i need advise on turboing my 97 rs, i have the 420a engine. i looked at several kits but i really dont want to spend any more than i have to because i work for a living. ive seen hahn, star, and then i saw a kit on ebay for 1300 from a new company called lightning performance. Any advise or suggestions will be appreciated!

Choose a proven kit if you do not want to take any chances. The two big names both have upsides and downsides.

I usually do not reply to these kind of posts, but I will this time.

Hahn=(stage 1/2)proven performance, descent product support, easily upgradable, unreliable fuel system, good turbo choices(16G/20G), shabby downpipe design, great intercooler choices, higher cost

Star=great bang for the buck, good name brand parts, questionable manifold quality(sometimes), Very nice Turbo(T3/T40E 40trim with E-trim option), good external wastegate, good downpipe(sometimes a bit too close to the oil pan), not so good front mount intercooler for the money(most people buy stage 1 kit and do their own front mount and piping-better performance and cost effective), lower cost overall

The star does require more knowledge by the installer, but more power is available for less money. Hahn is closer to Plug-n-play but costs more.

I liked the challenge of the Star kit and liked the name brand parts it had with the Stage 1 kit. No matter what kit you decide on, upgrade your injectors. Even if you use Accel 24LB it will make a more reliable fuel system. Even running 6 psi on a nonintercooled system you are better off upgrading injectors.

Another thing to consider is extra stuff. Budget $500 extra for EGT with probe, boost gauge, manual boost controller(more consistant boost settings), bezel or pillar mount for gauges, fuel pump rewire, silicone hose(replace all vacuum hose with this), plugs, fuel filter, oil pan gasket if yours is old, oil catch can and other minor odds/ends. I did mine right the first time and this has saved me an engine and numerous hassles so far.

I could type forever on this subject, but the best thing to do is research everyting for weeks, then order the kit you want, then start buying all the extra stuff you will need to complete the job. Stock pyle everything and once you are ready, tackle the job in a weekend. A lift will make a big difference in the amount of time and the job will be MUCH easier. Also have a couple friends help with the install. It is much better to have someone who has done this before or knows how to work on turbo cars. It is not a must, but will save LOTS of time.

There are hunderds of turbo 420A cars on this board. If you live near someone that has a kit, see if they would be willing to help with the install or at least point you in the right direction. Just post in the turbo section about your request. I say this because not every turbo guy reads the Pits or Announcements.....like me.

Good luck with your choices

wow Good Job! what he said.. not many people will reply to this since most of the information can be easily found if you do a search.
Like DeanoD said, if you don't know much about what it takes to turbo a 420a then you might want to go the hahn way, it is a bit more expensive, but their kit is well designed and their customer service very good. Star might be a good choice if you think you can handle the task without good written install instructions. hehe.
personally i would not go for a kit that has not been proven, even $1300 is a lot of money for something that does not work right. its a big investment, so better to make a little more of a sacrifice to know you are getting something that works! :) good luck!

You mentioned getting a manual boost controller... I was under the impression that the kits included one ???

>You mentioned getting a manual boost controller... I was
>under the impression that the kits included one ???

Neither kit comes with a manual boost controller. Boost is controlled by the wastgate setting, which is not adjustable unless you get a boost controller. Also, you cannot lower the boost past the wastegate's spring setting. So if the wastegate is set for 8 psi, then you cant get 6 or whatever psi. HRC stage 1 kit is set for 5 psi, and stage 2 kit is set for 8 psi. Basically a boost controller will keep the wastegate from opening too early, to let you build more boost than what the spring is set for.

Yea, HRC's set for 5, but you'll get about 3.5-4psi :)


Jon

1997 Eclipse RS

14.21@101mph 10/4/02