Information about mods for tx5

[TX5 GT]

Here is a pic of my car, its got 3 months of dirt and i havent stuck the door strips on yet!

[TX5 GT]

As for what im getting, ill give you a clue, its a needleless instrument cluster
BTW, if i get it you can have my whole cluster with the white face guages for $60

[MITCHAY]

Cool. You need it lowered buddy. Handle so much better.

[TX5 GT]

It used to be lowered, the cornering is better but there is a huge drop in the ride quality, soon im getting whiteline stuff all- round (swaybars, strutbars, camber, springs) and as its only 1" lower i shouldnt loose the ride quality. it used to be 4" lower than stock.

[MITCHAY]

Yeah i think mine is 1.5" lowered. I think i need new shocks but have f all money for it. How much exactly is a TX5 turbo on insurance? Do you know if you can just bolt on the TX5 turbo onto the TX5 N/A engine. Cause i just wanted to do it for kicks.

[TX5 GT]

Its not as simple as bolting on the turbo, you really need the whole setup out of a MX6,626,TX5 TURBO, somepeople have bolted on a turbo and the engine will last for 6 months. Have you ever heard of a FE3 motor?

[MITCHAY]

Nah mate. Might do a turbo TX5 as a project later in life when i can afford it. Never heard of that engine in my life.

[TX5 GT]

Well Basically.....

The current motor you have is a F2 (2.2NA) i have a F2T (2.2TURBO)

F2/T are SOHC 12 VALVE -6000RPM REDLINE - F2 (80Kw) F2T (115Kw)

FE3 are DOHC 16 VALVE -7000-7500RPM REDLINE (110KW) the Fe3 has almost as much power as a Turbo TX5 but its N/A

[MITCHAY]

Im guessin Japs got that spec engine and australia missed out? My mate has a TX3 N/A and that thing has got pod and extractors and is way faster than my car. Sounds nice too.

[TX5 GT]

This is a pic of a TX5 Ghia with a FE3

[TX5 GT]

The ***REAL*** TX5 GT's had them, A LOT of MX6's 626's TX5's here have this motor

[TX5 GT]

Here is a article from a magazine.

SR20, EJ20, RB25, 1JZ, 13B - these are engine codes you’ll be familiar with if you’re into high performance. But one engine family that goes largely overlooked is the Mazda-designed F-series.

So let’s introduce you to the F-series family.

The Australian market received the turbocharged F2 2.2 litre engine in the nose of the ‘88 Mazda MX-6/626 and Ford TX5 clone (as shown here). In factory guise, the SOHC, 12 valve F2 is a low rpm slogger with a substantial 258Nm at 3500 rpm but a modest 108kW at 4300 rpm (when running premium unleaded). A natural revver it ain’t...






Brother to the F2 is the atmo FE 2.0 litre DOHC, 16 valve engine which was never officially seen on local shores. The FE DOHC (aka FE3) benefits from a more sophisticated cylinder head and, depending on the specific version, a higher compression ratio to help produce 110 – 127kW at 6000 rpm.

Although based on similar architecture, the F2 turbo and FE DOHC atmo engines give a very different on-road feel – the forced induction engine comes on with a strong rush of low rpm torque while the atmo engine performs best above 4000 rpm.


But what happens when you add a forced induction to the free-spinning DOHC motor?

Rob Windsor’s Ford Telstar TX5 holds the answer.




Peer under the bonnet of this mild but attractive looking TX5 and you’ll find a Japanese-spec FE 2.0 litre DOHC treated to a custom turbo set-up. Rob tells us the DOHC engine was a very straight-forward swap - no cutting was required.

About now you may be wondering about the naturally aspirated engine’s compression ratio.

Rob tells us his FE DOHC runs a fairly mild 9.2:1 compression ratio but, thanks to its free-breathing DOHC head, he extracts the same performance on ‘only’ 17 psi boost as he used to with the F2 engine running 22 psi...




The turbocharger currently selected for the job is a T28 ball-bearing unit mounted on a custom mild steel manifold.

