[GoforthSRT]

Time to address the oil return from the HX30.

I used a protractor to determine 20° had to come out of the tube

Looks good now.

But not.

 

[GoforthSRT]

So I went a little different direction with it.

I will be using silicone hose to connect the dots. 5/8" heater hose for mockup.

The silicone 5/8" hose as well as all of the components to feed the turbo to arrive from Summit this week.

 

[GoforthSRT]

On to the Intake manifold. Time for a mockup.

I rapidly realized that the exhaust manifold will be coming back off to finish mount the intake, once it is ready...

I prepped the intake for paint with a proper pressure washing

Getting the intake on will open the door to fibbing the fuel rail, which is about the last major project before the engine is ready to drop back in.

I don't recall if I mentioned these before...

AlrightFellas. I have two more days off. Time to get back into the garage.

Thanks for tuning back in!
~Mark

 

[GoforthSRT]

Alright. Paint that manifold!

Slap it on!

This is after I sanded the ribs 2 hours after painting because I am thrashing irresponsibly. Fortunately I did not run the fresh paint job with my carelessness.

Thar be some contact between the wastegate bracket and the intake.

Gapped! Nothing a grinder couldn't handle.

And she is back together, proper torqued et al.

 

[GoforthSRT]

So I came about a spot of a problem. I tested the Holset wastegate and it is either a 2.5 bar or 3 bar can. Obviously that's not going to cut it. So I will be grafting a large can from one of our garrets on.

Hurdle #1: create a mounting solution.

Hurdle #2: build new linkage that fits the tight confines between the turbo and intake manifold.

I like the adjustable actuator on the Holset unit, but it is too darn chunky. I made a new actuator rod from a .25" stainless rod and piece of 1/8" stainless sheet that I had In the garage.

This setup Fits pretty well without touching or catching anything.

Tomorrow I'll attack the mount as well as Frankensteining onto the Garrett can.

So, what are yalls thoughts. The actuator "flag" has changed the geometry of the actuator linkage, which reduces the total needed stroke of the actuator. This reduces leverage of the actuator can, thus reduces the amount of force the exhaust gasses will need to exert to push the flapper open themselves...

My thoughts:
1) extend the actuator a good 1/2 through its stroke when I weld it all up to maximize the effect of its internal spring.
2) weld a seat to the actuator rod that will let me put springs in between the can and the rod so I can increase spring pressure if required.

Thanks all!
~Mark

 

[Glhs60]

It's nice to see you back to work on your Engine Mark!!

I can't believe Citristrip allows such a funny comment!!

Do your Turbo exhaust studs have Copper Coat or something on them??

Or they some special exhaust stud?? I couldn't find them listed anywhere.

Thanks
Randy

Fellas! Time for some updates! I have been working way too many hours since August, and have finally been able to scratch my itch to get back on the Omni!

Randy, that Citristrip gel description is hilarious. The stuff did reasonably well for me.

Here goes...

 

[GoforthSRT]

It's nice to see you back to work on your Engine Mark!!

I can't believe Citristrip allows such a funny comment!!

Do your Turbo exhaust studs have Copper Coat or something on them??

Or they some special exhaust stud?? I couldn't find them listed anywhere.

Thanks
Randy

Oh you're talking about the manifolds to turbo studs! I got those from Amazon. I just searched T3 turbo studs, I think ours are M10. They are plated with some copper looking fanciness and come with knurled nuts as well to theoretically keep them in place. Ive been happy with them.

Hit me with a PM if u still can't find them and I'll send u a link.

Thank you,
~Mark

 

[GoforthSRT]

So I had the night to think about how to make a mount for the Garrett wastegate can. I decided that I wanted a solution that would allow me to swap/replace the Garrett can with another like unit with the least amount of effort as possible.

I have settled on and fabricated bracket bolted to the Holset mount, and also bolts up to the Garrett can.

There are a lot of funny angles at play with the way that the mounts built, so getting the right angle with the adapter was a chore. I mocked up the multiple piece with vice grips to dial in the angle.

Once the adapter bracket was welded and bolted up, I cut the new linkage to length and marked an index line on both rods to be able to reorient them for welding. I did shorten the length of the assembly by 1/4" to preload the wastegate spring.

Burned together and test fit.

Rattle can rebuild.

Finish install. Actuator cracks at 5psi and full open at 11psi.

 

[GoforthSRT]

Fueling!

I was surprised that I still had my old 2piece rail from TurbosUnleashed. 2004ish maybe? 2003? I thought I had sold it in the last 5 years. It still has the "gussets" that I burned to the flimsy mounts that came with it. The original mounts allowed the rail to push away from the injectors and cover the engine in fuel when I had it in my 89 Shelby Daytona. I thought the car was going to burn down that day...

Test fit (after cleaning of course).

When I bought the injectors, I only sized the manifold side. I didn't care about the rail side because I had accepted that I would be making a rail. But here we are! It is a nice surprise.

And they slide into the manifold just fine. Even though my janky stainless rail mounts bolt up... I will be making new mounts. I have some 3/16" 6061 begging to be put to use.

That's a project for next weekend.

 

[GoforthSRT]

And my last project for the day was to get the TB cleaned and ready.

I definitely did sell my old 52mm TB a few years back. And since the 2 piece intake was wollered out for a 52mm, I picked up another. It was and eBay junkyard pull off.

