• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

T6 engine tuning

S

Slevin

Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Location
UK,Hungary
Hi all,

I am curios what do you guys think about T6 engine tuning.I am planning to build a 960 or S90 with 2.8 T6 (81mm)but single turbo system (GT30,Gt35 or similar)controlled by a standalone ECU,but dont know how good this engine is for tuning.

Thanks for any input
 
Unless you have any fabrication skills like machining and welding, it's a project that'll run you anywhere from 5000$ to 10 000$ without including the cost of the car. Getting a custom turbo manifold will run you anywhere from 1000-1500$, same thing for a custom turbo back exhaust, anywhere from 800 to 1500$ for the turbo depending if ball bearing or not. If you have to buy the engine, expect anywhere from 1500 to 2500$. Standalone ECU will cost around 2000$ for this engine. This engine is very capable just with stock internals. But it's a hell of a project. Don't worry, i'm not hating or anything, i have the same project in mind in 2-3 years from now. But i already have an s80 t6, so i have the engine, and i can machine or weld so fabrication costs will run very low.
 
Graphxxx said:
Unless you have any fabrication skills like machining and welding, it's a project that'll run you anywhere from 5000$ to 10 000$ without including the cost of the car. Getting a custom turbo manifold will run you anywhere from 1000-1500$, same thing for a custom turbo back exhaust, anywhere from 800 to 1500$ for the turbo depending if ball bearing or not. If you have to buy the engine, expect anywhere from 1500 to 2500$. Standalone ECU will cost around 2000$ for this engine. This engine is very capable just with stock internals. But it's a hell of a project. Don't worry, i'm not hating or anything, i have the same project in mind in 2-3 years from now. But i already have an s80 t6, so i have the engine, and i can machine or weld so fabrication costs will run very low.
Click to expand...

A standalone ems like Megasquirt or VEMS is less than $1000.

And the other stuff can be done yourself for less.
 
Yes it can be done, but who says he has the skills or the equipement to weld and machine?
 
Graphxxx said:
Unless you have any fabrication skills like machining and welding, it's a project that'll run you anywhere from 5000$ to 10 000$ without including the cost of the car. Getting a custom turbo manifold will run you anywhere from 1000-1500$, same thing for a custom turbo back exhaust, anywhere from 800 to 1500$ for the turbo depending if ball bearing or not. If you have to buy the engine, expect anywhere from 1500 to 2500$. Standalone ECU will cost around 2000$ for this engine. This engine is very capable just with stock internals. But it's a hell of a project. Don't worry, i'm not hating or anything, i have the same project in mind in 2-3 years from now. But i already have an s80 t6, so i have the engine, and i can machine or weld so fabrication costs will run very low.
Click to expand...

Thanks for noticing, but i already have some stuffs,like the ECU,clutch,forged rods,big injectors,custom intercooler etc.And I am from Hungary which is a cheap country (you might never heard it:)), and we are Volvo breakers so getting the parts is not that hard and expensive.T6 S80s are cheap in Europe,because of the bad economy.Diesels are worth much more.I mean a bare t6 engine is less then 500 dollars.
For example my stainless steel exhaust did cost 700dollars,with a manifold it would be 1000.
USA is a different world:)

Here is a pic of the exhaust,just te show the quality:
Keacutep014_zps4285631a.jpg
 
No he made around 460-480 WHP on stock rods and around 540 WHP with rods.

That is a nice exhaust at a cheap price, but keep in mind, is you plan on going single turbo, you'll need a custom manifold. You can go with a log manifold or equal length manifold. But if you do go with an equal length manifold, it won't cost 300$ even in hungary (i'm half hungarian by the way). An equal length manifold is MUCH harder to do than a simple exhaust system, and not all shops do manifolds simply because they don't want to warranty the manifold. The shop that did my exhaust (great job) used to do manifolds, but no longer simply because it's alot more work, and if it fails, they have to fix it for free.
 
Are you really from Hungary?Good to hear!:)
Btw,the guy (who made my exhaust) said it costs around 300.He did exhausts,manifolds for pretty much rally cars,drag cars,bikes etc,I mean he has got experience so knows what he says.
Otherwise I am more than satisfied with 400whp,don't want to get silly numbers.
B4194T2 engines came with forged pistons(81mm),so I may get 6 of those in the proper size.
 
Graphxxx said:
Unless you have any fabrication skills like machining and welding, it's a project that'll run you anywhere from 5000$ to 10 000$ without including the cost of the car. Getting a custom turbo manifold will run you anywhere from 1000-1500$, same thing for a custom turbo back exhaust, anywhere from 800 to 1500$ for the turbo depending if ball bearing or not. If you have to buy the engine, expect anywhere from 1500 to 2500$. Standalone ECU will cost around 2000$ for this engine. This engine is very capable just with stock internals. But it's a hell of a project. Don't worry, i'm not hating or anything, i have the same project in mind in 2-3 years from now. But i already have an s80 t6, so i have the engine, and i can machine or weld so fabrication costs will run very low.
Click to expand...

You're speaking from experience right? Where's the project thread where you did all these things?
 
