[CalmConquests]

Trying to strap a turbo-charger & all its plumbing to an N/A engine is a disaster waiting to happen. If I were you & could spend 3-4 lakhs , I'd do one of two things,

a) Sell this car & buy a later version Polo TSI in the used market.

Or

b) Try & source just the TSI engine along with all its peripherals & ECUs for an engine swap.

Do not waste your money. I repeat - DO NOT waste your money!

[AirbusCapt]

Honestly speaking, what your asking is now a crime as per the revised motor vehicle law. RTO will not permit any modifications to the factory specifications of an automobile, so any modifications of this sort is prohibited. Supreme court made it very clear in their judgement in 2019.

Remember, you can replace your car engine with prior RTO permission, however it can't be of a higher capacity, different manufacturer or produce a different torque/bhp figure than mentioned in your RC.

In short, discussion on this in a public forum may result in unwelcome consequences, especially in these times.

[ss11011988]

Would advise against doing so, like many above. Adding a forced induction setup is neither an easy bolt on job, nor a one time do it, forget it job. It requires technical expertise, time and money to get it done. While one may find a decent tuner, and while you may end up getting your car tuned, there is still the grey area of reliability that you need to factor in. After reading some of the experiences here, I'm inclined to believe that you trade reliability for power, and in a place where there is no ready access to technical expertise, your stress levels would end up getting higher than the boost pressure of the turbo. Why fix something that ain't broke?

Instead, you could either go for factory horses if you could afford it or upgrade the core components to make the car perform better(custom air filter,free flow exhaust,ecu remaps, suspension and brake upgrades etc). I sincerely believe you will enjoy your car better that way. Peace.

[TheLizardKing]

You have received some very good advice already, but let me add my two cents. I believe I'm qualified because I own both the 1.2 MPI and the 1.2 TSI. On the days when I wake up and feel like I just have to drive a car with a turbocharged engine, do you know what I do? I pick up the key to my GT TSI.

Please listen to the saner voices on this thread and drop this idea. The only thing you can do with your 1.2 MPI engine is... nothing. N o t h i n g. No custom air filter, no FFE, and for sure no ECU remap. She has served you well for seven years, and deserves to rest and be taken cared for in her old age. Please don't subject her to this indignity.

[akshay4587]

Since you are ready to spend 3-4L on Turbocharging your Polo MPi;
Why not just pick up a Laura Tsi for 3-4L and retain both the cars?
Laura Tsi Manual is an Amazing VFM FTD car these days.

[asit.kulkarni93]

Your best bet is to swap in the 1.2 MPI with a 1.2 TSi + DSG from a scrap car. Alternatively if you want lesser hassles, swap in a 1.6 MPi. May not give you the turbo kick but it will be reliable and fast.

[devilwearsprada]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

Since you are ready to spend 3-4L on Turbocharging your Polo MPi;
Why not just pick up a Laura Tsi for 3-4L and retain both the cars?
Laura Tsi Manual is an Amazing VFM FTD car these days.

100% Agreed, 1.5 Lakhs in it with a map, catback exhaust and coilovers you have a 200 BHP handler.

[Gorkey]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

Since you are ready to spend 3-4L on Turbocharging your Polo MPi;
Why not just pick up a Laura Tsi for 3-4L and retain both the cars?
Laura Tsi Manual is an Amazing VFM FTD car these days.

Okay. That's an option I didn't think about. But instead of the laura tsi , how about a passat 1.8tsi from 2010? Are they modifiable just like the laura?

[ssjr0498]

Originally Posted by Gorkey

Okay. That's an option I didn't think about. But instead of the laura tsi , how about a passat 1.8tsi from 2010? Are they modifiable just like the laura?

You'd, be better off in a Jetta! The Passat has a more complex electrical system and is prone to issues!

My 2 cents!

Originally Posted by CalmConquests

Trying to strap a turbo-charger & all its plumbing to an N/A engine is a disaster waiting to happen.

Out of curiosity, may I ask why?

[Guna]

If modifying is illegal, I wonder whether a thread like this even be encouraged. I would suggest the thread be closed.
@mods

[CalmConquests]

Originally Posted by ssjr0498

Out of curiosity, may I ask why?

This is a super complex topic involving various components, but ill try mentioning a few major issues

1) Engine Strength - An N/A engine isnt designed to take that kind of stress. Various components like valves,Valve Springs, pistons & the block itself aren't strong enough to handle that kind of boost.

2) Engine Breathing - Adding a turbo automatically means New Intake & Exhaust manifold. You have to know that the intake & exhaust manifolds are accurately tune & designed not just for gas volume but, also for intake & exhaust back pressures. These involve a lot of complex designing, modelling & testing that i don't believe a local garage can perform.

3) Heat - Heat dissipation is a major challenge in turbo charging, do remember that its not just the engine itself but the turbo's themselves need a critical heat exchange system.

4) Electronics - And assuming you got all of the above right, there is still the question of having custom ECU's (more than just one) to manage the whole show. Modern engines rely very heavily on electronics. Everything is timed to perfection & these ECU's need to talk to each other.

5) Power Delivery - After getting everything above sorted, there is still the small matter of putting that power down. Now you will need to look into the gearbox & clutch , then decide if it is strong enough? are the ratios well matched to the boost ? Because there is no point in having all the bost in the world if your gear ratios are off.


These are just some of the few major roadblocks & i assure you, there will be many more issues in the real world.

This is the main reason why it makes sense to start off with an engine thats already turbo-charged from factory & simply increase the capacity of each component one step at a time.

[ssjr0498]

Very aptly put, thank you!

