well the camaro is done other then some odds and ends that i will take care of in the spring time so its onto my next project

daily driver 92 silverado 2500 4x4 the original 4.3 v6 has been swaped for a L98 motor tpi and all with around 25K miles on it.

the goal is here is not to build as much power as possible im going for lots of tq and great fuel milage
this motor very raley sees over 4k rpms i think ive only taken it that high once in first gear pulling out onto the highway

the plan is going to be twin t3 50 trim turbos in a mid mount configuration
large fmic and methinjection so i can run mid grade gas except for towing which i expect this thing to be in boost 60% of the time ill run the good stuff

im going to have to play with turbine sizing but im going to start with .48 housings this should give off idle boost and loads of tq and choke the motor above 4,500

relistically id be happy with 250 rwhp and 400-450+ ftlbs out of this thing


the only thing i dont know is what transmission is in the truck i have to take a closer look at it the gear lever is marked L-1-2-3-(od)- r
im assuming its a t5 with a granny gear does anyone know for sure ???

 

send some your time and $$$ this way lol. j/k. not sure which trans they put in the full size pickups but if its a borgwarner/tremec T5 you would be able to easily identify it by looking at the case. if it is theres a tag iirc on the pass side on the tailshaft housing that will identify which gearset is inside it, whether its NWC or WC. pics maybe too? HTH

 

im going to take a better look at it here in a few days as the truck has 100k on it so i gota go threw and replace anything that might be tierd and worn, ill prolly give the transfer case a good once over though this truck has spent most of its life in 2wd so im pretty sure the xfer case is fine

the truck is nice though at 85mph in od/5th gear the truck crusies about 2600 rpm and the l98 has alot of grunt down low but its not enough i wanna be able to pull/tow anything with it or do 4wheel burnouts at will lmao

 

not a t5,its a nv4500 with the following gearset
Gearing: 6.34, 3.44, 1.71, 1, .73, R

 

Ohh lordy lordy lordy <insert Jack Tripper's voice>...

 

a few months back our old niebors/friends got a really good job and we used to lend them the car all the time so he could get to work.once we got the truck all fixed up we decided to let them use the truck under a few conditions

#1 they pay for insurance on the truck
#2 they take care of the general maitnience i.e tires oil changes tuneup etc etc
#3 anything they break they fix
#4 anytime we need the truck to haul something we take the truck and leave them the car

a month ago we needed to pick up furnature from cedar city but they didnt want to give us back the truck and started making exscuses then finally said well meet u guys up there and pick the stuff up for u


now at the time i found this to be a lil wierd as to why they would drive the 55 miles each way to do this but they did it so i didnt think anyrthing more of it

then a 2 weeks before xmas we told them we would need the truck on xmas since we had some rather large gifts to take to cedar and also bring some back.then they started to make exscuses again why they couldnt give us the truck and take the car.

we flat out told them they didnt have a choice so they droped it

day before xmas we go pick up the truck we goto there house drop off the car and they tell us btw the steering colum broke"the tilt" but were getting that fixed

so now im thinking this whole time the colum was broke and they didnt tell us and they didnt plan on telling us.

so i get the truck home and look it over they never did the tuneup just an oil change even though we told them when we gave them the truck a few months back it had to have at minimum plugs,cap and rotor done.

no big deal its only a few bucks for the parts so ill let that slide.

fast foward to today

im gomming back from the gas station on the far end of town when i see the truck go past missing the passengerside headlight and grill with the bumper all twisted.
so i run back home grab my gf and go back the way they were going, i figure they were either going to the gas station the highway or the only repair shop on that side of town.

i see the truck witht he hood up infront of a service bay at the garage so i pull in behind the truck and they both finally see me there and i see his wife look down and mutter the "f" word.

i knew right then and there they had no intentions of ever telling us they hit a deer with the truck.
so i get out of the car take a look at the damage on the truck

grill,bumper,headlight assembly, passenger fender ac condensor, and possible radiator support

at this point i walk up and say once this is fixed were taking the truck back and they got an attitude with us, at this point i want to punch him in the face but i didnt and just got back in the car and drove away.

