Turbo Grand Prix

[1990 shadow vnt]

Does anyone know any info on these cars. i have been to several sites dedicated to them.i want to know if anyone has owned one.What are some trouble issues with htem(if any).
Are they cheap to own?repair?
Just thought it was cool and at a great price....

sale-240539396@craigslist.org

........................ryan

[1990 shadow vnt]

sorry,
here is the link....

GrandPrix McLAREN TURBO!!!REDUCE PRICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3,200 - $3200

[1990 shadow vnt]

i cant get the link to come over.
its under craigslist lehigh valley.
....ryan

[charger R/T]

my neighbor has a 90 TGP. Nice looking car but I'm glad I don't own it. They run a T-25 on them kind of small for a 3.1. They go straight to boost off the line but run out of breath up to especially in the upper gears. Aftermarket support is not there like a TD. My neighbor has smoked 2 trans's in his since he picked it up 2 years ago. We are currently swapping it to a 5 sp. (They all came stock with auto) There is a guy doing chips (Jeff M) they are a nice gain over the stock chip but nothing like you can get for a TD. One thing I really don't like on them is the turbo sits on top of the trans and needs to be wrapped at all times or many things melt. The OEM covers are no longer available so you need to use aftermarket products to wrap them. Ther was a guy around here that dropped one of these engines in his olds and can give you alot of info on them I think his user name is malibuds. I also think his brother hangs out here but don't remember his user name.
Tim

[bfarroo]

I looked at them many years back. I remember there being problems with the crossover pipe cracking and throwing things out of wack. As others have said the auto isn't the greatest and the aftermarket isn't there. overall their pretty nice cars but heavy if your looking to build a fast street/strip car.

Benji

[Csx254]

Not sure about the turbo 3.1, but the n/a 3.1's had head gasket issues. I also agree with Charger R/T and bfarroo on the tranny issue and the lack of performance parts. My friend has a Z26 beretta, and the only performance part he could really find was a cold air intake.

[2.216vturbo]

Local guy bought one a few years back with a bad trans, hmmn, pattern here maybe? Still waiting on him to fix the trans and drive it out to a TD meeting... Gonna have to wait longer now, he is doing a tour in Germany. Eric, still reading TD.com??? Come home and work on your fleet!

[bfarroo]

I'd still pick one up if I came across one in good shape for a good price, although I'd pick up anything turbo for a good price I'm sure like any auto it can be built stronger.

Benji

[outatime]

Here is a site with some info on them.

http://www.w-body.com

[turbovanman]

Contact iTurbo, his bro/friend is in to them heavily.

[charger R/T]

I spelled his user name wrong in my earlier post. He still comes around here. I'm pretty sure it is iTurbo's brother. http://www.turbododge.com/forums/1013-malibuolds.html
Tim

[iTurbo]

Yeah, my twin brother is VERY into the turbo 3.1L! I helped him convert his '91 Cutlass to 5spd and turbo 3.1L. He just had the car dyno tuned and it flies, even on the stock T25! I think it would beat my Omni GLH Turbo right now.....and my Omni isn't at all stock!

Here is some more info:
http://www.****************/forums/showthread.php?t=9297

[iTurbo]

I have seen the dyno graphs of this car and it is actually pretty similar in powerband to a modded 2.5L turbo Chryler. The turbocharger is a T25, but it is big for a T25. It is probably just a little smaller than our Garrett 'Turbo II' turbocharger really.

The car is fun as hell to drive, especially with the 5spd. It spools instantaneously. When I race in my Shelby Lancer from a roll (2.2 TII), I have to do the brake torque trick to avoid lag. It is pointless to do that in the turbo Cutlass; all you have to do is nail the throttle and instant wheel spin in 2nd gear from a roll. He is considering staged boost control to help traction, but it hooks way better than my cars for sure. He has done a lot of other stuff to the car too like coil-overs, bigger four-wheel disc brakes, lowered with stiffer springs, 245/50/16s etc..

[malibuolds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by outatime Here is a site with some info on them. http://www.w-body.com

fwiw, i just started my own W-body forum. i was a moderator over on w-body.com for a few years but finally decided to bail and do things my own way. i just started the forum a little over a month ago so it's just now getting off the ground:

http://www.gmwbody.com

http://www.tgpforums.com is another good site. the site admin over there owns KAZ MotorSports which is where i got my car tuned (he owns two Turbo Grand Prixs; one of them with a 5-speed swap). i gained roughly 28whp & 35wtq going from a Jeff M chip to the KAZ MotorSports chip BUT that might be due to other factors. however, KAZ chips are dyno tuned with a NICE DynoDynamics eddy-current machine along with an EPROM emulator & TunerPro RT .bin file editing/datalogging software. he also removes the stock EPROM and replaces it with an EEPROM. i'm pretty sure Jeff M doesn't go that far. Jeff M doesn't offer chips for 5-speed swapped TGPs either. i don't even know if you can get a Jeff M chip anymore. he seems to have disappeared?

anyways, i think it's safe to say i've reached the limits of the stock TGP Garrett T25. i think i'd rather go with a turbocharged 3400 than do anything more with my 3.1. it already has almost 250,000 miles and i know it's not going to live forever although, i do have a good spare TGP engine sitting in the corner of my garage if (when) it goes. but so far it's still running great despite never having been rebuilt - good oil pressure, no blow-by, no smoking or wierd noises, and it's making good power.

------------------------------------
Joshua Mitchell
'91 Cutlass Supreme sedan - 3.1 Intercooled Turbo / Getrag HM-282 5-speed - 13psi / lightly modded
'98 Regal GS - 3800 Series II Supercharged / HM-4T65E-HD - 100% stock

[malibuolds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Csx254 Not sure about the turbo 3.1, but the n/a 3.1's had head gasket issues. I also agree with Charger R/T and bfarroo on the tranny issue and the lack of performance parts. My friend has a Z26 beretta, and the only performance part he could really find was a cold air intake.

3.1 MPFI engines don't have issues with headgaskets, nor do the later 3100/3400s. people say that about every engine out there. the 3100/3400 engines do have problems with lower intake manifold gaskets though! that is easily resolved with the newer revised gaskets.

considering your friend has a Z26, it's probably safe to say he has a 3100. yeah, basically no aftermarket support. IMO the 60*V6 needs boost to put down real power, and they do take very well to boost! i had it easy with my 3.1 MPFI - just bolt on parts from a TGP engine and go. it's alot more difficult with a 3100/3400 since the TGP parts don't just bolt right on. as for transmissions, i would probably only use a 4T65E-HD if i were to go with an auto but that would be alot of work and make the car boring to drive. the Getrag 282 can take alot of abuse and was a 99% bolt-in on my car.

btw, http://www.60degreev6.com is another really good site.

------------------------------------
Joshua Mitchell
'91 Cutlass Supreme sedan - 3.1 Intercooled Turbo / Getrag HM-282 5-speed - 13psi / lightly modded
'98 Regal GS - 3800 Series II Supercharged / HM-4T65E-HD - 100% stock