Check list before turning up the boost - don't want to blow up the red

[Msi]

Hello, first post here, please be gentle.

At the age of 38, I fulfilled one of my dreams - owning a RWD turbo car!!
Now, I want to go sideways with it
Yes, I'm preparing for the 40 crisis, and trying to do it on the cheap-ish side :D

I've read countless of threads, here on TB and other forums. However, before I go implement anything on my ride, I just want to make sure that I'm not missing anything - and there is no better way of doing it but asking here on TB.

Ride details:
940 sedan, 1996, b200ft, automatic transmission 3-speed + overdrive (dono if it's AW71 or AW70).
condition is pretty mint, all around stock, has 155K miles on it, but bought it from an elder guy that was servicing it every 5K miles - for the past 11 years, in the same Volvo shop - so to my mind I have a stage 0 ready ride.

I'm going to gradually crank up the boost, all the way until it starts pinging, and then dial it back. Don't want to blow up the engine.

Mod plans (awaiting installation):
- MBC (by NXS)
- Boost gauge (by Bosch)
- Wideband O2 + gauge (by AEM)
- ECU chip (by boostinbilly) - no boost cut
- EZK chip (by boostinbilly) - retards the timing at full load
- 3" DP (by klracing.se)
- Electric exhaust cutout valve (no-name ebay brand, "Y" shaped right after the DP) to bypass the OEM exhaust system.
- Some basic air box mod
- DIY knock detector - going to rig up an old laptop on the dash and throw a mic on the block + some free audio software to visualize the noise on screen in real time. That would give me a nice and clear visual of a knock spike (should it occur).

I'm always filling it with 95 octane pump gas.

My questions are:
1) Do I need an IC upgrade? I read that post 92' the stock IC is good enough for what I'm aiming at.

2) Do I need injectors upgrade? Or, are the stock once enough at this point?

3) According to "boostinbilly", with the ECU I purchased, I don't have to replace the 016 AFM with a larger 012 off a 960.
I'm seeking your thoughts per this one.

4) Am I missing something else?

Thanks in advance,
Matthew.

[thessejway]

This is a really handy guide, in case you haven't already come across it

https://www.brickboard.com/PERFORMAN...ification.html

[cosbySweater]

Originally Posted by thessejway

This is a really handy guide, in case you haven't already come across it

https://www.brickboard.com/PERFORMAN...ification.html

That is soooooo old and completely outdated

[cosbySweater]

You never mentioned if you're going to upgrade your turbo or not. Also do the accumulator mod on the transmission unless you want to clobber it. Lol

[Acke]

1) Not necessarily, but the stock IC is restrictive and the plastic is brittle. A full alu IC offers better flow and cooling.
2&3) Stock injectors, -016AMM and 1bar showed ~11AFRs at WOT. So no, but thats probably maxing it.
95 octane RON or (R+M)/2? If RON you need to go higher.

[JW240]

Originally Posted by Acke

1) Not necessarily, but the stock IC is restrictive and the plastic is brittle. A full alu IC offers better flow and cooling.
2&3) Stock injectors, -016AMM and 1bar showed ~11AFRs at WOT. So no, but thats probably maxing it.
95 octane RON or (R+M)/2? If RON you need to go higher.

+1
Stock turbo won't easily outflow stock amm and injectors are big enough for that too. Best to use a wideband and check.
I wouldn't go for a big cam with any of the stock turbochargers.

Porting the exhaust manifold and removing some restriction from the air filter box helps too.

[Msi]

Originally Posted by cosbySweater

You never mentioned if you're going to upgrade your turbo or not. Also do the accumulator mod on the transmission unless you want to clobber it. Lol

Stock turbo at this point.
Will look up the transmission accumulator mod, completely missed that, thanks for the pointer!!

[Msi]

Originally Posted by Acke

1) Not necessarily, but the stock IC is restrictive and the plastic is brittle. A full alu IC offers better flow and cooling.
2&3) Stock injectors, -016AMM and 1bar showed ~11AFRs at WOT. So no, but thats probably maxing it.
95 octane RON or (R+M)/2? If RON you need to go higher.

Okay than, will keep reading up on an IC upgrade.

Got me with the octane question, I'll have to double check - thanks for the pointer!!! - but I have to assume that it's RON.

We also have 98 pump gas, is that high enough? Assuming it's RON.

[Msi]

Originally Posted by Acke

95 octane RON or (R+M)/2? If RON you need to go higher.

I checked and found that the "98" pump fuel that we have is actually 99 MON and 87 RON.
Which means that it is 93 (R+M)/2.

