🔧 BUILD LAME Turbo V6 Camaro

General Information

Hello! Welcome to the shit show! I am updating this post in 2021 to explain what new readers are about to witness. If I knew that this thread and build were going to explode into what it is today, I would have started it out a lot different.

This car was (and still is) a basket case. The whole inspiration for starting this project was to start learning how to modify engines in a car that I didn't like. That way, if and when I screwed up, I wouldn't be ruining a nice car. It spiraled out of control from the first moment that I felt boost. I loved what I had created, but it took a ton of work to get to where I was. As soon as I got the car running nicely I was always saying "I'm going to fix______, and THEN I'll just enjoy driving it." You know the drill. Drive, break, fix, repeat! Before I knew it, I enjoyed driving and working on this turd more than the nice car I was trying to preserve!

The point is that the focus of this thread shifts A LOT. To complicate matters, I never have just one ongoing project open at a time. I listed some thread contents with links below. I will update this as new milestones or big updates happen. Just know that even if you click on the shortcut, you may have to scroll past other project posts to reveal the outcome. There are also some mini-projects and very helpful advice from other members in between, so read the whole dang thing if you want!

2018-2019
1. A late introduction
2. Discovering how a PCV works (and plugging it)
3. Custom grill for intercooler
4. Fuel pump trap door
5. Learning that I'll never learn anything from my goofy wide band gauge
6. Deleting AC completely, but retaining heat
2020
7. Low profile heater hose fittings
8. Deleting an air bag without setting a light on the dash
9. Starting a second round of floor repairs
10. ABS delete and line lock installation
- A separate thread for the electrons
11. Installing catch cans with nice brackets (Way overkill)
12. Figuring out the "blow by" problem once and for all (F-body intake plug)
13. Second clutch job, first rear cover job, and preliminary transmission swap research
14. Floors are "done", and Interior is installed.
15. I don't know how to tune, but this wide band might help.
16. Poly trans mount. Yeah, it actually deserves a link.
17. I waved the tuning white flag. Dyno Brian sets me straight!
18. T5 Pro5.0 shifter
19. New shifter was too much fun. OG T5 explodes, and my transmission conversion ideas start to get serious.
-TKX conversion
-TKX swap official write-up
20. Reconfiguring my exhaust for a quieter and less leaky future
21. I'm not done enjoying this car for the year, so I install a $100 T5 instead of a bulletproof conversion. SPOILER ALERT: It only lasts two months.
22. Minor repairs/updates that make the car livable (lighting, stereo, speedometer re-zero, and a clutch master cylinder that actually does it's job!)
23. Wheels and addressing rust again since I got time!
2021
24. Custom center caps
25. 1.9 roller rockers and LS6 springs
26. CAI V2.0
27. TKX is delayed so it's time to address the little annoyances.
-OE pan is junk. Dorman pan gets hot rodded
28. TKX is still delayed, so I install just one poly engine mount and beef up my flimsy turbo drain plumbing
29. TKX does NOT ship the following Monday. Flywheel bolts upgraded to ARP M10 x 1.0
30. When you're on a Chinese garbage budget, you better be ready to work harder. (Oil drain fitting hot rodding)
31. Finally repairing the oil sender pig tail, replacing the other engine mount, and test fitting the TKX.
32. Finally addressing rear brake lines while I wait for more transmission parts.
33. Modifying an ICM for a WOT box
34. Dash gets re-instrumented so that diagnostics become possible.
35. N2MB WOT box
36. Porked crank key. PSA: Be careful installing your balancer!
37. Car runs great after plug change, but the rear main seal needs to be changed again.
38. BURNOUT! Also, I kinda bought a cam.
39. Turbo drain finale (better be) and full exhaust commenced
2022
40. Downpipe V3 and BMR strut tower brace
41. Panhard bar and relocation for bro truck exhaust
42. Muffler, driveshaft, torque arm, and giving up smoking.
43. First trip to the GS Nationals (feat. time slip)
44. The very custom AC project is born
45. New dyno results (up 50 hp!)
46. Exhaust hanger repair before Michigan/S.S. Badger/Wisconsin trip
47. Sizing a better turbo
48. Painting but still not installing the IS3 heads and Monster clutch unboxing
49. Firewall brace
50. New ECM
2023
51. Out of storage and SC engine buy failure #3
52. Modified double roller and spitballing crankcase evac ideas
53. Completing the rear suspension. UMI rear control arms.
54. Cracked headers and L32 swap begins
55. My newest L32 was trash. I'm upgrading the L36 instead
56. Side project: The ultimate-ish intake manifold takes shape


Now back to 2018!
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Now that this car is running and driving, I figured I would start a thread dedicated to all the questions I’m about to pummel this group with. This is the first time I've really built anything to move quicker than stock, so I'm hoping to learn a lot from you guys before I make unnecessary mistakes. I also have a thread in the Turbobuick.com 3800 section, but I'm not getting as much input there due to a lack of audience. Here goes nothing...

