My 2012 Turbo Build *Lots of Pics*

PhoenixTA

Regular
Jul 20, 2011
183
0
Morris
*UPDATED... AGAIN* My 2012 Turbo Build *Lots of Pics*

*****NEW DYNO RESULTS in post #76*****
***Dyno Results added in Post #47***

**NEW PICS ADDED** mocking up cold side in post #27


Well, I haven't had a chance to get on and talk much about my build, so I figured I would post up my progress and get some feedback.

The car started off this winter as a fairly stout H/C/I combo.
Photo0078.jpg

Unfortunately I spun a rod bearing back in October due to a bent ARP rod bolt :sd3:. I didn't feel like completely tearing down the engine again so I opted to buy a good shortblock from a totalled 99 vette. I plan on rebuilding the LS6 block that I have but didin't have the extra coin to drop on a forged setup right now, so that will come later in the year. At that point it was out with the old.
2011-03-04_20-46-00_577.jpg

I needed some extra room for the front mount turbo setup I wanted to do, so I decided to install a vertical radiator as opposed to the stock one that is on an angle. I had seen how some people would cut the core support completely out and just pull their stock radiator forward, for me this look doesn't quite look good enough so I opted for a new griffin radiator and to just trim the core support. In my opinion this just gives a more factory appearance.
2012-01-10_12-44-48_932.jpg

2011-12-23_00-53-37_280.jpg

2011-12-23_00-58-00_244.jpg


I figured since the engine was out anyway, I might as well make the engine bay look a little nicer, so it was time for the wire mod. I used a hole saw and drilled into the back of the driver's side fender for a new wire route.
2011-12-23_00-29-44_429.jpg

After that I routed the new wires behind the plastic shroud in the fenderwell and screwed in some clamps to hold it in place. I also wanted to have some extra room for my new charge pipe in my turbo setup so I customized the fuse boxes and made them fit nicely in the corner of the bay.
2011-12-21_16-26-08_198.jpg

Re routing the rest of the wiring was a giant mess but I managed to get it all squared away.
2011-12-21_16-03-25_51.jpg

The wires that actually cross in the front of the engine bay behind the fan shroud I wanted to move as well, so I routed them through the core support.
2011-12-23_00-26-42_614.jpg

2011-12-23_00-26-21_914.jpg

2011-12-23_00-25-47_307.jpg

2011-12-23_00-25-36_739.jpg


I had already modified the wire path on the passenger side to go through the fenderwell so I don't have any pictures of that, but I once again used a hole saw and drilled the back of the fenderwell just in front of the PCM.
I also relocated the battery cables to the rear of the car where the spare tire is usually located. I haven't finished this portion, so I will post up some pictures of the relocation and wiring once I finish.
At that point I needed to come up with a fan assembly. I didin't really want to pay for a new assembly when I had a perfectly good one just laying around. I place the stock assembly over the top of the radiator and marked where the holes should go for the piping. I then cut the holes and trimmed the top of the shroud so that it would fit in the new vertical position. The top of the assembly looked like crap at that point so I got some aluminum angle stock from Menards and made a cover for the top of the shroud. Personally I think it turned out pretty nice.

2011-12-26_21-26-51_834.jpg

2011-12-26_21-27-35_902.jpg

I then had to come up with some way to hold the assembly in place so again with some aluminum stock from Menards, I fabricated some new mounting brackets.
2012-01-29_20-32-25_216.jpg

2012-01-29_20-32-14_719.jpg

At this point it was time for some paint
2012-01-10_12-44-21_761.jpg

2012-01-10_12-44-31_609.jpg

2012-01-10_12-44-11_587.jpg


To allow for oil return from the turbo setup, I installed a -10AN fitting in the front timing cover
2012-02-03_23-38-30_505.jpg

2012-02-03_23-37-21_693.jpg

2012-02-06_11-16-31_872.jpg

Time to install the engine
2012-01-23_13-53-41_226.jpg

From here I put everything that I had done so far together along with some new hose as the stocker would interfere with the new turbo setup.
2012-01-30_19-12-17_988.jpg

2012-01-30_20-23-02_786.jpg


I contacted a local guy to build my turbo setup, and I have to say I am very impressed with his work. Here is the hot side piping.
2012-03-24_02-20-24_749.jpg

2012-03-24_02-20-38_210.jpg

2012-03-24_02-21-06_339.jpg

2012-03-24_02-33-54_875.jpg

2012-03-24_02-34-19_233.jpg

2012-03-24_02-35-42_230.jpg


And here are a few pics of the hot side mocked up in the car. The camera didn't take the greatest pics, but you get the idea.


