Timing for 3.2 turbo conversion
 

In advance thank you for your help! Would not know what to without this board. Ok history. 87 3.2 with fabspeed cat bypass and fabspeed single in dual out muffler and running SW chip for 93 octane. Looking at SW website there is a DME adjustment on the back to pull up to 3 degrees timing and a setting to add 6 percent more fuel. Would this be satisfactory for a 5 psi boost with out an. iC I will be using the fabspeed 930 dual out exhaust without a cat
Thank you Joe D

Hi Joe,

I've heard that approach discussed in the past, but I haven't heard of anyone going down that road. Most 3.2 Carrera guys going turbo start off with a rising rate fuel pressure regulator (rrfpr) in conjunction with a custom chip from Protomotive. 5 PSI is their "stage 1" chip. For an otherwise stock 3.2, Protomotive's chip will give you good ignition timing. Fuel is the part of the equation that requires tuning. A lot of guys get an Innovate LM-1 or LM-2 to measure air/fuel ratios. You can do some logs once you're up and running to determine whether you're running rich or lean. Most rrfpr's have knobs that allow you to add/remove fuel easily. Protomotive sells an rrfpr that may not need any tuning, but it's like $700+. BEGi makes a product (2025?) that is affordable and high quality.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

I forgot to add that I am using a begi rising rate reg. My concern is the detonation thing

Gotcha. What kind of temps do you see and are you planning to track it? Was the cylinder head temp sensor replaced recently?

No track time. summer temp highs 100 deg winter low teens .head temp sensor original

I think you're OK to run it without modifying the ignition timing beyond a Protomotive chip. No intercooler should be needed at 5 PSI when not on the track. A fresh cylinder head temp sensor will help ensure your Motronic runs optimally. These sensors tend to get worn out over time. Be mindful of your oil temps on hot days - especially if you get stuck in traffic. A piece of cheap insurance would be a cylinder head temperature gauge. I forget the exact number, but there is a cylinder head temperature threshold after which detonation becomes much more likely. It would be a useful instrument in a non-intercooled car. Lots of guys have run low boost setups on otherwise stock 3.2s without issues.

thank you for the info. Will get a new head sensor

Joe D