Broke it down. And gave it a proper kerosene bath.

Huge difference. The staining and nasties came right out.

Clean the guts.

I was only slightly motivated to do the screw trim and bore/plate smoothing... but then that motivation left as the sun went down. I'll just turn the boost up a little more in compensation. This engine will not surpass 325hp, if it lives to make it there. That'll be my cut off to get into the next engine.

Coming together.

Thank you for the read.
~Mark

 

[4 L-bodies]

Looks nice Mark, Well done! Way back in the day there was a guy that still used a stock 46mm throttle body on his race only GLHT. Almost dipped into the 10's using that puny little thing. Not saying that is the way to go, but bigger fish to fry. It's like if you need to go faster, you just change the set of car keys right (lol)?
I also made all my own fuel rail mounts. When it comes to fuel systems, I don't mess around cutting corners or using questionable parts.

 

[GoforthSRT]

Thank you! Ya I'm deep in it again. Eating and sleeping TD again lol.

I agree, when I was fussing about the "mods" to the 52, I just reminded myself that G.Donovan felt that the differences were negligible between the 46 and 52.

I actually bought my 2 piece from Gary in 02 or 03 and it didn't come with the rail...

Good times.

 

[Glhs60]

Russ Jerome used an old log style fuel rail with a 2 piece.

He said he only had to modify the mount brackets to fit.

Benefits were better flow and a remote FPR.

Inexpensive and tough!

Thanks
Randy

 

[GoforthSRT]

Fascinating that the log rail would work.

Funny story, I called Chris at TU for a clutch and we went down memory lane a lil. He asked if I had purchased from him before, and I told him about a few parts including my fuel rail...

Me: " I bought one of the first 2 piece rails that you sold."
Chris: "One of the ones with TurbosUnleashed anodized in?"
Me: "No. One with flimsy sheet metal mounts."
Chris: "One bend or two bends in the mount?"
Me: "One. And it was trash, almost burnt my car down."
Chris: "Oh wow, that was one of the first 10 that we sold before we realized the the mounts were garbage and changed suppliers. I'll send you new mounts."

So that's cool. I no longer need to make mounts. Chris is sending me a new aluminum set. Score!

Otherwise, I ordered a Black clutch with 6 puck spring less friction +10% diameter. Also, a TU header, unmachined on the turbo flange which I'll use for the next engine, and then I snagged some poly mounts.

Nice!
~Mark

 

[GoforthSRT]

So I got my parts for my turbo oil feed and return.

Start with the return. Easy!

The little sqeeze-um clamps give some factory appeal. I used boot band clamp pliers for these.

Next for the hardline. I opted for the compression fittings because I haven't spent the money to get a proper flaring tool...

 

[GoforthSRT]

Routing versus threaded holes was less than desirable so I opted to try hack-a-fabbing some mounts. I liked the outcome except for the fact I bent them the wrong way which revealed the hammer marks...

I just flattened tubing and bent it over, then welded to a washer.

Cheater tube so that you can ascertain the dimension from bender toe to back of 90. This is critical to know to layout your bends.

Making some moves. Rolled an offset around the spark plug, and then back-to-back 90 around the head.

Completed tube.

Installed with the Tee for relocating my quality guage sending unit, not that I don't trust the guage in the dash...

 

[GoforthSRT]

Moving on to the flexible hose.

Seems like a 45 from the tee to a 90 at the turbo will do the trick. I initially measured for a 5" hose but I miscalculated and shorted by a solid 1.25".

Tape the strands. Cut through with cable cutters, and use diagonal cutters to clean up the remaining strands.

Assemble with soft jaws to avoid buggering up your new fittings. I just used some scrap aluminum plate.... copious lube and aluminum wrenches help as well.

Double check, triple check.

 

[GoforthSRT]

Holsets need an M12 to -4 fitting. I got mine from BenzForce, however this one incorporated a restrictor for high oil pressure cars.

Drilled to 1/8"

Installed! Oil feed and return to turbo complete!

 

[GoforthSRT]

Some minor things done...

Painted this oil pressure sending unit

Tested oil pressure switch and sending unit

Installed

First vacuum line! Giving the gate straight manifold source to keep boost at the minimum for now. (This is where I realized this 52mm TB is not the usual and will require the cable bracket to be...modified)

Plugged this hole (turbo coolant from block)

Replaced old o-rings on the old NPS to -6 fittings for the fuel rail.

I think that's it for the small stuff.

Except for the fact that I jumped timing when trying to half ass the torquing of my front pulley... and then ran into EXTRA difficulty setting up and setting up again and re-setting up my degree wheel.

Until hulk-smash.

Need another one of those!

 

[GoforthSRT]

It is time to get the turn down from the turbo taken care of. I picked up a 3"-3.5" cast stainless 90 from amazon/ebay. I think it was $70ish.

Plus the Holset to 3" vband adapter. I think the Holset was 78mm or 79mm so took a special piece that I also picked up from BenzForce.

The 90 takes up a lot of real-estate in its natural form and needs to be trimmed.

Even worse with the adapter.

I butchered much of the 90 as well as the vband adapter to make it work.

Tack and test.

Burn it together and install. I verified that I can get more angle out of the new turn down vs the factory swing valve housing. I will still put a heat shield in to protect the power steering pump, more than likely.

I like the look of 3.5" right off of the turbo...
~Mark