Here are some of the questions
I get asked the most about the INCON turbo kit:
Q: How is street driveability?
A: Very good. In fact
I would go as far as to say that it is the same as before the turbos.
I still get over 23 mpg on the highway, yet have over 500 HP on tap whenever
I need it. Turbos do not create boost all the time like superchargers
do. They only spool when there is sufficient exhaust flow, which
means around town driving is unaffected. Give it half throttle, however,
and the beasts will "wake"!
Q: How much hotter is it underhood?
A: There is more heat under
the hood. Not sure how much, but it is hotter. It is not enough
to "fry an egg" as some people say. This is due to the increased
surface area of the exhaust manifolds. You can optionally have the
turbo units coated with a heat reflective material. This will reduce
underhood temperatures and probably also spool the turbos quicker (they
rely on exhaust heat energy remember).
Q: Do the turbos bolt up to
the stock H-pipe or do you need to do cutting/welding?
A: Yes, they bolt to the
stock H-pipe. The turbos have "dump tubes" bolted to them.
These dump tubes direct the exhaust directly to the stock (or aftermarket)
H-pipe.
Q: How do the turbos affect
the exhaust sound?
A: The exhaust is quieter
with the turbos. The turbos act as big mufflers in the exhaust.
From inside the car under full throttle you mostly hear the turbos howl,
which sounds like an F-14 taking off!
Q: What comes with the kit?
A: Dual turbos, intercooler,
hardware, tubing, two K&N conical filters, high flow exhaust manifolds
(bolted to turbo units), 190 (255 optional) lph in-tank pump, 30 (36 optional)
lb injectors, 80 mm mass air meter in custom aluminum tube, and custom
plug wires.
Q: How long does it take to
install the turbocharger kit?
A: It took me a whole weekend
to install. This is not a simple Powerdyne supercharger installation.
It will take more time. But it is well worth it in the long run!
Anyone with basic wrenching skills can do the installation, just remember
that it will take longer than a supercharger because of the completeness
of the package.
Q: Is there any custom fabrication
or welding required?
A: Yes. A section of the passenger
side frame rail (approx. below the mass air meter), needs to be cut out, and
a supplied plate with recessed area needs to be welded in place of the cut section.
This is to adequately clear the passenger side turbo. The turbo will not
fit without hitting the frame rail otherwise. This is not a big deal though.
Since I did not have any air tools, I ended up cutting the section out with
my trusty Dremel tool and a bunch of the carbide disks. You can have a
shop weld the plate in, or have someone come out and weld it for you (as I did)
for a nominal charge. For a picture of the cut out area and plate, go
to the official
INCON FAQ page. INCON has a a smaller kit that has a lower max HP
rating (600 HP max), but does not require any cutting or welding of the frame
rail due to smaller turbo housings. These turbos also spool quicker, getting
full boost by 2200 RPM!
Q: Can you install the kit
with the engine in the car?
A: Yes. The motor needs to be
jacked up some in order to cut and weld the passenger side plate in place, and
for clearance to install the turbos. But it can be done. Removing the
engine from the car might result in fewer banged knuckles (as there will be
much more room to install things on the engine), but will probably take the
same amount of time.
Q: Is it harder to change
the spark plugs?
A: Yes, it is. However,
with the right tools, it is much easier. It will take longer than
a normal spark plug change, but with practice it gets easier. INCON
can supply you with the part #'s of the correct Snap-On tools to use.
Q: Why two small turbos instead
of one big turbo?
A: Several reasons.
First is that two smaller turbos spool much quicker than one large turbo
due to the smaller size, yet still have the total airflow capacity of a
larger single turbo. Second is this makes it possible to mount the
turbos closer to the cylinder heads. This allows them to spool quicker
also, reduces underhood temperatures (less exhaust tubing), less weight
(less exhaust tubing again), and does not require you to modify your H-pipe.
Single turbos require you to cut the H-pipe so that a Y-pipe from the turbo
down pipe can be welded in place. If you have a stock H-pipe, you
loose the front two catalytic converters. The car might not pass
inspection as a result. Third reason is this is the only way that
a CARB exemption # could be issued. All emissions equipment is unaffected.
The single turbos require you to cut the H-pipe, and also the O2 sensors
end up farther away from the cylinder heads. This is important during
cold starts. O2 sensors require a certain amount of heat to operate
properly. If they are farther away from the cylinder heads, they
will be colder, and will take longer to heat resulting in poorer emissions
during cold start.
Q: Where can I get MY INCON kit?
A: Unfortunately, Incon is OUT OF
BUSINESS. This is very sad since they made a great kit. However it apears that
the owner drove the company into the ground. This is also sad because many people
had paid in full up front for kits ($4000+ most likely), and most of them received
absolutely nothing for it. I wish them well, and hope they are able to recover
their losses. Best bet for someone still looking for an Incon kit, is to check
around the net for a used one. They come up for sale every once and a while.