Jeep Cherokee XJ 2.5 TD VM Garrett GT2052 Turbo Build

After the failed test drive with the GT2871R clone I decided to choose a more suitable turbo charger for my 425OHV Engine, a genuine Garrett GT2052. The GT2871R is a duel ball bearing turbo with a very fast spool up but due to the size of the compressor wheels it takes a lot of exhaust gas to get that them moving. The best I could get out of it was it coming in at 3000rpm which is extremely late on the rpm range for this engine and basically useless low end where the power is needed.
The GT2052 is comparable in size to the old VA180069 stock turbo originally in the MK1 425OHV although it can push more boost and spool up very fast.
The modification seems to have paid off although finer tuning could be done with regards to fuel and boost to get a safe but more powerful setup. This is something I have little knowledge in doing and thus begins another chapter.
Thanks for following this build and watching and please find the build components below -
/ @workshoptowilderness
Support me on Patreon - / workshoptowilderness
My Amazon Affiliate Store - www.amazon.com...
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Full VM Build Playlist - • The Factory Diesel JEE...
Build Components -
Turbo Materials:
GT2052 (727264-5001S) - www.speeding.n...
Oil Feed - M10x1.0 to 1/8 npt -www.streetperf...
T25 Gaskets (x2) - www.speeding.n...
T25 Turbo Heat Cover - www.speeding.n...
Universal Oil Feed Line - www.ebay.co.uk...
Intercooler Materials:
Universal 2" Intercooler Pipe Kit - www.ebay.co.uk...
Universal One Sided Intercooler - www.ebay.co.uk...
Gauges:
EGT Gauge - www.ebay.co.uk...
Boost Gauge - www.speeding.n...
You will have to source a 1/8npt to 1/8npt Boost line -
Manifold Extension Build Materials:
Manifold Extension Pipe 90 degree (x4) - www.j-spec.se/...
Manifold Extension Pipe Straight x1 - www.j-spec.se/...
T25 Stainless Flange (x2) - www.speeding.n...
Exhaust Wrap - www.j-spec.se/...
Intake Materials:
2" to 3" intake adapter - www.j-spec.se/...
3" aluminium 90 degree bend - www.j-spec.se/...
3" Silicone Coupling for Air Box - www.j-spec.se/...
Universal; Air Intake CLOSED - www.ebay.co.uk...
You will need to find a suitable air intake system as there are many types.
Stainless Exhaust Materials:
2.5" Flexi - www.j-spec.se/...
2.5" 90 degree x1 - www.j-spec.se/...
2.5" Straight - x2 www.j-spec.se/...
2.5" 45 degrees x1 - www.j-spec.se/...
Some materials will require sourcing at the time of construction but this is the basis of the downpipe and the first parts of the exhaust up to the silencer.

[@jamesa7506]

Whew, thanks for taking me with you on the ride along! I surely didn't fancy having a sit in the cold garage. 👍Hope you and the family get to feeling better soon. Your channel is awesome!

[@johnnyhaigh6872]

Another great installment... I'm so pleased that this worked out for you. You try to play it cool after the test drive but your face gives it away. I love it!! Enjoying that sense of humour too. Well done mate....really excellent work here.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I honestly couldn't believe the results. Really happy. Still need some finer tuning and for that I must wait for the egt guage. Thanks for the comment and for watching

[@051biohaz]

Another great video dude, glad you are feeling well enough to get a little wrenching in..:) thanks for the upload

[@888johnmac]

sounds like you've cracked it , just in time for spring .. hope you all make full recoveries

[@WieDrDerJonge]

Great video! I have a GT2256V on my VM425 atm but I'm working on a GTD1752VRK now which will give instand spool and still support 200+HP.

[@andywilson1117]

Your boost pressures look very comparable to my 300tdi Discovery. Well done to you sir, top job. Hope you all feel well soon.

