MONTE CARLO "COPO" Monte Carlo SS - Turbosaurus Build (Swinging Dick Racing's c*ck got bent... she bounced a little too high & hard, & came down awkwardly)

[81cutlass]

Been meaning to ask, why no intercooler?

Joining the 20lbs of boost and some copper line club I see 🙂

I did the same thing on my 2+2. Nobody has a 4 port setup for a blower intake that sits flush to the valley cover so I had to head to the hardware store. People said it would work harden and leak but its been 3 years and 5k miles or so and its been fine for me.

 

[Texas82GP]

Hope you get to feeling better soon Mike.

 

[motorheadmike]

Been meaning to ask, why no intercooler?

Joining the 20lbs of boost and some copper line club I see 🙂

I did the same thing on my 2+2. Nobody has a 4 port setup for a blower intake that sits flush to the valley cover so I had to head to the hardware store. People said it would work harden and leak but its been 3 years and 5k miles or so and its been fine for me.
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Work hardened copper, eh? As opposed to a ruptured rubber hose or a rusty steel line? People love to talk and speculate. Copper has been used in automotive applications for a century or more. In both instances these are pretty benign uses for thick walled copper line. Ironically the 4.8L I picked up last Winter did come with the coveted four-corner steam line - it is just rusty and buried, and I cannot be bothered to tear that engine apart to get it (and clean it up).

Now on to your other question: Why no intercooler?

I am looking to play with the I/E pressure ratios on this set up. I will be putting a pressure port in the turbine housing and the down pipe, and then I can datalog the difference. There are lots of unfounded and unsubstantiated theories about hot-side and cold-side benefits of exhaust manifold design, pipe sizing, density makers, intake manifolds, etc. The goal is to minimize the restriction on both sides of the turbo - it isn't a free lunch - so its 4" pipes on all fronts to help achieve this. I will be putting a card-style MAF on this to determine the airflow (since that is all that matters) and if the IATs get out of hand: pre-turbo water/meth injection is the plan. I prefer the concept of flow potential over pressure.

This is also a weight savings thing.

 

[motorheadmike]

Can anyone think of a reason I cannot remote mount the battery to the trunk with a 4 gauge wire? Anything larger seems overkill. I am planning on running some mega/maxi fuses in lieu of the stock fusible links. Granted this car isn't going to have much more than starter and a blower motor up front.

The power for the fans and fuel pump(s) will come off the alternator... and maybe a pair of hot-wired head lights.

Thoughts?

 

[fleming442]

Most of the pre-made kits are 4ga. It'll be fine. My only note of caution is this: DO NOT run rubber jacket welding cable under the car if it will see any road salt. We did it on my buddy's truck back in the day, and the insulation was flaking off when we took it out. Could have been a nasty car-b-q......

 

[Northernregal]

4ga is good for about 75amp, might limit the starter but it will work for everything else you want to do.

 

[motorheadmike]

Most of the pre-made kits are 4ga. It'll be fine. My only note of caution is this: DO NOT run rubber jacket welding cable under the car if it will see any road salt. We did it on my buddy's truck back in the day, and the insulation was flaking off when we took it out. Could have been a nasty car-b-q......

Thanks! Yeah, I am using rubber jacketed welding wire (SAE J1127 copper). I was intending on running it through the car to a bus bar and then to a set of leads from a late model LS engine to the alternator (which are more appropriate for the application). My biggest concern with ready-made kits are the quality of the wire used. Thanks!

 

[motorheadmike]

My favourite Chinese eBay retailer came through in record time with my latest order. I introduced my oldest daughter to the fittings and she built me a slug.

Also finally got myself a treat in a set of magnetic AN vice inserts. No more blocks of wood for this guy!

 

[Injectedcutty]

Sweet, let us know how the vice inserts do. I've got a plastic set I've had for years and it gets the job done, ya just can't overtighten it or the fitting will pop out.

 

[motorheadmike]

Sweet, let us know how the vice inserts do. I've got a plastic set I've had for years and it gets the job done, ya just can't overtighten it or the fitting will pop out.

Will do. But, that's still got to be better than crushing fittings into sections of 2x4 like I have been doing for years. 😱