All or Nothing: My 3L Turbo Install

[gamiller]

My dream didn't start out big. Five years ago, I bought a 99 MTX in Silver Frost with the intention of doing a 3L swap. Needless to say, the swap got postponed... until the 100,000 mile extended warranty ran out. Last Spring, I commenced planning the engine swap during. It wasn't long before I came across a motor for sale that had never been used and was built - by Buckshot77 - to handle more than just mild boost. About the same time, the turbo kit by Nautilus Performance became available - the product of a partnership between Warmonger and BurritaSVT. That would be too much power for the Cougar, but I convinced myself that it would help me postpone the purchase of a Corvette a bit longer. Thinking that it would save some money doing both installs at once, and by dyno tuning the car just once, I figured I should put the two together and make it happen. I had been talking to DanG for awhile about doing the engine swap. DanG's impending fatherhood gave me a deadline to work against.

Powerplant
2003 Taurus 3.0L Duratec
Diamond 8.5:1 compression pistons (.020 overbore)
Pauter rods
Clevite main and rod bearings
PnP 3L heads from Kinger
ARP head studs
New oil pump
Upgraded oil pan
Dual-Mode Damper

Transmission
SPEC Stage 3+ Clutch Kit
Torsen LSD
Upgraded shift forks

Turbo Kit
Precision Turbo T3/T4 60 trim .63 A/R
Front-Mounted Inter-Cooler (27 x 6 x 3.5)
38mm Tial Wastegate
TurboXS Type H 38mm Blow-Off Valve
MSDS 2.5L Headers
Magnaflow 2.5" Hi-Flow Catalytic Converter
42# fuel injectors
NGK TR6 spark plugs
K&N air filter
SCT XCalibrator2

For the installation of the turbo, I also purchased the Steeda Batter Relocation Kit. A battery box and fuseless, distribution block were purchased separately.

For the installation of the 3L, including the amazing fabrication work done by DanG, checkout my thread in the 3.0 Performance forum: Best Upgrade Ever: 3L. This thread concerns the installation of the turbo kit by Nautilus Performance.

[gamiller]

Plenty of room for a turbo here!

[gamiller]

42# fuel injectors versus 22# fuel injectors. Bigger is better!



Pimpin' ma bling, dogg!

[gamiller]

So many pieces! Now, where are those instructions again?!?

[gamiller]

Mounting the intercooler. Dan ended up creating custom brackets. I wish the piping didn't hang down so low.



Motor is in position, ready for the intake and exhaust to be connected.

[gamiller]

Give that oil pan a lil' tap-tap-taparoo for the turbo oil return. Because the wall of the pan was thin, I screwed a 1/2-to-3/8 adapter onto the 3/8" elbow fitting inside of the pan to act as a nut. Note that if you use Teflon tape on the threads that you must use the type that is meant for gas/oil.

[gamiller]

D'oh! The holes don't line up for the Precision Turbo! Joey informs me that the holes align for Garrett, Master Power, and Turbonetics.

[gamiller]

Dan decides to cut and re-weld the wastegate flange on the downpipe to correct the alignment issue.



The master at work:

[gamiller]

Everything fits quite snugly!



If installing this kit in a Cougar, note the following:
* We did not use the 3" hose elbow, but we needed a second 2.5" to 3" adapter with clamps.
* We also needed another section of pipe. [Dan, you remember why?]
* We found that the BAT MAF adapter fit better than the one in the kit.
* We did not need use the IACV bung on the piping.
* The BOV needs at least 3/8" diameter hose from the vacuum booster to open.
* Only one lower O2 bung is present. My other lower O2 is dangling in the wind.

[gamiller]

The air filter intake pipe is really close to the tire. I have almost completely worn through my splash shield. When it's gone, the tire will start rubbing against the intake pipe. Hopefully things can be rearranged.

Lastly, the driver's side fog light had to be removed because it wanted to occupy the same space as the intercooler pipe.