[@andywilson1117]

Refitting the electronic No1 injector alone won't give you back the cold start fast idol, you would need to go back to the electronic pump aswell complete with all the sensors.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Ah thats interesting to hear. I know the engine can take 25psi at full load but I think that's very rare to but up there in normal operating conditions. I think 15 to 18 is as far as I will go but I really should fit the egt guage when it's here, dial back the turbo and start driving it while looking at temps, moving the turbo up 3psi at a time until no more power is gained. I won't bother with the number 1 injector then if that's the case, thanks for the information and for watching

[@gunterweniger8019]

If you create brackets as support ..have relative movement of components and thermal expansion in mind. If engine is based onto the subframe/chassis by rubber blocks ..it means it can move ..if you now fit an bracket for downpipe and link it to the vehicle body .. you fit the pipe relatively to the body ..but engine wants to move in its mounts, so stress fractures on the downpipe is to expect ..with vibration resonances transferred into vehicle

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Yeah that wouldn't be good. I think my downpipe would have been toast if it was mounted to the vehicle. I mounted mine on the side of the engine so it all wobbles together. Then added a flexi to the exhaust just after the mount. Seems to have help up over the year since the build. Sadly I just killed this turbo I think. The oil return got kinked badly and blocked off causing the turbo to flood and spew oil out the exhaust... My own fault for using the wrong hose material..

[@GrizzlyPath]

Well done man, having the boost come in early seems like the better option with the diesel to pump up that low end torque. Hard to say when driving in the snow, but on your test drive it did seem a bit quieter in the interior of the vehicle with the vibration dampening!

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Thanks mate, I'm glad it all worked as my energy for the engine work was running out. Nice to move onto something else. It is quiter now. Although in this video there is a loose fender vibrating like crazy outside and a metal cage with tools rattling in the back so it's not the best test. I will continue with some foam in various areas and try to bring it down some more.

[@CapraObscura]

Will you ever do more bushcraft videos?

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I dont know. Probably not. I mean if you think about it I filmed my bushcraft passion for ten years. That's a long time. It's much more enjoyable for me to go out with the LK and hike, fish whatever without the camera. That way I actually look at the birds and trees without worrying about where to set the camera up. Filming my mechanical hobby is far less effort and more enjoyable for me from a filming, KZbin perspective.

[@CapraObscura]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness thats fair enough, I'm glad that you still venture out into the wilderness. Really like the videos by the way, I'm always learning something from you

[@udx-483muddbucket5]

You've done a great job with your upgrades and mods. Your engine bay looks as if it's been professionally done. I guess that makes you a professional right? Of course, with your hands on experience it does add up. Thanks again for including us in your ventures.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Really appreciate that. Its been a lot of work so it's nice that it actually worked haha. You just have to look at how scratched up all the intercooler piping is after install to see how professional I am, haha 😄. Thanks for watching

[@PTRPerformance]

Looks like youtube removed my previous comment with link to compressor map ... So according to compressor map 0.75 is perfect spot for this turbo (anythink between 0.5 - 1.25 is good as is going via middle of map). In you case look at exhaust gasses and egt and if is clean gases just and low egt drop down boost to 0.75. If you already at 0.75 and still clean gasses but you want more power then bigger injectors. Or different scenario is when cylinder head is restrictive and you see black smoke then boost up to 1.25 and force more air. This is simpliest way to "tune" old diesel and you cant damage diesel with too much air (too lean mixture damaging petrol engines, too rich damaging diesels)

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Appreciate you tuning in and dropping your knowledge in. When you say 0.75 are you taking about Bar? Its a shame my EGT gauge popped just before the test drive. I've got a replacement LCD on the way but I have held off from driving it until this arrives. My plan was to install the EGT LCD and drive the vehicle checking for stable temps on load when climbing a hill at 2000rpm. MY concern really is too much boost damaging the engine. I think it can take quite a bit given the old turbo can push 25psi at full load, but it seems a bit much. Maybe I'm wrong

[@PTRPerformance]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness yes 0.75bar is middle of compressor map. If you type in to google "gt2052 compressor map" you will see what i mean. On left you have boost level including atmospheric pressure and middle of map where turbo flow best without heating air too much is at 1.75bar total pressure what is 0.75bar boost. This is sweet spot for turbo but you might need bit more or less depending on engine it self.

