Why not the WRX? Options

[Brett W]

I was checking on the net today and you can pick up a WRX motor for about 650 used. This is pretty complete. That would make a great 914 swap. Better turbo, and some cleaning up of the engine wiring and such you could have one bad ass daily driver.

You would still have the flat four and you could over come the limitations of the T4 engine.

[Brett W]

" So a small exhaust side on a turbo will allow for quick spool up.. but it is moving more air with a bigger cold side.. How can you get a turbo to spool up fast? Asside from ball bearings..

2.5k-3k. Thats the spool up range, then after that its all spooled up (put simply) and the hp continues to increase or is 2.5-3k your hp range?"

The smaller the turbine side the faster the turbo will spool. Ball bearings are great but until the price comes down they are pretty much out of my budget. The next time you are driving your car watch the tach and you will get a better idea of what rpm you run on the street. This is where you want your turbo to be spooled. Once is it wound up it contiunues to increase HP and torque until the wategate opens and stops the fun. The turbo I am using is a hybrid that will give a fast spool for a good drivablilty and major power in the uper rpms. Too large of a turbine will slow the spool until a later rpm, thus creating the lag that you are concerned about. Fine for front wheel drive drag racing, but not much fun for the street.

I want the turbo fully spooled by 3000-3500 rpms. making the planned 15-18 lbs of boost at the midrange where torque will go through the roof. Yeah I know can't hook front driver, I'll just get em from a roll. 350-400hp should make for an undrivable Civic.

Porsche went to two turbos because ina road racing situation a huge turbo (required to make the big HP) had horrible lag. it is very hard to drive an on/off switch at the limit. With two smaller turbos the transisiton between boost and no boost was much smoother.

I would like to build a twin turbo 914-4 using a couple of really small IHI Rh5b turbos. They will spool really fast. Until there are better heads for the 4 cylinder I won't bother.