any car buffs?

[darkwing]

Anybody here into modifying or fixing up cars? I just put a STS turbo system (www.ststurbo.com) on my 2006 Pontiac GTO over the weekend. It was a big job but it sure is fun. I have to take it easy for a bit until I get the software tuning all dialed in, and then the intercooler goes on in a few weeks.

With the intercooler and 5 psi the car should make around 470 horsepower at the wheels. With 7 psi it's up to about 520. The coolest thing of all is that my fuel economy under normal cruising is up about 3 mpg according to the car's fuel economy estimator.

 

[Heb1228]

You'll probably find most of the car fans around this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/114245/

Sounds like some nice stuff you did to the GTO, I bet its fun to drive.

 

[Zeke]

That's pretty slick. How much was the turbo kit? I've rebuilt engines and modified them for power (cams, heads, etc...) but never installed turbos (old engines). I would like to do this on a car I get in the future though...that'd be pretty awesome.

 

[darkwing]

That's pretty slick. How much was the turbo kit? I've rebuilt engines and modified them for power (cams, heads, etc...) but never installed turbos (old engines). I would like to do this on a car I get in the future though...that'd be pretty awesome.

I got the kit for $5000 which included the custom tuning stuff I have to go back and forth with them on. The injectors were another $480. I had to put bigger fuel injectors in so it could handle the fuel supply under high rpm/max boost. What's funny is if you baby the car mileage seems to go up, and if you hammer on it, it goes down. The turbo makes for a really nice all around daily driver, though. Keeping my foot out of it makes a great sound (can hear the turbo whine instantly) while yielding good gas mileage for a v8 car (after a couple weeks of driving I'll know the real numbers) and good reliability. Hammering on it a lot will probably ruin the motor, as it has a 10.9:1 compression ratio. 5 psi = 55 more psi inside.

And to think the poor car doesn't even have 2000 miles on it yet.

I had to go to a muffler shop this morning to fix a pipe clearance issue and they had a nice 69 camaro there with a motor that was so loud I had to plug my ears. They have the exhaust out of it, as it turns out, because they're swapping out the auto for a more modern 6 speed manual. They're also putting powered disc brakes all around. Neat stuff.

 

[Transeau]

Nice!

Boost Rules! I have a 2003 VW Bora GTI (Yes, it's really an imported Jetta)
1.8L 20 Valve Turbo running 18psi on an K04 turbo. Not quite the same power you are making now, but 237hp / 322tq at the wheels - enough to toss off the Civic and stock mustang gt's.

 

[darkwing]

Nice!

Boost Rules! I have a 2003 VW Bora GTI (Yes, it's really an imported Jetta)
1.8L 20 Valve Turbo running 18psi on an K04 turbo. Not quite the same power you are making now, but 237hp / 322tq at the wheels - enough to toss off the Civic and stock mustang gt's.

Transeau, well you did it another way. Lighter car and lots of boost! I admit the boost bug is biting me bad... I want to lower the compression ratio to 9:1 with forged pistons and run 15 psi someday... new fuel pump, and upgrade my Garrett T04/E to a GT something or other. I'm basically done with the car for now, though. I am going to put the intercooler in in a few weeks, and change the wastegate spring to make 5 psi with the intercooler (as you lose boost pressure in it, as I'm sure you know) and then I'm not going to do anything else. Maybe some stiffer sway bars to but down on the 3700 pound (without my large self in it) car's body roll.

I bet your VW is about 1000 pounds less than mine at least, right?

18 psi is killer. What was it stock?

 

[darkwing]

You'll probably find most of the car fans around this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/114245/

Sounds like some nice stuff you did to the GTO, I bet its fun to drive.

I missed yours earlier. Yes it is fun to drive. I'm all giddy with it. The sound it makes is beyond amazing.

 

[quagmire]

Ausser( Australian Ricer instead of modding Japanese cars ). Seriously cool mod to the LS2 powered GTO. I am a car buff when it comes to know about cars themselves. Not exactly keen on the modding though. It is pretty obvious that I have a bias towards GM.

 

[Transeau]

I bet your VW is about 1000 pounds less than mine at least, right?

18 psi is killer. What was it stock?

I WISH! hahaha it's 3800 without me! It is a heavy beast! It's a full steel tube frame, not your normal import crap... But the added torque makes it full lighter.

As for boost - the Stock US Jetta (2003) is 11psi on a K03s turbo, the Stock German Bora (2003) is 5psi on a K04 turbo.

It's by no means one of the fastest on the road, but it moves quite well.

 

[darkwing]

I WISH! hahaha it's 3800 without me! It is a heavy beast! It's a full steel tube frame, not your normal import crap... But the added torque makes it full lighter.

As for boost - the Stock US Jetta (2003) is 11psi on a K03s turbo, the Stock German Bora (2003) is 5psi on a K04 turbo.

