Turbo TA build thread

[ParadigmDawg]

We were old school so we used really big motors and a lot of juice.

Turbos the the way now... lag has basically been eliminated. Lots of guys running smaller turbos to spool them quicker, and then using by-pass valves to keep them spooled all the time. Then instead of having to spool the turbo, the gate just closes and boost is there. Plus traction is such a problem on the low end that a lot of times on the really big stuff you don't want it then. The blades are a lot better now too, more efficient, lighter, stronger, more stable.

Turbo lag was on its last leg when the brains/computers got so cheap.

 

[j_garcia]

All motor pro street is fun to watch though. The old Camaros and 57 Chevys with their noses in the air...very entertaining. I haven't been to a race in a few years. They have the pre-ams here and you can get in for $20 and there's practically nobody there. You can stand within a few feet of most of these guys while they are tuning in the pits and they LIKE to talk to passers by. Sit wherever you want in the stands. Always a fun event.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Our local 1/8 mile track is crazy. One night they had a wheelie contest. Some guys just raised their wheelie bars and some took them off.

I had the street type bars on the Vega that has a solid bar at the top and the leaf spring at the bottom. I removed the solid bar and just let the leaf bend all the way up. It came all the way up, wrapped around the bumper and I had wheel marks on my deck lid! I was defineatly on the bumper.

I kept it all the way up for 79ft and let it slowly come down. I didn't have a clue where it would land.

By the end of the night, 2 cars went over the guardrail in a wheelie and ~10 busted their oil pan all over the track because they set the cars back down too hard.

That's was the last time they had a wheelie contest.

Ok, I can't talk about racing anymore because now I am wanting a car. I am off this thread.

If I can find some more pictures I will post them. I should have some of the Lumina somewhere.

*edit* here is the Lumina. I haven't found the real pictures of it when I had it but it's for sale again.

All motor pro street is fun to watch though. The old Camaros and 57 Chevys with their noses in the air...very entertaining. I haven't been to a race in a few years. They have the pre-ams here and you can get in for $20 and there's practically nobody there. You can stand within a few feet of most of these guys while they are tuning in the pits and they LIKE to talk to passers by. Sit wherever you want in the stands. Always a fun event.

 

[Rowdy S13]

Nothing to exciting to update this weekend, but here it is anyway. We finished pulling all of the un-necessary parts, and lines. Did more work on the shifter mount, but ran out of gas for the welder before I finished. On to the pics!

Started out by turning the car around so we can get to the front easier.

Quick shot under the hood before work started

Having the right tools was key this weekend! This was removing the pedal assembly and the long extension made it a million times easier.

After pulling the brake master cylinder, and the booster. Also the clutch master cylinder is out too.

Up in the air to pull the fuel and brake lines

Here is the pile of **** that got yanked out this weekend and trashed. The top pile is stuff that is going to be modified and put back in.

No more wiper motor/arms. The stock plastic cowl cover is going to go back on.

This picture turned out bad, but this was after everything was pulled out.

Well that is all for this weekend, like I said not too exciting to look at. Now that the last of the tear down stuff is done we can start with the fun part, putting it all back together! Lots of parts came in this week, and the last of them will be here in the next couple of days. Next week should start the more exciting post where it actually looks like we got something done.


Thanks for looking!
Sean

 

[Rowdy S13]

This came today

Sean

 

[GirgleMirt]

What's that? A subwoofer for your car?

Btw, probably lots of car nuts here... I tested a 2007 z4 m last weekend, and was surprised that there was extremely little resistance on the break pedal vs a 'regular' car. Is that normal? Or does it maybe need a little bit of calibration?

To describe it, normally, when you press on the break, you get resistance from the pedal, if you press hard, it'll break hard. On the BMW, almost no resistance at all, so pressing the break pedal expecting the resistance results on the car stopping on a dime and passengers getting thrown forward (as you slammed the breaks...)

Is this a regular race/sports car thing? Make regular/smooth breaking a bit harder than on an everyday car... Just a 5s 0-100km is already crazy... Drag racing really must be something...

 

[haraldo]

What's that? A subwoofer for your car?

Btw, probably lots of car nuts here... I tested a 2007 z4 m last weekend, and was surprised that there was extremely little resistance on the break pedal vs a 'regular' car. Is that normal? Or does it maybe need a little bit of calibration?

To describe it, normally, when you press on the break, you get resistance from the pedal, if you press hard, it'll break hard. On the BMW, almost no resistance at all, so pressing the break pedal expecting the resistance results on the car stopping on a dime and passengers getting thrown forward (as you slammed the breaks...)

Is this a regular race/sports car thing? Make regular/smooth breaking a bit harder than on an everyday car... Just a 5s 0-100km is already crazy... Drag racing really must be something...

The Z4 M is a crazy car, so how was it?

 

[GirgleMirt]

The Z4 M is a crazy car, so how was it?

