- Joined
- Nov 14, 2019
- Posts
- 396
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That’s great, congrats on getting it moving. How does it drive and when do we get to see some blues brothers jumps?!
TURBO LS powered 2011 Police Interceptor dontBSme baby!
- Thread starter nsogiba
- Start date
- Thread Starter
- #27
Go for it, you can still find nice-ish ones for 3-5k around me. Nice is a relative term, haha. The majority are ratty ones for 500-2500. This one needs some surface rust repair and paint touch ups, nothing crazy. The interior was in really good shape which is what sold me on it.
Thanks boys!
I'm glad you asked...I took it out initially to shake it down and it was a DOG. I know the stock truck tunes suck balls with no ignition timing and no PE, especially the Express file, but this was just boring. So once I verified no fluids were gushing out of it I hooked up the VCM Scanner and logged a couple highway pulls...The thing was running anywhere between 8-12 degrees timing at WOT, shifts were set at 5200, no PE so it was super lean, etc.
Once I turned on the PE and copied over the ignition table from a stock Corvette file, it did a LOT better. However, there was still a miss down low and a P0200 code (Injector Circuit). So inspecting the harness and injector adapters closer found this:
I shoved it back in and it's not moving, even though the retaining snap clip inside the connector seems to be worn out. It'll be fine for now and is just another reason to throw a SS2 and bigger injectors in it.
- Thread Starter
- #28
Drove it for a week or so, first impressions are good. Lots of mid range torque, but definitely runs out of breath above 5000 rpm. The Express Van tune is hilariously bad. Besides only calling for something like 10 degrees of timing at WOT, it was shifting the trans at 5200. Just by putting some timing in it and raising the shift rpm points the car was a new animal. That being said, I immediately got bored with the power level. Let's take apart a running car. PAC 1218s are already installed, going in is a SS2 cam and Siemens 80# injectors.
Got sick of doing the "pull the starter, install the lock tool, then do the reverse later on" trick to hold the crank pulley, so I made my own lock. Works awesome, will be doing it this way every time from now on.
Traditional picture of a new cam on my kitchen counter, been doing it every other year or so since 2014
Going to also clean up some stuff that I wasn't happy with. Upper rad hose wasn't supported and was flopping around, hitting the tensioner pulley, and blocking the path of any sort of intake.
Got sick of doing the "pull the starter, install the lock tool, then do the reverse later on" trick to hold the crank pulley, so I made my own lock. Works awesome, will be doing it this way every time from now on.
Traditional picture of a new cam on my kitchen counter, been doing it every other year or so since 2014
Going to also clean up some stuff that I wasn't happy with. Upper rad hose wasn't supported and was flopping around, hitting the tensioner pulley, and blocking the path of any sort of intake.
I’m just here to say that you sloppy guys move mountains on these builds. From September to now and it’s swapped and driving down the road. It would’ve taken me two months to thin the fucking harness to get it to crank.
- Thread Starter
- #31
Well thanks man. I actually didn't even get to work on it as much as I liked, but raising a 4 month old seriously bites into spare time.
Cam swap is almost done, just need to button up the injector swap and cooling system, then comes weeks of cursing while I try to tune it!
- Thread Starter
- #32
Got the pig idling decently, but fighting some issues with the AEM wideband. I played with the VE table to get it started, and it was running so rich that it was struggling to idle and was choking black smoke out the back. The whole time the wideband is reading dead lean ( - - - ). I cut the VE table 70% and it idled far better, and the black smoke is gone - obviously it was too rich. However, wideband still reads lean. Any thoughts?
- Thread Starter
- #33
Threw in a new wideband sensor - it's reading again. Looks like I had a dud out of the AEM box. There were no markings on the sensor body itself, perhaps a knockoff. Shame. Off to VE land!
- Thread Starter
- #35
Been driving this thing for a few weeks now with the new cam and beating it up. Friday after work I met a buddy to cruise over to another friend's for some beers, he is following me in his N55 E70 X5. As I pass him doing about 80 (moderate throttle) there's an explosion under the car and I lose forward thrust. Ruh roh...I knew right away it was the driveshaft. Stock aluminum P71 shaft with brand new u-joints.
I was laughing my ass off watching the remainder of the shaft slide into the ditch like a spinning frisbee.
Damage is surprisingly minimal for how violent it sounded, probably due to how soft the aluminum is.
Some minor marks on the body
slip yoke took a beating, will probably replace it
Exhaust got whacked, but as you can see it wasn't exactly robust to begin with
After a quick tow home I just hopped in my M3 and still got to enjoy some brews with the boys.
I'm going to call Denny's driveshaft today for advice on a replacement. Thinking steel will be stronger but I'm concerned about it having a lower critical speed. I'd like this thing to be able to hit 140 comfortably, don't need to go faster than that.
I was laughing my ass off watching the remainder of the shaft slide into the ditch like a spinning frisbee.
Damage is surprisingly minimal for how violent it sounded, probably due to how soft the aluminum is.