[@forreststrong797]

Here in the states if you get 2002 ford explorer sport trac rotors they are the correct size and bolt pattern for the wj swap so you don't have to redrill brake rotors for your bolt pattern. Then you have to weld those unit bearing spacers to the knuckles I've seen some done without welding but that puts the weight of the vehicle on the bolts it definitely needs to be welded which isn't hard. That's going to be a cool steering setup, you'll be able to do a raised track bar as well. That's awesome you finally got your engine set up the way you want it, I'm not familiar with diesel engines but I think I would be thinking the same way about keeping the boost at a reasonable pressure. I think you've gone about it perfectly with a little performance gain and a massive gain in reliability and serviceability. The most important thing I think about on my Cherokee is reliability and building more reliability into my systems.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Ah thats good info! I will try and source those brake disks then to save some drilling. Noted that the spacer must be welded. I would love to get there brakes made up before the summer, just regearing and an sye take priority at this point. I'm pretty happy about the engine. I still need to get a new egt guage and actually dial in the turbo. I need to balance fuel and air so that the turbo is working no harder than needed. I'm onto the interior now, it's coming along but regearing is the next big job! Thanks again for commenting and for watching

[@shaunmccaw2911]

Well done mate the smile said it all 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@FilthyMcNasty666]

Sweeeet! Now put some smiley KC Daylighters on it and come and pick me up!? Get well soon Mike and family :)

[@pedroquiros1863]

Nice job mike that turbo and engine look great . Looking forward for those regearing videos. Hope you and your family get better soon. Pura vida \,,, _

[@oompaen]

As an xj hoarder myself,my only advice(and very importent one) is DO not drive one with a 4.0...... i bought a suuuuper clean rust free 2.5td 1999 model,and went through everything mechanical on it..... put ALOT of money in it.... loved it! ..... and then i bought a rusty winter beater 4.0,so that i didnt get salt on my clean 2.5td...... now the 2.5td has stood in the garage for 2 years,and i cant stop driving the 4.0

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I've driven a 4l on an off road. We just sold our 5.2l ZJ also. I use to do offroad events in quarries and mud pits back in the UK and got to play in various things. For driving around town and motorways I like the petrols but offroad for me personally the diesel feels so much better. Its just that low end torque at such low rpm ranges pulling over everything. Also fuel economy for the stuff we do. I guess once I regear the jeep will feel more like the old 110 Landrover I drove when I worked in the forest of Dean.

[@oompaen]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness yeah offroad the 2.5td is nice.... i meant for everyday driving,as you said.... even with INSANE petrol prices here in norway,i prefer the 4.0.... but i put everything i can get my hands on in the tank.... 2 stroke petrol,old petrol,everything.....

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

@@oompaen the prices are bad here in Sweden also. I contemplated using cheap veg oil again in the diesel. Its still cheaper to use diesel at the moment. Crazy times.....again

[@vwfanatix]

Yeah, good job Mike. Looks like a turbocharger from the backhoe or tractor. Look's like a good option now. I wan't to feel how much better is it. I Wish you many kilometers with it ;)

[@trapperpaulsen8731]

Love your vdo's. Best information I've found so far concerning the 2.5l vm engine. I have a 97 Opel Frontera Sport with the 2.5l vm also. What are the differences between the Frontera's and the Jeep's VM motors?

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Thanks for watching and glad you found the info useful! There doesn't look to much difference apart from some brackets for the alternator and a slightly different style intake manifold. There maybe some other things but I have not had my hands on one so I cant be certain. Basically the same by the looks of it.

[@charliemathews8439]

Brilliant stuff Mike, well done! Could you tell me what lights you're running? Love the look of them

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I picked them up off of ebay. I've tired to find them but sadly they no longer look like they are there. These are some kind of China clone. Sorry I can't locate them and thanks for watching!

[@baashie]

I hope the family gets better...

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Thank you. We are all better but its taking weeks for the fatigue from covid to go away. I read its quite common so hopefully it goes away.

