Topic: The further misadventures of Wee Beastie

[dholvrsn]

I'm trying to upgrade the Pinto XR4Ti to Pinto SVO(ish).


I reamed out the upper manifold to bolt up to the 65mm throttle body.


I also elongated the holes and drilled a new one in the 6mm throttle body to mate up to the manifold.


I also drilled and taped a 1/2" fender washer to adapt the 50mm TPS to the 65mm TB.

[dholvrsn]

Here's the 65mm gasket with holes nibbled to fit the reamed 50mm manifold.


Here's half everything bolted to together.


BTW, Dorman sells a bubble pack of 8mm exhaust studs that are also handy for stuff like this.


Now I hit a couple of impasses. How do I rotate the compressor housing 60° outwards to match up with the intercooler inlets without breaking anything? Also the the bigger TB assembly interferes with where the valve cover breather should go. Is there an alternate breather? Although I'm toying with a couple of other work arounds....

[D.R.Ball]

Look good, by the way do you have any details on your swap ? It looks like you have A/C hooked up, is that correct ? What set up did you use ?  How does you hood fit ? Any cut thing cut out?

[OhSix9]

nice work on the bigger tb that is next on the list up my way too. I would gut the upper and take out the big restriction that is that ball of aluminum between the ports. Knife edge the lower.  Rotating the turbo is a matter of loosening the 6 or 8 bolts that go into the aluminum compressor housing and giving it a few love taps to rotate it.. just make sure everything stays square.  the t3's have a gasket between the housing and plate that you may want to ensure is undamaged. just go slow and make sure it doesn't get crooked and jam the housing into the wheel.  there are alternate valve covers but they only work with the slightly taller pre 88 upper. the regular steel ones just have a nipple there for the hose. Prob just adapt something and use a short intermediate hose to relocate the breather to keep the factory cover.

[dholvrsn]

I'm seriously getting back to this after being side tracked for a while. I need a little refresher course on which ECUs work with the intercooler, big VAM, and big throttle body. I yanked out a PF3. I shook loose a LB2 and LB3 from my collection. I could have sworn I had a LA2 squirreled away. I'm going to have to look for it when I get back up to The Farm. Thanks!

[oldkayaker]

I could not find a link to a direct answer, even though I seem to remember seeing one ounce.  The LA and LB series use the large VAM, 35lb. injectors, and intercooler.  The Mekur's did not have intercoolers and I am unsure of the other differences.  I thought the stock throttle body size was the same through out the years.  The links below may help in the ECU conversion.

This link gives a list of ECU's and what cars they came in. 
http://forum.turboford.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000269#000000

This pdf link gives the most accurate pin out that I have found (ignore the PE to LA add/move list at the bottom).  Compare the Mekur and 87-88TC to see which wires to add/move.  Note you need to add the following items to take advantage of all the LB/LA features: ACT sensor in intake, octane switch, and electric fan relays.  Scroll down to the pdf link: "PE to LA.pdf"
http://www.rothfam.com/svo/reference/

[65ShelbyClone]

Now I hit a couple of impasses. How do I rotate the compressor housing 60° outwards to match up with the intercooler inlets without breaking anything?

This will allow the compressor to be rotated without throwing the inlet alignment off:

http://bigrmotorsports.com/T3__Snout_Rotator.html

I think $75 is a bit steep and would rather make my own, but that would have to wait until I get a rotary table for the mill (although a single-position adapter could made easily w/o one, similar to your TPS sensor). Your other option is to either find an '84-86 Mustang SVO compressor housing, a Buick straight compressor inlet, or a Spearco forward-facing compressor outlet and plumb a front-mount intercooler.

Also the the bigger TB assembly interferes with where the valve cover breather should go. Is there an alternate breather? Although I'm toying with a couple of other work arounds....

I've seen PCV valves stuck there in place of the coffee can breather. That is only an option for valve covers that have the large hole/grommet at the rear port, which it looks like yours is. Mine is the early style with a tiny 3/8" hole and the breather has a post that just kind of sits in it.