Today's hypothetical - Turbo'ing a non-Turbo ?

So an XJ650 turbo popped up on eBay earlier and I found myself pondering an imaginary 'upgrade' on my Maxim.

Now, this is purely a pipedream - but, how hard would it be?
There's a bunch of turbo exhausts/manifolds around, loads of turbo oil coolers. What else would be needed to complete the job?
Has anyone ever done this??

 

Just found a thread from 8 years ago - turns out its a very different bottom end on the LJ so not an easy conversion at all.

Hey ho.

 

Talked to a guy that did it turned a 650 into a turbo 650 used a pretty much complete turbo 650 with no title to turbo it, he said you gotta tap your oil pan there's a spot it's blank on the normal ones tapped on the turbo once you do that the rest is just plug n go you'll need the intake exhaust tdi and carbs from the turbo and a bit of know how then you'll have a turbo non turbo xj. One day I'll get on my 750 turbo I can look up the guys number if you want to talk to him he's really helpful

 

If you put a turbo on a non-turbo XJ engine, without building it to take a turbo (stronger rods, lower compression), it will not be an engine for very long.

Swapping the whole shebang from a XJ650-T has been done, and is about the "easiest" route to take if you don't plan on building an engine to suit.

 

That will depend entirely on how much boost you want to run and for how long

 

Exactly. I've heard of other members over boosting to 18psi on a Seca Turbo with no issues, stock other than a boost controller, fuel pump, and wastegate shimming. I run 11psi continuous and it's a fist full of fun.

How much boost a non-turbo XJ can take is entirely unknown.

 

Only one way to find out!

 

I had an old Audi 5000 TQ that I ran with a stiffer waste gate spring and re-mapped ECU and that ran double factory boost for years. The oversized factory turbo meant it pulled like a freakin freight train!

 

In 1981 we did up a Maxim 650 with a Blacks turbo kit and if ran for many years for the owner without blowing gaskets or the motor at 8 lbs boost

 

thats cool. a turbo'd bike has always seemed to me to be the last word in craziness. Which is no doubt why they appeal.