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3000GT Stealth Twin Turbo Conversion Guide/How-to

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Looking for a substantial power increase in your naturally aspirated 3000GT or Stealth? Forced induction is the most cost effective way of big power gains in these cars because of the relatively small displacement. Luckily for the DOHC owners, a twin turbo conversion is a 95% bolt-on process. With good tuning and proper maintainence, a front-wheel drive twin turbo car (FWD-TT) can be a reliable daily driver with 50% more power on tap than stock.

What can you expect in power gains?
A reported 75-100 whp can be expected at low boost levels (7 psi).

How much will a complete conversion cost me?
The cheapest of conversions can cost you anywhere from $500-$1000, but a bare-bones buildup is not recommended. Expect to pay between $2000-$3000 for a reliable setup with quality used parts and new gaskets throughout.

Where can I find the parts?
Using a variety of sources including 3SI.org’s classifieds, eBay, and even salvage yards, you should have no problem aquiring most of the parts. new parts can be purchased from any of the discount online Mitsubishi dealerships.

How long will it take?
Anywhere from 2 weeks to several months, depending on how fast you work, and if everything goes your way. I would count on a solid month to have everything installed if you don’t have much wrenching experience. Working out the bugs afterwards will also take a substantial amount of time. As a general rule, plan for the work to take twice as long as expected to account for the unforeseen.

1. Pre-conversion Evaluation and Maintenance

The most important step in preparation for the extra power being added is planning ahead, doing research, and have a general knowledge of how the project will come together. You should gather sources for parts, gather information, and plan a time-frame.

Additionally, checking your engine’s vitality is a must. Ask yourself “do I feel comfortable taking my car cross-country right now?”

Make sure the timing belt/water pump service was done in the last 60,000 miles, otherwise figure it into your time and cost budget. I also recommend replacing your oil pump if it hasn’t been done. If your engine is in tip-top shape, it will not have a problem handling the extra horsepower.

Links:
Erik Gross’ compression test guide
Team3s.com 60,000 mile maintainence guide

2. Purchase the parts

Parts Checklist:
Deftracing’s Twin Turbo Checklist

Used part sources:
3SI Classifieds, eBay, Car-part.com

New part sources:
Mentor Mitsubishi, Rockville Mitsubishi, Norco Mitsubishi, local dealers

3. Tools:

* Jackstands (3+)
* Hydraulic Jack (19″+)
* Phillips and flathead screwdrivers
* Socket wrenches
* Ratcheting wrenches
* Impact wrench and metric sockets (shallow and deep)
* Cordless driver
* Various socket extensions
* Oxygen sensor socket
* Needle-nose pliers
* Standard pliers
* Adjustable pipe wrench
* Brake line wrenches (fuel pump lines)
* Breaker bar
* Dremel with cutoff attachments (for driver side IC piping),
* Torque wrench
* Wire strippers
* Electrical tape
* Misc. electrical connectors

Chemicals/Misc.:

* PB Blaster (Walmart, Autozone)
* Brake parts cleaner
* Shop towels (Sam’s Club)
* Thread locker (Autozone)
* RTV Black silicone sealant (Autozone)
* Anti-seize compound (high temp)
* “Orange” hand cleaner
* Engine fluids

Add’tl. notes:
Latex gloves or Mechanix gloves are very handy for keeping your hands clean.
Cover your fenders with a padded fabric to prevent scratches.

4. Installation

On to the good stuff. At this point, you should have all needed parts, gaskets, etc in hand, ready to be bolted on. I *highly* recommend doing things one step at a time and labeling parts and bolts as they come out. Prepare sandwich bags with masking tape to write on. This will make re-installation a breeze.

Safety first: read Stealth316′s jacking point guide. Always use jack stands, never trust a hydraulic jack for long periods of time!

If you plan on removing the engine to do all the work (generally much easier to do this if you have the equipment), here is John Adam (JRC)’s guide.

Bob The Great’s installation guide
Mo0cow2003′s TT Guide
Stealth316′s oil pan removal guide
Stealth316′s transmission removal guide

ECU Compatibility:
91-93 use 91-93 Turbo ECU or swap harness and use 91-93 Turbo ECU
94-95 (Fed) use 91-93 Turbo ECU (modification needed) or swap harness and use 94-95 Turbo (Fed)
94-97 (Cali) use 94-97 Turbo (Cali)

More info:
Green-lantern’s TT conversion link thread
Stealth316 ECU Guide
How to use a TT ECU with your Automatic Transmission
Resistors needed for use with N/A harness and TT injectors

J-Groove’s conversion thread
Mr.3000′s conversion thread
BigTyla’s ATX TT conversion thread
MuDvAyNeDude122′s conversion thread

My gallery:

Feel free to leave comments or email me at wildarmz (at) gmail.com if you would like to contribute to this guide.