"The manifold is nothing special - it cost just AUD$500 for the manifold and intercooler piping," says Rob.

Boost pressure reaches a maximum of 17 psi thanks to a Goyen solenoid valve that’s triggered by an in-cabin switch. Low boost (with the solenoid closed) has been increased from 5 to 10 psi by installing spacers on the wastegate actuator mechanism.

[IMG]
http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/i25/2526_3mg.jpg[/IMG]


Charge-air temperature is chilled by a newly fabricated front-mount air-to-air intercooler, which is built from a cut-down truck core. A professional aircraft welder fabricated the end-tanks and completed assembly. A TurboSmart blow-off valve can be seen on the intercooler piping into the throttle.

The turbocharger inhales through a pod filter mounted on the end of a length of convoluted tube, while gasses are exhaled through a free-flowing mandrel exhaust - it's 3 inch diameter to the cat converter and 2 ½ inch diameter along the rest of the system.




The fuel system is a mixture of FE DOHC and F2 components. The standard FE fuel rail has been lightly modified to accept F2 turbo injectors and the driver’s side end of the rail now incorporates a fitting to attach to a Malpassi rising rate regulator. This regulator and a Holden VL Turbo fuel pump are carried over from the previously modified F2 engine.

Engine management uses a MicroTech programmable system, which removes the airflow meter from the equation and relies on a MAP sensor load input. Again, the MicroTech system had been fitted prior to the FE DOHC motor being dropped in.




With boost pressure set to 17 psi, Rob’s turbocharged FE DOHC motor has blasted out a creditable 167kW at the front wheels (in Dyno Dynamics Shootout mode). And note there have been no problems with the factory 5 speed gearbox or driveshafts - Rob explains the Exedy clutch he uses isn’t ultra aggressive. He also avoids prolonged wheelspin which is known to destroy the open-centre diff.

So what does a feet-on-the-ground build like this cost?

Well, it hasn’t been an ‘open chequebook’ exercise, that’s for sure. Rob paid just AUD$800 for the DOHC engine (which is an orphan in Australia), AUD$500 for the manifold and IC plumbing and a few grand for the MicroTech management, exhaust, Malpassi reg and other equipment. We’re told the bill amounts to about AUD$5000.




This 5 grand has provided performance to carve up the majority of cars encountered on the street. An easy 13.6 second ET (at 106 mph) is proof of that.

Note that an earlier time of 14.4 seconds was recorded using the FE DOHC motor with a smaller T25G running at 12psi through a standard intercooler - a set-up that was tried immediately after the engine was plonked in.




Granted, 13 second performance isn’t the stuff of high-end road cars these days - but it’s mighty impressive for a budget car with the comfort and practicality of the TX5. Inside, the stock TX5 Turbo is decked out with automatic oscillating centre vents, an electric glass sunroof, comfy sports seats and very high-grade trim. Rob has added a timber steering wheel, AutoMeter boost gauge, Monza pedals, staged shift lights and a custom short-shift. A Pioneer head unit is wired to a 5 channel Alpine amp and there’s a 10 inch Pioneer sub hidden in the space where the spare wheel usually resides.




Visually, the TX5 is a long, sleek 5 door hatch that looks m-u-c-h better when lowered. Rob has slammed his car’s ride height by around 4 inches – an exercise that required shortening the struts to avoid bump-stop problems. A set of 16 inch wheels and 205/50 tyres fill the guards. It’s a subtle sporty sedan look.

Rob is understandably enthusiastic about the result he’s achieved for a relatively modest amount of money. The car cost AUD$8000 (back in 1999) and, even when you add the AUD$5000 modification cost, you’re talking about a car cheaper than a bog-stock early model WRX. Note that, today, you can pick up a ’88 TX5 Turbo for around AUD$4000, which means the same result can be achieved for less than 10 grand.

That is, so long as you’re prepared to get your hands dirty like Rob.


Previous Incarnations

Rob’s TX5 Turbo has seen many different guises - let’s take a look at them...




