2009 Corolla S Turbo Thread Build

SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#1
#1
I just ordered my new turbo kit for my 2009 S from turbokits.com. I was able to visit there shop in Connecticut in September. I was very impressed with the shop and the owners Grant and Jesse were amazing showing me around. I ordered the kit with a few extra features too. It's supposed to be shipping out this week!

1. Billet turbo wheel upgrade
2. Ceramic coated exhaust manifold, turbo and downpipe
3. 3" complete SS exhaust
4. 3" intake pipe

I'll also be the first one that is getting my OEM ECU tuned by Orange Virus. They have unlocked the Toyota ECU for my Corolla so I don't need to use a piggyback so it will be as reliable as a OEM turbo setup.


I got a baseline dyno run showing 126 HP on the first run.




Bought some gauges too.




 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#4
#4
Progress has been going well now that the Christmas holiday is winding down. I've been able to get the exhaust manifold & turbocharger mounted, water & oil lines connected, new upgraded fuel injectors installed. I've dropped the old exhaust system too. Next up is working n mounting the intercooler and piping. :cool:







 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#5
#5
It's been a very long, cold winter which has made it hard to work on my turbo project. After taking a trip to Hawaii, which was awesome, I was able to make some progress on my Corolla.

Got the IC all mounted up.


View of the IC from above.


Inlet to the IC.


IC piping from the turbo under the engine toward the IC.


IC piping from the IC toward the intake.


You can also see the air filter pipe inlet that leads to the turbo.


I've also started on the vacuum tubing to the wastegate, BOV, boost gauge and AEM FIC.
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#7
#7
I was able to get all of the wire harnesses for my 3 gauges pulled through the firewall today! I'm so very excited. Hoping to get them finished off tomorrow. I can then get the AEM FIC hooked up and start checking all of my connections and bolts before I fire it up for the first time! Oh so close. Almost set for TURBO TIME!!!! >:D
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#8
#8
I had to extend the wires for my oil pressure gauge and finish running all the wires up behind the stereo and to the top of the dash. My wife thought it would look really cool if I had the gauge holder hydrodipped in a carbon fiber look so I dropped it off today to be done. It will take a week to finish so I'll work on finishing cleaning up everything else and getting it ready to start.

I also ordered the parts for the oil filter swap so I can use the spin on oil filter and add an oil cooler. I ordered the oil cooler parts yesterday so I figured it would be best to just do the mod while I was finishing up the turbo build.
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#9
#9
First start up to check for any leaks went well. I've got wires everywhere but all the gauges work and I didn't see any leaks. I let it idle for 10-15 minutes per the instructions and let it get up to operating temperature. The new higher flow fuel injectors are louder than OEM but in person they aren't noticeable like in the video.

 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#12
#12
I was able to fabricate some mounting brackets and get the oil cooler mounted. I had to move my Hella horns up a little to get the oil cooler in the airflow but it turned out great. Waiting on the hoses to arrive now. :grin:








 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#13
#13
I was able to work a little on getting everything tied up on my turbo install. Started working on getting my oil catch can mounted. Hardest part is trying to figure out where to mount it. Hoping to finish it getting it installed tomorrow. I need to get a different fitting size to fit my crankcase hose.

I did a test fit of my new engine cover that I had hydrodipped and I love it. I also need to get my gauges mounted in the gauge pod that I had dipped too.
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#14
#14
Did the oil filter conversion today!


Old vs new!


Old filter housing off!


New part installed.


All set for the spin on filter or sandwich plate for oil cooler or gauges. :grin:


I also mounted my gauges in the gauge pod that I had hydrodipped. :grin:
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#16
#16
I had my hydrodipped engine cover painted so the raised letters looked better. I love the finished product. I also mu Mishimoto oil catch can installed. The final tailpipe was also welded on and I've been driving it this week. The power is amazing even off boost. With the turbo always spinning it increases vacuum and makes the car feel so much quicker. When boost comes on the fun really begins! I highly recommend this to anyone that loves their Corolla. And the best part, I'm still getting 35-40 mpg while driving normally.




