[Msi]

Originally Posted by JW240

+1
Stock turbo won't easily outflow stock amm and injectors are big enough for that too. Best to use a wideband and check.
I wouldn't go for a big cam with any of the stock turbochargers.

Porting the exhaust manifold and removing some restriction from the air filter box helps too.

Right, wide band and airbox are on the list for the current round of upgrades, along with the other stuff I mentioned in my post.

Cam, turbo and exhaust manifold upgrades are planned for the next round of upgrades. Still reading up on these, a lot.

[cosbySweater]

I would swap out the turbo if you plan to turn it up, that tiny stock turbo is going to be a egt/back pressure monster

[Wilford Brimley]

Originally Posted by Msi

Stock turbo at this point.
Will look up the transmission accumulator mod, completely missed that, thanks for the pointer!!

The mod is immensely easier with the tranny out

[Fa182]

A new intercooler is not really necessary at this point, but it did make a pretty big impact on torque on my 940T, a lot bigger than I was expecting.
Depending on where you live, the NPR Intercooler is almost a straight drop in with very little mods. I live in Europe so there are literally none of these around, so I went with the one from KL Racing. Since you have a 1996 car, you're probably from Europe as well I guess and the KL could be an option for you too.
I made a thread about it some time ago: http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=343520

[Msi]

Originally Posted by cosbySweater

I would swap out the turbo if you plan to turn it up, that tiny stock turbo is going to be a egt/back pressure monster

Yes, a slightly bigger turbo would be much more efficient at producing the 14psi. The thing is that, in my mind, a turbo upgrade also needs an exhaust manifold upgrade. Am I wrong? Or, can I find a bigger turbo that would be a drop-in replacement for the 13c and than upgrade the manifold later on? If so, which would You recommend?

[Msi]

Originally Posted by Fa182

Since you have a 1996 car, you're probably from Europe as well I guess and the KL could be an option for you too.
I made a thread about it some time ago: http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=343520

Sweet info, thanks!!

[Fa182]

No worries. It really is a good IC and way cheaper than the do88 units, with what I assume similar results (haven't tried the do88 though).

Originally Posted by Msi

Yes, a slightly bigger turbo would be much more efficient at producing the 14psi. The thing is that, in my mind, a turbo upgrade also needs an exhaust manifold upgrade. Am I wrong? Or, can I find a bigger turbo that would be a drop-in replacement for the 13c and than upgrade the manifold later on? If so, which would You recommend?

No, you don't need to change the manifold if you use a TD04HL turbo from the later FWD cars, like a 16T or 15G. They are a drop-in replacement. The only things you need to do is to reclock the turbine housing, make a new wastegate bracket, drill the two holes where the studs go and make up a new downpipe connection. It's very simple.

I put a 16T off of a V70 in my 940. Just be aware there are turbos with different exhaust connections. Angled, straight and conical flange, which is important to know for making up the downpipe. Also the angled or straight flange turbo are said to flow the better than the conical outlet, which is smaller.
Here's a thread by Mike on how to clock your turbo: http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=83929

Pic of all 3 outlet versions. You can see the difference in outlet size:

[Fa182]

Also, your question re. the larger 012 AMM.
I did not need to replace it, as the stock one is plenty with my setup. I am running the 16T turbo w/ 0,90bar boost, KL Intercooler, chips from Mike (TLAO). AFR is dead on point even with stock injectors.
Not sure if the B200FT uses different injectors than my B230FT, but the stock ones flow enough in my case.

[Msi]

Originally Posted by Fa182

The only things you need to do is to reclock the turbine housing, make a new wastegate bracket, drill the two holes where the studs go and make up a new downpipe connection. It's very simple.

Here's a thread by Mike on how to clock your turbo: http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=83929

Great pointers, thanks a lot!!

[Acke]

Originally Posted by Msi

Okay than, will keep reading up on an IC upgrade.
We also have 98 pump gas, is that high enough? Assuming it's RON.

98 is good. And since larger turbos were brought up, the -016 AMM and stock injectors were also ok with a 19T straight #7 at 0,9-1 bar. Probably far from optimal, but still decent AFRs (~11) with supporting chips, KL-racing IC and 3 DP->2,5" exhaust.

[JW240]

For the people who run high boost on stock amm. Have you measured amm voltage?
My 240 b230f+t maxxes out the stock 016 amm and stock injectors at 7 psi from a 60/63 T3 .. Mixture is good-ish (lamba 0.8) and 4k+ rpm injectors @ 100% duty cycle.
I would expect more air flow at those boost numbers?

[Acke]

Didn't measure. But I would expect that the AMM bottomed out at higher revs and duty cycle was 100%, since the AFRs were low in the upper register. Upgraded to -012 AMM and 668cc/mn injectors shortly after.