[Drj]

Hello everyone, I’m very new on here. I apologize if I didn’t write this in the right place, if so just let me know and I’ll take it down. Getting to the point, I have a 01 3.8 mustang only has a cold air intake and I plan on putting a turbo on it. Please don’t tell me to just sell and get a 4.6 with all due respect I don’t care l, I got a v6 hoping to make it a turbo project. I’ve been searching everywhere and I cannot find a genuine single turbo kit for the 3.8. There’s videos online of others with a boosted 3.8 but none have mentioned where they got it. I’m just wondering where I can get a kit or seperate parts. I want a small or medium sized turbo nothing too crazy, just enough to make it more fun and looking for a power increase of 50rwhp. (Yes I know I should’ve looked before getting the car)
Thank you.

 

[crjackson]

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[AndyEckel]

You asked. So here is your answer.
- - -
I would suggest sunsetting the idea of an exhaust driven, waste-gate controlled, turbocharged application for your 22 year old 2001 3.8 V6. There's a reason you can't find one -> they don't exist.
- - -
If you are OK with a crank-belt driven, centrifugal supplied forced air, supercharged application, then look no further than this $6200 ProCharger option for you. Be sure to add $$$$ (thousands of dollars) for installation, parts, and dyno-tuning.
- - -
In a general sense, if one does not understand the difference between turbo- and super-charging, I recommend neither one.
- - -
You can do whatever you want (LIFE LIBERTY PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS), but plan on spending way more $$$ than your Mustang will ever be worth to supercharge it

 

[Hazey]

Do you specifically like the '99-'04 cars or would you be happy to do a turbo build on any non V8 late model Mustang?
The 3.8 is fine in stock form but is probably the worst candidate for modding of any engine ever installed in a Mustang. If you're cool with a Fox ('79-'93), pick one up with the Lima 2.3L 4-banger and go nuts. You're still going to spend way more money than just getting a V8 car but at least there's some aftermarket support there.
If you've just gotta have a New-edge, look into swapping in a newer Ecoboost V6 from an F-150. It won't be easy or cheap but at least you'll have something that doesn't regularly blow head gaskets while still being slower than a stock GT.

 

[Forddenial]

Imo, you could put a small turbo on there using a generic kit, but you'd have alot of fabrication and anything over 5lb of boost (at the highest) then you're entering risky territory.
It's been a while since i played with FI though, so that pressure might be high/low.

@AndyEckel he specifically said he wants to turbo. After Street Outlaws, "boosted" applies to any FI.

 

[Cobrajet67]

Hello everyone, I’m very new on here. I apologize if I didn’t write this in the right place, if so just let me know and I’ll take it down. Getting to the point, I have a 01 3.8 mustang only has a cold air intake and I plan on putting a turbo on it. Please don’t tell me to just sell and get a 4.6 with all due respect I don’t care l, I got a v6 hoping to make it a turbo project. I’ve been searching everywhere and I cannot find a genuine single turbo kit for the 3.8. There’s videos online of others with a boosted 3.8 but none have mentioned where they got it. I’m just wondering where I can get a kit or seperate parts. I want a small or medium sized turbo nothing too crazy, just enough to make it more fun and looking for a power increase of 50rwhp. (Yes I know I should’ve looked before getting the car)
Thank you.

It's not a good idea to even think about putting a turbo on a 3.8. It's a poor example of an engine to bother trying to build. The Essex v6 is anemic to start off with and even in naturally aspirated form they tend to blow head gaskets so you'd likely wind up with an unreliable engine in the end that's still largely disappointing. You'd spend way more $ trying to squeeze out a little more power than you can ever sell the car for. Just sell it before hacking it up and making it worthless and then like you said, next time do better research before you buy something.