 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#17
#17
Picked up my Corolla from Fast Specialties in Vancouver, WA where they did my final tune. They asked me how I wanted my tune done, mild, medium or maximum! I told Travis the tuner that I wanted to keep it mild as I didn't want to mess up the reliability. When I got it back the final tune netted 195HP at the wheels which is about 230HP plus at the crank. He was very impressed with the quality of the turbo kit from Turbokits.com and the fit and finish was top notch he said. He could always ring out more HP he said but it's between mild and medium he told me. I'm thrilled with the final results and highly recommend this for anyone else that wants to have a unique Corolla. I've got so much more power and I'm still getting 35+ MPG.....amazing! Cruising MPG seems to be even better when I drive it like I did before on the open highway.

Many thanks to Jesse and Grant at Turbokits for all of their help with my many questions along this build. Contact them if you guys really want to make your Corolla special!
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#18
#18
I took my Corolla out for a short drive in some of the nearby hills today. I got on it a little more than before and let me tell you, I was grinning from ear to ear. It's amazing how effortlessly it pulls hills now. On some steeper hills that I would hit 45 mph by a certain point before I was at 75+ mph without even trying. I'm still running my OEM clutch and though I haven't felt it slip I want to not abuse it too much until I have a new one that can handle all the power. You simply can't imagine how fast this car is now until you experience it.

In this video a car was in front of me so i pulled off the road and waited a short moment before heading up this road on a hill. I've driven it a lot and I was hitting 75 mph without even trying before the hard 90 degree left at the top of the hill. You can hear the turbo and BO valve in the video. Now if I can only figure out why I the seat has started to squeak. I never hear it when I'm driving with the music up but when it was down to record this I heard it!

The date is wrong as I forgot to reset it before recording.

 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#20
#20
ThoR294 said:
Nice build. What PSI are you running? What's the turbo size?

Turbo Cobalts are around 300 with a tune to the crank... imagine that lol
Click to expand...
Thanks. As I said in my post I had it tuned to be on the mild side as I want to keep reliability high. I'm running 8.6 PSI in the tune and it could easily do more he said but I'm fine with it. It pulls really hard and has good low end pull too. I'm not interested in just a peak power as many times that hurts drivability. Also 300HP in a FWD car this size just seems like over kill. The kit uses a custom spec'd T28 turbocharger and I upgraded it with a billet wheel for faster spool time. This is an amazing turbo kit and the quality is top notch. Some of you should look at doing this too!
 
I

Importdreams12

New Member
#21
#21
Love the build, I been wanting to boost my 2012 Corolla Sport for a while but I just been so hesitant to do so. Reading through your post and seeing how well your build came together definitely has motivated me to bring some new life into my Rolla.
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#22
#22
Importdreams12 said:
Love the build, I been wanting to boost my 2012 Corolla Sport for a while but I just been so hesitant to do so. Reading through your post and seeing how well your build came together definitely has motivated me to bring some new life into my Rolla.
Click to expand...
I think the key is to keep it in perspective. By tuning my Corolla on the mild side I keep all the reliability but when I want or need the power it's always there. It's such a blast to drive and a complete car in every way now. I'm honestly surprised that others haven't done it more. Everyone talks about it and talks the game but they don't follow through. It's by far the best bang for the buck and HP per $$$ is far better then other mods. I would love to see you join the turbo Corolla club.
 
I

Importdreams12

New Member
#23
#23
SuperchargedMR2 said:
I think the key is to keep it in perspective. By tuning my Corolla on the mild side I keep all the reliability but when I want or need the power it's always there. It's such a blast to drive and a complete car in every way now. I'm honestly surprised that others haven't done it more. Everyone talks about it and talks the game but they don't follow through. It's by far the best bang for the buck and HP per $$$ is far better then other mods. I would love to see you join the turbo Corolla club.
Click to expand...
I totally agree with you on that, I would definitely tune it on the mild side to keep the reliability aspect of it. Seeing an intercooler in the front of a Corolla is a rare and special site because everybody is so use to seeing boosted civics, and then people buy the Evo's and the STI's since they come factory boosted but I think you get a far greater appreciation when you boost a corolla and know it'll outrun a lot of cars on the streets if you tune it right.
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#24
#24
Importdreams12 said:
I totally agree with you on that, I would definitely tune it on the mild side to keep the reliability aspect of it. Seeing an intercooler in the front of a Corolla is a rare and special site because everybody is so use to seeing boosted civics, and then people buy the Evo's and the STI's since they come factory boosted but I think you get a far greater appreciation when you boost a corolla and know it'll outrun a lot of cars on the streets if you tune it right.
Click to expand...
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#26
#26
Lacey said:
Sick! I want to add my turbo kit, I need some horsepower!
Click to expand...
I'm honestly surprised that more people haven't added the turbo kit. For a very reasonable price you can make your Corolla very unique with amazing power. So much fun to enjoy and always keep as a fun car when you may add a newer car down the road.
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#31
#31
Turbokits.com, it's one of the options that you can pick from when ordering the turbo kit. There are many options you can pick from or you can stick with the standard kit. I also had my turbo, exhaust manifold and downpipe ceramic coated. If you go on the website you can look through the options. The AEM FIC comes with a wiring harness that can be wired into any vehicle but the plug-in-play harness is made to plug directly into the Corolla ECU from the AEM FIC.
 
