first Turbo 6 experience

[jphanna]

My son has had an AU fairlane ghia for nearly 2 years. Bought it dirt cheap as expected for this model and has slowly fixed up the faults and scratches etc, nice rims the usual visual upgrades.

A month ago he advised me he has bought a visually rough, sleeper donor car. This donor car has a comprehensive TURBO conversion kit and cost the previous owner considerable cash, considering the car itself is worth nothing. (receipts provided for thousands of dollars)

I only saw the donor car for the first time last weekend as he has removed the proper fairlane engine for reconditioning and preparation before the turbo kit gets transferred into the good car.

So…...the donor car is still registered and not pulled apart yet, I suggested a ride around the block. My first experience in a turbo. The note from the 3” exhaust right through, was expectedly deeper, but not enough to attract attention, compared to many V8 cars out there.

The turbo comes in at 2,500. So under that is all as per any big 6 out there, but then the 2,500 threshold is past and suddenly the car lunges strongly and you get thrown into the seat hard. I can see that this would be a novelty to have that sort of grunt, but at 2500 in a big turbo 6 you are already at the state limit in a few seconds.

What do most turbo people do with these cars on day to day basis? How do they keep a licence for very long?

[bangm001]

With ALOT of restraint and then common sense. The devil does come through every now and then however. It feels like every other car on the road is going in slow motion, especially at take off from lights etc. Wait till you drive it if you were just the passenger! The surge of power is very addictive!

[Bossxr8]

The good thing is you can drive them off boost and just lazily tootle along in traffic and the economy is pretty decent, especially on the highway. But when you want it it just takes off an goes.

Love it. Jekyl and Hyde.

[lucas2]

It's all in the mid-range. You can get into full boost and peak torque by 2500-3500rpm so you get that addictive shove in the back without having to rev it out to 6000+ like you would with an NA.

[chrisandsharon]

I love the kick when holding it in second at 80 waiting to overtake, once the horizon is clear the boost is just awesome. Just brilliant engines. 20-60 and 80-120 is just addictive. Touch wood I’ve been very lucky over the last 4.5 yrs, all my points survived, and me I drive it mostly off boost now, is rarely driven actually, I’ve had my fun, survived and just appreciate the ride now. Enjoy

[jphanna]

Originally Posted by Fiji

The turbo torque makes for a thrilling rush.

Back in the day when i owned one, Didnt lose any traffic light duals, was always confident the turbo torque would step away.. many a v8 owner heart broken

Your comment about the donor car being a turbo conversion? What car is it? Not xr6?

he found an identical AU fairlane in the exact same colour. the engine bay i will take a pic and try and post it. to spend that much on a worthless (today) car would take dedication. a true sleeper

[DJM83]

Mine spends most of its time just rolling around town off boost to be honest. Every now and then the right foot goes to the carpet and a big grin appears. Was a novelty in the beginning, now refraining from trying to make it faster as its essentially stock.
They are very sprightly for a stock car.

[Vormund]

I'm lucky I've kept my licence

My Turbo 6 isn't a Ford but a Volvo S60 T6. I don't have that 'kick' though since in the Volvo it's actually a twin scroll, one smaller turbo for low end and bigger one higher up. It all feels quiet linear which is nice. That plus AWD and it's pretty good off the line.

My other car, a GT86 isn't as good off the line - obviously - but I love wringing it out as well so each car has to be driven quite differently.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Vormund

I'm lucky I've kept my licence

My Turbo 6 isn't a Ford but a Volvo S60 T6. I don't have that 'kick' though since in the Volvo it's actually a twin scroll, one smaller turbo for low end and bigger one higher up. It all feels quiet linear which is nice. That plus AWD and it's pretty good off the line.

My other car, a GT86 isn't as good off the line - obviously - but I love wringing it out as well so each car has to be driven quite differently.

Twin scroll doesn't mean twin turbo. It just means that the single turbo is feed from split exhaust ports. Usually good for low lag.

[Vormund]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Twin scroll doesn't mean twin turbo. It just means that the single turbo is feed from split exhaust ports. Usually good for low lag.

Ahh ok. I thought it was two in the same housing, as opposed to 2 seperate turbos, like on V configuration engines.

Either way I feel basically no lag with that configuration, feels like an N/A engine.

[Vesper Martini]

Even more confusing I read that the T6, has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that’s both turbocharged and supercharged cranking out 318 horsepower

[Vesper Martini]

ahh older one has a 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbo petrol six-cylinder - 242kW

[Vormund]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

ahh older one has a 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbo petrol six-cylinder - 242kW

Yeah I guess they are making it 'equivalent to' BMW has also been doing it for a while now.

Made a lot more sense before - T4, T5, T6

[Big_Daz]

Originally Posted by lucas2

It's all in the mid-range. You can get into full boost and peak torque by 2500-3500rpm so you get that addictive shove in the back without having to rev it out to 6000+ like you would with an NA.

Agreed, when I had my FG XR6T, because I drove it daily I knew how the power came on and it was common sense and knowing this which enabled me not to be caught out... When others would drive it they would always find themselves going much quicker than they wanted because of that mid range (long trips with mum she would drive a stint and take off from the servo and end up going way over the speed limit because she wasn't used to it and the way the power was delivered).

Funnily enough, my SSV being a big NA Engine its deceptively quick (and an animal higher in the rev's) and way more linear... Hence I lost my license for 6 months for 40+ over the limit... lol

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

ahh older one has a 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbo petrol six-cylinder - 242kW

Volvo have/had a heap of different motors.

I had a choice of about 6 in an s80 ranging from a 5 cylinder turbo to a 4.4 litre flat plane v8.

Same with configuration, had a choice of fwd, rwd or awd. If you chose fwd you got a tunnel for free.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Volvo have/had a heap of different motors.

I had a choice of about 6 in an s80 ranging from a 5 cylinder turbo to a 4.4 litre flat plane v8.

Same with configuration, had a choice of fwd, rwd or awd. If you chose fwd you got a tunnel for free.

That's the best sounding engine I've heard, next to the the Audi 5 cylinder.

[jphanna]

I know this is not the Barra, but it is a close relation. Considering the BILLION dollar plus…….budget that GM puts into its V8’s, it’s a credit to the fact that in GEELONG, Aussies at Ford australia, (with a fraction of that money) put together a 6 that today has gained a reputation abroad for bullet proof toughness, and sheer Grunt.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by DJM83

That's the best sounding engine I've heard, next to the the Audi 5 cylinder.

I think it went into the focus st, too from memory.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

I think it went into the focus st, too from memory.

And the MK II Focus RS.

I had the pleasure of being taken for a, ahem, vigorous drive in a green RS a few years ago. Amazing sound and delicious induction note. Shame there aren't more five potters about.