Does anyone out there make a “kit” that allows you to remove the stock mini R53 supercharger, and run a single turbo setup instead? I’ve seen some home built stuff out there…..but are there any companies out there making kits that are pretty bolt on? Also, what kind of TQ and HP gains would you expect on a stock R53 when going to a turbo? I’m assuming that you would see gains from a cooler intake charge (less heat from turbo vs. SC), while getting some more boost (20psi??).

I’m guessing any kind of kit would have to include a new exhaust header, turbo, intake/exhaust/turbo plumbing, different belt/pulleys to take place of missing SC pulley, injectors?, some kind of tuning devise (or dyno time)?

Anyone out there do this? Would the price be more than it’s worth in gains? Are there cheaper ways to make the same kind of power you would see from a single turbo?

Just wondering…..

Thanks

 

IMHO the price wouldn't justify it unless you're building a race car. 20psi may require upgraded internals as well depending on the state of the engine. And yes you would need a turbo manifold and downpipe fabricated a new intake a new front mount intercooler surely larger injectors with that much boost definitely a tune blah blah blah. I'd guess you'd be lucky if you could do it for $5k if you do all the wrenching yourself.
There are a few turbokompressor kits out there. I'd love to have one of those

 

Its been done before, I think theirs people that still sell a kit. I know a friend of mine is pretty interested in getting a new one going.
I think honestly that the biggest problem your going to have with doing a single turbo conversion on a R53 is that the Stock ecu will not tolerate it real well.

 

Both of the last 2 posts are leading in the direction of why no-one ever offered a "kit" more than a few that have done the conversion had thought of creating a kit, but there are just so many other variables involved than just hardware that it kept them from moving forward on them.

Besides hardware, you have to consider, internals (20psi has been thought to be the limit on stock internals), tuning, and even issues with sensors & such. Turns out that a turbo cobversion not only takes some money, but a considerable amount of know how & understanding that just really doesn't lend itself to what most people would be considered as acceptable for a "kit".

 

It sort of turns into a not really ideal less than Oem solution. most people arent willing to pay to do it right.

 

Incorrect

A Supercharger doesn’t need to be plumbed in to the exhaust system. Besides simplifying the installation process, there are advantages to be had in terms of reliability. Heat accelerates failure rate – everything wears out faster the hotter you run it. Superchargers also tend to deliver slightly cooler intake charges. The Turbo’s compressor is attached to the impeller (turbine) by a connecting shaft. This places the compressor housing in close proximity to the turbine housing. The turbine housing has hot exhaust running through it. So, Turbos run hotter by their very nature and they transfer more heat to the air they're compressing.

 

Why not just add a turbo? A twin-charged would be nuts... https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ed-mini-2.html

 

http://www.*********************/for...#axzz2FnCJskuJ - the Wildebeest is nuts :-)

 

This is very debatable due to the compression efficiency of a supercharger vs. turbocharger. The M45 runs at right around 60% efficient. You can easily see turbocharger efficiency's in the mid 70's. Based on that alone a turbo running 15psi of boost would be running about 30 degrees cooler than the M45 at the same exact boost pressure.

The turbocharger shaft is only able to transfer around 20 watts of power from the exhaust side to the intake side. That's not going to see a huge increase in intake temps.

There is also the benefit of less stress on the crankshaft.

If superchargers were really more efficient auto manufacturers wouldn't be going in droves to turbochargers to increase their engine efficiencies, Mini included.

 

But no supercharger means no whine :-)

 

I kind of want to disagree with this in part because in most cases I feel it is done because turbos are cheaper to manufacture. In most high performance aspects supercharges are used in equal amount of cases as turbos.

The money you would spend into a turbo change could instead be spent into the new Sprintex supercharger. The twin screw charger is much better than the rolls stock charger

 

And thats not really the truth.
A supercharger is always working, thus wasting engine power.
Also, since they are doing that its extra emissions.
A turbo vehicle because they run warmer, and are not trying to make boost at all times
lead to better fuel milage and emissions is why they are used.
I don't think the twin screw is better than stock.
We will see how they do long term though.
That being said, i would go turbo before i went sprintex any day of the week.

