Turbo Advice

[RustRocket]

Hi there, It would certainly be awhile until this setup could be done, but I'm looking for Turbo 3.8 advice. I found this turbo kit on ebay, and I was wondering exactly what I would need to get it on the car, and get it running in the shortest amount of time possible. http://www.ebay.com/itm/T04E-RACING-TUR ... 87&vxp=mtr
Any information on the swap would be great, and yes I do realize I need a new Carb and Distributor as my ECM has been removed, and I do also need a blow-through carburetor

 

[MeanBuicks]

Don't be in a hurry because a project like this will take a lot of planning and time to execute.

You'll need fuel system upgrade with some boost referencing. Oil feed and return for the turbo. Downpipe and exhaust system. A waste gate system to control boost. Depending on the amount of boost you plan on, stronger head gaskets at a minimum. If your tune has a tendency to detonate, the cast pistons won't last very long. Then, once it's up and running, how's your transmission, u-joints and rear end?

It's a cool project to undertake but take your time.

 

[DEVILSorchard]

I really hope you havent ordered this yet. Im assuming your looking for the least time possible because this is your primary vehicle and it cant be off the road long. With this kit I will tell you straight up it wont work and you will be off the road for a very long time if you try to make it work.

Dont waste your money on a no name / Chinese turbo. Many people have burnt up the bearings in the CHRA and exploded it or it leaked through the seals, smoked and killed the engine oil pressure instantly. There is a reason they start at 1000+ from any other manufacturer. If your looking for cheap and dont have the ability or space to do some fabrication yourself then your better off not attempting this at all or doing some research into what others have done and buying stock factory 3.8 turbo parts or better quality overtime as funds permit. This header looks like it would work but these thin SS Chinese headers are prone to cracking and leaking exhaust you need to build boost.

If your looking to do this on the cheap well thats not a big problem. You can use a turbo from just about anything (within reason) most have standard flange sizes, T25's are extremely small, T3 is your standard most common size for auto use or small bore applications, T4 being large turbos like you'd find on a big deisel or transport truck. Look into holset, they are used on dodge trucks, volvo engines and industrial diesel engines. For a 3.8 you would be looking at a mid sized T3 turbo or smaller T4 turbo something like a garrett GT35 - GT40 or holset HX35 - HX52

You can use your stock exhaust headers and have an exhaust shop bend exhaust pipes to your turbo and welded on a T3 / T4 flange. You could pick up stock grand national turbo headers or risk a Chinese header.

Intercoolers are dirt cheap for a chinesse brand and pick up a universal intercooler kit and cut some pipes to make your own or you can take it to an exhaust shop and have them bend some exhaust pipes to make intercooler pipes.

You will also need a carb setup for blowthrough use you can buy them set up or have yours done cheaper. You can also use a blow box that covers the and pressurized the entire carb with boost. You will also need to have this tuned on a dyno or a wideband 02 senson will have to be installed in the car to tune it off a dyno.



This is a fair bit of work regardless of it being a bolt on or custom job but it doesnt have to be that expensive with some good planning. Best of luck

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Best bet is to hunt for a early Buick carb turbo setup, through most are CCC controlled and require it.

 

[RustRocket]

Well I've actually decided against Turbo setups, or any modifications for that matter. This car isn't worth it to really put anything into it. It's not a daily driver, or even a driver, so I'll probably just wait until a nice Grand Prix or something comes along before I start throwing money at my car

 

[pencero]

If I were in your shoes I would be looking at something more like swapping a LT1 from a junk Roadmaster like your dad's if you want to have more power for fast and cheap. The vortec is another outdated swap nobody is really into right now b/c of all the LS hype. I wouldn't even bother modding it either. Too much power on a car oxidized as yours could make cracks in the rear panels b/c its a t-tops car and its not even the turbo6 so it has less structural support altogether. My blue 79mc t-tops was just slightly less rusty and was doing pretty good with a slightly bored out 350 truck motor - still dont know wtf it was a 372 or 383 who even knows / 350 trans w/ a mild shift kit. 30mph seemed instantaneous and 50mph came easily just a few seconds later. Not impressive at the track at all but faster to 60 than 90% of new cars are for very cheap...

Having owned a car in similar condition my advice is to keep it simple. You need to save money for things that will come up suddenly like the t-top bar could rust out or the rubber seals for example; power windows; heat goes out; ice water leaks into the trunk sometimes after a winter storm; stupid stuff. If you choose a car like your dads that nobody is really doing anymore & swap the motor/trans you will save hundreds of dollars and should actually gain huge gas mileage over that stock motor. If you were planning on driving the car a lot in the next 2 years sit down with a calculator and be honest with yourself about the mileage thing. For someone who was going to leave their car in a garage and rarely drive it staying w/ the motor stock would make sense but switching to a LT1 or even a crappy *ss TBI w/ low miles could put your highway mileage at 21 so if you're only getting like 15 and you're going to drive 10,000 miles each of the next two years for example - then a swap to get more power only makes sense b/c its all the money you would have wasted as gas anyway. Also, I never put a Lt1 in a g-body but many forum members swear that the cross member required to mount the 4L60E (roadmaster trans) stiffens up a g-body nice and tight. It sounds like a part that could be nice on your car - unless you go to install it and everything you touch denigrates into brown dust of course.