jsta6
02-03-2004, 10:32 AM
Feedback is welcome!!!
TURBO REGAL - MOD SUGGESTIONS
===============================
PART 1: RESEARCH
PART 2: SOME SUGGESTIONS
PART 3: URBAN MYTHS
RACE DAY - GETTING YOUR "ET" DOWN
==============================
RESEARCH
SPRING CLEANING SECTION AT WWW.GNTTYPE.ORG:
http://www.gnttype.org/maint/basics.html
GAUGES - BOOST, KNOCK, WATER TEMP, OIL PRESSURE, TACH
BUY A SCAN TOOL AND KNOW THE NUMBERS:
http://www.turbo-link.com/tlink/scanchart.html
http://www.gnttype.org/maint/quickref.html
FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE RECIPES OF OLD:
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/recipes/recipepage.html
SEARCH THE ARCHIVES FOR KEYWORDS TO YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL YOUR VISION BLURS:
http://www.ajlc.waterloo.on.ca/gnsearch.html
http://www.turbobuicks.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?action=intro
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/search.php
ASK QUESTIONS OF THOSE WHO KNOW, AND FORMULATE YOUR OWN OPINIONS.
SOME SUGGESTIONS:
REMEMBER, EVEN LOW MILEAGE CARS ARE OVER 15 YEARS OLD!!!
UPGRADE YOUR STOCK FUEL PUMP (AND REGULATOR), AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS "HOT WIRED". The stock fuel pump was barely adequate and it is probably almost dead by now anyway. You will also need and adjustable fuel pressure regulator since the upgraded pump and added voltage (that it will receive from the hot wire kit) will increase the fuel pressure. Don't forget the pickup sock also needs replacing while you are in there.
FUEL INJECTORS AND CHIP. The stock injectors are most likely clogged and near death. You will need a chip to match the injectors. Don't get to small of an injector. 009'S (42.5) should carry you in the 11's.
160 DEGREE THERMOSTAT. The cooler the better. These cars like to be cool. Your new chip may be expecting the 160 thermostat. Also, replacing the thermostat neck with a billet one due to the stockers tendency to be ate up.
SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES.
TRANSMISSION SHIFT KIT AND OIL COOLER. Nothing kills a transmission like heat. A cooler is a must have item. Use the biggest tranny cooler you can find: $30 - $50. A shift kit will improve your shifts. Valve body shift kit: $70.
If you need to get your 2004r rebuilt, in addition to the normal rebuild, use the following: Billet Servo: $150 - $190. Heavy duty wide band: $30 - $40. Heavy duty band anchor: $30. Above is sold as a kit from PTS for: $225. Art Carr aluminum deep finned pan (with 7004r filter mod): $150 - $200. Heavy duty direct drum with heavy duty clutches (red or blue): $112 - $180. Heavy duty clutches (red or blue): $100. Governor spring should be screwed down, as they sometimes come loose.
K&N OPEN AIR FILTER / COLD AIR KIT. You want as much air as you can, as cool as you can get it.
MAF HOSE / TURBO INLET HOSE. Replace flexible intake "duct" to turbo with a hard pipe.
MAF SENSOR SCREENS. If using the stock MAF sensor, remove one screen.
LT1 MAF SENSOR UPGRADE. A bad MAF can cause a world of problems. Upgrade to the LT1 style MAF and MAF translator or translator plus.
RADIATOR FANa. SEAL RADIATOR FAN TO RADIATOR WITH WEATHER STRIPPING. The stock fan sits about 1/2 inch from the radiator. This means that the stock fan is pulling air from in front of the radiator as well as through the radiator. Sealing the fan against the radiator ensures that the fan pulls more air through the radiator. This should be good for 10 degrees.
RADIATOR FANb. REPLACE STOCK RADIATOR FAN WITH DUAL FANS FROM RAMCHARGERS. For $80, this can't be beat. Good for another 10 degrees over the stock fan with with weather stripping mod, or 20 degrees over the stock fan setup alone.
HOME MADE RADIATOR AIR DEFLECTOR. The stock intercooler scoop will suck in hot radiator air. You can make your own radiator air deflector to keep the hot radiator air out.
TIMING GEAR AND CHAIN. The stock gear has nylon teeth that break off and wear down over time.
WELD CRACKED DRIVERS SIDE HEADER / TORQUE STRAP. The engine "twists" when it makes torque. This has caused many drivers side headers to crack. Have the header repaired and use a torque strap to prevent future cracks.
PCV CHECK VALVE.
FRONT AND REAR OIL SEALS. The seals probably leak oil. It is a good idea to have them replaced with new ones.
VALVE COVER BREATHERS. FOr both sides/valve covers on the engine, and cap off the inlet to the turbo/pass side valve cover, this prevents the hot oil/vapor from going through the IC
VALVE COVER SEALS.