It's by no means one of the fastest on the road, but it moves quite well.

I bet it does. What kind of fuel economy do you normally get? This morning I drove to work with the first of the new software in the car based on my LTFT (long term fuel trim) feedback to STS. With the cruise on 70 mph the car said I was getting 30.4 mpg, and normally I'd get about 24.5! If this is accurate I'm going to have to start loving life. That's beyond amazing.

Since things looked ok I took it up to about 5000 rpm this morning in 2nd gear. When the car gets up to about 3300 rpm or so (full boost hits around 3000) you get sucked right back into your seat. It's pretty darn amazing. And amusing.

Yours sounds like it moves pretty good. Will it keep up with a stock Mustang GT? A later model?

 

[darkwing]

Ausser( Australian Ricer instead of modding Japanese cars ). Seriously cool mod to the LS2 powered GTO. I am a car buff when it comes to know about cars themselves. Not exactly keen on the modding though. It is pretty obvious that I have a bias towards GM.

Yeah I know it's built in Australia. Hey, my last two cars... a 99 WS6 trans am (stock, with 130k miles on it when traded in!) and a 97 Camaro Z-28 (cam, powerdyne 6.5 psi blower, strange 12-bolt rear end, suspension all around) were built in Canada. Global economy or something like that.

I hear the Camaro is coming back in 08, and the GTO may be its sister car. I'll stick with what I have. It's fun and I'll never get over the sound the blowoff valve makes when I shift it. Pa-sheww!

 

[Transeau]

I bet it does. What kind of fuel economy do you normally get? This morning I drove to work with the first of the new software in the car based on my LTFT (long term fuel trim) feedback to STS. With the cruise on 70 mph the car said I was getting 30.4 mpg, and normally I'd get about 24.5! If this is accurate I'm going to have to start loving life. That's beyond amazing.

Since things looked ok I took it up to about 5000 rpm this morning in 2nd gear. When the car gets up to about 3300 rpm or so (full boost hits around 3000) you get sucked right back into your seat. It's pretty darn amazing. And amusing.

Yours sounds like it moves pretty good. Will it keep up with a stock Mustang GT? A later model?

you know, I haven't tried against a newer mustang. I would bet that I could hang. If nothing else - I'd loose him in the corners.

fuel economy is great. 30~35 highway and 19~26 city. Both depend greatly on how heavy my foot gets. The boost is addicting, so it's normally in the lower range.

 

[darkwing]

you know, I haven't tried against a newer mustang. I would bet that I could hang. If nothing else - I'd loose him in the corners.

fuel economy is great. 30~35 highway and 19~26 city. Both depend greatly on how heavy my foot gets. The boost is addicting, so it's normally in the lower range.

That's what I'm worried about... well I have to kill the mileage a bit driving it in the 2000-2500 rpm range to let the new software learn the fuel stuff, and then maybe I'll be able to boost it a bit on the freeway. Gotta keep an eye on the knock retard. I have a computer scanner that I look at data with while I drive to make sure it's all tuned right. My WOT boost O2 levels are very important, too. Fun stuff.

 

[cycocelica]

I love cars, more than macs. Sounds like you have quiet the beast there. That would be a great car to drive. I personally do not like Pontiacs, and the GTO never appealed to me but great job on the install. The handling was just not there for me. I hope to some day install a turbo of my own, I just have to find a car that I really want to do it on. Anyways, way to go.

 

[quagmire]

Yeah I know it's built in Australia. Hey, my last two cars... a 99 WS6 trans am (stock, with 130k miles on it when traded in!) and a 97 Camaro Z-28 (cam, powerdyne 6.5 psi blower, strange 12-bolt rear end, suspension all around) were built in Canada. Global economy or something like that.

I hear the Camaro is coming back in 08, and the GTO may be its sister car. I'll stick with what I have. It's fun and I'll never get over the sound the blowoff valve makes when I shift it. Pa-sheww!

It wasn't an insult to you for not supporting American jobs. I love GM. I was just taking a little punch at you. haha I really don't care where my car is built. As long as it is reliable and has quality. If it is built in the U.S, that is great, but I don't really care. My Chevy Equinox was built in Canada and my Chevy Suburban was built in the U.S. So hey, go Global economy. The Camaro is coming in '09 as a '10 MY from what I am hearing from a person who knows an insider. The GTO is confirmed to be coming back and will most likely be built in the Ontario Assembly plant that currently builds the W-Bodies(Impala, Monte, Grand Prix, etc) along with the other Zeta vehicles( Camaro, the next Impala, a supposed Buick sedan, and the G8 which replaces the Grand Prix).

 

[darkwing]

I love cars, more than macs. Sounds like you have quiet the beast there. That would be a great car to drive. I personally do not like Pontiacs, and the GTO never appealed to me but great job on the install. The handling was just not there for me. I hope to some day install a turbo of my own, I just have to find a car that I really want to do it on. Anyways, way to go.

