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mechanical differances between t5 t5r, 850r

5K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  ckmack 
#1 ·
looking to see what the mecahnical differances of the diffrent models are
main reason for wanting to know is performance reasons i want to squeeze some more power out of my car but would prefer to to do by setting the engine up with the optimal factory parts from whatever the hottest version was,
im not getting very clear awnsers about the turbo, injectors, and things like that that may have been larger on the r models vs the normal t5 wagon
i know the ecu is diffrent
i have a 95 so if i were to stumble across a t5r in a yard could i just grab the ecu and toss it in my car for a light power increase ?
i am aware the boost is slightly higher on the r models over standard but is that the only change to add power ?
or am i better off using a already on hand electronic boost controller and upping the boost that way if everything else is the same as far as injectors turbo and so on

sorry for the book lol just wanted to cover as many bases as possible without making a bunch of threads i tried searching did not come up with conclusive awnsers
 
#3 ·
Hey, I'm pretty close to you (Valpo) but I will be leaving NW Indiana at the end of January.

My last 95 850 turbo I had, I swapped in a T5R ECU without problems. Number difference is like 222hp vs 240hp.
 
#5 ·
I found a T5 in a local yard a couple of weeks ago and grabbed quite a few items from it. Finding an R or T-5R in a yard would be pretty rare.
 
#10 ·
Assuming you already have a stock 1995 850 turbo, you can get an orange tune from ARD which is a computer replacement that will increase the turbo boost of your stock turbo motor. That's going to be more powerful than a t5-r or 850r ecu and easier to find.

However, the best thing you can really do for an 850 turbo is put in new and upgraded suspension (shocks, springs, sway bars, bushings), and then a manual transmission swap. The cars are pretty quick from the factory; the main weak points for fun-to-drive-ness are the transmission and the suspension.
 
#11 · (Edited)
This. We just picked up a T-5R that needs a manual swap. My dad's manual V70 is way more enjoyable in most contexts because manual, but my T-5R really makes up for it on a twisty road with the excellent suspension (there is too much traffic around here for the boost to be much use). These cars are not a joke when you get the handling dialed in. Some of the reviewers in the '90s actually managed to pull more Gs out of a stock 850 T-5R/R than a stock E36 M3.
 
#12 ·
This. We just picked up a T-5R that needs a manual swap. My dad's manual V70 is way more enjoyable in most contexts because manual, but my T-5R really makes up for it on a twisty road with the excellent suspension (there is too much traffic around here for the boost to be much use). These cars are not a joke when you get the handling dialed in. Some of the reviewers in the '90s actually managed to pull more Gs out of a stock 850 T-5R/R than a stock E36 M3.
Do you have any sources on this? I'd be curious to read them
 
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