Some minor marks on the body
slip yoke took a beating, will probably replace it
Exhaust got whacked, but as you can see it wasn't exactly robust to begin with
After a quick tow home I just hopped in my M3 and still got to enjoy some brews with the boys.
I'm going to call Denny's driveshaft today for advice on a replacement. Thinking steel will be stronger but I'm concerned about it having a lower critical speed. I'd like this thing to be able to hit 140 comfortably, don't need to go faster than that.
- Thread Starter
- #36
Christmas 2020:
Get the new driveshaft in and it drives fine with no vibrations, but I'm hearing what sounds like the starter sticking when it's cold started and some marbles in a can noise. I put it up on the lift and go to remove the bellhousing cover when I notice something that just made me laugh. I pulled the trans.
I had planned on pulling the tranny in the spring anyways to install a new converter with a higher stall to suit the future turbo, so this just accelerated those plans. The trans is out being welded up right now, I think it should be fine. Time will tell. Full send!
Now it's just a matter of waiting on the converter to come in from Circle D, and enjoying the wonderful weather (24" of snow right there per my scientific yard stick)
Get the new driveshaft in and it drives fine with no vibrations, but I'm hearing what sounds like the starter sticking when it's cold started and some marbles in a can noise. I put it up on the lift and go to remove the bellhousing cover when I notice something that just made me laugh. I pulled the trans.
I had planned on pulling the tranny in the spring anyways to install a new converter with a higher stall to suit the future turbo, so this just accelerated those plans. The trans is out being welded up right now, I think it should be fine. Time will tell. Full send!
Now it's just a matter of waiting on the converter to come in from Circle D, and enjoying the wonderful weather (24" of snow right there per my scientific yard stick)
Wowza!
- Thread Starter
- #40
Got the tranny bellhousing all welded up by a local guy. Before it went back in I got my long awaited Circle D 3200 budget converter filled up and installed.
Once I got the fluid level figured out I took it out and WOW what a difference even non-turbo. The motor flashes right up into the torque band and really gets the heavy car moving quick even at part throttle. This thing is going to be fun with double the power. One of my biggest gripes with my old sloppy turbo Silverado (4.8/7875 and 4.10s) was that it was a total dog off the line even with a 3200 converter. I think it was a combination of a heavier chassis, much less displacement and a weak timing curve (my fault).
Before I get the turbo kit started I wanted to iron out a couple other small complaints I had with the driving experience. First off was the total lack of gauges; since the 2011 Crown Vic cluster operates on a CANBUS network off the Ford PCM, it is totally dead with the car moving. My solution was to source a used Mercury Marauder cluster as it incorporates a tach and uses traditional analog signals to drive the gauges and dummy lights.
Using a GM PCM bench flash harness as a power supply to light up the cluster once I got the pinout figured out.
I also updated the mileage in the cluster to match the actual chassis mileage (156,xxx)
The other gripe that I had was the Ford column shifter being kinda wacky in how it shifted the 80E. It “worked” but wasn’t really accurate since the Ford shifter uses a PRND21 pattern and GM uses the PRND321. I spent last Saturday morning at the local junkyard looking for GM center consoles/shifters that might work. Initially I was hoping to get a Trailblazer or GMC Jimmy unit, but all of those were trashed. The ticket ended up being a 2004-2008 Grand Prix, which has a “utilitarian” look to it, the right shift pattern, and a SUPER long shifter cable to work with almost any swap.
Mocked up
Ugly but functional bracket to mount the cable to the trans
Quick spritz of paint in my professional paint booth
Finally, underhood shot of the current state. I also picked up a truck intake to replace the van intake since it has a threaded boss for the beauty cover which I like to run.
I need to finish splicing the cluster harness and bolt down the shifter/console as well as connect the shift cable. There is also an annoying oil leak I can’t seem to find, got it all cleaned up and will try to find the source by running it on the lift.
Once I got the fluid level figured out I took it out and WOW what a difference even non-turbo. The motor flashes right up into the torque band and really gets the heavy car moving quick even at part throttle. This thing is going to be fun with double the power. One of my biggest gripes with my old sloppy turbo Silverado (4.8/7875 and 4.10s) was that it was a total dog off the line even with a 3200 converter. I think it was a combination of a heavier chassis, much less displacement and a weak timing curve (my fault).
Before I get the turbo kit started I wanted to iron out a couple other small complaints I had with the driving experience. First off was the total lack of gauges; since the 2011 Crown Vic cluster operates on a CANBUS network off the Ford PCM, it is totally dead with the car moving. My solution was to source a used Mercury Marauder cluster as it incorporates a tach and uses traditional analog signals to drive the gauges and dummy lights.
Using a GM PCM bench flash harness as a power supply to light up the cluster once I got the pinout figured out.
