Where's the power?

[TURBOELKY]

Thanks.
Is there a gasket on that turbo intake pipe that I'll need to replace once I break it loose?

Is it easy enough, or worth it, to rebuild one of these turbo's? Even if I go for a replacement (if that's what is needed), I'll either stay with the stock size or possibly one size up. I don't see myself ever dialing up more than 20lbs of boost.

I replaced a few more rotten vacuum lines tonight. Two of the shorties going to the EGR, the shorty going to the cruise control and the shorty at the vacuum canister near the cold air box. The rest are in reasonable shape and I'll have to go buy a bunch more vacuum line to finish all of them off anyway, so I just replaced those that were definitely suspect.

Tim

now that you've got the car running good, you can move on to bolting on some other good stuff. start with the exhaust, get a good 3" down pipe. and a good exhaust set up, if you can find an atr style single exhaust, good! you have enough injectors for a big turbo, I'd go with a ball bearing t61. not too big, but very respectable. and an alky kit, maybe a bigger intercooler, and your done!! oh yeah, not sure if you have one or not, but a power plate....
and a new tranny as soon as that turbo goes on, if not sooner


boost gauge?

 

[Junior Samples]

Tim,

Just keep your eye on the forsale section, folks are always upgrading and off'ing thier old combos, i went mild with a ta49 and rjc boostcontrolr, and it pulls hard untill i get bored with it which im sure i will, but for right now its winter time here in Mi and its put away for a few months but that gives me some time to plot my next move.

And the gasket between your inlet bell and turbo, in postons catalog its like 5 bucks but like i said its pretty much just gooseneck size for chevy and i got mine for like a buck and ported it a little, but it does look like a leaker from that pic, at least saturation thats weeped out from sucking in all that oil from your valve cover

So pull of the bell and while your at it try and wiggle the impeller and see how much play you have

 

[scojack_2001]

I just used some RTV when I did my ported comp. housing. Not too hard, and pick up a billet inlet while you're at it. About an hour with the die grinder and its good to go. Same with the IC. I used kerosene to clean mine out, and ported the inlet and outlet. MayYou can do the same with the upper plenum as well, and put a PowerPlate in while its apart. I gained almost 2psi just from a few hours with a die grinder. :biggrin: Also get some new silicone hoses and t-bolt clamps. I got mine from Darin @ RacePartSolutions. Nice stuff and good prices as well. Also a new PCV and in-line checkvalve as well, if you havent done that all ready.

 

[Ttype83]

Hey 83Ttype.
How much power is that turbo elbow porting worth?
Did you just use a die grinder and whittle away?
Pix are explanitory....but is there any such thing as removing too much?

It's worth a psi or 2 depending on what kind of shape your exhaust is in.
That is lots of meat to remove, mostly grinding out the lip and blending the inside. I did several things at one time, car was down for a broken trans. So I had the Disease whileimatit, I did the elbow, trans, TC and a 3" single shot from the turbo back. Car now smokes them when the turbo spools up at 1/2 throttle, before with the stock exhuast it wouldn't hardly spin the tires unless I launch with 7-10psi and was slow to spool.

 

[meanchicken]

Thanks, guys. I'll check the turbo out next chance I get.

Before I go crazy with power adders, I need to fix a few more things, such as finishing off the vacuum lines.

I ordered a set of Bilsteins last night and finally got a boost gauge in the mail too. It should arrive in a few days. No applause please....no really...you're too kind....OK OK if you insist...

I also picked up a Napa trans mount to replace my broken one. Next will be rebuilding them rear brakes and after that it's timing gears and valve springs.

Once I have all the maintenance issues out of the way, I'll start ordering goodies like a new exhaust, RJC power plate and cold air kit to start with.... And all the other cheap power stuff you guys are teaching me about.

In spite of the need for more work, I did register my first official kill this morning. It's posted in the Kill/Fish story section.

You guys must feel like a bunch of proud pappa's....or in Elky's case...momma....

Ha!

 

[Junior Samples]

cool i'll have to read all about it

Tim i havent yet got that Adjustable act in the mail yet, IM flying out to 2nd home in Orlando tomorrow night and wont be back till Tues but i'll get it out next week.