[@kingturd35]

You can use the ford explorer sport trac brake disks instead of drilling the rotors. I've seen to many cracks in the drilled rotors

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Thats really good to know! Thank you

[@kingturd35]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness Also for you sanity and financial well being. If you have a barbecue or over that doesn't get used for food. Preheat the knuckles when you go to weld on the spacers to 95c weld on them, then put them back in the barbecue and slowly turn down the heat. You'll be fine to weld with standard wire. I would strongly suggest (even if you make your own) is to do the inner C gussets for the Dana 30. May also be a good thing is to go and get you caster angle measured and if you want to have it ride better. Cut off the knuckles and rotate them back to get that 8* of caster.

[@iulifsn]

hi there! any improvements from the mainfolds other than turbo relocation? i do want to lower the egt a bit.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

The Ford Scorpio manifold seems to have better air flow than the standard XJ manifold. The main way I lowered egts was advancing the pump timing. That made an enormous difference to egts.

[@MrJeffreyacole92]

Hello. My buddy has one of these motors in his yj wrangler. We have no information and have been trying to get some for years now. Can’t get any help or information on getting it wired up and get the engine running. Was hoping you could help us out some or give us some information. Thank you in advance.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Hey, i'm happy to offer any information I can. I have an entire playlist on this engine that kay also help - kzbin.info/aero/PLQQXgt9BFgARUPF53xgncZF2nlcCqJmwV But what specifically would you like to know? Here is the manual - pdfcoffee.com/jeep25tdmotorvm-pdf-free.html

[@DG-ss1gc]

While your doing gauges are you going to do a pyrometer (exhaust gas temperature) It’s the best way to know when you are pushing things too hard too long.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I have one installed already. Sadly the lcd popped after I installed the new turbo. Typical given its been working fine for years. I'm waiting on another so I can start dialing in the turbo and fuel.

[@Winningpk3]

Mad respect! Amazing result on this project. I will definitely consider this in the future, i like the idea of easier access and better turbo availability. What oil weight and brand do you use? What oil filter? And how often are you changing your oil?

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Thanks mate, I'm glad it all worked in the end. I still need to get the egt guage and start to dial in the correct boost. I use 10w40 Semi synthetic oil with an aimteck engine restore additive. Appreciate you watching

[@Winningpk3]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness thanks! Been in an internet wormhole concerning oil weights and operating temps i think I now understand less than I did before haha. I get low/ no pressure on cold start/ intermittently I'm sure it's since I did the head. I'm so ready and scared for all of the information i won't understand regarding your upcoming gearing video! Get well soon, hope your chest hasn't been bad.

[@bh635]

After watching the many of your videos which are fantastic by the way! It seems to me that you're over cautious with the engine and it's capabilities, I think the engine is capable of a lot more power than you believe 250 horsepower is probably very possible and it could be achieved safely with the right setup that being correctly size turbo matching fuel and timing and for safety water injection. Water injection is probably the best thing you can do with an engine like this, they already with stand great pressures and temperatures and the degree to which they are increased through modification is not that vast over standard. Water injection can't even maintain temperatures well below standard with a highly modified engine producing a lot more power. Even in the worst case scenario rebuild a replacement engine would be worth the journey but I highly suspect that wouldn't be the case if done correctly. Just my opinion take it or leave it.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I don't doubt what your saying at all. I'm getting about 160hp and 360nm of torque out of it at the moment. This is just an estimate based on a guy who did the same build and dynoed it at work. I adjusted the pump timing yesterday and installed a new fuel pin and the power us significantly more again. Temps are also much lower by about 200c because of the slightly advanced timing and increase in boost by 2psi (19psi total). I would be really interested in exploring water injection but I know absolutely nothing about it... Does it spray into the intake or the heads? I will do some research and see what I can find. Thanks for another project haha