F

FinalGear

New Member
#34
#34
SuperchargedMR2 said:
I think the key is to keep it in perspective. By tuning my Corolla on the mild side I keep all the reliability but when I want or need the power it's always there. It's such a blast to drive and a complete car in every way now. I'm honestly surprised that others haven't done it more. Everyone talks about it and talks the game but they don't follow through. It's by far the best bang for the buck and HP per $$$ is far better then other mods. I would love to see you join the turbo Corolla club.
Click to expand...
:D We are all still waiting for Toyota to officially release their TRD Corolla (turbocharge) :p
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#37
#37
FinalGear said:
So, what was your final bill for your turbo investment? (be honest)

What is your advice to all of us, before venturing into this investment?

Any unforeseen headaches or do(s) & don’t(s)?
Click to expand...
Total investment will vary depending on the options you want to pay for. The turbo kit itself starts is $2895 today. I added several options.
1. $195 - 3" cold air intake
2. $395 - Thermal coating
3. $895 - 3" SS exhaust
4. $195 - Turbo billet wheel upgrade
5. $579 - AEM Plug N Play wiring harness

So if you did what I did it would be $5154. The only option I would do for certain is the harness. I did add gauges but everything else I did was just that, optional.

I think I paid $400 to tune the car but I did the install for free. It wasn't that difficult. It's just nuts and bolts.

My biggest advice would be to call Turbokits. Talk to them. Ask questions. Jesse is the tech guy and is super helpful and so is Grant. I've personally met them both in person and they are there to help. I've never experienced any better customer service before or after the sale.

If you can afford it, do it. I love have all of the reliability of my Corolla with the extra power when I need or want it. It's a perfect marriage.
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#41
#41
FinalGear said:
SuperchargedMR2

Did you ever finish your rear drum conversion?
Click to expand...
Nope. It's still something that I would like to do sometime but I just haven't had the time. This past year we've been short staffed at work and I've been working a lot extra. Top that off with my oldest daughter getting married this month and we've been crazy busy getting ready for that. So hopefully it will happen in the future sometime. It is still on my to do list! :cool:
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#42
#42
I just finished installing an oil catch can on my 2009 Corolla S Turbo. I also updated my HID retrofit with some new RGB halos. I also changed out my gauges as my AEM gauges just didn't fit the look I wanted. I just installed some Glow Shift gauges that allow me too change the color to match what I want.
You can see my OCC, valve cover breather and new air filter.








New RGB halos!!!


Not a good pic but I was trying to show the different colors. There are 7 to choose from.
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#43
#43
Drove my 09 Corolla S Turbo the 1024 miles down to Toyotafest last month. It was the first long drive over 200 miles I've been on since installing the turbo kit. She ran like a dream and I even got great MPG on the drive from between 35-40 MPG.


I took all back roads on the way home. Instead of the direct 1024 miles on I-5 it was a 2500 mile adventure that was amazing!


























A shot of my new gauges.
 
S

Saevurr

New Member
#44
#44
SuperchargedMR2 said:
I had my hydrodipped engine cover painted so the raised letters looked better. I love the finished product. I also mu Mishimoto oil catch can installed. The final tailpipe was also welded on and I've been driving it this week. The power is amazing even off boost. With the turbo always spinning it increases vacuum and makes the car feel so much quicker. When boost comes on the fun really begins! I highly recommend this to anyone that loves their Corolla. And the best part, I'm still getting 35-40 mpg while driving normally.
Click to expand...
Hello,

I love what you've done with your mod. I too am working on my 2013 Corolla and would one day like to put in a turbo kit, but... Due to COVID-19, money is tight so that's probably a project way, way down the line. For now, my K&N short ram will have to do. At least the engine sounds nicer even though I've only gain very marginal HP, LOL.

