# Adding a turbo/intercooler to my '95 Pathfinder



## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

Ok, I have been putting this off for too long now. I have been gathering parts for this turbo swap for a couple of years now. Time to man up and make it happen.

I removed the AC compressor and chopped the bracket to only include the alternator mount portion. The turbo is going in that general location.


















The turbo that is going in


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

Reserved for more1


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

Reserved for more2


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

Dang - I can't edit old posts. I better work fast then.  I pulled out the air intake and filter housing. I also removed the charcoal canister.









Lots of room now. I am flipping the driver's side exhaust manifold and running the crossover up and next to it.









Approximate location of the where the turbo is going


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

Been on vacation over the last week so that put a delay on progress.

I will need to bolt/unbolt the crossover pipe so I welded a flange onto it.









They don't make a 1 3/4" flange so I had to make a 2" flange work.









I will be joining (I sure hope so) two 1 3/4" exhaust tubing to the T3 flange. I am going the "custom flange" route.









So to make the intercooler fit, I removed the condenser (AC pump was removed). There was vertical metal support that had to go.









Grill roughly in place









Different angle









Next to mount the intercooler. I am thinking that some 1" angle iron running horizontal in front of the radiator will work.


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

Here is the intercooler's final location. I used 1" angle iron to make the horizontal mounts and bent some 1" strap to bolt the intercooler to the angle iron. I was hoping to use 2 1/2" mandrel bends to go through the front metal by the radiator but I will need to use silicone 90's instead. I had to unbolt the front bumper to give me room to work. The bumper came off easy enough.










Now onto the hot side.


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

Got some work time in this weekend. Finished the merge pipe for the inlet of the turbine.



























Also finished up mounting the intercooler and the associated tubing.


















So almost 200 views and no comments?!?!? Is my work that bad?


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Ok...comments...questions...
Are you running that turbo off of only ONE side of the V6's exhaust?
Bottom end of the engine to beef it up?
Oil for the turbo bearings? Gonna install an "After run" module of some sort?
ECM program to compensate for detonation under boost?
Fuel pump upgrades? Regulator upgrades? Fuel line upgrades?
MAP sensor swap out? Can the MAF (if equipped) handle the extra air?
What's the stock compression ratio? Are you sticking with that?


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

jdgrotte said:


> Ok...comments...questions...
> 1. Are you running that turbo off of only ONE side of the V6's exhaust?
> 2. Bottom end of the engine to beef it up?
> 3. Oil for the turbo bearings? Gonna install an "After run" module of some sort?
> ...


Good questions!

I live at 9,000+ feet - the ambient air pressure is about 11.0 psi where at sea level it is 14.7 psi. I am planning to run about 10 psi boost, maybe a little more as long as the tune is good.

1. There is a crossover pipe from the passenger side that merges into the inlet of the turbine on the driver's side. The turbo is covering that pipe from view.

2. The bottom end is a forged crankshaft with forged rods (both factory).

3. I will T into the oil pressure switch for oil supply to the turbo. It is the return from the turbo that will be more of a challenge. Negative on the turbo timer - I will just idle the engine for 40 seconds before shutting it down. There are millions of factory turbocharged vehicles that work fine *without* a turbo timer.

4. I have interfaced a MegaSquirt to a '98 Subaru DIY Megasquirt inside stock ECU case - Subaru Impreza GC8 & RS Forum & Community: RS25.com
I have MSed a '73 Camaro - both with great results.

My MS build up for the Pathfinder -> http://www.nissanforums.com/pathfinder/164238-adding-megasquirt-ecu-my-95-pathfinder.html

5. I am *not* shooting for a thousand horsepower, the factory fuel line size and pressure regulator will be adequate for 20+ psi boost. I will add a Walbro 255 lph fuel pump. The MS is MAP based so the MAF is going bye-bye.

I will run the turbo upgrade first on the factory ECU. This will be a leak test and light performance test. Once that is all working good then I splash in the MegaSquirt.


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Damn! Bitch slap me across the face! I thought you might've been just another chump with a half-ass idea and too much money.
*NOT!*
I didn't realize the factory bottom end was forged. Good deal.
Timers - Yep, agreed. Piece of cake to add one in anyways.
Megasquirt - I've seen that site, read the documentation, and so on. That thing looks like a fun deal to play with. I'm into electronics/programmable processors, etc myself and I've wanted to build something similar in the past. Good to read about another Megasquirt success story.

How about Colorado emissions testing? Are they going to let you get away with it or is there some sort of exemption for these sorts of thing? I live in N.D., no emissions testing here, not even a look-see check.


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

No problem on keeping me honest and making sure that I am not a chump. 

The emissions testing in Colorado is for residents that live in Denver Metro only (Front Range counties). I am a couple of counties over so no emission testing for me.


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

Some more progress. Finished off the intercooler tubing and all is fitting pretty good. Now to undo all that and finish the downpipe - measure twice cut about 5 different times.  Better to leave a little extra than to not have enough.



















Mounted to the outlet of the turbine









Hopefully I can finish this up over the coming weekend.


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## laxman0324 (Oct 1, 2007)

I also did not comment because I figured you were another 16 year old dreaming of a 10 second Pathfinder...clearly I was wrong. I am impressed by your work, you make what everyone say is impossible seem very reasonable. I know there are a TON of WD21 owners over at npora.ipbhost.com that would love to see this project, share the wealth!


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

A lot more interest at that other site. -> Adding a turbo/intercooler to my '95 Pathfinder - NPORA Forums


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## guinnessmike (Dec 20, 2006)

Your upgrade looks really impressive. I often wish for more power from my pathy but fear that if I invest heavy in a motor upgrade the laws of Murphy will some how speed up the relentless decay of chassis and my rear suspension will fall off. Very cool though, keep up the good work!


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

laxman0324 said:


> I also did not comment because I figured you were another 16 year old dreaming of a 10 second Pathfinder...clearly I was wrong.


Ya, I kinda cowered and shivered in the corner, babbling, drooling, incoherently for a few minutes after seeing those pictures.
Nice metal work. I can weld...not NEARLY as good as that. My welds look more like somebody grabbed a handful of mud and kinda slapped it where it sorta needed to be, in the general area anyways.


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

I was there too. Practice, practice, practice.

A tool that has helped me is a TIG. A MIG goes fast and you have to "work with it". A 
TIG is slower and easier to control. I picked up a Harbor Freight TIG a couple of years ago for under $200. It works OK and time will tell how good my welds are.

Looks like they got rid of the solenoid that controls gas flow on the newer one.
240 Volt Inverter Arc / TIG Welder


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## 2milehi (Mar 4, 2008)

Final product - running 11 psi boost. Runs good!


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## guinnessmike (Dec 20, 2006)

You have to post a video of this beast. I would love to see and hear it run. Did you do a before and after 0-60 run???


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## steezyian (Dec 20, 2012)

Ive been wanting to do this to my pathy is is passible to do this with a nice set of headers? doug thorley to be exact?? Good job looks clean ? you know what your pushing hp wise? what is your 0-60? you should post a video of this bad boy


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## 10percentextra (Jan 2, 2012)

Do you have the pin outs for the engine harness wires to mega-squirt input?

Or is this easy to figure out?


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