I also updated the mileage in the cluster to match the actual chassis mileage (156,xxx)
The other gripe that I had was the Ford column shifter being kinda wacky in how it shifted the 80E. It “worked” but wasn’t really accurate since the Ford shifter uses a PRND21 pattern and GM uses the PRND321. I spent last Saturday morning at the local junkyard looking for GM center consoles/shifters that might work. Initially I was hoping to get a Trailblazer or GMC Jimmy unit, but all of those were trashed. The ticket ended up being a 2004-2008 Grand Prix, which has a “utilitarian” look to it, the right shift pattern, and a SUPER long shifter cable to work with almost any swap.
Mocked up
Ugly but functional bracket to mount the cable to the trans
Quick spritz of paint in my professional paint booth
Finally, underhood shot of the current state. I also picked up a truck intake to replace the van intake since it has a threaded boss for the beauty cover which I like to run.
I need to finish splicing the cluster harness and bolt down the shifter/console as well as connect the shift cable. There is also an annoying oil leak I can’t seem to find, got it all cleaned up and will try to find the source by running it on the lift.
- Thread Starter
- #42
No, it's perfect. I did need to lop off about 5" from the front of the console with a jigsaw to slide it further forward as it tucks under the dash in the Grand Prix and isn't able to do so in the Vic
mustangman1992
Member
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2021
- Posts
- 16
- Reaction score
- 32
Dude you are really making me regret giving my 04 p71 to the junkyard for 200 bucks.
- Thread Starter
- #46
Got the swap done, turbo kit is ready to be installed, just wondering about fueling as we go forward. I currently have the car roughly tuned on 93 pump gas, but when the turbo is installed I'm wondering if it's worth it to just go to straight E85 for the safety factor. Flex Fuel doesn't seem to be an option since I only have the 2 bar / 3 bar option available for my PCM. Still need to check the hardware #/OS, it's the factory PCM out of a 2004 Express van.
I'm wondering if I should just fill it up with E85 and tune the VE now, so that when I'm done installing the turbo kit I can just work on the boost fueling (PE/BE) and enjoy it. I've never messed with E85 so I'm not familiar with the general ignition and AFR targets. What's a good starting point for 10-14 lbs on E85 for AFR scale on an AEM UEGO, and what can timing start at? I'd just go and read plugs from there to see how it's liking it. This is purely a street car so I'm not looking to wring every ounce out of it, just want a safe fun setup that I can hammer on all the time.
Here's what my '04 Express P59 shows currently - already did the OS swap to a 3 bar.
Looks like Flex Fuel is already present in the tune, just need to enable it and tune VE/timing?
Do I just say fuck it and tune it using the normal VE table and straight E85 all the time? Will the variation in alcohol content with different blends and times of the year cause enough of a difference to affect the tune (cruise/WOT)?
I'm wondering if I should just fill it up with E85 and tune the VE now, so that when I'm done installing the turbo kit I can just work on the boost fueling (PE/BE) and enjoy it. I've never messed with E85 so I'm not familiar with the general ignition and AFR targets. What's a good starting point for 10-14 lbs on E85 for AFR scale on an AEM UEGO, and what can timing start at? I'd just go and read plugs from there to see how it's liking it. This is purely a street car so I'm not looking to wring every ounce out of it, just want a safe fun setup that I can hammer on all the time.
Here's what my '04 Express P59 shows currently - already did the OS swap to a 3 bar.
Looks like Flex Fuel is already present in the tune, just need to enable it and tune VE/timing?
Do I just say fuck it and tune it using the normal VE table and straight E85 all the time? Will the variation in alcohol content with different blends and times of the year cause enough of a difference to affect the tune (cruise/WOT)?
- Thread Starter
- #47
I took a break from the tune stuff and started on the turbo kit itself. Got the crossover all mocked up and tacked, log mounted with a new v-band ring welded right to the inlet. Oil feed and drain are made, need to be connected and secured. The area right in front of the T4 flange is crowded with heater hoses and wiring, so I will most likely be sticking the wastegate right on the housing (at a gradual angle). Pics to come
Turbo just sitting on the log flange. Cold side will be a pain, lots of stuff in the way
Plenty of room for a 3" downpipe, I'm going to cheat it over towards the frame rail to avoid the plug wires and allow easy spark plug access. The log manifold needed a a bunch of deburring and grinding to give some breathing room to the plug boots. I'll have to keep an eye on the wires and see if it burns them.
Turbo just sitting on the log flange. Cold side will be a pain, lots of stuff in the way
Plenty of room for a 3" downpipe, I'm going to cheat it over towards the frame rail to avoid the plug wires and allow easy spark plug access. The log manifold needed a a bunch of deburring and grinding to give some breathing room to the plug boots. I'll have to keep an eye on the wires and see if it burns them.
You make some quick progress on this thing!
which log did you go with?
which log did you go with?
- Thread Starter
- #50
I bought it used off a guy semi-local. It's an offshore cast log, it was cut and the T4 flange lowered but works well for my application. Pic stolen from ebay, just search "LS turbo log"
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