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I am new to this board but I have had my civic for a while now. I have an 03' civic ex. I have searched but haven't found anything on maintenance. I read a lot about the turbo kits that are out for our cars but I want to know what kind of maintenance is required for keeping the motor running strong for a long time with a turbo kit? Say if I buy a complete kit for around 3000 dollars what else will i need for my motor to still be able to last? I would only be pushing at most 8 psi daily with no internals done. I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

 
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Higher Octane Gas (91+)
Synthetic Oil Change
Oil Changes every 2,000-2,500 miles
Constantly checking charge piping, hoses and clamps
Take apart and clean turbo every 10,000 miles
Tuning to control dentonation

I'd say those are the most basic that come to mind.

 
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You shouldn't need to change a high quality synthetic every 2,000 miles, even with a turbo. Using a Dino oil then yes, but with a high quality synthetic such as redline or amsoil you can go 5000 or so.

 
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If you're going to use Amsoil, then you can go 5000 miles is you don't push your car too hard, and cool it down before shutting the car off. Amsoil claims that you can go 25k miles, that's complete crap. We just took apart a Porsche 951 that used Amsoil that was changed every 7000 miles (engine has 75000 miles total) and the turbo bearing was shot with tons of oil caked to it. This was a daily driver running stock boost levels, not being pushed hard. The oil galleys were clogged enough to cause a problem, and the oil pump was starting to get some clogs due to oil and particle buildup.

No matter how long the oil says it will last, oil is a mechanism that the engine uses to clean out things that should not be there, and after a while, the filter is going to be clogged and the oil is going to start circulating things that should not be there... the oil may still be in good shape but it's carrying things that will harm your motor.

If you're going to have a turbo vehicle, just plan on changing every 3k miles, to clean it out and as a safeguard, and use synthetic since it can withstand higher temperatures.

 
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yeah........what he said

also.........check plugs for detonation

 
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Oil is cheap

 
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^ engine / turbo internals are not.

 
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Thanks for the advice guys. I am still wondering if I should get a turbo myself. Does it take lots of time checking hoses and everything? And how often should I do that? I have been working on cars for a couple years but mostly with systems and suspension. So I dont know much about maintenance for the motor with a turbo. Is it something I can do easily every day?

 
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EXACTLY! Why risk it for an extra 500-1000 miles? NOT WORTH IT!

 
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I believe that if you keep changing your filter you'll be ok. I've read many articles about this. And you are correct, it wont last that long IF you dont change your filter. But it isnt the oil that is bad its just got crap in it that isnt getting cleaned out by your filter any more. But the oil itself is still good.

 
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how often should tuning be done? would that have to be done on a dyno?

 
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www.blackstone-labs.com

 
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i agree. synthetic can go much longer. id suggest 5k intervals. dont make me dig up some proof to back up this claim.

 
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turbo kit----------------------------------3000.00
100octane gas----------------------------4.30 per gl.
Man/auto Trans oil change every 24months-25.00
Syn Oil, oil filter every 2k-2500miles--------25.00
DynoTune every 12-24months--------------200.00
New Turbo Every 24months----------------400.00-600.00

hmmmmm... I think that's it!

 
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new turbo every 2 years, cleaning the turbo every 10k!?!

let me ask you this. do you guys think owners of other turbo cars do this? if you wanna do it, hey its fine.. your cars.. but this is very unnecessary.

 
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Cleaning the turbo will allow it last and perform better longer. Just a safety precaution.....not required but recommended. The new turbo thing every 2 years is

BTW cleaning it every 10k is a verifiable fact taken from Maximum Boost by Corky Bell. Pick up a copy for yourself if you do not believe so. As well as the synthetic oil change every 2k-2.5k in there as well.

 
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ok...how do u clean a turbo?.....take it off and apply some brake/carb cleaner?

 
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yea the cleaning i agree would definetly be good maintainence but not required. as far as the oil changes, i just find it very hard to believe that a turbo'd civic would be harder on oil than other turbo'd cars who run longer intervals, or trucks which haul items and run longer intervals. the best thing to do would to get a used oil analysis from blackstone labs with the link provided above, they will provide the information which lets you know if your oil change interval is too long, too short, etc. so my standpoint is basically like this. are there any negatives to short oci's like 2.5k? just the cost. if the cost doesnt bother you, go right ahead and do the short intervals. but i can guarentee with absolute certainty that the oil will be perfectly fine after 2k-2.5k and can go longer. and unless corky bell is a tribologist i dont trust him. what is his reasoning for saying the short oil change intervals?

 
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speaking of oil changes, I need to change my oil too.

 
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Well........the man has built sub 10 sec cars and has been designing turbo systems for 20+ years......I'd say he is a seasoned vet on the subject matter, and not to mention that ANYONE who is ANYONE with Turbo's has read this book. It is the bible of turbocharging. As far as your cost analysis, once again I revert back to my previous statements made sometime ago:

It makes no sense why you would not protect your investment......But hey I do not make your payments, drive or own the car.......Do what you want with it.........

 
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I personally think that the turbo will last longer than the car or engine will. Who is planning on keeping the car for 15,000 miles or more after they turbo it? Plus by then if your turbo is shot, just buy a new one. Cleaning it isn't going to help, actually is really doesn't get that dirty, some carbon. It's more like rebuilding the turbo, not cleaning....by that point i'd just buy a new one.

 
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Your logic is funny if $800 was nothing for 1 hour of work......If it was seized....then a new one.

Not only that, but 15K is one year of driving.........there are many of members that have been boosting for 1-2 years now......

 
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what a lot of people with boost there car shortly after they buy it. why would they turn around in a year and sell it? Then why are we even having this disscussion on maintenance? In that short of time you would barely have to do any of this maintenance.

 
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belts have to checked and changed at earlier intervals.

 
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Bell was also referring to mineral oils when he recommended the short OCI. Call redline, amsoil, or royal purple and ask them what they recommend for an interval.

 
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i don't care what anybody says........synthetic or not..........i will continue to change my oil every 2,000 - 2,500 miles.

Like i said b4........oil is cheap

 
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what does tuning for detonation mean ???

does that mean i gotta run a dyno every month so they can reflash my ecu or something ????

sorry newbbbiiee here

 
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12,000 miles is alot for one year of driving. I drive daily and have 37,000 miles and I've had the car since Aug 01. On our cars we arent gonna be working the turbo so hard that it breaks or seizes. Maybe on a Supra...lol...or Lisa Kubo. I just think it's funny. With the ways the D17 is designed I doubt thy will last much longer than 2-3 yrs. Stock. Prove me wrong but by then I will be onto something made for turbo...EVo...Sti.