In its first stage, Rob gave the original F2 SOHC turbo engine an exhaust, pod filter, upgrade front-mount intercooler, blow-off valve, T28 turbocharger, MicroTech management, Malpassi regulator and VL Turbo fuel pump. Blowing at up to 17 psi, this set-up gave 128kW at the wheels. Note that this was before the days of dyno Shootout mode.

In its second stage, the T28 turbo was replaced by a Garrett GT25 pushing up to 22 psi (!). With this change, Rob upped the ante to 180kW at the wheels (in Shootout mode) along with much improved flexibility. Amazingly, this set-up gave an identical quarter mile time as achieved with the current DOHC engine - a 13.6 at 106 mph!

Unfortunately, this fun came to an end when the F2 engine ran lean. And that’s when the DOHC FE came into the picture...

[MITCHAY]

That is a bloody nice car there. Wouldnt mind one of them one day.

[TX5 GT]

When my motor dies, my friend works at a race engineering shop, he has a 400HP FE3-TURBO motor there capable of 8000RPM, its sitting in the back, if someone asks he will sell it but he's not going to advertise, it will probably be mine!

[TX5 GT]

Bet you havent seen a instrument cluster like this before :hihi:

Thats what im getting :sm_headba

[MITCHAY]

Thats pretty cool man. Whats it out of?

[TX5 GT]

Well as you know.....MAZDA 626, MAZDA MX6, FORD TX5/TELSTAR, FORD PROBE are all the same car bit with different visuals. That is out of a USA MX6

[MITCHAY]

Should be gun and very unique. Does it just plug into the normal wiring loom for the cluster?

[TX5 GT]

No, Sadly, we have connection with a auto electrician over there. he makes plug adapters for the AUS models currently 1 TX5 here has one, im sure that will change now that this person is doing adapters.

[TX5 GT]

BTW i just heard of a new thing for our cars, my name is already down for it! CARBON FIBRE HOOD WITH VENTS! :hihi:

[MITCHAY]

How much cause my bonnet has cracks in the paint? Do you have any pics?

[TX5 GT]

Well its a group order, so it will be anywhere from $400,$600 depending on how many buyers.

[MITCHAY]

Bit pricy for me but anyways. I probably sell mine get another car and later in life by a TX5 and do it up crazy including that FE3 engine u speak of

[TX5 GT]

yeah they are a good project - FOR GODS SAKE , DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST! you really need to know the cars and engines inside and out. type "Mazda FE3" into your search engine, that will help. I have driven a FE3, revs cleanly to 7500RPM (has 7000RPM REDLINE)

[MITCHAY]

Yeah i reckon ill get an Integra Type R next car and then when ive got enough money in the future do a TX5 Turbo as a project and perhaps will know even more by then.

[TX5 GT]

I needed a boost fix, had enough of UN-BOOSTD car. I registered the TX, took her for a spin, so easy to get to the redline, too hard in 2.2NA, I had a Redline and Turbo Spool fest, music to my ears!

[MITCHAY]

How much does TX5 turbos cost to insure anyways? Ive also heard they are very expensive to fix and could imagine cause with my NA ive had some costly repairs done. Maybe give the Integra the flick and get a better conditioned TX5 with boost.

[TX5 GT]

To be honest i have not had any big repair bills *touchwood*, the most expensive thing that broke was the turbo (there is a genuine reason why it broke) and i paid $350 for a S/H one. It broke cause the woman who had the car before me crashed it and drove it around with no oil (bearing overheated and seized). They are excpetional cars, my friend has one that he inherited from his grand father and has 324,XXX kms on it and the ONLY things ever replaced due to failure where water pump and steering rack. How good the car is depends on its history. the person who had my car before me babied it since new until they divorced and his wife got it. she basically ran it into the ground.

[TX5 GT]

BTW: the turbo was blown when i got the car, thats why i got it for cheap

[MITCHAY]

Its not buying the car thats the problem its getting it insured that is. I could probably go out and buy one tommorow. Sell my NA for about $2500-3000 and i have $3500 in the bank. But the problem is being able a)to get insured, and b) be able to afford it.