🔧 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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Rdrnnr

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Nov 15, 2020
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Is there a reason your goin with solid line for your drain? Braided pushlok woulda been alot easier route. Also your not wrong about layin under these things screwin around especially if your tryin to drill the crank, I don't wanna see the bottom of my car again for a while
 

v6buicks

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Is there a reason your goin with solid line for your drain? Braided pushlok woulda been alot easier route. Also your not wrong about layin under these things screwin around especially if your tryin to drill the crank, I don't wanna see the bottom of my car again for a while
It's too long and floppy. I can't guarantee that the path is down hill all the time or that it won't be rubbing on something it shouldn't unless it's a hard line.
 

Rdrnnr

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It's too long and floppy. I can't guarantee that the path is down hill all the time or that it won't be rubbing on something it shouldn't unless it's a hard line.
Dude idk the braided stuff I have wouldn't be the best for makin corners with and will basically stand straight up other than the natural curve. I totally get not wanting it to move tho.

Now that I'm thinkin about it tho I was kickin around puttin a power steering cooler in my drain line to help cool it but if it all needs to run downhill maybe that's not such a great idea
 

v6buicks

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I just link a hard line is a lot sexier than hose anyway. lol

Yeah, if you don't have a scavenge pump to suck all that out, your cooler would just back up the flow and mess up your turbo. If you want to cool the oil, you're going to want an oil filter adapter where you can run the cooler off that. If cooking the oil inside your turbo is the concern then maybe you'll consider a turbo timer? I just don't shut my car off while it's in boost. I figure that's good enough. lol
 
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Rdrnnr

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I just link a hard line is a lot sexier than hose anyway. lol

Yeah, if you don't have a scavenge pump to suck all that out, your cooler would just back up the flow and mess up your turbo. If you want to cool the oil, you're going to want an oil filter adapter where you can run the cooler off that. If cooking the oil inside your turbo is the concern then maybe you'll consider a turbo timer? I just don't shut my car off while it's in boost. I figure that's good enough. lol
Ive actually got a timer but I wouldn't count on me hooking it up ? I just set the fans to run for a couple minutes after she's shut off. I haven't had any issues so far but I can't imagine shovin oil that hot through the block is the best thing in the world. But hot oil is better than no oil or shovin it out the exhaust and toasting journal bearings and hardline will definitely be sexier.

Remembering I just spent the better part of last night screwin with tryin to make a hidden part of a header pretty I might just shut up now :ROFLMAO:
 
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v6buicks

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Dude don't say that. I've had the same thought a few times as long as mines been sittin apart on the rack and then workin on it at the end of the day and as much as I bounce back and forth between things that's a real concern of mine
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haha I'm sure it'll be fine. I think as long as I keep remembering to look at the notes and update them every once in a while I'll be okay. I just need to double check them before I fire the car up. I keep a long list in my phone.
 
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v6buicks

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PXL_20210418_172300199.jpg


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After hours either on my back or hunched over and pretzel legged I finished the crank. All seven bolts were torqued to 70 ft-lbs except for the last one. It went righty loosey.

I kinda just said "well shit", picked up my tools, and went inside. I don't think a thread insert is going to be possible here. In fact, I bet I would throw off the the balance. R.I.P? Weld the bolt to the flywheel and hope that the rest of the bolts will do their job?
 
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v6buicks

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Thread insert would be fine that tiny bit of metal that close to the crankshaft Centerline would probably equate less than a gram out near the balance point where the counter weight is
I rethought that and agree. My next concern was whether it could even take a helicoil. If it was the hole closest to the balance drilling, I'd be screwed, because I'd be turning two holes into one.

Just checked. It's NOT that hole.
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Helicoil time
 
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v6buicks

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I finally finished something. It's not as good as I wanted it to be, but it's done. I'll fix it if there's a problem later.
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So the pipe itself turned out pretty good. What I forgot to account for was the length of my turbo's drain fitting.
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Here's a better view of the lack of slope. I think it will be fine. I'm crossing it off the list.
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v6buicks

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A 45 is how I have mine right now. I wonder if it's because its pointing more forward and then goes back around. I'm still leaning more towards a blockage tho it's really mistin out of there lol
Yeah, mine will too because I'm an idiot and never actually fixed the root cause. I need to replace the oring on my flange because it wasn't the right size to begin with. THAT is something I actually plan to fix before I start the car again though. I have a big oring stash at work that should have what I need.
 
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Rdrnnr

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Yeah, mine will too because I'm an idiot and never actually fixed the root cause. I need to replace the oring on my flange because it wasn't the right size to begin with. THAT is something I actually plan to fix before I start the car again though. I have a big oring stash at work that should have what I need.
I literally pulled mine outside to pull a customer's truck in for a diff drop, let it sit in the snow last night and today, ended up runnin circles all day and it's probably not movin til tomorrow now. I'm bout certain there's a plug in the bottom I forgot to take out and my luck I blew the seals out of a thousand dollar turbo
 

v6buicks

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The helicoil was about 3 threads too short. While I'm not happy about that, it's still holding the full 70 ft-lbs. (y) Time to move on. While that's a massive weight off my shoulders, I still have a few big hurdles in my way.

By the way. Jegs teased me. The transmission did not ship on Monday. I'm back to the original date of 4/26. I still have very little hope of that actually happening though. I'll believe it when I see it.
 
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v6buicks

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I went to check my the run out of the bell bore thinking it was either going to be great or only need a minor adjustment. Nope. It's out so far that my gauge can't measure it (0.05"+) My bell does not want to go on without a hammer either. I tried popping the pins out, rechecking the high spot, filing the rough edges, and putting it all back together. No change. I'm at a complete loss of what to check or try.
 

v6buicks

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New situation:
PXL_20210424_152802695.jpg


This guy's stuck. Just this one. Luckily I was able to remove the other one fairly easily to do some further investigation.
PXL_20210424_153701453.jpg

I did some more measuring, and discovered that these pins are tapered. Since I did not notice this before, I can bet that I pounded the big end into the block. This is probably causing everything to sit crooked and not let the bell sit correctly.

Sooooo this puts me back about 20 steps on my list. There is no chance of me pulling this pin out with the engine still in the car. In fact, it may not come out at all without seriously mangling the block.
 

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