13_imagejpeg952.jpg

17_imagejpeg952.jpg

16_imagejpeg952.jpg

2012-03-21_20-01-13_915.jpg


That is all I have for now, but I'll be sure to post up when I get the rest of the kit together! Thanx for looking :)
 
Last edited:

PhoenixTA

Regular
Jul 20, 2011
183
0
Morris
Looks sweet, I miss my turbo'd ta, is it carbed?

No, it's a Super Victor EFI intake. I just don't have the fuel rails on in the pic. The on top is a 1000cfm 4150 style throttle body.

I originally was thinking about going carbed with it, but the fuel bowls would not allow one to fit unless I did some major modification... more than I already had to do with the throttle body and carb hat.
 

PhoenixTA

Regular
Jul 20, 2011
183
0
Morris
Thanx. I would like to take all the credit but my turbo builder has built a few kits and he is kinda guiding me along the way. Boost is something new to me, other than my 99 GTP that I melted a piston on. After that experience I have more respect for FI and the damage it can do if not done right. Now I just gotta pray my stock bottom end holds together long enough for me to put a forged rotating assembly in my LS6 block that's just sitting in my garage...
Realistically though, it will probably be the 10 bolt that goes first... either way, I have two expensive purchases to make.
 

PhoenixTA

Regular
Jul 20, 2011
183
0
Morris
If you keep the amount of boost lower and tune well a stock bottom end cab be plenty strong. The 10 bolt can be somewhat preserved with a less sticky tire but what fun is that :p
I plan on keeping the boost somewhat lower, 7-10psi. My tuner wants to push the boost as high as 12 but I'm not sure I want to go that high.

That and I have an Auto trans, so it should help lengthen the life of the 10 bolt.

Now that I have the the AUTO word people are thinking "Boom".
Relax, it's a RPM level 5, should hold together just fine.
 

rocket5979

Gearhead
Nov 15, 2005
6,576
18
Round Lake, IL
I plan on keeping the boost somewhat lower, 7-10psi. My tuner wants to push the boost as high as 12 but I'm not sure I want to go that high.

It's true that a good tune will help an LS1 stock bottom end live longer while operating under conditions that would have otherwise killed it, but 12psi is too high to reasonably believe that stock bottom end will live for any length of time. Some have gotten lucky but most have not. Stick with a max of 10psi unless you have the money for an immediate purchase of a new built shortblock in case you scatter this one.
 

PhoenixTA

Regular
Jul 20, 2011
183
0
Morris
It's true that a good tune will help an LS1 stock bottom end live longer while operating under conditions that would have otherwise killed it, but 12psi is too high to reasonably believe that stock bottom end will live for any length of time. Some have gotten lucky but most have not. Stick with a max of 10psi unless you have the money for an immediate purchase of a new built shortblock in case you scatter this one.

That's pretty much the conclusion that I came to with all the research I have been doing.

I could immediately purchase a new shortblock... but the wife would probably kill me because I would be taking the money from the "New House" fund :rollseyes:
 

PhoenixTA

Regular
Jul 20, 2011
183
0
Morris
Very nice. I'm in the process of doing all the engine bay mods you did to my Camaro. I hope mine comes out looking as nice as yours did.

12 psi seems high for a stock bottom end. The 10 bolt will hold up under the auto if you don't take it to the track and launch it with a stall.

Good luck with the rest of your build!

Thanx Wolfe! Good luck with your engine bay mods. They can be time consuming, but if done right it will be a major appearance mod.
 

PhoenixTA

Regular
Jul 20, 2011
183
0
Morris
I like you setup, has some similarities to mine. Glad to see you go with puller fans. Who fabbed your hotside?

Thanx Will! I went with the puller fans because my AC condenser is going directly in front of my radiator and there wouldn't have been room for fans. Being a puller setup does take away from the room for the turbo, but my builder made it fit nicely. It would have been better if I dropped the coin for an aftermarket fan assembly, but I just modified the stocker.

My builder is Joe Kalec. He's a good friend of mine and is working his ass off to make everything perfect.:bigthumb:
 

Thread Info