My new (lol) 1988 Dodge shadow ES - 56k beware.

[Paradox]

dunno where to put this, this forum seems like the best one to do this...

Well looking at the car there was not to much cosmetically wrong with it... besides the rust on the roof.

open the hood and there is the 2.2L. I got this car for $60. Yeah, sixty bucks. You'd think the car would not even move, right? Well, it rolls, electronics are perfecto and the interior is great.

Now for the problem. Upon removing the head, I found a quarter sized hole on top of the number 2 piston.
During the tear down, I found water in the oil. And in the oil filter. The head gasket was crap, you could see the coolant leaked into the #2 cylinder.

So today I went and bought a 1990 Plymouth Acclaim engine (besides the head, it was cracked)

I'm putting it in my car, using my head and turbo. First problem I see is the block has no hole for the oil return line. Started to drill, but gave up when it got dark and went in.

What I want to know is will there be any big issues using this engine? and can someone tell me what a VNT is?

Here are some shots of the old engine and the car

And is the turbo supposed to have play? Mine does not, just wondering.

And how do I tell the transmission without driving it? wont be moving for awhile, I guess

The engine.


Ooo, broke the distributer


Turbo!


dirty huh


Holly makes 4 banger stuff?!


Turbo again. Decent, not seized at all. No play though...


Under the valve cover


Oh yeah the flywheel too


And the finally, my hole.

[Paradox]

Car images, too.

[tryingbe]

Stop what you're doing RIGHT NOW.

Read this entire site first.
http://www.thedodgegarage.com/turbo.html

You're using that n/a 1990 Plymouth Acclaim engine 2.5L short block on your 2.2L turbo car, the n/a engine won't last light.

1. N/A pistons and rods sucks for turbo.
2. 2.5L requires more fuel than your 2.2L calbriation will give it.

Do it right and find a 2.2L turbo engine, or rebuild the one you have. Or else you're going to run into a lot of problems.

[Paradox]

Well... unless it's free, I can't afford it.

The piston has a hole in it, all the pistons need rings, the block has a crack in it.

If it's something simple like messing with fuel ratios, i'm more then qualified

[Lebaronguy2001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradox Well... unless it's free, I can't afford it. The piston has a hole in it, all the pistons need rings, the block has a crack in it. If it's something simple like messing with fuel ratios, i'm more then qualified

Its a LOT more than that....simply put the n/a pistons will all look like the one that was in the turbo motor...if not worse...with any boost on them....

[tkelly27]

I've seen more car go for less $$ (free shelby T2 cars... *grumble), but that's still a steal, I like the shadows a lot!

Tryingbe is spot on. You're going to wind up with some bigger pieces than the hole in the piston in your oil pan with the TBI setup.

http://www.thedodgegarage.com/turbo_vnt.html
stay away from the VNT. It's not worth it for the spool up time!

Turbochargers should have 0 shaft play. That turbo, for this engine, was a piece of garbage when it rolled off the assembly line in my opinion. Turbo reccomendations are a whole other ball game.

Where are you trying to go with this thing? Cheap DD? Honda stomper? We can figure out where to go with your short block from there.

Oh, read your reply... you're a true TDer. Well, slap the turbo setup on the TBI, keep the boost below 8psi, and save your pennies and screw over other TD members to get the holy grail forged bottom end. JB weld the drain tube on. Scavenge the other turbo parts from the other engine. Amen.

Even a busted A413 will handle most anything a turbocharged TBI engine will throw at it.

Any chance you checked to see if it was a 2.2 or a 2.5 TBI? I really don't know what was offered or not, but your calibration could be SCREWED. Not to call your abilities into question, but if you are OK with putting TBI parts under turbo stresses for the sake of saving $120 on new pistons (or even the $25 to get one new piston!), I would not let you touch my fuel system.

Welcome aboard!

[Paradox]

It was not just the new piston, all the rings were cooked, plus the 4 gal of water in the oil.

If it was just a piston, I would. When I get more money, imma get a set of good pistons.

also, it's using the Shadows multi port setup, not the stock TBI. I have a dislike for anything TBI.

I'm not quite used to this stuff quite yet, been building these for most of my life


but I took some images of the engine, maybe they'll let you know what size it is

And yeah, DD, not a 10sec car. The only plan I have for it besides paint is a inter cooler and blowoff valve and when I get a job, sleeve and new pistons and a new turbo.

[whistlin']

For a daily driver it will probably be just fine, especially if you intercool it. Keep the boost down, manifold pressure straight to wastegate would be a good idea.
As far as fuel goes it may do fine. Get a gauge to monitor, if it runs lean on the 2.2 calibrations just find a 2.5 turbo smec.

[Dodgeboy77]

Paradox - Man, that's one ugly looking engine!! How did they blow a piston AND break the middle out of the flex plate. That take talent! Oil changes weren't much of a priority, either.

1st, do what tryingbe said and read the whole Dodge Garage site. It's a great resource. Your Acclaim engine is a common block - a good thing. You can rig a turbo drain somehow- either through the block or the pan.

You want to hit the junkyards for turbo 2.5 injectors and a matching smec. It would be best to get those pistons out of there and put in lower compression turbo pistons but if you keep the boost and spark advance under control you'll be okay. There is a head gasket spacer available that will lower the compression, too (Felpro?)

No shaft play is a good thing - assuming it turns. Mitsu's aren't the best turbo but you can change that down the road.

Looks like a nice little project car! Good luck! Bill

[Paradox]

Thanks Dodgeboy77, it's just going to have to get to school and work.

When I get the money, i'll buy a refab for it.

but my 2.2 head will work, right?

[speedyshelby16]

If you want to keep the new engine you could get turbo pistons for and would last little longer but rods would be still weak. But the 2.2 head will bolt on.

[crazymadbastard]

I don't know if the tbi pistons were dished like yours. Someone should chime in, maybe they are the dished turbos pistons.

I would say get the rods from the old turbo engine and new 2.5l turbo pistons. Maybe sell some chevy stuff to fund it.

[lotashelbys]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazymadbastard I don't know if the tbi pistons were dished like yours. Someone should chime in, maybe they are the dished turbos pistons..

Those are NA 2.5 pistons. The 2.5 TIs have about twice the dish as those in the pics.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazymadbastard I would say get the rods from the old turbo engine and new 2.5l turbo pistons. Maybe sell some chevy stuff to fund it.

The rods from his old turbo engine(Im guessing its an 88 TI)wouls have the LW press-pin pistons also. Maybe someone will be a pal on here and sell him some 2.5TI rods with pistons still attached for his project. If I didnt melt most of mine I would but im fresh out of good ones

[Reaper1]

Can somebody say hydrolock?

[black86glhs]

OK...hydrolock.