The car I have is a 2002 Camaro with only ONE factory option (rear window defogger). The story supposedly goes that my buddy's dad was looking forever for a new Camaro because he never buys anything for a penny more than the best deal. He almost ran out of time as this was the final model year for the F-body, and '03s were already on the market. The dealer from which he found this car bought it for the sole purpose of being able to advertise "Brand new Camaros for under $10k", so this was the one he took home.

Fast forward to 2018. The car was structurally a wreck from living in the rust belt, but has a great interior, okay black paint, a third pedal, a 3800 (which is a plus in my book), and a lot of sentimental value since I remember riding in it when it was brand new. My buddy’s dad handed me the keys in hopes that I would enjoy it and make it a race car. To be honest, I don’t care for F-bodies, but I couldn't resist this one for the reasons above despite knowing that the floors were in desperate need of existing again.

I already had my dream car which is a 1986 Buick Regal Grand National. As much as I love that car, I like it the way it is in fairly stock form and modifying Buicks has gotten terribly expensive anyway. I figured a black 3800 Camaro could easily fulfill my childhood dreams of racing a badass turbo Buick V6 car while being on a budget, so here I am.

The car is now equipped with:
-6765 ebay turbo
-Precision PW40 wastegate
-Custom turbo exhaust utilizing a stock Camaro and FWD manifolds
-Air to air ebay intercooler
-AEM 50-1200 fuel pump
-Siemens Deka 80# fuel injectors
-Open 3” downpipe
-Custom 3” charge pipes
-Intense mail order tune
-Very ugly but functional upright radiator conversion (the core support was all just rust anyway) :dunno:
-Custom space saving AC delete without bypass pulley
-Midwest Chassis bumper support modified to mount my intercooler
-Spec Stage 1 clutch kit

The car is far from refined and has a lot of little issues to sort out, but I will leave the first post as sort of an introduction to that. I hope you enjoy hearing about it. It’s been fun to build!

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v6buicks

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Thanks for all the support and testimony. I'll give him an email and see what he says. Is it really still an AOL account? lol I thought they were out of business.

Anyway, I'm going to try to look at this situation in a different light. HP Tuners was not a waste. I still have the best scanner I can buy for this stock junk. Plus, I can always sell the good stuff if I find that I won't need it anymore.
 

v6buicks

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I just sent an email describing the situation and my car. Fingers crossed that he gives me a chance and doesn't brush me off like some of the other guys in the 3800 tuning business.... I THINK I'm a pretty easy guy to deal with! I'm not an expert by any means, but that's why I'm seeking help. lol
 
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GTPpower

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So that hot table under pe should control you pe throttle percentage. Maybe the description was throwing me off, or how it's labeled. I fired up an old laptop that is still running hpt 2.24. that table is the only option for changing pe throttle percentage.

I also cross checked it....this version of hpt could open bin files....so I found a bin file, opened in dhp to check or, then opened the same file with hpt, and the tables were the same.
 
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v6buicks

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So that hot table under pe should control you pe throttle percentage. Maybe the description was throwing me off, or how it's labeled. I fired up an old laptop that is still running hpt 2.24. that table is the only option for changing pe throttle percentage.

I also cross checked it....this version of hpt could open bin files....so I found a bin file, opened in dhp to check or, then opened the same file with hpt, and the tables were the same.
Yep. That was the one we changed to be 30 across the board. It was a lot higher before. Is there something I should try?

Dyno Brian replied asking for my phone number. I would rather initiate the call to show him that I'm serious about getting things done, but oh well. I'm in no rush.
 

v6buicks

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I gave him a ring. He's clearly a busy guy which I respect. I think hes going to call me back whenever he gets done with the car he was in the middle of tuning, but I can already tell that he wants me up there for a dyno session. At this point, I just want the car driveable by any means necessary. The only trouble I have with a dyno tune in Columbus, OH is getting the car there and back. I don't have a truck let alone a trailer. I'm not expecting the car to blow up, but I've had worse luck. Hopefully he can advise on a safe tune for getting me to the shop.