now at this point im really mad specially since they had to drive directly past our house to goto the garage and they couldnt stop to tell us what happened. which btw they claimed happened this afternoon and i saw the truck at around 2pm.claimed they hit a deer which they did.

now my gf was talking to them on the phone the night before and they were stupid drunk, i have a feeling they took the truck out while drunk and hit the deer which pisses me off even more.

and the reason i think so is beacuse all the bloood and fur on the truck was dry as can be u could tell it didnt just happen

anyways one of the guys from napa was up at the shop when they brought the truck to delivering parts and had seen me show up and get pissed and leave,so when i walked into napa to get some odds and ends for the iroc he asked me about it and i tld him it was our truck, then he tells me whell they only ordered a new headlight/grill and fender for the truck

thats not going to fly with me they need to fix it the right way and give the truck back in the same condition it was loaned to them

so now im stuck on what to do to i tell them it needs to goto a different shop to be fixed, take it to court etc

and the biggest thing that pisses me off is they tried to hide the damage as well

ill say one thing i will never lend a viechal to anyone ever again

 

wow that really blows, cant trust anyone

on a side note, i wouldnt drive anything i couldnt fix or replace. a few years ago a friend of mine leant me his car after i was T boned, i was on orders and didnt have wheels to get to work. i made sure the car had a tuneup, oil change, washed and waxed, overall better condition then i got it.

 

You got them by the ***** Dave, their word against yours, and if they are not under your insurance plan as drivers for specified vehicle then you can tell the insuarance company that the vehicle was taken from you without your knowledge. I'm sure they'll come around as far as fixing things for you, because they will not want to deal with grand theft auto...

 

add core suppor5t and fan shroud to the list along with a bunch of light pigtails







they are paying for the repairs so all in all not to bad,but they did tell us they lied about when it happened and they did do it while they were drunk.but im sure as hell not giving them the truck back once its fixed

 

It just shows no one respects the help they're given. They should be grateful to have you as a friend.

Back to topic... Any updates?!!

 

You can easily beat those #s with a NA 383 TPI with a bone stock top end (manifold/runners/plenum/throttle body). Just build a stout long block & toss your top end on there, then tune.

 

not really trucks still in the shop, they havent even begun the repairs yet, other then that junkyard called me a few days ago and told me they had a pair of matching t3 volvo turbos, i need to run that way on tuesday so ill stop by the junkyard and see if they are 50 trim turbos or not, more then likley they are 45trims but even those should still work for what i need.

other then that im trying to decide what oil scavenge pump im going to buy

i think even a 383 would be hard pressed to put down 450-500 rwtq with semi decent heads let alone a set of l98's, even if it could the turbo motor motor will get way better gas milage

 

I did say long block, so obviously the heads were changed. How does 410hp/501ft lbs a strike you?

Turbos are better suited for high RMP & high HP, than bottom end torque. Not saying they can't do it, just that there are cheaper/easier ways.

 

no way man. you can put small turbos on that thing to make 700ft lbs if you wanted to. my issue with a turbocharged tow rig is the fuel economy. if you are making lots of torque youll be using lots of fuel.
personally i would do an old 12 valve cummins for a cheap tow rig. or, maybe a 454/8.1 liter for an easier swap.

or buy my '99 silverado 2500. 6.0L 2wd.... $5k.

 

i dont do much towing, that may change though if i can pick up a cheap trailer to put the camaro on. id rather tow the car to the track then drive it 200 miles each way.

trucks just basically a driver though,grocery shopping,running around town, once in a while i head up the mountian to the shooting range or hunting grounds, and the ocaisional call from somone who needs something hauled.

the turbos should help with the intown and cruising gas milage but i do agreee when towing or hauling something heavy gas milage will go down

 

i dont see how the turbos could help with cruising economy either? if there is indeed a way, please let me know so i can fix my turbo pt cruiser. it does not get good gas mileage at all. gets around 18-20 around town. like the car, but i want to get the wife into something more economical/mechanic friendly asap.

 

its not just the turbos, gota gear the truck right and tune it for lean cruise etc.
the turbos do help the motor become a lil more efficient even when not in boost.

irc the pt cruiser has a way undersized turbo which wouold actually hurt the thing going down the highway. whats the thing have for vacum when cruising ?

