what upgrades should i do on my h/a car

[budget racer]

i would greatly appreciate any help anyone could give me on this matter. i have a 1985 t type that i got into cheaply . the only upgrade at this point is the fuel pump. im not looking for any specific et , just would like to increase performance as much as possible without sacrificing my wallet or driveability to much. right now i think my wastegate is junk since i cant get the rod to move even when applying lot of pressure. do i need a new one and if so , where is the best place to get one and what one do i buy. oh, the factory boost gauge says im only making three pounds of boost, which i guess has to do with the wastegate problem. how fast can this car go with minor upgrades. i wouldnt mind swapping for a better turbo, alky injection,or other mods. please give me your thoughts from your experiences as i dont have money to burn. thanks alot.

 

[usetaboost]

WHOA, "increase performance as much as possible without sacrificing my wallet" Sounds like fightin' words for you and that car Nah, just don't get in a hurry. I'd be more worried about making it safe and reliable before you worry about making it faster.

Do a FULL tuneup, change ALL fluids, fix any leaks, check brakes and suspension and have a six pack when the day is done. ANd don't forget the A arm bushings up front and control arm bushings in rear. Guarantee the pass uppers are probably junk. CHECK VAC LINES ALSO! Get yourself an aftermarket boost guage cause the factory ones are poopy, a casper's knock guage would be a nice idea too along with an oil and water guage. After you do this THEN check where your boost is. Locate an 87 ecm and get a TURBOTWEAK chip, you may be able to find this in the parts for sale board for a good price. Bypass the throttle body, gut the cat, get rid of the restrictive airbox with an air cone rigging or a big mouth kit. Then probably get a scanmaster to help tune with the more extensive mods.

Did I forget to mention timing chain and 100lb valve springs? Good tires, halogen headlights so you can see deer, 2.5 hooker exhaust kit, oh sh!t does it ever end? That's just normal stuff to do with ANY turbo regal, not specific to hot air!

 

[Jerryl]

i would greatly appreciate any help anyone could give me on this matter. i have a 1985 t type that i got into cheaply . the only upgrade at this point is the fuel pump. im not looking for any specific et , just would like to increase performance as much as possible without sacrificing my wallet or driveability to much. right now i think my wastegate is junk since i cant get the rod to move even when applying lot of pressure. do i need a new one and if so , where is the best place to get one and what one do i buy. oh, the factory boost gauge says im only making three pounds of boost, which i guess has to do with the wastegate problem. how fast can this car go with minor upgrades. i wouldnt mind swapping for a better turbo, alky injection,or other mods. please give me your thoughts from your experiences as i dont have money to burn. thanks alot.

Ignore the factory boost gage. They are known to be inaccutate.
If the WG is stuck in "closed position", you are making a LOT more than 3 lbs of boost.
If the WG is stuck "open", you probably are still making more than 3 psi boost.
Whhere to get one? Post a pic of what you have.
Most likely, you need to get a used one. Easy to locate.

As far as mods;
Depending on your budget, here is the list I would start with;
1 Hot Wire for the pump
2 Scantool

If you can run about 9-14PSI without KR on 93 after this, than I would add;
1 ECM conversion to 87
2 TT chip
3 Alky injection

If (after these) you can run 17-22 PSI without KR, than I would go further.
It will get more expensive from here, which, is a relative term.

As you can tell, it is not about "parts" alone.:wink:
It is about "the tune" and the "combination of parts", in some priority, based on your goal and budget.

Hope this helps.

 

[budget racer]

thanks for all the info. will the ecm from the 87 plug right in? where is the best place to buy the big mouth kit? where should i buy the scantool ? thanks again , kevin

 

[Jerryl]

thanks for all the info. will the ecm from the 87 plug right in? where is the best place to buy the big mouth kit? where should i buy the scantool ? thanks again , kevin

ECM will plug in.
Chip from TT TurboTweak Home
Cold air kit from TR Custom Parts 84-87 Turbo Regals, Olds G-Body Cars, S-10 Blazers/Pickups
Scantool from FULL THROTTLE SPEED - Store Front Page

I have a cold air kit I may be selling, depending on your timing ......

 

[budget racer]

thanks again for the info, give me a shout if you decide to sell it. kevin