So how much will a turbo conversion cost me?

[Colvette]

I wanna do it as cheap as possible (but properly!!), so what will it cost? I'm also happy just to achieve a decent boost of power, but not to gain everything I could, but to be able to "expand" the system at a later date.

I assume I don't have to go "balls out" and have a twin turbo, yeah? A single turbo running from one of the banks of cylinders should be able to produce some decent boost, no?

Also, what else do I need?

Intercooler - of course,
Bigger Injectors?
Lowered compression?
New pistons?

Any information anyone can give me is much appreciated as always.

Col.

[malc350]

Col, you can't just turbocharge one bank!!!

Nige (vetteheadracer) is the one to ask. Come down to Jeal's Saturday when Nigel will be bringing 383 stroker kit and twin turbo kits in quite a few boxes...

[Colvette]

malc350 said:

Col, you can't just turbocharge one bank!!! Nige (vetteheadracer) is the one to ask. Come down to Jeal's Saturday when Nigel will be bringing 383 stroker kit and twin turbo kits in quite a few boxes...

There are a few guys on the Corvette forum running only one turbocharger - I didn't mean to charge only one bank (surely that's an engineering impossibility, as there is only one air-intake?), but to just run a turbocharger from one bank's exhaust - essentially meaning that the car was a single turbo?

Unfortunately I can't make it on saturday - My car is off having a "nose job". Shame about the timing...

[Boosted LS1]

Col,

In case you don't already know this, they power 1 turbo using the exhaust gasses from both engine banks. In other words both exhausts join before the turbo via a link pipe under the engine. They then blow upwards into the singler turbo.

[Colvette]

Boosted LS1 said:

Col, In case you don't already know this, they power 1 turbo using the exhaust gasses from both engine banks. In other words both exhausts join before the turbo via a link pipe under the engine. They then blow upwards into the singler turbo.

Boy that sounds messy. Doesn't that mean the turbo would be under the engine?

[ZR1427]

BoostedLS1,dont want to hijack this thread but have you ever ,dont laugh Turbocharged a 1.8cvh

[ws6]

this guy seems to know what he's talking about

www.chevroletls1.com/ls1prices_offer.html I've spoken to him re: single/dual turbo for my LS1..

Also the LS1, with the LS6 intake manifold / injectors take quite well to "dry" N2O set-up. There are bolt-on kits specifically for the LS1 made by NOS and TNT. Just choose your nozel size to give 50,100,150,200 + bhp

[Boosted LS1]

Colvette said:

Boosted LS1 said: Col, In case you don't already know this, they power 1 turbo using the exhaust gasses from both engine banks. In other words both exhausts join before the turbo via a link pipe under the engine. They then blow upwards into the singler turbo. Boy that sounds messy. Doesn't that mean the turbo would be under the engine?

No, the gasses from one engine bank blow downwards via the stock header pipe and cross under the bellhousing then enter upwards into the opposite engine exhaust header (usually a custom jobbie). They mix with the exhaust gasses exiting the head and have nowhere to go except upwards, which just happens to be where you've placed your turbo

[Boosted LS1]

ZR1427 said:

BoostedLS1,dont want to hijack this thread but have you ever ,dont laugh Turbocharged a 1.8cvh

Done a few zetecs and ZVH conversions. Usually I just prep/build the bottom ends. I'll give you any advice I can if you want it. I'm more into the ls1's at the moment

WS6, that's my url .

[vetteheadracer]

The kit I have bought came from a company called Turbo Technology Inc. and it is being fitted by JPE (Jeal Performance Engineering). The kit comprises the twin turbos, a single intercooler (this is an upgrade from the twin intercooler setup), fuel injectors, additional fuel pump. I have also bought a 383 stroker kit with dished pistons, forged rods, new crank etc. and most importantly a set of upgrade head gaskets!

I have also uprated the radiator and also the clutch to cope with the additional BHP.

[ws6]

Boosted LS1 said:

WS6, that's my url .

Still want my spare rattly LS1 ? Or should I let you loose on it and get you to do the whole twin turbo thingy ??

