Using an '86 turbo on an '85 T-type

[SIX2GO]

I know that some of you are running the stock turbos from the I/C cars on the HOT AIR cars. How much trouble is it to adapt these turbos to a factory hot air intake? I know it will invole re-clocking the turbine and the compressor housings. The main concern I have is connecting it to the intake. I am not scared of a little fabrication work. Any pics or information you guys have of this type of installation would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Bobby (email: Turbohallman@cs.com)

 

[TurboBuickSix]

TTT

Louie or cool84 could help on this one if they see it.It involves using a rubber adapter hose thingy but I've not done it myself so I can't say for sure.

 

[SLOW_85]

It's been done. If only we had the old archives. Big Jim done it
but has since sold his car. Biggest prob is the turbo to intake
adaptation. From memory seems like he used some I/C hose
to make the connection. You could also fabricate an adapter
similiar to the 85 turbo/intake adapter. Maybe someone else
has some ideas.

 

[Cheesehead]

Haven't done this myself, but here's some info that I saved from the old board-----

Hey A.J. Tony here and just to let you know that i
didn't forget you have been working, I took the 84-85
turbo off had an 87. Cut the housing on the 87 turbo
enough to get the lip off, cut the adapter too where
it would fit in a piece of intercoller hose and
clamped it and reclocked the turbo to where it would
fit going towards the intake. You will also have to
cant you TB back toward the fire wall. And the rest
is jus gettin little parts to fit in place. Oh yea I
drilled a vaccume line above the hose. Good luck and
you will be pleasantly surprised. I also ordered a
new 3" DP and I have green stripes, adj fpr, comp cam
from cotton 206-206, car runs real good better than I
expected. I ran a drag car for years and this feels
like at least 12.30 or so. Tell me about your car and
as soon as my son comes over to visit I will get him
to take some pic of our cars and of the turbo he has
an 87 te44 thdp blue tops kenne bell cam his car is
fast. Hope this helps Tony.

 

[SIX2GO]

Thanks to Cheesehead and the rest of you for the info! Does anyone know what kind of performance increase I can expect from this swap?

Bobby

 

[IRaceAV6]

Welding an adapter to the intake and using a hose to connect the turbo to the adapter is the "easiest" way to make this swap. I have a "stock" '84 GN intake set up this way sitting on the work bench.

Thankfully I won't have to use it... the V2 intake for the "Hot-Air" configuration simply ends the hassle of fabrication... it blows towards the front of the motor into an intercooler - not the intake itself.

The turbo swap is worth a few horses. The '87 flows 450 cfm... the stocker only 390. It is worth something in horsepower.

Louie

 

[Lee Thompson]

Turbo

I ran an 87 turbo for a while. This the way I did it. Set your 87 turbo on the eng. with the cone reducer off, carefuly measure from the end of turbo down into the bottom of the pocket ( in the 85 intake ), take that measurement, subract 1/16 in. Now ( using that figure ) measure off the bottom of the adapter, mark and cut off square, jig up and well the adapter to the turbine housing. Now you have a direct drop in. The o-ring on the bottom gives you some leway, Plus it is a very good seal. To straighten up the tb, I used a 3/8 in. alum. plate, put the correct hole in it to bolt up to the turbo, then another set to straighten up the tb. It requires some work, but well worth it. Good Luck

 

[SIX2GO]

Thanks for the info Lee. I have begun to put together a game plan. I would like to basically follow the procedure you suggested except for the welding. I may want to go to a little bigger turbo in the future so I am going to try to use an intercooler hose for the turbo to adapter connection. That way I can easily swap on a TA series turbo at some point in the future. However, I do not know if the adapter has enough height or thickness to support this idea.

Oh by the way Lee what size turbo are you running now?

Bobby

 

[Lee Thompson]

turbo

It is a hybrid. I believe Craig calls it a 60-1or 61-1. Not sure, he has all the specs. on it. It is the last one he built for me. He told me it is the biggest compressor wheel that will go into an 85 housing without going through the housing. I know it has the same ex. wheel as a 70. A little slow spooling for the street, but pulls hard once it starts spinning. I can live with it. It is an 84-85 turbo housing.