 

i think it is fully spooled by the time it gets to the end of the driveway. any kind of load or incline whatsoever puts it in the boost.

 

have the turbine blades clipped, with the thing spooled all the time is why gas milage hurts it so bad

that has the turbo were the turbine housing is built into the manifold dont it

 

Didnt read all of your thread but you got a 1992 chevy and want mileage and power. Get yourself a 4 cyl turbo diesl you might beable to fit a straight 6 but rad becomes a prob. I have a 1988 short box chevy lumber wagon (straight axle) on 36s with a 4 cyl turbo mitsubishi with a plate i fabbed to hook it to the 700r4 runs on home heating oil at 3 bucks a gallon and gets 30 mpg if i stay outa the turbo. If you need power just turn up the boost in somthing similar.

 

If the DOT catches you running non-emission fuel that is going to be a big fine which will negate any savings you get over the life of that truck.

What does that 4 cyl turbo diesel run in the 1/4 mile? Small diesels are great for getting you where you want to go if you don't mind taking for ever to get there. The make decent torque but zero HP, and HP is what gets you someplace in X amount of time.

I was trying to make the decision years ago weather to do a 4B turbo install in my truck or put turbos on the 305ci. After running a lot of numbers I went with the turbo 305. It gets 15-20 mpg, 360 BHP under 4600 RPM, 480 ft/lbs torque around 3000 RPM. I am happy I went with the gas turbo. All the real world Cummins 4BT data I have come across only averages about 17-19 MPG. Not much better than my gas job.

No glow plugs or plugging in during the winter. No worry about gelled fuel. Extremely quiet.

I like how you fabbed your own trans adapter. Got any pictures of it?

 

Tiny engines that run off of boost all the time because they need the HP will burn as much or more than a larger NA engine. There is no way of getting around that. If you put a bigger turbo on it then MPG will increase, but then there will be lag complaints because it will be a dog most of the time. The manufacturers put small turbos on them on purpose because "gone are the days of turbo lag".

 

The MPG is decent because the engine is out of boost most of the time. When towing or performance driving the MPG goes down. The MPG is worlds better than driving a 6.0+ liter as a daily driver. It will also make more HP than the 6.0+ when needed.

 

I don't think you can beat $1,500 bucks for a complete turbo setup including new injectors, giant intercooler, mufflers, exhaust pipes, every nut & bolt cost, etc. One a bone stock 305 TPI that makes 480 ft/lb, and 360 HP at 4600 RPM. Put a $100 cam in it and it will far exceed the 410hp/501 ft/lb.

Homemade turbo $ per HP can't be beat. N2O holds its own at lower HP levels but loses out in the end.

 

i was looking at step vans a couple years back (a.k.a. bread trucks/ups trucks) and im thinking the ones with the 4bt engines would get around 17-18mpg. should get well into the 20's in a 3/4 ton pickup. a 6bt in a 3/4 ton dodge gets around 21-22.

 

You are probably right. I did the same thing looking into the 4BT but I couldn't image hoping to hit the minimum 45 MPH while towing something down the highway. I think the 6BT or gasser 305/350ci with turbo is the only way to go.

 

you can turn up the 4bt like the 6bt. it just has 2 less cylinders. in my mind, a turbo gas engine is not a good setup for towing. with some weight back there, you'll be making full boost the entire time. i know my 6.0 gets 12mpg pulling the car on an open trailer. if i had a turbo setup on there it would probably be half that. power would be great im sure, but i wouldnt be able to afford it.
my new tow rig is an '06 gmc 3500 with a duramax. shooting for 17mpg towing with a ~50-75hp tune.

 

Ford Ecoboost pickups do well and they have a twin turbo v6. Turbos are tiny as well but it gets decent mileage they say

 

it doesnt get v6 mileage while towing from what i have heard and read.

