modifying the inlet to the turbo

[proheader]

I am off today from work and doing my heater core and valve cover gaskets. Looking in my scrap stainless and I have some 3" for a new inlet tube.

Any articles or ideas out there on how to modify the inlet to fit my 3" tubing?? Can I cut off the flange at the housing and make a better inlet with some fab work??

proheader

stock mass air flow meter and that plastic stuff right now...

[kenmosher]

Are you talking a stock turbo? On an intercooled car?

I wouldn't hack anything off the turbo regardless. You can feed that inlet with whatever size pipe you want but the turbo itself has an inducer size that will determine the amount of airflow it wants.

I use tube to the MAF that is 4" diameter, and use a cone reducer to neck it down for the MAF. Then the MAF pipe to turbo is the same size as the MAF (and I'm using a TA61 turbo).

The thing is that the inlet of side of the turbo is pretty hard to see major gains in HP from, unless there's a MAJOR restriction.

[proheader]

Thanks for the reply Ken.....

Yes, stock turbo with that plastic style dryer hose intake tube. I just notice it has a flange and two bolts there. I was wondering if I could cut the flange and go straight with a connection to the inlet of the turbo.

I fitted the MAF with a piece of tubing I had already. I agree that you use the same size to the turbo inlet as the MAF sensor.

On the exhaust side, I would like to put more of a radius piece of stainless exhaust there. I notice that TH has a special looking flange on his down pipe. Is this something we can purchase or do I need to get the mill ready and make one?? I have an adjustable waste gate on the car, set it at 14lbs. right now.

Just looking for a little more get up with simple things. I am getting a TT chip for 100 octane in about a week or two. I run 100 all the time in the car....

Thanks for the help.....feel free to call me if you have the time. Would love to pick a technical brain on some other things....

www.proheadersystems.com hit the contact page for our number.....

[kenmosher]

You don't want to do that ... the "flange" or more commonly referred to as "inlet bell" actually helps direct the air smoothly to the compressor inlet.

A straight shot would cause all sorts of turbulence and reversion if you just had a sharp edge there. I think you'll see when you take the MAF hose off and look down the inlet bell and see how it guides the air to the inlet smoothly.

The downpipe with the radius bend and built in flapper for the wastegate is commonly referred to as the "Terry Houston" style downpipe. It is available from most of the vendors (try G Body Parts, Full Throttle, etc.). It not only helps the radius, but runs a larger downpipe (3") vs. stock.

Have you read through the Recipes section? Tried and true and basically picks off all the freebee/bang for $$$ stuff first?

[proheader]

I will read through once again....

thanks for the information....

proheader