How to Put a Turbo in a Car

Research your vehicle., Purchase your supplies.,Spray the nuts and studs, or bolts on your exhaust manifold with penetrating lubricant.,Disconnect the negative battery cable., Use a floor jack in order to raise your vehicle off of the ground...

29 Steps 2 min read Advanced

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Research your vehicle.

    Read forums to help decide which turbocharger will best suit your needs and power goals.

    Research what supporting modifications, if any, will be necessary to maintain your vehicle's reliability with your new turbocharger.
  2. Step 2: Purchase your supplies.

    You'll need a new turbocharger, new gaskets, and any necessary supporting parts for the installation.,,, This will make sure you are able to work underneath the front of the car, but make sure that you are able to comfortably reach the exhaust manifold and turbocharger from the top of the engine bay.

    Once you find the correct height, place jack stands under the car and remove the jack. , Remove the bolts that are holding the turbo and the downpipe together., Remove the piping., Remove the piping., Disconnect them.,,, Do not fully remove them until you are prepared to support the weight of the turbo charger and manifold., Depending on the vehicle, it may be easier to remove the turbo and manifold through the top of the engine bay, or through the bottom., These can be tricky as well, and may need some penetrating lubricant to avoid breakage.,,, Fasten the manifold to the engine., Fasten them to the new turbo with new gaskets.,,, Secure with a small zip tie or hose clamp.,,,,, This is a very important step for the reliability, health, and performance of your vehicle.
  3. Step 3: Spray the nuts and studs

  4. Step 4: or bolts on your exhaust manifold with penetrating lubricant.

  5. Step 5: Disconnect the negative battery cable.

  6. Step 6: Use a floor jack in order to raise your vehicle off of the ground.

  7. Step 7: Locate the downpipe (the exhaust pipe connecting your turbo and the rest of the exhaust).

  8. Step 8: Loosen the clamp or bolts holding the intake piping to the turbocharger.

  9. Step 9: Loosen the clamp or bolts holding the intercooler piping to the turbo.

  10. Step 10: Locate any and all coolant or oil lines that are connected to the turbo.

  11. Step 11: Clamp or plug the coolant and/or oil lines in order to keep them from leaking fluid and creating a mess.

  12. Step 12: Disconnect the vacuum line connected to the wastegate.

  13. Step 13: Loosen all of the exhaust manifold nuts or bolts.

  14. Step 14: Lift or lower the turbo and manifold slowly and carefully.

  15. Step 15: Remove the fasteners holding the turbo to the exhaust manifold.

  16. Step 16: Mate the new turbo and the exhaust manifold with the new gasket in between

  17. Step 17: and tighten the fasteners.

  18. Step 18: Raise or lower the new turbo and exhaust manifold combination into the engine bay the same way that the old unit was removed.

  19. Step 19: Check to make sure that the exhaust manifold gasket is in place.

  20. Step 20: Unplug or unclamp the coolant and/or oil lines.

  21. Step 21: Fasten the intercooler pipe to the new turbo.

  22. Step 22: Fasten the intake pipe to the new turbo.

  23. Step 23: Reconnect the vacuum line to the wastegate.

  24. Step 24: Fasten the downpipe to the new turbo.

  25. Step 25: Double check to make sure everything is back to how it was before the removal.

  26. Step 26: Lower the vehicle.

  27. Step 27: Re-connect the negative battery cable.

  28. Step 28: If the new turbo is different from the previous turbo in any way

  29. Step 29: set an appointment with an engine calibration tuner before driving the vehicle around.

Detailed Guide

Read forums to help decide which turbocharger will best suit your needs and power goals.

Research what supporting modifications, if any, will be necessary to maintain your vehicle's reliability with your new turbocharger.

You'll need a new turbocharger, new gaskets, and any necessary supporting parts for the installation.,,, This will make sure you are able to work underneath the front of the car, but make sure that you are able to comfortably reach the exhaust manifold and turbocharger from the top of the engine bay.

Once you find the correct height, place jack stands under the car and remove the jack. , Remove the bolts that are holding the turbo and the downpipe together., Remove the piping., Remove the piping., Disconnect them.,,, Do not fully remove them until you are prepared to support the weight of the turbo charger and manifold., Depending on the vehicle, it may be easier to remove the turbo and manifold through the top of the engine bay, or through the bottom., These can be tricky as well, and may need some penetrating lubricant to avoid breakage.,,, Fasten the manifold to the engine., Fasten them to the new turbo with new gaskets.,,, Secure with a small zip tie or hose clamp.,,,,, This is a very important step for the reliability, health, and performance of your vehicle.

About the Author

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George Davis

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