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What turbos can yu fit on a hotair when running the Spearco IC kit?

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FlaBoy

Just a good ole boy...
Joined
Jun 6, 2003
Messages
586
I'm in the middle of a few projects on my 85 GN right now to get it driving again. Once those are done, I will be installing a Spearco intercooler kit I purchased a few weeks back. At the current time, I have a stock turbo and injectors. At some point after installing the IC kit, I will likely be swapping on the gutted-stock intake I have sitting in my garage, as well as a bigger turbo and bigger injectors. As far as turbo upgrades go, I know the ta-33 is pretty much the only choice for an easy bolt-on installation, as it's the only turbo made in the stock hotair housing (though i recall a few mentions of a ta-48 by Precision, which is supposedly pretty similar?). MY question though is, since I will be re-clocking the turbo and getting rid of the stock turbo adapter anyways when i install the spearco kit, does that expand my options for turbo upgrades? I dont want to have to do severe fabrication/modification to get something to fit, and I don't really need a huge turbo, as this car is my daily driver and will only see occaisional track use. I think a ta-33 would be fine power and flow-wise for what I am looking for, but I was wondering if it might be possible to get one of the common upgrade turbos for the 86/87's to fit easily with the spearco kit, as this would make it possible to find one easier and cheaper, and probably give me a more efficient housing design (i know the stock hot-air housing is relatively inefficient compared to the 86/87 stock housing, or some of the upgrade turbos for those cars). Anyone running a spearco kit have any expereince on what size street turbos will fit there without too much modification/fabrication? Thanks for any input!
 
Youre still basically limited becasue of where your throttle body is at compared to your turbo. Its something to do with oil and vacuum and how the turbo can suck it up. They dont any bigger because of the opening of where the throttle body sits on the turbo. I DO know Ive got a weird turbo on mine. I bought it new off a guy on here that is pretty close to me, and he sent in a te61 and a stocker, and they rebuilt and put the te61 guts in the stocker. It flows more than a ta33, so I dont know if maybe you could do that as well. Either way the ta33 is an awesome turbo for the hotairs. I havent seen one person say anything negative about them.
 
I have been considering relocating the throttlebody to the pressure side of the system when I install the spearco IC, as I've heard this improves throttle response and idling issues when using the spearco... would relocating the throttlebody solve any of the problems youre talking about, and enable any further options for upgrading the turbo?
 
i'll bet you can use a TA-49 with your hotair TB i had a inlet bell for a 86-87 bolted to my hotair turbo so it should work and i have a TE-60 bolted to the stock locatin on my JS MANUFACTURING intake with no clearance issues :biggrin:
 
Well I guess now it's time to show my turbo ignorance. If i am correct, a TA-49 is a stock 86/87 housing, with upgraded internals? I seem to remember reading that a TA-33 has very similar, if not the same wheels as a -49, just in the horair housing? So I assume the 49 will have similar spool, efficiency, etc. just slightly better on msot counts due to the alrger/more efficient housing? Where does the TE-60 fit in relation? I assume its bigger, but how much? I guess what i wanna know is, if i can use the typical 86/87 upgrade turbos with my spearco kit, what would be one to look at? The most I'd be looking for is low 12's, maybe high 11's down the road, but I don't see me trying to go much faster than that with this car, so I woudn't need a huge turbo, and since it's going to be 90% street driven, I'd like to keep a low stall converter, and quick spooling. Would a ta-49 meet be able to get me there? I really like the idea of a -49, as I see them for sale all the tiem at much lower prices than a -33, and they're bigger too! Also, the more I've looked into turbos, the more i realize how much i dont know... one big question i have: what is the significance of the TA or TE designations?? Thanks for any and all help!! Oh, and anyone who is running a spearco kit with a non-hotair-housing turbo, especially a TA-49, PLEASE chime in, I'd love to hear what you think!!!
 
the TE-60 is larger in diameter than a stock 86-87 turbo so you have a little space before you have clearance issues.and most of the TA series turbos will accept your TB so you can still use it.
the ta series turbo uses a bolt on inlet bell
the te sreries turbo has a bell molded in to the compressor housing
 
Thanks Highboost, I appreciate the info. I'd love to hear from anyone running a spearco setup with a ta-49, or any other non-stock-housing turbo. Or anyone else with any other info. Thanks so much!
 
What most people have said about the turbos being similiar between the 49 and 33 are true. ANd you are correct, they are similiar, but the 49 housing is a little bigger. If you do like my turbo, you'll be way beyond the 33 and 49.
 
Anything that fits in the 87 compressor housing (or "TA" series turbos) will work with the Spearco kit and relocated TB. I have a TA66 which is as big as you can go in that housing. Supposed to be good for mid 10s. You can choose from any popular 87 turbo. I've run the 49 and I can tell you there's a ton of difference with the 66 on the top end, especially as you go up in boost. Any "TA" turbo is an 87 compressor housing with different wheels.
 
So what turbo would you guys reccomend for a hotair trying to reach the low 12's, maybe high 11's with a spearco kit? would the ta-49 be enough, or would I have to go bigger? I know i can can get ta-49's for a good rpice on the board here, so if I don't need much bigger for my needs, that that would be great, but if i need a bigger turbo than that to see low 12's on a hotair, then what turbo should I get?
 
FlaBoy said:
So what turbo would you guys reccomend for a hotair trying to reach the low 12's, maybe high 11's with a spearco kit? would the ta-49 be enough, or would I have to go bigger? I know i can can get ta-49's for a good rpice on the board here, so if I don't need much bigger for my needs, that that would be great, but if i need a bigger turbo than that to see low 12's on a hotair, then what turbo should I get?

Cory,
Not sure if you saw these pics yet, but here are some great links to turbos.
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/pictureguides/turboguide/turboguide.html

Read the lower right of this link for some turbo specs.
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/misc/lubrant.html

Try a search under this forum for threads titled "biggest turbo"3
Not the same question but some good info. There are about 6 threads.

Hope this helps.
 
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