Graphxxx said:
Unless you have any fabrication skills like machining and welding, it's a project that'll run you anywhere from 5000$ to 10 000$ without including the cost of the car. Getting a custom turbo manifold will run you anywhere from 1000-1500$, same thing for a custom turbo back exhaust, anywhere from 800 to 1500$ for the turbo depending if ball bearing or not. If you have to buy the engine, expect anywhere from 1500 to 2500$. Standalone ECU will cost around 2000$ for this engine. This engine is very capable just with stock internals. But it's a hell of a project. Don't worry, i'm not hating or anything, i have the same project in mind in 2-3 years from now. But i already have an s80 t6, so i have the engine, and i can machine or weld so fabrication costs will run very low.
Click to expand...

My Megasquirt 2 box cost 278 Dollars.
An s80 t6 is available at the pnp for 170, or pulled from a running car for 3-4.
Having someone make a custom exhaust locally is 600.
A brand new shiny ball bearing turbo is 1k, you can get something capable for less.
The manifold is the only thing thats in the 700-1k range.
 
Graphxxx said:
Unless you have any fabrication skills like machining and welding, it's a project that'll run you anywhere from 5000$ to 10 000$ without including the cost of the car. Getting a custom turbo manifold will run you anywhere from 1000-1500$, same thing for a custom turbo back exhaust, anywhere from 800 to 1500$ for the turbo depending if ball bearing or not. If you have to buy the engine, expect anywhere from 1500 to 2500$. Standalone ECU will cost around 2000$ for this engine. This engine is very capable just with stock internals. But it's a hell of a project. Don't worry, i'm not hating or anything, i have the same project in mind in 2-3 years from now. But i already have an s80 t6, so i have the engine, and i can machine or weld so fabrication costs will run very low.
Click to expand...

I think those numbers are way off

This is my build cost so far

low mile running/complete t6: $400
Brand new HX40$300(yeah i got a super deal)
getrag 265 :$300
supra rear diff: $50
log style exhaust mani kit: $200
intake mani bits:$250
MS2 Kit:~$250

I'm doing most of the labor myself but invest in a cheap Harbor Freight mig welder or go in halfs with a buddy. It will save some coin down the road. I am lucky enough to have access to a tig welder.

I got awesome deals on alot of this stuff but anyone can with some strong googlefoo skills. All in all, i probably have $2500 in so far including the cost of the car. It's not as brutal as most people think IF IF IF IF you are patient and can't hunt/negotiate deal like a bauce. I still have a ways to go because of current cash flow but i think that is true for all tbrickers.
 
Might be a stupid question but I am not familiar with getrag,so is that box straight fit to the whiteblock.How much hp/nm can the M90 handle?
Why do you need supra diff?Iirc later 960/S90 came with a kind of speer diff?Are they able to handle the performance?Are you doing custom intake?Sorry for the lot of questions but this t6 stuff is new to me.
 
Last edited:
If you want the best answers, send a message to Capt bondo. He had a sachs 707 pressure plate and organic disc on an M90 and it held the 540 WHP. He had a ford rear diff but he used a 242 wagon i think so he didn't have IRS in there. What are your power goals with the T6 engine?
 
I am happy with 400ish whp.I dont want to put huge turbo on it,GT30 or similar enough for it.It should not be too laggy on this size engine I guess.
Will talk to Capt,thank for the helps btw.
 
Last edited:
Slevin said:
Might be a stupid question but I am not familiar with getrag,so is that box straight fit to the whiteblock.How much hp/nm can the M90 handle?
Why do you need supra diff?Iirc later 960/S90 came with a kind of speer diff?Are they able to handle the performance?Are you doing custom intake?Sorry for the lot of questions but this t6 stuff is new to me.
Click to expand...
Its not a direct fit. Its a Getrag 5 speed commonly found in BMW e24/e28's. Known to hold power pretty well. Will need an adapter plate to the aw 30-40LE bell found on the 960.
 
If you live in Hungary...

Getting hold of a 6 speed ZF from a more modern BMW M3 should be of no concern for you :) Keep the bellhousing from the "Autodramatic" and splice it with the ZF.

If you can weld yourself, making a equal length header is really not a too big hassle on a 960 or 7/900 platform, alot of space :) The trick is placing the turbo UNDER the header between the engine and fender (which is not a problem, you'll need new stronger and more rigid engine mounts anyway, it'll make a ton of torque), and the pipes really just need to be within 10-15% lengt on a turbo system. If you do just small changes to the cylinderhead a GT35 would do for 500+whp on 98 RON :) Even with stock RN type head with the older NA cams should provide 400 whp at 1 Bar boost (2 bar absolute).

My main concern about theese engines are the cylinder cracking problem, but if no more than 500ish whp, small aluminium bolt-pieces between the liners and jacket will make for the needed stability for long lasting durability.

I would also fit the earlier type NA cams in it, since the cam pullies are adjustable (the slots kan be made longer in a mill if necessary) and set the LCA angle to 115-116 deg. The stock compression on the later T6'es (of RN type) is something in the region of 8.8:1 so setting the cams straight up or even +3 deg. advance with that LCA angle should provide for a quite boost tolerant setup :)

If you are going to run stock inlet valves I'd fill some epoxy in the ports, thay are a bit overkill in size for the stock valves. I'd fill epoxy in the floor halfway down the port to shrink the MCSA a bit, and add a small amount to the "roof" just before the seat :) I happen to have cut one of theese heads in two so i could post a pro paint-edit on a picture of a cut-through stock N-series head (quite similar to the RN in the critical "needs epoxy" area) Somehow Volvo screwed up (as usual) the last portion of the port...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top