86 turbo headers on 85 grand national
- Thread starter Witte1919
- Start date
Welcome!
By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
- Messages
- 1,996
They will bolt on but will not work with a 84/85 turbo configuration.
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
- Messages
- 1,996
The turbo location as well as exhaust piping is different between the 84/85 cars and the 86/87 cars.
Are you looking to replace the headers on your 84/85 or relocate the Turbo on your car?
Are you looking to replace the headers on your 84/85 or relocate the Turbo on your car?
route of the piping is totally different, with the '85 turbo being located towards the rear of the engine compartment, and the '86 having it located up towards the front. The driver side is the same, as far as I know, but the passenger side output for the up-pipe is in the wrong spot.
turbofish38
Le Pétomane
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2002
- Messages
- 6,160
I've often wondered what it would look like if you used the IC headers on a HA? Fab up your own Up Pipe to match the header.
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
- Messages
- 1,996
Good question...you might run into a clearance issue with the downpipe.
of course they will fit, the matter is the alternator/ac bracket. i have wanted to try this for years just never got around to doing it.
i am almost positive it will clear the alternator, just not the AC and the extra bracketry that holds the compressor on.
my car hasnt had AC since like 2000 so that wouldnnt be an issue, cutting the bracket is all you probably need to do.
why would you keep the turbo in the same spot?
i wanted to do this to try to make a hotair -> IC conversion as cheap as possible... no brackets and accessories to buy, no reason to move everything around... put a IC pass side header on it, bolt the turbo to the header and put an IC intake on it... bingo... done.
easier said then done... BTW original post was just wondering about upgrading the headers
Marka Gallina's Hot Air used 86-87 Headers. The AC was removed. The up pipe was fabbed up to the turbo. Ken Duttweiller fabbed the downpipe. He capped the factory position and created his integrated downpipe by cutting a hole in the side of the turbo.
no
the original post said 'do they bolt on the heads'
there is no reason it shouldnt fit with minimal effort. no one gives a **** enough about these cars to hack up a bracket and find out.
until someone has tried it and has pictures and measurements proving that the turbo hits the alternator or something else please refrain from saying it is not possible.
we went for years here thinking that the IC intake would interfere with the stock turbo, even with a modified plenum based on a few *******s that said they tried it and it didnt fit.
guess what?
it fits.
there is only one way, i looked at it years ago and without AC it should not be an issue.... if the turbo is relocated up there you do not need to fab a downpipe, you can use any downpipe from an IC car as the turbo will be in the same spot.
try to find trashed stock pass header and bolt it up and check your measurements.... maybe you can find one for free that is cracked in multiple places and at least save yourself some money in case it takes more work than i believe it should.
good luck and let us know what you find out.
OH
one other thing. IC cars have a hole in the front of the block for the turbo oil drain. this might be your only issue... if you do not have a 109 block you might have to find another place to dump the oil. maybe into the valvecover?
1st things 1st, see what it takes to make it fit.
My 85 is running around just fine with an I/C and an 86 intake with
a 87 turbo, too. Runs great. And it is cheap to do.
for years people said it wouldn't work without massive
amounts of fabrication. There is actually practically no fabrication,
just modify an aftermarket upper plenum to clear the turbo
and cut the upper arm off the alternator bracket.
I had the modified upper plenum flow checked against
the stock plenum and there is no flow penalty, either.
So, what is the reason to do all the work to convert to the 87
turbo location, except for the availability of good D/P's?
None that I can see. Just IMHO
a 87 turbo, too. Runs great. And it is cheap to do.
for years people said it wouldn't work without massive
amounts of fabrication. There is actually practically no fabrication,
just modify an aftermarket upper plenum to clear the turbo
and cut the upper arm off the alternator bracket.
I had the modified upper plenum flow checked against
the stock plenum and there is no flow penalty, either.
So, what is the reason to do all the work to convert to the 87
turbo location, except for the availability of good D/P's?
None that I can see. Just IMHO
run bigger turbos, less intercooler piping, header options , more room for plug wires, geting the hot turbo off the intake, ect... oh yea and down pipes, like you said;
the 87 intake conversion is not super hard to do, like you say ,it just takes time and a little fabing and a lot of research on this site, which helps out the most.
When you start to move the turbo thats when things have to change.. I know, you know that , but some others are still learning
BTW I had to change my alt to cs style must have been my 3" IC piping
Jerryl
Tall Unvaccinated Chinese Guy
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2004
- Messages
- 9,644
Agree.
Modifying the upper plenum to clear the turbo will not hinder flow, as the flow is determined by the system constraint.
It “may” or “may not” however hinder or assist flow distribution. :wink:
Not trying to argue, just trying to understand.
Anyway ............ to the original question;
"Yes", the header will fit, with a little bit of massaging.