VALVE SPRINGS. Stock springs were "marginal" at best. Get some comp cam 979's or 980's. Do not get springs that are to heavy, or you will wipe your cap. If you are getting "LT1" springs, there are different kinds of "LT1" springs, so make sure you get the right ones. Anything over 91bs is to much, IMHO.
COIL PACK AND IGNITION MODULE. Probably on their way out after 15 years of service.
HOME MADE "WASTE-CAN" INTERCOOLER SCOOP. Great cheap mod. Prolly gain 2/10's. Forces more air in to the stock intercooler scoop. Do not remove the stock intercooler scoop screen on a daily driver. Trash, rocks and leaves will accumulate, making the intercooler less effective.
RADIATOR FAN SWITCH. Run the fan while waiting for your next pass at the track.
STOCK FAN LOW SPEED RESISTOR BYPASS. If using the stock fan, jump out the low speed resistor on the shroud to allow for high speed all the time and to shed some amps off the electrical system
BLEEDER VALVE AND ADJUSTABLE WASTE GATE. The adjustable waste gate will get you close to where you want to be, and the bleeder valve will help you better dial it in and it is great for on-the-fly adjustments. It has also been "rumored" that the bleeder valve causes the boost to come on 600rpm sooner.
BLOCK OFF COOLANT LINES GOING TO THROTTLE BODY.
REPLACE HEAVY STOCK STARTER WITH MINI STARTER. www.turbobuicks.com.
(87 GN ONLY) REPLACE STEEL BUMPER RE-ENFORCEMENTS AND REAR BRAKE DRUMS WITH ALUMINUM ONES
POWER PLATE. Another item that is debatable. The stock plenum forces air in to the intake manifold / cylinders unevenly. This evens out the airflow. All cylinders should be getting close to the same amount of air.
PORTING OF THROTTLE BODY AND PLENUM. Jay Jackson 62MM throttle body / plenum mod.
"BELL MOUTHED" TURBO INLET.
ALCOHOL KIT. I went from 15-25lbs of boost on alchy. Your results may vary. It is said that every 1lb of boost = 10HP.
"TEST PIPE" TO REPLACE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. Turbos hate back pressure. I loved this mod. Really woke up the car. Some people swear this is good for 50HP.
"BETTER FLOWING" MUFFLERS / PIPES. I cut my mufflers off and added a straight pipe. The turbo kind of acts as a muffler. This will be too loud for most people. I like it. You will need at least some better flowing mufflers. Turbos hate back pressure. Also, larger mandrel bent pipes in the system make a difference.
3" STAINLESS STEEL DOWN PIPE.
UPGRADED INTERCOOLER / INTERCOOLER AND 1/2. The stock intercooler is an effective unit. However, the input neck can be improved upon. Instead of doing the "Dutweiller neck mod", it is, in my opinion, much better and easier to just by an upgraded stock location intercooler. Additionally, stock intercoolers my contain many "pin holes" which can let the pressurized air escape.
BIGGER STOCK STYLE OIL FILTER. AC PF52 is an improvement over the dinky stock filter and goes right on.
BIGGER BIG STYLE OIL FILTER. RJC biggie oil filter mod.
SHOCKS AND SPRINGS.
HOLLOW 1LE FRONT SWAY BAR. Lighter and stffer. Jounce bars also stiffen up your ride.
BOXED REAR LOWER/UPPER CONTROL ARMS. Boxing rear arms on the suspension with the addition of poly bushings or the lift/traction bars sold by various vendors.
URBAN MYTHS
HEADERS. The stock exhaust manifolds/headers are well designed. They are good in to the 9's. Anything bigger will cause turbo lag.
RACE DAY - GETTING YOUR "ET" DOWN
USE RADIATOR FAN SWITCH TO TURN FAN ON WHILE COOLING OFF IN BETWEEN RUNS; TURN CAR ON FOR A MINUTE OR TWO TO CYCLE THE COOLER RADIATOR WATER IN TO THE ENGINE, AND THE HOTTER ENGINE WATER IN TO THE RADIATOR (THANKS JORGE!)
PLACE SOME ICE CUBES ON TOP OF INTERCOOLER AND CHUCK SOME ICE CUBES IN TO YOUR INTERCOOLER SCOOP OR USE A SPRAY BOTTLE TO SPRAY WATER IN TO IT...
TURBO REGAL - MOD SUGGESTIONS
===============================
PART 1: RESEARCH
PART 2: SOME SUGGESTIONS
PART 3: URBAN MYTHS
RACE DAY - GETTING YOUR "ET" DOWN
==============================
RESEARCH
SPRING CLEANING SECTION AT WWW.GNTTYPE.ORG:
http://www.gnttype.org/maint/basics.html
GAUGES - BOOST, KNOCK, WATER TEMP, OIL PRESSURE, TACH
BUY A SCAN TOOL AND KNOW THE NUMBERS:
http://www.turbo-link.com/tlink/scanchart.html
http://www.gnttype.org/maint/quickref.html
FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE RECIPES OF OLD:
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/recipes/recipepage.html
SEARCH THE ARCHIVES FOR KEYWORDS TO YOUR QUESTIONS UNTIL YOUR VISION BLURS:
http://www.ajlc.waterloo.on.ca/gnsearch.html
http://www.turbobuicks.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?action=intro
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/search.php
ASK QUESTIONS OF THOSE WHO KNOW, AND FORMULATE YOUR OWN OPINIONS.
