now. I was lucky enough to pick it up from US Ebay for a little over $100 incl. Postage.


Here are a couple of Autospeed articles about the Xede and some other choices.

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article...rceptor&A=1545

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article...art-Two&A=2901

What I liked about it is that the Xmap tuning software is free from Chiptorque - you're not restricted to only authorised sellers/tuners as with Unichip, for example.
The timing profile file for the 4.5 is also free as is the wiring diagram from the Chiptorque website.
Although I didn't buy it from them new, I got excellent replies from emails to Chiptorque and they even sent me a tuning map they had done on their dyno with a 4.5 with exactly the same exhaust mods as mine.
I even got some free advice from their head tuner on using a MAP sensor as the load parameter for the fuel and timing maps.

For the low boost I'll be running, the Xede should handle it. It can pull up to 10 degrees of timing and can alter the MAF signal sufficiently for my needs. There was a recent thread elsewhere where a supercharged 4.8 put out 185 kW @ 5 psi boost using an Xede piggyback.

Another advantage of the piggyback is that you retain all the principal functions of the factory ECU.

To be able to detect when your under boost you must have a MAP sensor. Some engine management systems have them included inside the case.
For the boost I'll be running, a 2 bar MAP sensor is all I need so I bought a GM type from Ebay and mounted it here:



I've taken the manifold pressure for the MAP sensor from the cruise control vacuum hose then a T from that to inside for the boost gauge.



The MAP sensor needs a 5v feed so I've taken that off my Innovate SSI-4 data logger. I also bought a cheap Ebay 12v to 5v converter just in case.
The MAP is wired to both my data logger and the Xede at the moment but I'm still using MAF & TPS for the load signal with my N/A setup.

Fuel:

When the inlet manifold is under boost, the fuel pressure will need to rise to help the injectors open against the boost pressure.
I fitted a boost referenced fuel regulator that will increase the fuel pressure at a 1:1 ratio.



I'll try it first with the factory 270cc injectors but I did buy a set of 370cc RB25DET injectors from Gumtree for $30 that I can swap in if the originals max out. They shouldn't at that boost level.
I have a Bosch in line fuel pump I can also fit if required otherwise I'll get a Walbro to replace the original pump.


More coming...

[jff45]

Oil return from turbo:

This is pretty easy to do. I didn't remove the sump, just used well-greased bits and taps.
Has a 1/2" NPT bung in it in the meantime. I'll be fitting braided teflon hose with -10AN fittings.

[04OFF]

Great work !, thanks for posting so far.

Interesting about not removing the sump, id be just a bit worried about metal shavings, if it works out , you save a lot of time doing it your way.

[jff45]

Interesting about not removing the sump, id be just a bit worried about metal shavings, if it works out , you save a lot of time doing it your way.

There isn't any real risk if you think about it. A well greased drill bit retains a lot of the aluminium shavings. Anything that might fall in has to get through the oil pickup screen which is designed to only allow stuff through that can go through the pump. Finally, it has to get past the oil filter before it can get into the working parts.

[Sherro]

Nice work there mate it will be a different beast to drive when finished.

[Alitis007]

Nice work, looking forward to the end result! Just one thing with the oil feed, if you run -3 braid you won't need a restrictor

[grahamap]

Gread thread buddy, very professional workmanship! Thought perhaps a heavy magnet would aid in keeping shavings out also

[jff45]

Gread thread buddy, very professional workmanship! Thought perhaps a heavy magnet would aid in keeping shavings out also

If it were steel ,yes, but this is drilled into the aluminium section of the sump.

I did it 6 months ago and it's been running beautifully since..

[jff45]

Nice work, looking forward to the end result! Just one thing with the oil feed, if you run -3 braid you won't need a restrictor

Me too!

I've already fitted a 1mm restrictor (Kinugawa only supplied it with -4AN) as recommended on the Garrett website for the GT35R. I'm running -4AN for the oil feed because it was the only size in line filter (strainer) I could find and the 1/8 BSPT to -4AN adapter for the oil feed outlet on the block was also easy to find.