The Central Buick guys are meeting Sat night and i think IM gonna drop in and meet some of the regs on here and see their cars

 

[meanchicken]

No rush at all, Mike. Whenever you find the time, got for it. I appreciate the gimme.

You saw how long it took me to replace a vacuum line and get a boost gauge on order....you aint slowing me down in the least!!!

Lol

 

[Junior Samples]

im just glad your over the hair pulling hump, it took me about 2 weeks from chasing this and that to seeing what looked like a cam lift of over 520 with no duration..lol was like hmmmmm but its running smooth now.

And nice job on the audi, my first was sticker in the window vette but the guy didnt know how to drive it or perhaps the sweater that was tied around his neck got in the way with tennis racket jamming up 2nd gear...but i took it

 

[meanchicken]

Boost gauge is here finally.
I went with an Autometer Sport Comp Vacuum/Boost gauge.

I can tell the install has got to be the biggest no brainer in the world...so that's why I'm asking.....what vacuum line do I tap into?

MAP?
Turbo?
?????

The instructions with the gauge are so friggin' vague it hurts my brain...

...I kept thinking too hard while racking my brain and had to back off before I overboosted and squashed the pea in there....

Tim

 

[Underboost]

Boost gauge is here finally.
I went with an Autometer Sport Comp Vacuum/Boost gauge.

I can tell the install has got to be the biggest no brainer in the world...so that's why I'm asking.....what vacuum line do I tap into?

MAP?
Turbo?
?????

The instructions with the gauge are so friggin' vague it hurts my brain...

...I kept thinking too hard while racking my brain and had to back off before I overboosted and squashed the pea in there....

Tim

See the map hose on the passenger side valve cover going to the hard vacuum line at the plenum where the coil pack mounts? T it in there.
"Light" hook to the dome lights at the fuse block ground it on that bolt by the E-brake next too the drop down inspection cover screw I think the bolt is a 10mm.

 

[Boost231]

See the map hose on the passenger side valve cover going to the hard vacuum line at the plenum where the coil pack mounts? T it in there.
"Light" hook to the dome lights at the fuse block ground it on that bolt by the E-brake next too the drop down inspection cover the bolt is I think a 10mm.

+1 you got it. just remember dont trust your boost gauge.

 

[meanchicken]

+1 you got it. just remember dont trust your boost gauge.

OKOKOKOKOK....now wait a minute.....I've been getting abused and slapped for not having a boost gauge....now I am installing one.......and you're saying I can't trust it?????:frown:

 

[Underboost]

OKOKOKOKOK....now wait a minute.....I've been getting abused and slapped for not having a boost gauge....now I am installing one.......and you're saying I can't trust it?????:frown:

You can trust it! It's just sometimes they are off by a couple of PSI. But it doesn't matter your gonna tune with your scanmaster. The Boost gauge is just a reference. You won't know the difference if it's off because you have nothing else to compare it to.

 

[TURBOELKY]

OKOKOKOKOK....now wait a minute.....I've been getting abused and slapped for not having a boost gauge....now I am installing one.......and you're saying I can't trust it?????:frown:

you can trust it, he's illusional. now put it in!!!! with that stock stuff, you should be around 15 psi. is it in yet? do what underboost said, and enjoy

its about time

 

[meanchicken]

you can trust it, he's illusional. now put it in!!!! with that stock stuff, you should be around 15 psi. is it in yet? do what underboost said, and enjoy

its about time

Ya...I'm a little slow....but the ladies like it.....

It's going in this weekend.
I don't have a gauge pod yet so I might velcro it to my dash or zip tie it to my stearing column, but it's going in.

My new Bilstiens are here too, so I'll install them also.

Then I gotta turn a little attention to the Camaro and rebuild it's carb. It's a 6year old Edelbrock Performer 800cfm that spent the better part of 6 years sitting on a shelf or on the old 396 not running (which is harder on carbs than running them constantly) before I moved it over to the ZZ502 last December. It's been doing good, but is getting a little frumpy....especially when cold.

