Tim,
Take time and look at the Bobcat parts manuals online to zero in on your model. It's under "parts catalog".
Overview - Bobcat Company
I could only find your model with a 4 cylinder engine. Once you find the model that uses the turbo use Google to find the turbo online so you know how deep you are going in your own (wife's) pockets. I found my turbo from a company in California for $600, the same one from Kubota was $2,200 making the upgrade not feasible.
KINUGAWA TURBO Online shopping Cart - Kinugawa Turbocharger No need to worry these turbos from Kinagawa are the real thing not Chinese copies that won't last.
There might be the same Kubota engine in another type of equipment that used the same engine with a turbo. My
L3940 tractor used the same engine as a Bobcat S160 but the S160 has a turbo so I knew it could be accomplished. You could use a turbo from another application provided you know how to properly size it. I am NOT an engineer and truly not much good at mathematics either (or an engrish major
), I use a calculator and lots of online help to accomplish anything, thus the reason I chose a turbocharger that was sized properly. Not much fun finding out you bought a turbo for a steal that is sized for a car with a 2 liter engine that doesn't make any useable power until 3,000 RPM when your little Kubota engine runs out of steam at 2700 RPM; message here is size it correctly before you buy. Little Diesel engines use TINY little turbos NOT suited for a car.
You might be able to find the add on parts (manifolds etc.) from a salvaged machine that burned up or whatever. Chances are there is one somewhere and you might score some good parts cheap, Google is your friend again although this takes time. I made adapters for mine instead of changing the manifolds.
Other than actually adding the turbocharger and related plumbing the only other real modification is an oil cooler to keep the oil temp inline and more fuel from the injection pump. This is simply an adjustment made in small amounts after everything else is completed. The oil cooler can be of a few choices from a car or another Kubota engine, whatever is least expensive that will suite your needs.
Your install should not require any software because your engine is not computer controlled not including automatic shutdown etc.
My out of pocket expenses were around $1,000 dollars. My time expended in the shop was over 80 hours (first one takes time). My time Googling parts, info most likely another 20 hours. Stuff like this takes time but the second time will be much easier and less hours expended. Take the time and lots of time to figure things out before you order parts and waste time hacking on manifolds and money wasted at the welding shop. Measure twice cut once. You're gonna spend many hours so if time is at a premium for you it might not be worth it.
I have a shop and welders, milling machine, lathe so unless you go the complete bolt on route be advised I spent hours making parts. When you design the turbocharger into your machine keep in mind later servicing needs; example being maybe you relocated the oil filter so your new $20 dollar oil cooler will work but from now on you have to remove an hour's worth of parts to change the oil filter........instant FAIL. Remember measure twice cut once and ask lots of questions to yourself and others. "Will this work?" "Why am I placing this part here? "Will it burn the paint off the hood?" Ask yourself stupid questions LOTS of stupid questions, you'll thank yourself later. The factory places certain parts in certain locations for a reason, ask yourself why before you buy. IS the radiator the same size in the turbocharged machine as the one in your machine? Look at the parts books to find out. See lots of questions before the work has even started.
Lastly have thick skin on the forum as some won't agree on why you are doing the modification. I was taught years ago by some old drag racers (who broke a few records over the years) that if you feel the project will work you must follow it through to the end no matter what anyone else tells you.
I feel this mod made sense for my needs and it is no different than modding a box blade or adding lights so you can see better at night. I thoroughly enjoyed doing it, the difference in tractor operation, usability was well worth my effort. I still have some follow up work to do, gauges, dyno check that will come in the Spring.
Good luck, Fred
Man look at how many times I used the word time. Holy cow!