 

milage isnt to bad while towing but its not great eiither on the ecoboost

 

Diggler get a agp waste gate accuater for the pt cruizer . the stock wastegates just sux . a electonic boost controller will really help that also . on a side not with the agp wga you should be able to turn the boost up to 18 -20 . i was running 22 lbs in my srt4 with the agp wga an no fuel upgrades . me a/f was at 11.4 .

a 50 trim is the way to go tho on that dodge motor .

 

only thing i wanna do is sell it. i bought it with a burned exhaust valve and that thing is a royal p.i.t.a. to work on. since i am the one that has to fix our cars, i don't ever want to dig into it again. it's been a good car, rides good, drives good, but i want the wife to drive something easier to work on. lol

 

If you want a turbocharged TPI truck... go for it, if you want something practical to use as a truck... probably not your best choice.

The simple reason that a diesel makes more sense in this application is that they tolerate heat better and detonation isn't an issue. A small turbo and gas = boost early on, and that = heat and increasing cylinder pressure before the torque peak also makes the engine more detonation sensitive, even without the heat. You also end up with a drivetrain combination that is a bit of a pain to drive, as soon as you touch the pedal you build boost and it starts moving, as soon as you let go you start slowing down.

Funny thing is that if you really wanted to do what you're doing with it and wanted to do a gas engine, a TBI would probably be a better choice- better MPG, better low end, and spraying the fuel further upstream will have a bit of an intercooling affect helping dealing with the problems. The usual TBI + boost problem, not enough fuel shouldn't be an issue with the low HP numbers your hoping for.

 

i dont think low boost is going to be an issue at all,i live dam near 6k ft above sea level so the first 4-5 psi is just to get me back to what the motor would make at sea level anyways.

i just ordered a set of wastegates with 8 psi springs for now

funny thing is i have a tbi setup and i even thought about ditching the tpi for the tbi.


i still dont have the truck back from the shop yet so we will see what happens

 

i was thinking the tpi would make a great towing engine myself... and i haven't thought about the altitude aspect of turbocharging a tow rig.... makes it sound a little better.

 

Just look at what the callaway b2k vettes put down for power. 350hp I believe but the torque was over 530lbs I believe. Just stupid power from 4500 rpm motor. I would think that would make a great tow rig when the power is needed. For the same reason my buddy is adding a small single turbo to his new truck to help tow the twin turbo race truck That truck already has a 6 liter I believe, but a turbo will help even more

 

Your builds are always awesome. I'm subscribing.

 

I agree about the towing. If you need a truck that tows a heavy load 90% of the time then go with a turbo diesel. If you need a truck that tows a heavy load 10% of the time then go with small turbos on a gas engine.
I don't think there will be much of a difference between the TBI and TPI output. I prefer TPI because of the fuel injector options and ease of making an intake pipe to the throttle body. The TBI has roughly 255 ft lbs at 2400 and the TPI has 285 ft lbs at 3200 RPM. Way down low the TBI has the advantage, but when is the last time anyone has said that a TPI is a top end intake? Either one would be great for a tow rig coupled with small turbos.

 

post up your friends results once he does his truck. i would be interested in fuel consumption #'s with the turbo 6 liter while towing. mine gets 12mpg pulling the car on a long trip. thats around $70 to go 250 miles. thats why i got the duramax. btw, i pulled mine home with a '08 duramax dually. i loaded mine on a 6,000 lb dual tandem trailer. total weight was somewhere around 13,500lb. that truck had a 75hp tune in it and i wound up getting 13mpg running 65mph the whole way. pulled wicked good too, i hope mine will do the same. (i bought it with a broke crank)

 

Callaway built one heck of a TT TPI back in the day, and they kicked @ss on the highway, too...

 

That is pretty much what I expected out of a stock 350 TPI at 8 to 10 PSI. They pull surprising well. With a big aftercooler detonation isn't a problem. I run a 4"+ thick that takes up the whole front end. I wouldn't go smaller than the biggest 4" thick ebay IC. I also monitor the oil temps at the pan and have seen up to 230* F, but I have also seen that in other turbo engines in cars. Oh yeah, it has a trans and engine oil cooler too.

Boost that engine. You'll love it for towing, and the stock characteristics for driving around town.

 

... just had to throw in another vid of the TT Callaway annihilating out on the highway;