I think the GTO handles great, but I am comparing it to a WS6 trans am. It feels like a much smaller car.

 

[darkwing]

It wasn't an insult to you for not supporting American jobs. I love GM. I was just taking a little punch at you. haha I really don't care where my car is built. As long as it is reliable and has quality. If it is built in the U.S, that is great, but I don't really care. My Chevy Equinox was built in Canada and my Chevy Suburban was built in the U.S. So hey, go Global economy. The Camaro is coming in '09 as a '10 MY from what I am hearing from a person who knows an insider. The GTO is confirmed to be coming back and will most likely be built in the Ontario Assembly plant that currently builds the W-Bodies(Impala, Monte, Grand Prix, etc) along with the other Zeta vehicles( Camaro, the next Impala, a supposed Buick sedan, and the G8 which replaces the Grand Prix).

I know you weren't chiding me, I was just saying basically the same thing you are. Though I prefer to support Americans in general... so in this case GM gets some money, and some aussies get the work... or in the case of say a Civic, Honda gets some money but they build them here in the US. So it's all fine.

New Camaros next Tuesday?

 

[quagmire]

I know you weren't chiding me, I was just saying basically the same thing you are. Though I prefer to support Americans in general... so in this case GM gets some money, and some aussies get the work... or in the case of say a Civic, Honda gets some money but they build them here in the US. So it's all fine.

New Camaros next Tuesday?

The thing is though, Americans want to support America. Yet when they buy Toyota and Honda, sure their car was built by an American, but guess what? Most of the money goes to Japan. When they buy a GM, sure they could of gotten some of the models that are built in Canada( mainly to dodge the UAW contracts), but a meager of your money goes to Canada. Most of it stays here in America.

 

[CompUser]

I love cars and I really love the sounds of turbo chargers.

My dad has a 2003 Land Rover Discovery SE-7. Light as a feather with a curb weight of 4,630 pounds. It's 217hp pushrod 4.6lv8 (designed by buick in the 1960s) pushes out 300lbs of torque at 2,600mph. It is rather snappy, accelerating 0-60 in a mere 9.5 seconds (its actually much better than the previous generations) . Its high body profile and 10" of ground clearance make it ideal for flipping over and poor handling.

Its sporty all right.


Well, not really but I still love that car.

It is high time for his midlife crisis car.

 

[Transeau]

I love cars and I really love the sounds of turbo chargers.

Mmmmmmmm nothing better than 18psi blowing off though an HSK SSQV Blowoff in a tunnel! Ppsssssst

 

[darkwing]

The thing is though, Americans want to support America. Yet when they buy Toyota and Honda, sure their car was built by an American, but guess what? Most of the money goes to Japan. When they buy a GM, sure they could of gotten some of the models that are built in Canada( mainly to dodge the UAW contracts), but a meager of your money goes to Canada. Most of it stays here in America.

Right, but Honda and Toyota are supplying Americans with jobs, and that's a good thing right?

Heck, the Nummi plant is in my hometown and GM and Toyota build cars together there.

 

[darkwing]

Mmmmmmmm nothing better than 18psi blowing off though an HSK SSQV Blowoff in a tunnel! Ppsssssst

I wonder how that compares to my car... I only have 5 psi, but since the volume of my motor (and the lenght of the boost pipe, which is about 15 feet or so) is so large, the blowoff valve is rather long in sound.

Meh, I am sure yours sounds better. Gosh I want 18 psi. I'm totally hooked on this boost thing. Maybe when I get a new car someday I'll have this motor rebuilt, get the bigger turbo, and run the 15 psi. Or I could do 11 or 12 now with methanol injection to cool it.

 

[JMG]

Mmmmmmmm nothing better than 18psi blowing off though an HSK SSQV Blowoff in a tunnel! Ppsssssst

I get 1.2 bar (almost 18 psi) on a KO3 (Audi 1.8t Quattro), but I run a Bailey DV, so no ppsssst sound for me.... The 1.8t VAG engines are metered so a BOV would give a slightly rich condition during shifts (in theory)

 

[CompUser]

It is good to see some european sports car fans. I really hate american "sports cars". Seriously, to me a mustang is nothing more than a suped up taurus. Pontiacs are IMO just ugly (except that new little roadster thing does look cool).

The only american "sports car" (well it really is the only true american sports car) is a corvette, but i would rather have something smaller like a z4, porsche, SLK, SL, etc.

 

[Jon'sLightBulbs]

It is good to see some european sports car fans. I really hate american "sports cars". Seriously, to me a mustang is nothing more than a suped up taurus. Pontiacs are IMO just ugly (except that new little roadster thing does look cool).

The only american "sports car" (well it really is the only true american sports car) is a corvette, but i would rather have something smaller like a z4, porsche, SLK, SL, etc.

Record player grinds to a halt. Your salsa's made in Stuttgart city!?