Crazy By far the fastest car I've driven, so not that much to compare it with sadly... But handling, responsiveness, power... Wow! Power is something. :|

 

[Rowdy S13]

Alright kiddies, this week sees some visible progress finally! Ill just skip to the pictures this time around!

Got the motor back to the house and un-crated (They did an awesome job crating this thing up, as noted by the cradle)

We had to muscle it onto the stand since we don't have a cherry picker, but it all worked out just fine.

Not to exciting, but here is the bottom side

Next on my list of **** to do was getting rid of the clutch pedal. Here is what I started with

Took it apart

Found the two welds that attached the clutch part of the assembly to the rest of what actually bolts into the car

Ground them out

Then just pooped it off and smoothed it all out

 

[Rowdy S13]

And there you have it, no more clutch pedal and it still bolts to the car the same way so no strength has been lost. I will have to make a piece for the brake pedal to hinge on though.

Finally drilled the holes for the shifter mount (on the car side) so we tossed it in there to check it out. Don't mind the baller bolts

While I was doing that, Chris was busy pulling out the rear end so he can take it to get it shortened next week.

So empty

He also cleaned the **** out of the engine bay, and the interior. Then he painted all the bare metal inside to get it all ready for carpet. I wont bother putting pictures of this stuff up. But I will put this one up just because

Saturday morning, and we are ready for carpet! Here is Chris smoothing it out before we got started.

Getting started

 

[Rowdy S13]

Bolted in the shifter for the first time.

It is harder than you think...

This is about as far as the carpet got this weekend, I didn't want to try and tackle the rear bars all alone.

Other than what you see in the pics we finally wrapped up all the small work under the car. All thats left is to clean it which Chris will get done during the week. Next weekend we will start getting the motor together so we can at least get the measurement for push rods. As I said before the rear end is going to Midwest Chassis to get shortened up 3" per side as well. And maybe we can get the carpet finished up so the interior plastics can go back in. Thanks for looking!

Sean

 

[Rowdy S13]

Here we are, week 4 (I think) and shes moving along. I would say that this weekend was full of ups and downs. The plan for this weekend was somewhat simple, finish the carpet (and get the plastics in), assemble the motor as far as we could, and get the rear end narrowed. I guess we will start with the carpet/interior then.

Here is the carpet finished, and the plastics back in

Next up is the brake pedal, if you remember last week I had cut off the clutch pedal. Well that caused one small issue, the bolt that held in the clutch pedal also held in the brake pedal. No big deal, chopped it down, bored a hole and wa-lah a perfect fit spacer!

Toss in a grade 8 bolt, and its all set.

I still have to drill the pedal for the manual master, but then it can go back in the car (next weekend).

Next we will travel down to Midwest Chassis where Eric narrowed the rear end 3" each side. We left to get some food so we missed the cutting part, BUT we came back in time for safety 101

Here is the chunk he chopped off

The new end

Welding it up

All done and back home

 

[Rowdy S13]

Close up of the welds

We have to send the axles back to Moser to get narrowed, so no pictures of it all finished.

On to the good stuff, the motor!!! Chris had installed the heads during the week, so this is how we started out this weekend.

Put the rockers in, and marked the valves so we could measure for push rod length

Thats when problem #1 came up. We bent the push rod checker and it got wedged in the motor, so we had to pull the head off. At least I was able to take some pictures then

Nice crosshatching

Artsy motor shot

Artsy valve spring shot

Artsy head shot

 

[Rowdy S13]

Chamber pic

OK now that that is over with, head back on and torqued, and the valley cover installed

Front cover, crank pulley, and valve covers on

Water pump on, and the start of problem #2

Because of the way the turbo kit is built (using forward facing truck manifolds) the alternator had to be located on the top side of the motor. Since that is all we have left to run a belt to, the water pump is directly in the way. So it came right back off and boxed back up. We are not 100% set on a solution yet, but we will get it figured out.

Moving on, here is a picture of the motor as we left it for the weekend.

Thats all for this installment, as always thanks for looking!

Sean

 

[CaliHwyPatrol]

Cool project! What's going on with the 5.Slow over in the corner?

 

[Rowdy S13]

Thanks! That is down at the Chassis shop, but he is getting a cage and mini tubs. I believe he runs in NMRA with it.

Sean

 

[Davemcc]

Since the water pump is electric, there's no special reason it still has to be mounted on the engine. Technically, you could mount it on the fender and run a couple of water hoses to the block. Just thinkin' out loud.

 

[MidnightSensi]

Since the water pump is electric, there's no special reason it still has to be mounted on the engine. Technically, you could mount it on the fender and run a couple of water hoses to the block. Just thinkin' out loud.

Then you have to carry extra weight in hose, weight/water in the hose and more pressure drop through the system.

That's like 4 pico-seconds, jeeeezzzz.

 

[Rowdy S13]

We are going to a remote mount pump. It is probably lighter since you dont have alll the extra material.

Sean

 

[Rowdy S13]

Just one pic this weekend.

Sean