 

[TURBOELKY]

Ya...I'm a little slow....but the ladies like it.....

It's going in this weekend.
I don't have a gauge pod yet so I might velcro it to my dash or zip tie it to my stearing column, but it's going in.

My new Bilstiens are here too, so I'll install them also.

Then I gotta turn a little attention to the Camaro and rebuild it's carb. It's a 6year old Edelbrock Performer 800cfm that spent the better part of 6 years sitting on a shelf or on the old 396 not running (which is harder on carbs than running them constantly) before I moved it over to the ZZ502 last December. It's been doing good, but is getting a little frumpy....especially when cold.

cool!

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

You say your zz502 pulls hard? I dont doubt it, but wait till your buicks done.. youll see hard. Its a different kind of pull as well. Its odd, but fast nonetheless. All this crap youre doing seems like a lot, but in the overall scheme of things, it's actually kinda small stuff. Anyone can drop a big old V8 into some car, and put a big carb on it and watch it go, but it takes finesse to work on our finicky buicks. but its sooo worth it when its done. Just keep at it. You seem really determined. After your supporting mods, all youll need is a new hair dryer, and that buick will beat that chevy. Yer doin a fine job so far.

 

[garrett]

guages

You were talking about needing a fuel pressure guage that you can read under driving conditions. Check out the Jegs catalog for the B&M black out guages. They offer a electronic fuel pressure guage for under $85. That is cheap, since most of them are like $200. I have one in my car and it was easy to install and it works well. Electronic fuel pressure gauges is the way to go. I tried mounting a mechanical gauge to the cowl area, but it interfered with the wipers and wasn't easily readable. 2 and 3 pod a-pillar trim is available. I like having all my guages and scanmaster in one general location, (A pillar). That way I only have to look in one spot , other than the road.

 

[graza002]

Ya...I'm a little slow....but the ladies like it.....

It's going in this weekend.
I don't have a gauge pod yet so I might velcro it to my dash or zip tie it to my stearing column, but it's going in.

My new Bilstiens are here too, so I'll install them also.

Then I gotta turn a little attention to the Camaro and rebuild it's carb. It's a 6year old Edelbrock Performer 800cfm that spent the better part of 6 years sitting on a shelf or on the old 396 not running (which is harder on carbs than running them constantly) before I moved it over to the ZZ502 last December. It's been doing good, but is getting a little frumpy....especially when cold.

Tim,

How are things going with the Buick. I haven't heard from ya in some time. Let me know if I can help!!

 

[meanchicken]

Boost gauge is installed now. Since I don't have a pod yet, I set it in my console tray forward of the shifter. I'm getting about 23-24 of vacuum at idle (I need to recheck to make sure I was reading it right). At WOT it's reading 15 lbs of boost. When I first nail it, it seems to spike to about 17 lbs, but then quickly settles at 15 lbs.

I'm thinking about doing a pillar mount, but how the bejesus do I route the vacuum line up there?

I also installed the rear shocks. Was going to do the trans mount and front shocks too, but ran out of clock. Had to get off the garage floor before the wife threatened to fire me.

Man those rear shocks were shot! So are the fronts, but now with the new shocks in back and the old bad ones up front, I can cruise the blvd like like an esse, holmes. When I roll over a good bump, the front end is all bouncy like I have hydraulics, and the rear is stable now.

I'll try to get under the front to change those out this week.

On the trans mount, I was eyeballing it. Seems the only way to support the the trans while swapping the mount is with a floor jack and some plywood under the pan...or am I missing the obvious?
Maybe use a block to support the trans at the pan lip instead???

Hey Andrew. Thanks for the offers of support, man. Truth is I normally find myself running into the garage spontaneously to get some work done in between all the family and home stuff. I actually sprinted out there in my tighty whities one night last week. When I looked out the garage door and saw the frightenend looks on my neighbors faces, I went back in and got some working clothes on...some people are so intolerant....

One of these days when I have some major work to do, I'll definitely give you a hollar. Likewise if you need a hand let me know....I'll stand there and clap while you do all the work!

Ha!