Recommendation for stock turbo replacement.

[mrbuyit]

Hello board.

I am upgrading my 1987 Buick GN this spring with some easy, mild bolt on stuff in order to pick-up the performance a bit. Including: 3" DP, 42# injectors, Walboro, HW kit, tesy pipe, SS 2.5", TT 92 octane chip, boost controller, adj. FP regulator. While I was at it, I was thinking about a turbo upgrade, nothing radical, just something that might spool up a bit faster. I plan on leaving the intercooler and torque converter stock.

Any ideas on if a turbo upgrade is a good idea for me? If so any input on which? (44, 49, etc) Cost really isnt an issue, if I made a choice I wouldnt cut corners. But I am not looking to build a 500HP machine though either. Just a bit of a pick-up over stock, maybe get me into the low 13's.

I appreciate the help.

Thanks

Jeff

 

[Russ Merritt]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/advertiser-specials/273548-turbo-specials.html

Call Holly. She'll steer you in the right direction.

 

[mrbuyit]

I will call her, thanks.

 

[Russ Merritt]

This was a 3255, not sure if they make it anymore or it was priced too high to be a realistic small turbo option. The 3231 would work pretty close to the same I would think. These small turbos work fine with the stock converter and make great power. This car made 406/580 rwhp on the dyno @ 23# boost and ended up going 11.29/121 on a bone stock long block, pump gas and alky, 40# injectors, RJC boost valve, PP and turbo tweak chip. This car was a blast!

 

[whitecobra98]

off topic, but super clean car...i love white buicks...now get that thing out of the snow!

 

[turbo nasty]

If your stock turbo is good ...get alky inject. You will flip at the added power from the kit. You will need a alky TT chip with it.

 

[whitecobra98]

i agree with turbo nasty, but you can forget about "just" 13's with alky .....i have almost the same combo as you are envisioning...i wanted alky, but my stock turbo was heading south in a hurry...i replaced it with a TE44 BB turbo from Cotton's...if your stock turbo is in good shape, definitely go alky..the money I was saving for alky was wasted on a new powermaster...i hate buying things I need, i'd rather buy stuff I want....if all goes well I will have alky by summer

 

[Sweet6]

X2 what Russ said. The GT3255 is a great street/race turbo. But not sure what it costs now. The best bang for the buck is the turbo specials that Russ posted up.

If I was buying a new turbo now with a stock TC, I would probably try a DBB 61 series. But that is also expensive. So if you are looking foir a "budget" turbo the TE44 is probably the way to go. I had a buddy that used the TE34 and it worked great too. It ran mid 11s with a stock TC. It would probably spool a little better than a 44.

 

[87GN&98VET]

I'm suprised nobody's mentioned the TA49 yet.

 

[Nasty]

If your old turbo is still good. Get an Alky kit for $525 or so, plus a matching Alky chip (instead of the street chip) and you should be able to run low 12's with the stk turbo on a good tune. The Alky will help out your stock IC getting the temps down.

If you insist on a turbo, with the stk converter you want to stay small-like a TA49, BB GT6131 or BB TE-44 (or simular). You will still be limited on the boost you run without the Alky. Your stk IC will be a big restriction as well as in-efficient in cooling the air charge. Another reason for the Alky.

I suggest the Alky before the turbo, it will get you to your performance goals and beyond. If you upgrade the turbo later...it will let you crank up that turbo higher. Then change the IC.