I'm also toying with the idea of going back to normal gas and having it tuned for 93. I want all of my cars to have the ability to drive everywhere all the time. Is this not advisable? I have several E85 pumps in the area, I just don't know how good they are. I'd hate to have the car tuned on a great tank of gas and then have it run like poop forever after that due to my pumps having crap fuel. Is that something he can take into account or would 93 help eliminate that variable? I don't even know what E85 availability is by him. I'd have to fill a bunch of cans to get me there. I might be picking straws, but I'm super nervous.

Edit: the car actually seemed to run pretty well and knock-free before I started screwing with the AFC. Maybe I could just go back to the pre-AFC tune to get me to the shop and put it back once I get there?
 

v6buicks

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Just drive it like a normal person and it will get there just fine.
As-is? Cool. I just hope the thing doesn't explode on the dyno. lol I think that T5 is going to be hurting! Should I be worried about the wimpy tires spinning on the rollers? I have some 15s with 275mm Nitto radials, but I'd have to grind the calipers down to fit them at the very least. I think the offset is going to be jacked up too.
 

v6buicks

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This is a stick? Fuck it I would have had a microsquirt on order. Do the gauges get controlled by the box? If so gone.
Yeah it's a stick. I don't know if I can handle MS. I can't even figure out how to stuff. If I were to add the possibility of wiring it wrong, I'd probably lose my mind. I don't know what you're asking in terms of the gauges.
 

SleeperLS

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Brian will treat you right. Figure out a way to get there and you will be happy. If the car drives fine without beating on it then it will be fine to drive there.

They do have e85 in that area of the country but I always carried a 5 gal jug with me. If you have half a tank, keep an eye out for e85 and go from there. It might take a little bit longer but you will make it Although I do get your concern. It is a lot easier to go the pump gas route as far as traveling. Keep in mind if you go out west, then 91 is mostly what you get.
 

v6buicks

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Brian will treat you right. Figure out a way to get there and you will be happy. If the car drives fine without beating on it then it will be fine to drive there.

They do have e85 in that area of the country but I always carried a 5 gal jug with me. If you have half a tank, keep an eye out for e85 and go from there. It might take a little bit longer but you will make it Although I do get your concern. It is a lot easier to go the pump gas route as far as traveling. Keep in mind if you go out west, then 91 is mostly what you get.
Good tip. I need to remember that I want to drive this car, but it's also not my road trip/adventure car. I don't ever see driving this car out of the midwest. The furthest would be to Bowling Green, KY for GS Nationals and maybe ZZP for their 3800 dyno day.
 

Mr_Roboto

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Yeah it's a stick. I don't know if I can handle MS. I can't even figure out how to stuff. If I were to add the possibility of wiring it wrong, I'd probably lose my mind. I don't know what you're asking in terms of the gauges.

The base tuning is probably more of a headache but the table structure is a lot simpler e.g. Far far less interdependent tables.
 

v6buicks

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Brian called me back, and really tore my tune a new one. He agreed with you all that my current tune would probably get me there just fine, but agreed with me that driving the car all the way to Columbus for a dyno session would be kinda risky despite his very high success rate. He more so worries about something drastic like an oil pump gear or clutch letting go. I think those chances are fairly slim, but my luck really sucks. I don't know if I feel that adventurous, so I'm going to talk to some friends and see if any of them would let me borrow a truck. Brian then threw some subtle shade on the other tuners I worked with and said that he will deduct the price of his base tune from the dyno session if I wanted to go that route for extra insurance. I've already sent him the money. Thanks for recommendation guys. I really hope all of this works out.
 

v6buicks

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Sweet. Hopefully he can get you set up.
Shit, I hope so too. That car better be good from now until it comes home from the dyno, because anything that prevents a good tune after spending that kind of money will for sure be the last straw. Even if it does make it home unscathed, I'm still considering a "For Sale" sign as the next mod. However, I feel like this will really be the last piece I need to start enjoying the car. In that case, I'll fall in love with the project again and burn some rubber.
 
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v6buicks

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It sounds like Brian is already hard at work. He emailed me late last asking a couple simple questions about the car. He wanted to know my fuel pressure with the vacuum disconnected (57 psi). Apparently, we're taking the AFC off for now as well which seems like the best course of action. That was where my problems started showing up across the whole power band. I'm really excited, but nervous at the same time.
 
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v6buicks

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Here it is. I haven't had a chance to load it in, but I definitely will after work. He said that I won't be able to see all the changes which I understand. What I'm confused about is how HP can rewrite stuff that it doesn't support or display. Can it? Will it? Either way, I'm just using this until I get to his dyno. I haven't been driving the car nor do I plan to until this madness is figured out. I'm starting to get pretty amped about it though.
 

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