[ZR1427]

Boosted LS1 said:

ZR1427 said: BoostedLS1,dont want to hijack this thread but have you ever ,dont laugh Turbocharged a 1.8cvh Done a few zetecs and ZVH conversions. Usually I just prep/build the bottom ends. I'll give you any advice I can if you want it. I'm more into the ls1's at the moment WS6, that's my url .

Thanks Boosted.

[Boosted LS1]

ws6 said:

Boosted LS1 said: WS6, that's my url . Still want my spare rattly LS1 ? Or should I let you loose on it and get you to do the whole twin turbo thingy ??

Sure, I'll have it but it will take ages to find out which was the rattly part now it's in pieces and it can't be reused until the duff parts been binned Still, I've got new blocks here so you ought to go the whole turbo thingy IMHO

[ws6]

thought you'd say that

I'm sure it's just a cylinder bore tolerance, It rand very well before I took it out and has only covered 7K !!!!

Or I might make one of these with it

[vetteheadracer]

I want one of those coffee tables! They look cool.

[z064life]

vetteheadracer said:

I want one of those coffee tables! They look cool.

Wouldn't mind one, either.

Cerra did offer a single turbo kit but I've heard a lot of bad stories about them and I don't know if they still offer the kit or are still even in business.

[Boosted LS1]

Thing with those coffee tables is the LS1 versions look so much cooler I can do them, how much demand is there? What price would be reasonable for an LS1 table?

As for the ls1 turbo situation there is an important initial decision to make:

If it's in a GM body your probably better off keeping the stock ecu and using LS1 edit or similar to re-map it for a low boost system and keep it all simple.

If it's a non GM body or high boost engine then you should build from scratch and use a DTA/Motec or similar. You will need a different crank trigger wheel preferably internal as stock.

[Colvette]

Boosted LS1 said:

Thing with those coffee tables is the LS1 versions look so much cooler I can do them, how much demand is there? What price would be reasonable for an LS1 table? As for the ls1 turbo situation there is an important initial decision to make: If it's in a GM body your probably better off keeping the stock ecu and using LS1 edit or similar to re-map it for a low boost system and keep it all simple. If it's a non GM body or high boost engine then you should build from scratch and use a DTA/Motec or similar. You will need a different crank trigger wheel preferably internal as stock.

But doesn't that mean that the engine will only be able to reach a certain level of tune? Is the GM ECU usable with a forced induction engine at high boost, or is it only for use with an NA engine?

[Boosted LS1]

Colvette said:

As for the ls1 turbo situation there is an important initial decision to make: If it's in a GM body your probably better off keeping the stock ecu and using LS1 edit or similar to re-map it for a low boost system and keep it all simple. If it's a non GM body or high boost engine then you should build from scratch and use a DTA/Motec or similar. You will need a different crank trigger wheel preferably internal as stock.

But doesn't that mean that the engine will only be able to reach a certain level of tune? Is the GM ECU usable with a forced induction engine at high boost, or is it only for use with an NA engine?[/quote]


Yes. When I looked into this I concluded that if your going to be using a lot of boost then you needed the ecu and engine for the job. Several years ago nobody had really cracked the GM ecu apart from the aussies and LS1 Edit etc couldn't make huge changes. Also, the ls1 has a MAP sensor but I doubt that it's 3 bar. It also has MAF but MAP's better. If you use high boost and a retrofit ecu you can have a 3 bar MAP sensor as the primary input and use wide band lambda's as well. It's all tricky stuff with the stock management. Also, you can't use a lot of boost if your c/r's over 10:1 so the engine is already limited to a low boost set up. The good news is that even 4-5 psi will make 450 plus at the tyres on these engines

I need to check what progress has been made with Edit, Auto Tap and Diablo.

[stevieturbo]

There are plenty of people with big power builds in the US, still using LS1-Edit.
That includes cars with over 700bhp.

Check this forum.

www.ls1tech.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9

It takes ages to load on my dial up though for some reason. very slow site.