Project Porting! Pics!

**scheides** · 09-17-2007

So I'm kind of gunning for ~350whp on the stock 05 evo VIII turbo on pump gas. I do run alky injection, but I'm only running ~24psi so its really only used for a safeguard against bad gas (a lot of evo8 guys run 22.5 psi on pump gas, evo IX guys run almost 24!).

So, since this is my daily warrior, I am trying to keep it as reliable as possible. It has been tough, but I have yet to touch anything related to the turbo, or taking much apart.

This will end now.

But, I am only planning on taking it apart once, and doing it right!

Here's where I started, with ~305whp. My car has HKS 280's, a TBE with a high flow cat, a upgraded FMIC, and the SMC alky kit.

**scheides** · 09-17-2007

First thing's first, about 6-8 weeks ago I ditched the high-flow cat in favor of a testpipe. The change was semi-dramatic, with midrange torque feeling much better, improved spool, and high end power is definitely up a solid 10whp.

Look! A Turbo! LOL!

**scheides** · 09-17-2007

Next up is the o2 housing. This is a big thing for the evo guys on the stock turbo. At anywhere from $60-400, there's a ton on the market. Most are shyte, some are good, some are 'the best.'

The easy o2 housing to get now-a-days is the megan, and all the cheapos on ebay are rumored to be crap and cost cause boost creep (is this really a bad thing on a turbo that tapers anyways? meh...). Most on the market are supposed to be worth around 10whp, but buschur swears that this ebay (SSAC) housing that he ceramic coats and resells is worth a solid 15whp.

So please note, I'm not *saying* this thing is 'the best', just passing on info I've found and seen to be dyno proven on some of the bigger evo boards.

**scheides** · 09-17-2007

Next step back in the exhaust side is the turbine housing. I purchased a $30 air-powered die-grinder and $5 worth of carbide bits. This will be used to lightly port my turbine housing. The 05 Evos have the big 10.5 turbine housing from the factory, so all that's really needed is to port-match the twin-scroll inlets, facing the exhaust manifold. I'll snap some pics of this when I do it.

blageo23 · 09-17-2007

My mom buys those red vines all the time

But that all looks good man.

**scheides** · 09-17-2007

Last piece on the exhaust side of the engine (save for the head itself) is the exhaust manifold. Buschur sells these puppies ported and ceramic coated for a decent price. This is supposed to be worth ~5-7whp. We'll see

**scheides** · 09-17-2007

As a comparison, here's a pic of how much material is removed from the twin-scroll outlet of the manifold, facing the turbine housing:

courtesy: Warrtalon

**scheides** · 09-17-2007

This will be about it for the hotside, dyno results to come on the 2007 MitsuStyle.com Fall Dyno Day!

Up next will be (hopefully) a ported intake manifold and ported stock throttle-body. The stock unit measures 59mm on the inside, and can be easily ported out to 65mm. Please note, 65mm = 2.5", same as my intercooler piping (and most everyone elses). The IM inlet is ported to match, and then the runners are port-matched for optimal power. These together are a dyno-proven 15whp+ on the stock turbo, so I'm hoping this will let me reach my goal of a super solid, mostly stock, DD.

**Shane@DBPerformance** · 09-17-2007

I hope their dyno proven results aren't like the 15-25whp gains you are supposed to get from swapping FMICs on Evos.

Is the O2 housing really a ceramic coated SS autochrome unit?

blageo23 · 09-17-2007

Sorry I kinda posted in the middle of you explaining things. You can delete that so its not in the middle. But again that all looks nice. Hope you hit your goal.

**Kracka** · 09-17-2007

Looks good, lets install it on Thurs!

**Goat Blower** · 09-17-2007

Buschur is quite a salesman. The porting is worth something though, at least it was on the DSM's when we were doing this BPU stuff.

**scheides** · 09-18-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecoli

I hope their dyno proven results aren't like the 15-25whp gains you are supposed to get from swapping FMICs on Evos.

Is the O2 housing really a ceramic coated SS autochrome unit?

Ya, I hope so to. If not, it'll come back off and I'll go a different route

I have no idea if these are really SSAC units, all of the 'good' ones have been on back order for months. Rather than take my chances with the various units on the market, I just decided to go with one that someone actually has 100% good stuff to say about them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat Blower

Buschur is quite a salesman. The porting is worth something though, at least it was on the DSM's when we were doing this BPU stuff.

Whatever Mr. Going-back-to-small-turbo! Tons of fun to be had with a 16G and you know it!

FattyBoomBatty · 09-18-2007

That's awesome, but ahh, those numbers sound a little inflated.

That o2 housing looks like where the wastegate flow re-enters is really small, can that be enlarged?

turbotalon1g · 09-18-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by scheides

Whatever Mr. Going-back-to-small-turbo! Tons of fun to be had with a 16G and you know it!

16G is definitely a ton of fun, but EVO 3 for DSMs all the others not worth it, if i did it again i wouldn't have this one.
Looks like its time for you to make some big power, reliability is all in the tune and quality of parts used and maintenance, some dsmer has been running his car for the last year and a half making 600hp and 500tq.
Cruise should be good this year again.

A//// Guy · 09-18-2007

Squeezing every once of power out of that stock turbo arent you! haha

**scheides** · 09-26-2007

Update! This was a little delayed, as the o2 sensor was not super psyched about leaving the stock o2 housing, so I ended up replacing it

First off, BIG thanks to Chris Hughes (s2kracka) for overall help as well as some guidance with the porting I wanted to do. We ended up taking a bout 1-3mm (maybe 4mm on one side? I can't remember!) of of various portions of the twin-scroll turbine inlet. Nothing major, but in the end I would say it is definitely worth doing. Sorry I did not get a before pic, but here's after. We basically just gasket-matched it, just like the exhaust manifold is:

[img]http://www.scheides.com/albums/evo8/IMG_2874.sized.jpg[img]

We also found a little lip inside the o2 housing that we decided to mow down just a little bit. Again, nothing major, just trying to smooth out exhaust gas flow:

**scheides** · 09-26-2007

Here's one thing that floored me. Check out the stock vs ported exhaust manifold:

Stock:

Ported/coated manifold by buschur racing:

(hughes is confident he can reproduce this with some time and a bunch of porting bits)

Anyways, it is obvious that this is definitely worth doing.

(sorry for no more close-up pics here, but the runners are port-matched, opened up a little bit each)

**scheides** · 09-26-2007

Install pics:

All buttoned up:

Thoughts/Review:

Well overall, install for all of this, including doing the porting was right around 3-3.5 hours. Not bad at all, and I would say performance wise this is a big bang-for-your-buck set of mods. Turbo spool-up is improved, midrange torque feels stronger, and top-end feels good. My test-drive was out in the rain, so I'll update this tomorrow after I more through test.

**Goat Blower** · 09-26-2007

Porting gains are nice, it certainly doesn't hurt, doesn't cost much if you do it yourself, and it's completely undetectable.

BTW, I didn't downsize, my package is on it's way from FP right now.