My take on the build-

1. Engine strength-
a. Valvetrain, need not be upgraded unless you are aiming to rev to astronomical figures (relative to the factory redline)
b. Block - again depends on the size of the turbo and the expectation from the entire project. Generally, stock rods, pistons, crank and the block in itself can handle a decent amount of boost. However, in case of something spirited, the pistons and rods can be upgraded! Lots of aftermarket options available.

2. Breathing- Intake manifold need not be modified, exhaust manifold yes, because that's where the turbo will sit. He could look at pre-fab manifolds or make one, which a good fabricator should be able to do. The specifications should be available on the net!

3. Heat- Basis the size of the compressor/output, OP can choose to either use the available factory IC or purchase an aftermarket one and plonk it (which is not a difficult job).

4. Electronics- Lots of aftermarket ecu's available and we have good tuner's who could tune or the OP could read and self tune.

5. Power delivery- Again, depends totally on the expectation of the project. The OP mentioned that he wants a reliable city burner, so, in that case, I feel the stock ratio's are good enough.

@OP That said, by no means am I trying to downplay the various hurdles that have been mentioned in the previous posts. All I'm trying to say is that, agreed it's not a cakewalk, but then it is not that difficult a task as it has been made to sound into.

Once you get all of this right, the feeling and the country mile wide smile that it will bring on your face when you floor the "A" pedal is something totally worth the pain I feel!

Originally Posted by CalmConquests

This is a super complex topic involving various components, but ill try mentioning a few major issues

[Indian2003]

Originally Posted by Gorkey

I am from assam and I have a 1.2L NA polo which is over 7years old and has done over 1 lakh KMs. I want to turbo that engine no matter the cost. Also the scope of turbo'ing my engine in Assam is very limited so what do you suggest? Should I go to kolkata or other metropolitan city to get the thing done or let the car stay NA and enjoy it as it is. I plan to keep this car forever in my garage. And I desperately wanna turbo it. Please help. If there's a turbo petrol swift why there cant be a custom turbo petrol 1.2L manual Polo? If this project gets done it'll be one of kind. No polo has a turbo 1.2 L engine with a manual gearbox.

My car is a 2,5 TDI. There was also a 2,4 D without the turbo and many people coverted this with a turbo and manifold from the 2,5 TDI. It is true plug and play.

In your case you are looking at an aftermarket kit to turbo your car and you dont have a clue on how to do it. Your project is very invasive and you might end up with a car that will give you nightmares.

The old Volvos and Opels in the 80s and 90s I know that have been turbocharged have mostly been by trial and error and many failed . I know of a Opel Manta many years ago that got cracked cylinder heads.

A friend of mine turboed a Toyota MR2 in 2010. That ended in the scrapeyard with a damaged crankshaft.

If your funds are unlimited, get another car or get a few stripes and make your car look faster. Use castor oil and it will smell like a race car.

I do all repairs myself and have overhauled a few engines myself. I will never venture into a project like the one you are planning(or dreaming)

I had a Honda C-90 in my teens which I fitted with a piston fra a Honda 250 Twin. I got to ride the bike for about a day before the cylinder cracked and the connecting rod bearing pulverized. My bike was sold as scrap.

[CalmConquests]

Originally Posted by ssjr0498

Very aptly put, thank you!

My take on the build-

1. Engine strength-
a. Valvetrain, need not be upgraded unless you are aiming to rev to astronomical figures (relative to the factory redline)
b. Block - again depends on the size of the turbo and the expectation from the entire project. Generally, stock rods, pistons, crank and the block in itself can handle a decent amount of boost. However, in case of something spirited, the pistons and rods can be upgraded! Lots of aftermarket options available.

2. Breathing- Intake manifold need not be modified, exhaust manifold yes, because that's where the turbo will sit. He could look at pre-fab manifolds or make one, which a good fabricator should be able to do. The specifications should be available on the net!

3. Heat- Basis the size of the compressor/output, OP can choose to either use the available factory IC or purchase an aftermarket one and plonk it (which is not a difficult job).

4. Electronics- Lots of aftermarket ecu's available and we have good tuner's who could tune or the OP could read and self tune.

5. Power delivery- Again, depends totally on the expectation of the project. The OP mentioned that he wants a reliable city burner, so, in that case, I feel the stock ratio's are good enough.

@OP That said, by no means am I trying to downplay the various hurdles that have been mentioned in the previous posts. All I'm trying to say is that, agreed it's not a cakewalk, but then it is not that difficult a task as it has been made to sound into.

Once you get all of this right, the feeling and the country mile wide smile that it will bring on your face when you floor the "A" pedal is something totally worth the pain I feel!

You could be right. And perhaps it can be done.

But realistically & practically, there are so many things that could go wrong. Even if they did not, for the costs involved, would it be significantly cheaper than doing an engine swap with a later version TSI ? I do not think so.
Since you do seem to have had experience with such a conversion, it would be great if you could give an approximate indication of the cost of modding the N/A engine into a Turbo-Charged one ?

As i understand, OP is not looking for a drag strip racer. It is therefore highly unlikely that you could get the combination of performance, drivability & reliability of a factory spec TSI engine, by strapping a turbo to an N/A engine.

If it were me, i would source a TSI motor & do a swap.

[condor]

We enthusiasts (what ever the level), are so finicky about our cars that we dont want any damage to the factory finish paint. Any repainting must also look just as good. And this just the looks part.

And here the thread is about turbo charging a regular use car. Pretty much the single/main car with you.

Like others have shared, just replace it. The peace of mind of having a factory built turbo charged engine is priceless.

Unless this is listed to be a project car.