After reading what seems like 1000s of threads on hear I can't find what I'm looking for. I'm another one of those wanting to turbo my m52 E36 having exhaust clearance problems. I've mocked up a very ruff manifold using the original manifold flipped upside down and obviously joined with t4 flange (just a mock up). Question is is there any reason I can't turn the turbo back to front, the inlet facing the back of the car? Reason being I can run the intake possibly behind the turret through inner wing and it would give me room to to run the down pipe around, down and low enough to clear everything straight to the back of the car. This is may be a stupid question but can't find a reason to why I can't but haven seen it done, I'm taking it this for a reason.
You can do it if there's room, turbo can face any way you want as long as it's not tilted more than about 20deg off vertical as the oil wont drain properly.
My idea was keeping it horizontal (feed at top and drain at bottom) but just rotate it 180 degrees. Surely this would overcome the RHD down pipe issue as it can be routed in front of engine, then go back on itself below steering column into its original place. Or even around the other side if need be. Not looked but off the top off my head there is a fair few options.
If you can/could do it the only thing you'd have to think of is heat radiating from the exhaust. i.e. don't run it to close to the radiator.
There is loads of options for the inlet. Through the wing was just the first thing that come to mind. And there is plenty of room for the exhaust to come down between chassis leg and the front of engine then back on itself. Heat may be a problem as the downpipe would sit close to rad hose but I'm sure some heat rap and a shield would cure that.
There's no issue at all with the inlet being there barring heatsoak if things wasn't shielded right. In fact with a little bit of shielding the scuttle panel are is the BEST please for an air filter, as thats where air gets naturally sucked in, hence why raising the bonnet dont help cooling. Best place for a RHD E36 turbo exhaust to go is around the front of the engine and under the inlet manifold. Literally see no problems with the plan in question, despite what people say.
It's fine, you've used your imagination rather than copying what you've seen before like everyone else does, hence why it's not been done so far, as only a few RHD turbo ones, and LHD ones have no need to go to all this effort. The exhaust round the front and under inlet works as its been done. The air filter sucking from scuttle area works as its been done. Flipped and chopped manifolds works as its been done. Backwards facing turbos works as its been done. Basically there's no reason it won't work, all been done before, just not one one car. Still will be fucking tight, as that's E36 turbos for you, but it can be done
Also if anybody has a scrap m52 head I'll be needing one. Going start again on the manifold to get a finished product and a head on the bench will make things 10000000000 times easier! Next thing is, a bit off subject, what's the best way of going about porting the head for this set up. For some reason I'm thinking matching inlet up to gasket an only doing the top half of the out let? Any info or links on this would be great.
