1.4L Teardown/Modification

[ChrisJ]

How about adding an electric supercharger for some down low power too?
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39719

I'm finding it a bit hard to believe that tiny motor could produce any pressure even at low rpm volumes. I have an easier time believing $ub$onic will ever get around to actually putting a turbo on his 1.8

 

[$ub$onic]

I'm finding it a bit hard to believe that tiny motor could produce any pressure even at low rpm volumes. I have an easier time believing $ub$onic will ever get around to actually putting a turbo on his 1.8

Hahaha thanks, I'm actually going to go the s/c route.

 

[SilverScion]

I'm finding it a bit hard to believe that tiny motor could produce any pressure even at low rpm volumes. I have an easier time believing $ub$onic will ever get around to actually putting a turbo on his 1.8

You would be surprised what a little positive pressure does for an engine.

There is an old YouTube video of a guy doing dyno pulls on a blazer using a leaf blower to provide boost. It works exactly like a turbo or super charger would work. And it doesn't take much boost to see decent gains in power. The first Mazdapssed Protégés were running just under 5 lbs of boost to add 50 whp.

I have no doubts that this will work, but a decent tune on the turbo already in the car will yield much bigger gains for the money. The FRS/BRZ seems to have an issue with getting enough air, which is why they respond to boost so well.

-Sean


Typoed on my iPhone.

 

[ChrisJ]

You would be surprised what a little positive pressure does for an engine.

There is an old YouTube video of a guy doing dyno pulls on a blazer using a leaf blower to provide boost. It works exactly like a turbo or super charger would work. And it doesn't take much boost to see decent gains in power. The first Mazdapssed Protégés were running just under 5 lbs of boost to add 50 whp.

I have no doubts that this will work, but a decent tune on the turbo already in the car will yield much bigger gains for the money. The FRS/BRZ seems to have an issue with getting enough air, which is why they respond to boost so well.

-Sean

Typoed on my iPhone.

While possibly true that it could create a slight positive pressure at low flow, what kind of a restriction does it cause when the turbo starts pumping?

Something I've learned is there are never any free rides and that electric supercharger sure looks like a free ride to me.

 

[SilverScion]

While possibly true that it could create a slight positive pressure at low flow, what kind of a restriction does it cause when the turbo starts pumping?

Something I've learned is there are never any free rides and that electric supercharger sure looks like a free ride to me.

It depends on how you pipe it in, look at how other twin-charged systems have been built. It requires significant modifications to the cars electrical system to be able to run it, definitely not a free ride.

Like I said, adding it to an existing turbo car isn't the best way to make more power.

-Sean

 

[laborsmith]

Hahaha thanks, I'm actually going to go the s/c route.

That would be nice. Have you picked your s/c?


Laborsmith

 

[mitdr774]

electric supercharger that might actually work.......

If you can get the dimensions and pressures for the stock springs, I am sure that between those that are interested in this, a suitable replacement can be figured out for when higher lift cams become involved.

 

[$ub$onic]

That would be nice. Have you picked your s/c?


Laborsmith

Mitdr and I have talk quite a bit about it. More then likely gonna go m45. Gonna have to spin it a hair faster then it's rated but it should work good. Once I do a m32 swap I will be going this route

 

[flogge]

I have some friends that buy old junk cars then rally race them in a field. It's about a 1/4 or 1/2 mile triangle with trees all around. One of them used a 2 cycle gas leaf blower plumbed to the intake a few years ago. No filter, but the car is on it's way to the junk yard anyway. Come out of a corner and pull the trigger on the blower, then hold until the tires start spinning. By that time you're ready to throw it at the next corner.

 

[BadaSS98]

electric supercharger that might actually work.......

If you can get the dimensions and pressures for the stock springs, I am sure that between those that are interested in this, a suitable replacement can be figured out for when higher lift cams become involved.

Man, I hope you aren't serious..