[@bh635]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness water injection is fairly simple, there's not much to it, you have a tank and lines, you have an injector nozzle and a Boost solenoid the fires the injection. It is usually done pre turbo but some do after turbo they have very similar results. The main benefits being dramatically lowering egts and large increases in engine torque there's no real downsides apart from having to fill the tank every once in a while, it's been around a long time, it was is originally used for aircraft and enable them to produce more power at higher altitudes, there have even been some factory applications with turbocharged cars, it even works well on naturally aspirated engines that have very high compression ratios it stops pre-ignition in all scenarios it reduces combustion chamber temperatures and increases power and torque hope this helps. On a side issue I have a VM Cherokee XJ with a seized engine which is probably beyond repair I'm just about to tear it apart and I have been looking for a replacement engine I have been looking at the 2.5 and 2.8 CRD from the KJ which I believe is the same basic and engine structure in terms of block it just has better heads and turbo and it's common rail you can get 200 horsepower out of them my just a remap, have you ever made such considerations? If my engine is unsaveable I am going to dive into this pool and if so I'll probably put it on my other channel it would probably be interesting to you.

[@wagnermagalhaes00]

How many horsepower and torque does it have now?

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I honestly couldn't tell you without putting it on a dyno. It feels more like 150hp now when I compare it to my mates 160hp liberty. It feels good though and it builds power fast at about 1500rpm upwards and then I keep it at around 2100rpm in 5th at about 100klmph when on the highway. I just have to watch long hill climbs at highway speed. The manual pump seems to be much more responsive on fuel delivery and despite having up to 20psi of boost to play with egt's can creep up near 600c. I try and keep below 600c.

[@adamfletcher4262]

Did you stick with 15psi in the end ? seems a nice safe number

[@adamfletcher4262]

Seeing how fast it spools and how soon 15psi is reached i would say thats the perfect number

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Its on 19psi at the moment. After I installed a new fuel pin and tuned the pump the exhaust temps were creeping on full load. So I added more boost gradually doing test drives until I noticed a static temperature and more power in the same conditions. Its made a big difference but I don't see the need to have any more boost because there is no power gain and no more fuel.

[@adamfletcher4262]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness Ahh yeah did you find it spools even better with a bit more fuel ? You definitely live in the right place to keep EGTs down 👌 even a British summer gets my egts up 🤣

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

@@adamfletcher4262 I think I have found a sweet spot. Egts are very stable and I managed to drop them a fair bit with a slight pump advance. But it's winter and you can see haha. The summer will be in the high 20s, even low 30s so that will make all the difference..... yeah it gets crazy hot in the UK now?

[@adamfletcher4262]

Yeah it does 36 last summer and this winter has been very mild it's almost like spring already ! Yeah I think a slight timing advance may help my d24 as it's set up at factory speck at the moment but later cars that had intercoolers from factory and more power had a spec of 0.95 instead of 0.80 so I'll aim for 0.9-0.95 when the head gasket is done👌 nice to discuss things like this see what helps with what even though they are very different engines and drive very different both being indirect injected they are actually quite similar in tuning/driving requirements

[@akkk5517]

Man i got a alfa romeo 2.5td the same engine will it fit on my jeep on my transmission

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

What transmission do you have?

[@akkk5517]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness 5 speed manual stock one

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

@@akkk5517 if its the AX15 transmission then it should. If its the AX5 then you might have to get a kit to make it fit. The AX5 isn't that strong though so the engine might kill it due to the torque at lower rpm ranges. The main thing for the swap would be ensuring that the transmission input shaft and the receiving engine output are the same. If that's the case then it would be a peace of piss.

[@bradleyharrison246]

If you removed the crank position sensor you will loose the rpm on the dash

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Thanks thats good to know.

[@bradleyharrison246]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness I've done an engine conversion on mine, was originally the vm2.5 and now it's running a rd28 Nissan turbo diesel. Had to use this sensor to run the tacho in mine

[@johnoak4933]

Did you ever consider getting a vgt turbo

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I did but then I didn't in the end. Would be an interesting test to use one.

[@johnoak4933]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness i have both xj, the 2,1 and 2,5 and i've been thinking about putting the 1,9tdi 130hp (vgt/small turbo for low rpm boost) turbo.in my 2,5td, but since ive been seeing your videos idk if it still a good idea

[@ettoresilverwood4197]

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