Just a curiosity question. Seems to me a turbo would be the most appropriate setup for getting true power out of the little engine. Maybe the FWD 3.0 manifolds could be used and put a single turbo off to one side, but I don't really know how those manifolds are setup or how different they are. Wouldn't need a lot of boost to make a difference.

 

It would not be very hard to modify the stock manifolds for a turbo, I have a good friend that built a 11 sec mustang with a volvo turbo and some good fabrication skills

 

mmm.... turbo.... Seems to me that a turbo from one of the larger 4 bangers would work well, since we couldn't run a whole lot of pressure anyways. I was just thinking about the FWD ones since many FWD sixes have the front manifold cross over the top of the transmission into the rear manifold/collector, which would make an easier conversion to a single turbo setup.

 

not a turbo but. my buddy had a 93 ranger 3.0L we removed the air filter box and inserted a leaf blower. then connected the intake to the blower . it worked but we blew the motor and blower. it was just a old rusted out beater on its last legs. you need a really big power inverter to run a leaf blower from 12v.

 

Oooooo.... just picked up a car magazine, saw a new product in there that gave me an idea. The product was a downstream turbo system for a Camaro/firebird, but the turbo replaced where the muffler would be, not where the manifolds exit. Thus my idea is as follows:
What if we were to plumb a turbo in behind the y-pipe, and then run it around to the front? If a smallish turbo was used (since our engines can't take a whole lotta boost anyways) the spool up wouldn't be much of an issue. The main problem would be plumbing the intake piping, which would be long (but not longer than a traditional with an intercooler), and the oil lines. The turbo would stay cooler, and reduce the need for an intercooler (and if you wanted, a simple water injection system would work nicely). Any thoughts on this?

 

I am actually thinking of trying that setup, since used turbos are pretty cheap, and you would just have to fab a pipe from the turbo to the intake.

 

Gotta figure out a way to get oil to the turbo too... thus what is preventing me from raiding a junkyard

 

look up street flight in chandler az. they turbo'ed a 3L aready and have a complete kit for ya. Well it's for the 3L swap in a contour but I'm sure they could make a few changes to make it work. The kit runs $5000 but it has EVERYTHING you will need. T3/T4 hybrid computer management system injectors intercooler headers the whole nine yards.

 

well now that your guys have brought it up......i'm in the process of "remote mounting" a turbo on my 3.0..

i'd love to talk to a few folks about this so..email me or im me at Homesklt5 on aim....

 

Its not the supply of oil it is the return. The one in Utah will not let you see how it is done, could be a Jabsco pump to return the oil? Have fun, Dave

 

Wonder if a pump designed for hydraulic oil would be overkill for motor oil return from the turbo...

 

this topic is drawing my attn lol. how much boost are you guys thinkin? i figured about 5psi would make a killer diff in this motor. and if anyone actually did this what did it cost you to set it up and how did you do it? i already love this thread.

 

Sorry to drag this back from the dead.

Any news on this?

I've got a '91 ranger 3.0 that I'm thinking of turboing if I can do it cheap. I don't know if it will handle too much more power anyway.

 

I had kind of a fun experiment this weekend.
I plugged my leaf blower into the air intake hose and let her rip. Suprisingly my ranger did not die but idled very low...gave her a couple of revs and she sounded awsome.
Now there is no way of hooking the leaf blower up...but i just wanted the feeling of turbo for a couple of mins.

 

For a little while, Whipple made a "bolt on" supercharger kit for the 3.0. www.rogueperformance.com has more info about superchargers on these motors. Not cheap though! 4 or so grand.