 

[Jeraime1741]

Neary, please join in on this thread as you get into your engine mod. I was browsing eBay earlier today and the 1.4's a plentiful. Even saw one with a trans and stock turbo for a tad over $1000 shipped.

8,000 rpm? 2 problems. The ECU falls off the map at about 7,200 so you may need a stand alone to accomplish that. Second problem, shifting at 8,000. Maybe you have an auto and that'll put you ahead of the game, but the M32 doesn't like to shift above 6k very gracefully.

As far as raising the CR, isn't that a bad idea if you plan to raise the boost? Or do you have a plan to beef up the ignition?

I'll be looking into stronger forged hardware, but I'm not ordering anything til I nail down the math. I plan to dyno with the new turbo, and then with the modified head. If I'm still not close to my 300whp target, I actually plan to get pistons to lower my compression so I can ramp my boost upwards of 30+.

Sorry this is pretty old and I was reading along and a question arose. I was under the assumption that our 9:5:1 was a adequate compression ratio for a forced induction engine. Wouldn't you have significantly more heat transfer with 30+. Perhaps I should be asking you what type of Intercooler you would be using and why not up compression and drop boost? I have a 275whp target in mind and am just trying to bounce ideas

 

[Preloader]

I too was just bouncing ideas around when I said 30+. I'll be swapping in a larger extruded core I/C and with the added flow of the larger turbo, I hope to get closer to my target power goal without ramping boost up passed 1.5 DR.

The GT2560 may struggle to even produce that until I get some upgraded cams. In a month or so, I should have some real life results to figure out what the best direction to take is. But currently I plan to stick with stock CR.

 

[kens97sto171]

Hey all. I'm a new member.. and possible future Sonic owner. OP has some really nice pics of the engine as he dis-assembled it.

I drive a rig into the place that casts and machines the blocks for this engine, and pretty much every V6, V8, that GM builds, both Iron and Aluminum including the Duramax.

Thought I would show you some defect engine blocks that were in the normal
"PILE" they have.. there are often 2-3 rail cars like the one you see in the background piled high with defects... they just take them around back, and dump them back into the furnace. They actually have a very low defect rate.. about 1/2 of a percent... that gives you an idea of the number they actually build. Pretty astonishing really.

This time they had some of the 1.4L engines sitting at the edge of the pile so I took some up close pictures.
The Chevy volt uses the same engine but slightly modified. Not sure actually which these are.. Volt 1.4NA , or 1.4L Turbo.

Hope you like them... I plan on checking out the Sonic soon. I was looking at the Cruze ECO.. but I like the looks of the sonic better. And I love hatches.

Ken

 

[sx sonic]

Welcome Ken, that was an epic 1st post. Thanks for sharing.

That pile of scrap blocks is, well something else lol.

 

[Maddmatts]

This is a silly question compared to the rest of the discussion: where-abouts is the block's coolant drain plug? And what is it's thread size?

 

[Preloader]

I don't recall seeing one. I can look when I get home this evening.

 

[Preloader]

There a two coolant plugs on the driver's side. They are only accessible with the trans and flywheel removed. I didn't remove them to find out the size, as I don't want to open a can of worms. But if there is interest to go deeper, I will consider.

There is also a sensor bolted to the back of the block that may enter the coolant cavity. That one could be accessed possibly from the underside, or if the intake were removed, it could be accessed from the top.

I'll remove it tomorrow if time permits and verify if it enters the block.

 

[Preloader]

For any NY builders. $200 local pick-up. Turbo and trans included.

Sonic 1 4 Motor Turbo turbocharger and 6 Speed Standard Transmission for Sale | eBay

 

[$ub$onic]

For any NY builders. $200 local pick-up. Turbo and trans included.

Sonic 1 4 Motor Turbo turbocharger and 6 Speed Standard Transmission for Sale | eBay

That is a steal!! If I was closer I would go just for the trans.

 

[Maddmatts]

Thanks muchly for looking Preloader. I was hoping for a convenient hole for an aftermarket coolant temp sensor and didn't want to cut a radiator hose if I didn't have to.