I recognize the rear TRD sway bar link but what are those two white bar links near/under it? Also, what I'm very interested in, is that red, triangular bar near your front suspension. What is that? :)
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#45
#45
Saevurr said:
Hello,

I love what you've done with your mod. I too am working on my 2013 Corolla and would one day like to put in a turbo kit, but... Due to COVID-19, money is tight so that's probably a project way, way down the line. For now, my K&N short ram will have to do. At least the engine sounds nicer even though I've only gain very marginal HP, LOL.

I recognize the rear TRD sway bar link but what are those two white bar links near/under it? Also, what I'm very interested in, is that red, triangular bar near your front suspension. What is that? :)
Click to expand...
Thanks!! You will love the kit if you get a chance to install it. The 3 bars you asked about are all Ultra Racing bars. The 2 white ones in the back are a 19mm rear sway bar and a 2-point lower rear chassis brace. The 3-point front one is a lower chassis brace that I had powder coated in TRD red when I was installing the turbo kit. I had to take it off and the white paint was in bad shape so I thought why not make it look new!
 
jin7210

jin7210

New Member
#46
#46
Hello,
very nice job you did, I love it :D
I'm interested in the turbo too but I have some questions

1. Do you need to change to change tie rods and pistons if you keep it below 10 psi ?
2. Do you need to change flywheel ?
3. I already have the Injen cold air intake, Borla axle back exhaust and Weapon R headers for this car, do I have to remove them if I install the turbo?

Thank you in advance
 
SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#47
#47
jin7210 said:
Hello,
very nice job you did, I love it :D
I'm interested in the turbo too but I have some questions

1. Do you need to change to change tie rods and pistons if you keep it below 10 psi ?
2. Do you need to change flywheel ?
3. I already have the Injen cold air intake, Borla axle back exhaust and Weapon R headers for this car, do I have to remove them if I install the turbo?

Thank you in advance
Click to expand...
Thanks, I appreciate it! I love my Corolla turbo. I took it on a 5300 mile road trip thos year and a 3500 mile road trip last year. It's amazing to have the power in the mountains and at elevation now. So much fun!!!

1. No, the turbo kit is designed to work with stock internals. If you say at 8-10 psi you will be just fine.
2. No, the OEM flywheel is perfect.
3. Yes, you will not use any of these parts. The turbo kit comes with everything you need on the intake side and the intercooler pipe runs from the intercooler to the intake where the Injen CAI is located. The turbo exhaust manifold and 3" downpipe will replace your Weapon R header. From the downpipe you will want a minimum of a 2.5" exhaust but a 3" is recommended. I've got a 3" from the downpipe back. The OEM exhaust is way too small for a turbo car.
 
jin7210

jin7210

New Member
#48
#48
SuperchargedMR2 said:
Thanks, I appreciate it! I love my Corolla turbo. I took it on a 5300 mile road trip thos year and a 3500 mile road trip last year. It's amazing to have the power in the mountains and at elevation now. So much fun!!!

1. No, the turbo kit is designed to work with stock internals. If you say at 8-10 psi you will be just fine.
2. No, the OEM flywheel is perfect.
3. Yes, you will not use any of these parts. The turbo kit comes with everything you need on the intake side and the intercooler pipe runs from the intercooler to the intake where the Injen CAI is located. The turbo exhaust manifold and 3" downpipe will replace your Weapon R header. From the downpipe you will want a minimum of a 2.5" exhaust but a 3" is recommended. I've got a 3" from the downpipe back. The OEM exhaust is way too small for a turbo car.
Click to expand...

Thank you man :)
Now I'm more excited to install it.
But I still have some concerns.
I don't live in the US, my corolla is not 1.8L 2ZR-FE, it's 1.6L 1ZR-FE (6 speed manual). But the Injen CAI, Borla exhaust and Weapon R headers which were meant for the US version, fitted my corolla perfectly.
My other concern is that on another forum - toyotanation dot com, the guy by the name XAndyJX said he still had to change the clutch even though it's the same turbo kit. I will still try to get an aftermarket clutch for a better peace of mind ;)
 

Attachments

SuperchargedMR2

SuperchargedMR2

New Member
#49
#49
Yes, a clutch upgrade will be a good idea too. I'm still on my OEM clutch for now at 110k miles. I'll upgrade it when it starts to go out. If you don't drag race it and let it hook up before getting on it you will be okay until you upgrade it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top