SD33 non turbo to SD33t turbo mystery solved

[RMP&O]

I have seen some posts about this on the forum before. I plan to do the conversion on my SD33 and recently bought a turbo from New Zealand.

If you want to turbo a SD33 using the SD33T turbo this is what you have to do in order to not toast your motor.

A complete turbo with manifolds will be needed. The rings and pistons in the motor will have to be changed to lower compression. The head is the same on both motors. You may have to change the sleeves in the motor and the bearing but other wise this is all that has to be done to fit the turbo and have zero problems. I will report back once my engine is upgraded, after that I will try to find an intercooler to work on this motor.

[Screwy]

hhmmm sounds like u r on the right track for sure there. Keep us posted on how it runs once uve done it.

screwy

[Shark]

Yeah keep us updated, not gonna do this upgrade just yet but will in the near future!!!


Marc

[Patroler]

Hmm interesting that you say the compression is lower, thats what i originally would have thought after having a few turbo petrol cars, but when i got my sd33 non turbo I had a look at the workshop manuals and unless im mistaken they both had the same compression
From what i could see on paper the only internal differences were things like ring gaps and valve clearances...
Also the injector pump is different, not being vacuum operated.
Still wouldn't hurt to put new rings and bearing in it tho.

Good luck with it, i'll be interested to know how you go.

[mav]

doesn't the turbo also run a thicker head gasket (and more expensive).

[Patroler]

yea quite possible that it does, i'm just going on the engine specifications i found in my workshop manual.
I had a look on the net a while back and am pretty sure these engines were offered in an international scout in the us, not sure how popular tho, but could be a source of parts or info

[chimpboy]

doesn't the turbo also run a thicker head gasket (and more expensive).

... and if so would this be in order to reduce the compression?

Jason

[RMP&O]

I had a look on the net a while back and am pretty sure these engines were offered in an international scout in the us, not sure how popular tho, but could be a source of parts or info

You are exactly right, they were sold in Scouts here. this is where I got my info and can get my parts. The info comes from a well known SD33 specialist for the Scout. They didn't mention head gasket but it makes sense. My main concern was the head as mine is new from Nissan and didn't want to have to change it. No mention by them on the injector pump being different. Mine could be the source of my engine troubles so I may end up changing it out anyways.

Anyone have any idea what putting an intercooler on this motor will do it to it?? Besides increase pwoer....

I am considering a number of different intercoolers for the motor when it all gets reworked.

[Patroler]

Well ive got a n/a sd33 and the thottle cable runs to a throttle body, two hoses run from this to the injector pump, i figure that they come from above and below the throttle butterfly (sensing vacuum) and go to a diaphragm on the injector pump which activates the rack, pictures of the turbo version are in my manual and the throttle cable goes directly to the injector pump, probably directly to the rack...
I'm not sure how the the diaphragm would react to positive pressure (boost)??

As far as compression goes the book lists 21.6:1 from memory for both engines, ive got the compression pressures as well but not with me at the moment.

A good intercooler should remove some of the temperature created by the turbo compressing the air, therefore making it denser (more o2 for a given area) and allowing more fuel to be burnt and more power may be worthwhile if u are chasing a significant inrease in power, cooler air is a good thing for any turbo motor!