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BorgWarner demonstrated the adaptability of its expanded line of EFR turbochargers at SEMA with slick retro-fit on an Ford F-150 EcoBoost engine.
“This vehicle represents what a typical late-model tuner would do to a truck,” says BorgWarner’s Brock Fraser. “It’s 100-percent bolt-on to increase performance without sacrificing the F-150 attributes.”
Full-Race Motorsports performed the conversion, swapping the factory’s twin 51mm turbos for a single 71mm BorgWarner EFR 7163 turbocharger.
Full-Race converted the F-150 EcoBoost from a twin turbo to a single turbo.
“This swap could be done in a weekend,” says Eric Marquiss, logistics manager at Full-Race. “With the front wheels off, you have access to the turbos through the wheelwell.”
Full-Race kept the stock exhaust manifolds but hooked them up to a new crossover exhaust system. Spent gasses end up in a twin-divided collector that mates with the twin-scroll housing on the 7163 turbo.
“We did have to relocated the ECU closer to the battery to make room for the turbo,” says Marquiss, noting that the relocation doesn’t require any additional wiring or extensions.
In keeping the factory injectors on the direct-injection engine, Full-Race worked with SCT to recalibrate the fuel curves and timing. Water-methanol injection was also added to keep the intake charge cool, when needed.
Full-Race also installed one of its intercoolers, which can also be a stand-alone upgrade on a stock EcoBoost truck. Unlike some other intercoolers, this unit is compatible with off-road bumpers or winch-mount bumpers. Behind the turbo is a Full-Race 3-inch exhaust.
The conversion includes a Full-Race intercooler and water-methanol injection (that's the fluid container mounted behind the rear wheel).
The EFR 7163 has features inspired by the IndyCar turbos, such as a weight-saving aluminum bearing housing.
Key to this swap is the BorgWarner EFR 7163 turbocharger, which is geared for the “sweet spot” of the market — those customers looking for 450 to 550 horsepower. The 7163 boasts two new features, one of which is inspired by the turbos that BorgWarner supplies to the IndyCar teams. First is an aluminum bearing housing that reduces the turbo’s weight by two pounds — a benefit welcomed on the race track. Second is a mixed-flow turbine (MFT) stage to allow greater turbine flow capability with lower inertia than a conventional radial-flow wheel. Available housing A/Rs include 0.80 and 0.85.
The 7163 comes with either a v-band or T25 inlet connection, and the twin-scroll housing is also an option. According to BorgWarner, the 7163 is nearly identical to the popular EFR 6758 but enables about 50 more peak horsepower.
For help in determining the correct turbo for a specific application, visit www.borgwarnerboosted.com and click on “match bot.” Simply plug in the data and follow the instructions.