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  1. 34 Responses to “3000GT Stealth Twin Turbo Conversion Guide/How-to”

  2. By John on Nov 10, 2008 | Reply

    I have a 94 Stealth RT, and i wanted to know if i added a 92 3000gt ECU with the turbos and piping will it work???

  3. By wildarmz on Nov 10, 2008 | Reply

    John,

    If the 92 ECU is from a twin turbo then yes it’ll work with some slight modifications to the wiring harness. I did exactly this on my car. I’m no wiring pro either.

    Check out: http://www.3si.org/forum/f53/do-i-really-need-fan-controller-375756/

    Also keep in mind that you need a lot more than just the turbos and piping.

  4. By automotive floor jack on Mar 14, 2009 | Reply

    This is the first time I commented here and I must say you give us genuine, and quality information for other bloggers! Great job.
    p.s. You have a very good template . Where have you got it from?

  5. By rigo on Mar 16, 2009 | Reply

    hey im doen the tt conversation on a 95 3000gt, can u please list me all the parts that im gonna need to turn it into a tt. thank u

  6. By jesse on May 18, 2009 | Reply

    hey ive been doin a conversion for 3 years ive got aem ems and fully built motor do i need a map sensor or can i just run it without? and wat else electronics wise should i get since im running a standalone aem ems?

  7. By wildarmz on May 18, 2009 | Reply

    Jesse – That must’ve cost a lot! Using a MAP sensor is a big advantage over the stock MAF. As far as electronics, consult the AEM gurus on 3si.org. Make sure you get a good base tune from a pro if you’re unfamiliar with tuning.

  8. By jesse on May 19, 2009 | Reply

    yea it was ive spent 28k s far and still not done. i still need a cat back wheels and tires. if anyone wants to know all the stuff ive got or any sugestions..or needs any parts ive got hook ups. gimme a text or call. 410-533-4985 im in MD and go to skool to work on bmw’s and dont get out until 3 so if i dont answer leave a message. and thanks for the advice wildarmz.

  9. By Zach on Feb 10, 2010 | Reply

    I got a 98 SL I just swapped to twin turbo, can I run a 96 vr4 ecu or would it be better to run my n/a ecu and harness even tho timing is different on a SL than a vr4?

  10. By wildarmz on Feb 11, 2010 | Reply

    96 VR4 ECU *should* be fine with your N/A harness since theyre both cali-spec (4 O2 sensors), but you’ll need to verify the ECU pin-outs on stealth316.com. I dont recommend using the n/a ECU at all, the air/fuel ratios will be way off.

  11. By Zach on Feb 11, 2010 | Reply

    The pinoits are different and I won’t be able to use the n/a harness with the 96 vr4 ecu but if I get a harness that will fit this ecu would that be ok? Thanks for your help man, greatly appreciated.

  12. By wildarmz on Feb 11, 2010 | Reply

    Yeah a 96 n/a or turbo harness will work fine according to the pin assignments. I may have a 96 harness available in 2 weeks or so if a car im trying to sell gets parted out instead.

  13. By Zach on Feb 11, 2010 | Reply

    Alright awesome thanks and yea def.let me know if you part it my car is at the shop waiting to be tuned just waiting on a harness.

  14. By zach on Feb 11, 2010 | Reply

    Hey man I got another question for ya lol. I found a 97 vr4 ecu with the harness, should I be good to go with that?

  15. By wildarmz on Feb 12, 2010 | Reply

    yeah if you have the harness + matching ecu from any 94+ car, you’ll be fine.

  16. By Zach on Feb 12, 2010 | Reply

    Alright well sadly that deal isn’t happening hes asking way too much for the ecu but the harness alone is a good price so now I’m just trying to figure out if the 96 vr4 ecu I already have will be capable of using the 97 vr4 harness the guy has for sale. I’m not positive but I tried understanding the pin assignments on stealth316 and it says 94 to 97 dohc turbo and dohc non turbo Cali. Does that mean that the 97 vr4 harness will be compatable with my 96 vr4 ecu? Thanks a lot man.

  17. By NGL on Feb 14, 2010 | Reply

    Hey man you posted up the hp gains, but im curious as to how much tq is gained as well. Any numbers?

