Tuning IHI to GT1446 info?

[Stephen A500]

Hi guys,. I’m about to start spending money,. I’m about to buy a sports cat, back box delete and a hybrid vl38.

I can’t seem to find a simple guide on the gt1446 conversion or I’m not looking properly.
So if I decide to swap out to a Garrett then I would need,. The exhaust manifold, the GT1446, a down pipe?? Can I buy a sports cat for the Garrett and it will connect to my original exhaust?
The oil return pipe needs extending..

All I’m looking to do is install the turbo and make the car drivable, not tuned. I understand I need injectors 390cc, and boost sensors?

I’m not looking for bhp yet, If I go this route then it’s all going to be used parts and then I’ll buy a new turbo, injectors and get everything dialled in. But I want to do the conversion myself.

I fitted bluespark a few years ago, will this interfere with the conversion?

Thanks Steve

 

[mj2k]

I was looking into this a while ago, and it looks like a lot of hassle for a few extra horses - it'll need the oil and coolant feed / return lines from the gt1446, exhaust manifold and I believe turbo inlet too since they're different part numbers. Also presumably the ecu to match the GT 1446 or a remap if yours is a pre-fl, otherwise you'll be overfueling with the larger injectors. I believe the facelift's ecu can deal with the change without any further work, but check with an Abarth remapper to be sure; no idea what effect it'd have on the bluespark.

Prob better to look at one of the 3rd party kits and a remap to be honest, unless you're striving to keep it looking 100% original they offer far more 'bang for your buck' if you're buying a new turbo, and should come with the necessary feed pipes / manifold.

 

[A3jeroen]

And IIRC you loose some power in the low revs and gain in the high revs (more turbolag), so ask yourself if you are always in the higher 5-6000+ rpm's. Drivability (to me) is more important than horsepower.

gr J

 

[mj2k]

And IIRC you loose some power in the low revs and gain in the high revs (more turbolag), so ask yourself if you are always in the higher 5-6000+ rpm's. Drivability (to me) is more important than horsepower.

gr J

100% with you on that, I tweaked the brakes, suspension and interior(!) but ended up leaving the tiny IHI turbo as it is because once I'd fitted a 'proper' boost gauge I noticed most of the time I was boosting under 0.2 bar anyway at under 4000 rpm unless I had the accelerator pedal firmly planted on the floor, accelerating out of a sliproad. I do drive in a quite 'sprited' way when I'm by myself in the car, but slamming the accelerator to the floor and then jumping on the brakes just before a corner doesn't work at all well in our tiny critters.

If the OP actually does need the extra power and doesn't mind the lag, something like a TD04 kit would be a good way to go though - TD04s, though pretty huge on the Abarth, have been the bog standard turbos on Subarus and Mitsubishis for years and prove to be very reliable in practice, despite being comparatively cheap to buy.

 

[The Pretender]

Hi guys,. I’m about to start spending money,. I’m about to buy a sports cat, back box delete and a hybrid vl38.

I can’t seem to find a simple guide on the gt1446 conversion or I’m not looking properly.
So if I decide to swap out to a Garrett then I would need,. The exhaust manifold, the GT1446, a down pipe?? Can I buy a sports cat for the Garrett and it will connect to my original exhaust?
The oil return pipe needs extending..

All I’m looking to do is install the turbo and make the car drivable, not tuned. I understand I need injectors 390cc, and boost sensors?

I’m not looking for bhp yet, If I go this route then it’s all going to be used parts and then I’ll buy a new turbo, injectors and get everything dialled in. But I want to do the conversion myself.

I fitted bluespark a few years ago, will this interfere with the conversion?

Thanks Steve

If you would upgrade to a Garret GT1446 go for a Hybrid version, costs are more or less the same, but power could go up to 240+ hp.
There was also a video on YouTube About a IHI Hybrid turbo for IHI equipped Abarth's, power would go up to 220+ hp.