ok i have recently discovered this site last week and let me be the first to tell you about the turbo option for the 650 sand spider. I guess i am the only one on here with one so let me give you my thoughts.

1. i drove to phoenix to pick one up, so i thought i could do, and the warehouse was huge and plenty of buggies inside. i talked to the part guy, can't remember his name, and told him i wanted to buy the turbo kit for the 650. well he said it has to be made. i didn't get it, how can you offer a part and make each one when ordered. with all the parts and pieces i seen in the warehouse i couldn't believe it. he told me because joyner is trying to steer away from the turbo. reason being because in arizona and california it has the CARB issues since you have to register them. well being from nevada and we don't have such rule so i placed my order. it was placed on a friday and was told it would take a few days since they only have one guy doing the fab for the turbo kit. i got a call on thursday afternoon and said it was ready. i had them overnight it and it arrived friday afternoon. the packing job sucked. the box was too big for the kit and all that was used was bubble wrap. to put it in perspective, the box was big enough to probably put 5-7 properly wrapped turbo kits. good news nothing was damaged, surprisingly since the box had a hole in it and the bottom was ready to give out. so the kit was already assembled and the hoses were all attached. the kit included:
1. turbo of course
2. downpipe
3. bigger fuel pump
4. adjustable fuel regulator
5. boost gauge
6. spark plug
7. all hoses

the kit was really complete. the only thing i had to buy was a tee to tap into the fuel return. now the install

2. if you never dealt with a turbo kit then you will be really frustrated and probably angry with this kit. since i have experince with turbos, it was no big deal. for the rookies, the kit was made when ordered. well they made it from whatever sand spider was there or possibly templates. the parts did not fit well on my buggy. the down pipe had a 90 degree bend to send it out back (btw you do not use a muffler for the kit. spare parts). well they should have gone another 2-3" before they made the bend because it was hitting the framing and shock. the intake tube had to be cut down to size in order to get a good fit from the turbo to the carb. it was too long. other than those 2 issues, the kit was complete and accurate. on a side note, i had to get a whole new downpipe made since i couldn't do anything with the one they gave me. i am waiting to contact joyner about this. the good thing about the joyner is that all the brackets and ports for oil lines were already there and plugged. the oil in line required to unscrew a plug on the side of the head. the oil return threads into the oil pan drain plug. the vacuum lines had a port on the intake manifold waiting for me to unscrew. so everything got hooked up as planned. the spark plugs i don't get because they were gapped the same as the one in there. i guess they want you to have a fresh spark plug. i will regap it accordingly after a test run. oh yea the kit usually comes with instructions, but mine did not...lucky i had experience. the boost gauge is an issue. there really isn't a place to mount it unless some fabricating is done. i have it rigged right now on the A-pillar just to see the +/- pressures working. the test drive...

3. well sorry to keep the suspense going, but i have not test drove it yet. the neighbor hasn't finished my downpipe so i am on hold for that. i know everybody wants to know if the power added and the cost is even worth it. from my experience with turbos, i know it will. it is set at 6psi of boost and the fuel pressure will be around 8 psi. the only issue i would suspect would be the gearing in the tranny. hopefully somebody is in the works on developing gears or possibly another tranny to bolt right up. i should have test results in a few days so until then...

anybody have a clue on where i can get an analog tach for this thing? i have a big autometer sport tach with shift light but i have to send it in for re-cal in order for it to work. i would rather find a cheaper alternative. i hate the digital ones!!!

Come on now, I read all that and still have to wait on the results... I guess it is a good thing you know what your doing. How much did the kit cost? Keep us posted.

Oh yeah, welcome to buggynews and the maddness.

Hey Booster,

Please let us know how it works out...My Bro-in-law has a Spider and we're in Vegas also...Maybe we could get together and do a side x side test......

Will be interested in what you paid and if someone with turbo knowledge in Vegas could make one for less.....

His friend gave him an old mini tach from a Harley that works.....

Oh, and I wonder if the turbo was jigged for the Viper chassis .....

Quote:

anybody have a clue on where i can get an analog tach for this thing? i have a big autometer sport tach with shift light but i have to send it in for re-cal in order for it to work. i would rather find a cheaper alternative. i hate the digital ones!!!

Booster,
both SunPro and Glowshift have tachs that are switchable for different cylinder configurations (2-10). I run the 5" SunPro on my 800. Great prices on SunPro here:

http://www.tradervar.com/Tachometer.htm

http://www.tradervar.com/cgi-bin/store/ ... cp2011.htm

HTH...mick

Question about the tachs, are they water proof for riding/sitting in the rain ???

Those tachs are not waterproof. The SunPro is water resistant, in that it is pretty well sealed up , but I would not expose it directly to a heavy shower. Light rain, maybe. I bag mine with a ziploc and rubberband when I hose it down or if I think I'll be getting rained on. So far, no problems.

You can always call the manufacturer's customer service and ask what they would recommend for exposed use. Blade sells a small ENM tach/hourmeter that is pretty well sealed up.

later...Mick

Anymore updates on how your Turbo is performing or coming along?
I recently purchased a 650 Spider and I am considering the Turbo option.
How about some pictures on the install.

Thanks, Jim

HAVE 05 JOYNER 650 TURBO. GOT IT WITH LOW HOURS. AND ALL THE STUFF YOU TALK ABOUT IS RIGHT THEY DID NOT MAKE THE PARTS THE GREATEST. ITS NICE HAVING THEM IN TOWN TO GET PARTS. TOOK IT TO THE DUNES AND HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH HOSE COMING OFF THEN SUCKED UP SAND AND HAD TO PUT AWAY. I HAD TO REDONE ALL THE HOSES AND LINES FOR THE TURBO AND INTAKE AND THE CARBS PROBLEMS. THEY SAY(JOYNER) I HAVE TO GET NEW CARB CANT GET REBULID KIT(ACCELERATOR PUMP BAD). BEEN PLAYING AROUND WITH JETTING AND PLUGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. HOPEFULLY CAN GET IT DAILED IN GOOD.( RUN GREAT BEFORE MINOR MISS HAP. TURBO HITS AND THE THING MOVES)

Since Joyner appears to not be in the turbo business anymore, how about some pics and identifiers on the turbo's they did use to do the systems so the rest of us might be able to put one together ???