  18. By Andrew on Apr 24, 2010 | Reply

    i have a 95 3000gt sl and i want to turbo it. can i just get vr4 headers, exhaust, intake manifold, fuel system, etc. and it jus bolt on with no modifications?

  19. By wildarmz on Apr 24, 2010 | Reply

    For the most part, yeah. There is a bit of sheet metal cutting on the driver’s side for the intercooler piping but nothing major otherwise.

  20. By frank urso on Dec 15, 2010 | Reply

    i am considering a massive job of converting my 95 3000gt to a twin turbo all wheel drive by taking the whole body clip of a gto and replacing the parts it came from japan with right drive instead of steering whell on left side its on the right im very concerned if the package will reach all the wire harnesses necessary to change it over i dont want to cut or splice any wires . any info will help me make my decision thanks a lot

  21. By GTO-Josh on Dec 16, 2010 | Reply

    frank urso

    dont convert your left nad drive to a righty. if you want the right hand drive either find one that someone has imported, or import one yourself! it will save you lots of headaches in the long run with all the wiring.

  22. By GTO-Josh on Dec 16, 2010 | Reply

    Hey wildarmz

    Do you know if a ’95 GTO vr4 front end will be able to convert into a ’91?

    fenders, bumper, hood, headlights, radiator, intercoolers,

  23. By Erik on Dec 27, 2010 | Reply

    The front end can be converted to a first gen. I converted my first gen to a second, but I had an NA, don’t know how much more difficult it will be since you have active aero, but the parts you will need are headlight buckets, radiator support, headlights and their appropriate wiring harness, the front bumper covered the hood. Fenders are the same for all gens. Again, not sure about the active aero differences between first and second gen if there even are any.

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  25. By Ivan on Mar 26, 2011 | Reply

    The only thing I never seem to find is if you only use Wastegate psi without a boost controller, What Spark plug gap do you recommend? I called mitsubishi and they told me Twinturbo gap is 35 something like that. What about when you want to run 9PSI?

  26. By Ivan on Mar 26, 2011 | Reply

    It will convert you just have to cut the 91 buckets to fit the projector lights of the 94+ year ;) . is easy you just have to wire the lights.

  27. By Noe olmos on Apr 8, 2011 | Reply

    i have 1991 stealth the block has a crack.. i was wondering if i could put a 6g72tt block (with no turbo)instead of the regular 6g72 do i have to do any major modification?? thanks, Noe olmos

  28. By hector k on May 2, 2011 | Reply

    hello i would like to ask you. as you have done this processs, im very familiar with my 3000gt that is the dohc non turbo. now i want to swap to a turbo, ok so my question is what will i need, IM BUYING THE WHOLE ENGINE, WITH TURBOS, DRAIN PAN, WIRE HARNEST COMPUTER, INTAIKE, FUEL RAIL, ok so i have an idea that i whill need the oil cooling for the turbos, air cooling pipings, but is there little cosmetics you recomend, my engine has 310000 miles and i dont want to waste money in fixing it, but up grade sounds good thanks for you help.

  29. By eddieg on May 24, 2011 | Reply

    Hi. I purchased a JDM 1st gen TT engine with the harness and ecu. I also have the stock intercoolers and piping and plan to do a 120k service. What transmission set up do you recommend? My car (91RT DOHC) has 170 k so I wonder if I should rebuilt mine or get a TT transmission and convert to FWD. Thanks for any feedback as I am on the early planning stages. Thanks!!!

  30. By Victor G on Jul 13, 2011 | Reply

    i have a 94 3000gt sl and i wanna convert my car to TT buttttt… its a auto 4 gear transmission.. can this still be possible?

  31. By Troy on Jan 8, 2012 | Reply

    I have a 95 3000 gt n/a and I bought a complete tt engine everything thats on a stock engine turbos exhaust mani everything..can someone give me a list of parts that I would need to finish the conversion. I know ic + piping, fuel pump, down pipe. Thanks for the help

  32. By Cesar on Jan 13, 2012 | Reply

    I am in the same position as Troy(the comment before mine) can someone help us out?

  33. By Baca on Jan 16, 2012 | Reply

    hey I need help on the ecu part… What kind of modification would I need to do if I used a 91 tt ecu on my 94 sl? Please help

  34. By Andrez on Feb 1, 2012 | Reply

    So i am wondering here, could i convert an N/a 3000gt into a twin turbo with the non-turbo engine, or do i need to swap/change the engine too?

  35. By odelay17 on Feb 6, 2012 | Reply

    You guys… Did you even read the article?
    A link to the complete listing of what you need was included in the article. But here it is again:
    http://www.deftracing.com/tt.htm

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