 

I have a turbo on my R53 and to make a kit would be a very hard road. There are a lot of ways to do it and I have not seen two done the same. I went that way to go road racing. I do not think you will see a good kit that has all that you will need.

 

There simply is no argument of efficiency for peak power and versatility of a properly sized turbocharger vs supercharger. As far as heat, anytime you compress air you create heat. You wouldn't stick your hand on a compressor housing after a dyno pulls nor would you place your hand on top of the casing of the supercharger after dyno pulls. In our case, even if the supercharger were able to generate less heat at the same PSI level of a turbo, the top mount intercooler sitting right above the blower itself isnt helping anything. Lets let the heat rise right into the bottom of the intercooler, and yet not give it any room underneath it for hot air to escape. Brilliant idea!

Having built my own turbo cars in the past, I can safely and comfortably go out and hold onto the "hotside" (pre intercooler) pipe after doing multiple dyno pulls, its barely warm to the touch and the pipe was only about a foot long so there wasnt much distance to bleed heat off. I would not however grab the "hotside" intercooler horn on an R53 after dyno pulls, its QUITE hot after multiple pulls.

 

Brilliant enough that Porsche and Subaru having been doing it for decades having it sit right on top of their engines.

 

So brilliant that every STi I have ever seen with serious modification has to be fitted with a front mount because core size constraints on top of the engine, and lack of cooling capacity. And about every serious 911T you see has an icebox built in or W2A setup. The newer Porsche stuff has multiple intercoolers mounted in the same orientation as a FMIC, with dual intercoolers located in the sides of the body with air vents to force air coming down the side of the body into them.

Ford, GM, Nissan, Chrysler, Mazda, Toyota, Volvo, Saab, Mitsubishi and so on, even Kia/Hyundai all currently have or had a forced induction car within the past 8 years that uses a front mounted intercooler design of some sort, whether mount in the side of the body with multiple cores, or just plain and simple a front radiator support mounted intercooler. You cant re-invent the wheel, its simple knowledge.

Porsche and Subaru use them because of the engine design. Even Porsche is starting steer away from the idea, stop by your local Foreign Car dealer and see

 

Ask Chase:
http://www.motoringunderground.com/f...=1885&page=211

 

lol

 

true, but as you state Thats why MINI, Porsche and Subarus have scoops directly on top to FORCE air into them.

But hey you win the discussion. LOL

 

Just because its not ideal in your world dose not mean it cant function.
buy a scan gauge and watch the recovery time when airs going though the intercooler.
thats enough proof that it works.
keep in mind the intercooler is designed for a specific heat load and nearly everyone with a R53 and any designs on performance has a pulley.
That pulley significantly adds to the heat load.
Its not a perfect system but it works pretty well.
Also you dont need a big intercooler with meth!

 

And as you remember, the gist of the point was that being a top mount system, its mounted on top of the single biggest heat generating piece the car has, THE ENGINE. There is no room for the heat to escape cool air forces it down as it rises up from the blower. That was the flaw I was pointing out, nothing about scoops?

 

Lol I agree! I used water/meth on my last turbo car, meth was a higher concentration of the mixture for the octane properties but water always helps haha

On common occasion saw temps that were UNDER ambient!

 

To the OP.... A shop here in AZ is working on this kind of kit. He has all the mock-ups done And will be sending the car off next month for the final fitting and then will start testing.

 

I'm not sure why tuning would be an issue if you keep the boost stockish. These cars run so rich from the factory there is plenty of headroom in the fueling. Assuming the car was running more efficiently(debatable I know) and needing slightly more fuel. The ECU doesn't monitor anything to do with the supercharger, just boost. It shouldn't matter where that boost comes from.

 

Boost is not everything.
its also the volume of air...