[syquest15]

I have some newbie questions about selecting the proper parts for a intercooler kit. I have attempted to read as much as possible but you never know unless you ask directly i guess. so here it goes!

I have a project. 97 talon 420a that im converting to a turbo. I have the engine completely rebuilt, ported and polished. I am somewhat familiar with turbo garble but am new to the scene so please bear with me.

I was obviously looking at ebay, and ive seen people say stay away, but i also believe i can tell the difference between a crappy kit and a decent kit. I have seen the kits with all metal fittings, steel braided hoses, less plastic the better. I take it these basic kits ( without the turbo, manifold, etc.. ) could be a good kit to invest in?

I am also curious about the turbos out there. I have heard that ball bearing is the best for longevity of your turbo, or if you plan to go above 15-20 psi in any future. I have heard that lesser quality bearings in turbos do not work as efficiently at high boost. Are these true? I am currently looking at the JDM's ball bearing turbo but not sure how quality it is. I see the m24 is the bal bearing model, the m12 is the t3/t4 model. I have seen mixed ratings, am looking to spend anywhere from $200-$600 on just the turbo itself, if the turbo is really worth the change. I would love some feedback on a great turbo to fit the car.

I was also going to order the cast manifold from ebay, should i order elsewhere?
Same with Fuel Pump, Fuel Rail, Injectors. I know "brand names" are preference, but I have not done this so hearing feedback is critical before i make any more purchases.

The intercooler I was going to order is on ebay as well, its 30.5 x 12 x 3" x 3" inlet/outlet. Is a 3" better than a 2.5" in terms of intercooler capacity or flow? I have heard that some intercoolers can drop your psi by as much as 2-3 if they restrict air flow or just plain suck. Is this true? Should I invest in a 3" rather than a 2.5"?

BOV, I have noticed the cheaper- mediocre ones have like a max of 25 psi, do these suck as much as I have read? Whats a good one to go with for my application?

Air intake manifold, is it better to bore larger, or buy a new one with larger capacity?

Thanks for any and all considerations.