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Josh,
this job has been my goal since I got my car. I've asked and searched the board many times and got many different responses, but generally, people say no. their reasons are thus:
1. it can destroy your engine. unless it's in excellent condition, don't force it; turbocharging creates an immense amount of stress and any weakness will be exacerbated. also, the naturally aspirated engines have a high compression ratio, meaning with the full 11 or 12psi, your engine will suck in too much air and tear your car apart. thus, you'll need to make some cylinder modifications to reduce your ratio to about 7:1. to my understanding, the light-pressure models maintain the normal ratio but push only 5psi or so.
2. it's expensive. unless you have a good source for used parts (and please, ONLY buy OE saab parts for this job), you can find yourself buying your car twice and the quality could be sketchy.
3. it's a lot of work. not up front, per se, but maintenance will increase simply because you're adding a part that inherently weakens your engine.
with that said, if you know what you're doing and you have patience (these cars need a LOT), it can be done. many people may advise you to simply buy a turbo engine because it's probably cost-effective, but then your pride isn't in your innovation but your ability to do a replacement. study someone's turbo setup thoroughly and read much documentation so you're prepared.
I'm 19, I've worked on my car for about a year, and I love it. I learned from this site, quasimotors, and my trusty Haynes manual which sits beside a slew of tools in my trunk. this stuff is easy if you enjoy the work, but it takes lots of time. once I have a spare week and my other mechanical issues are resolved, (architecture school does not yield to car work), I'm going to get the parts and do the job. however, I'm only going to push 5 pounds. a turbo on this engine is like steroids for a scrawny kid: small doses can do great things, but large muscles on a tiny frame will most likely break a few bones.
my recommendation, therefore, is this: if you're mechanically inclined, go for it. otherwise, leave it alone or buy a Civic.
keep asking questions; everyone here is happy to help. good luck!
-Ben
posted by 198.37.26...
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