SOME SUGGESTIONS:
REMEMBER, EVEN LOW MILEAGE CARS ARE OVER 15 YEARS OLD!!!
UPGRADE YOUR STOCK FUEL PUMP (AND REGULATOR), AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS "HOT WIRED". The stock fuel pump was barely adequate and it is probably almost dead by now anyway. You will also need and adjustable fuel pressure regulator since the upgraded pump and added voltage (that it will receive from the hot wire kit) will increase the fuel pressure. Don't forget the pickup sock also needs replacing while you are in there.
FUEL INJECTORS AND CHIP. The stock injectors are most likely clogged and near death. You will need a chip to match the injectors. Don't get to small of an injector. 009'S (42.5) should carry you in the 11's.
160 DEGREE THERMOSTAT. The cooler the better. These cars like to be cool. Your new chip may be expecting the 160 thermostat. Also, replacing the thermostat neck with a billet one due to the stockers tendency to be ate up.
SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES.
TRANSMISSION SHIFT KIT AND OIL COOLER. Nothing kills a transmission like heat. A cooler is a must have item. Use the biggest tranny cooler you can find: $30 - $50. A shift kit will improve your shifts. Valve body shift kit: $70.
If you need to get your 2004r rebuilt, in addition to the normal rebuild, use the following: Billet Servo: $150 - $190. Heavy duty wide band: $30 - $40. Heavy duty band anchor: $30. Above is sold as a kit from PTS for: $225. Art Carr aluminum deep finned pan (with 7004r filter mod): $150 - $200. Heavy duty direct drum with heavy duty clutches (red or blue): $112 - $180. Heavy duty clutches (red or blue): $100. Governor spring should be screwed down, as they sometimes come loose.
K&N OPEN AIR FILTER / COLD AIR KIT. You want as much air as you can, as cool as you can get it.
MAF HOSE / TURBO INLET HOSE. Replace flexible intake "duct" to turbo with a hard pipe.
MAF SENSOR SCREENS. If using the stock MAF sensor, remove one screen.
LT1 MAF SENSOR UPGRADE. A bad MAF can cause a world of problems. Upgrade to the LT1 style MAF and MAF translator or translator plus.
RADIATOR FANa. SEAL RADIATOR FAN TO RADIATOR WITH WEATHER STRIPPING. The stock fan sits about 1/2 inch from the radiator. This means that the stock fan is pulling air from in front of the radiator as well as through the radiator. Sealing the fan against the radiator ensures that the fan pulls more air through the radiator. This should be good for 10 degrees.
RADIATOR FANb. REPLACE STOCK RADIATOR FAN WITH DUAL FANS FROM RAMCHARGERS. For $80, this can't be beat. Good for another 10 degrees over the stock fan with with weather stripping mod, or 20 degrees over the stock fan setup alone.
HOME MADE RADIATOR AIR DEFLECTOR. The stock intercooler scoop will suck in hot radiator air. You can make your own radiator air deflector to keep the hot radiator air out.
TIMING GEAR AND CHAIN. The stock gear has nylon teeth that break off and wear down over time.
WELD CRACKED DRIVERS SIDE HEADER / TORQUE STRAP. The engine "twists" when it makes torque. This has caused many drivers side headers to crack. Have the header repaired and use a torque strap to prevent future cracks.
PCV CHECK VALVE.
FRONT AND REAR OIL SEALS. The seals probably leak oil. It is a good idea to have them replaced with new ones.
VALVE COVER BREATHERS. FOr both sides/valve covers on the engine, and cap off the inlet to the turbo/pass side valve cover, this prevents the hot oil/vapor from going through the IC
VALVE COVER SEALS.
VALVE SPRINGS. Stock springs were "marginal" at best. Get some comp cam 979's or 980's. Do not get springs that are to heavy, or you will wipe your cap. If you are getting "LT1" springs, there are different kinds of "LT1" springs, so make sure you get the right ones. Anything over 91bs is to much, IMHO.
COIL PACK AND IGNITION MODULE. Probably on their way out after 15 years of service.
HOME MADE "WASTE-CAN" INTERCOOLER SCOOP. Great cheap mod. Prolly gain 2/10's. Forces more air in to the stock intercooler scoop. Do not remove the stock intercooler scoop screen on a daily driver. Trash, rocks and leaves will accumulate, making the intercooler less effective.
RADIATOR FAN SWITCH. Run the fan while waiting for your next pass at the track.
STOCK FAN LOW SPEED RESISTOR BYPASS. If using the stock fan, jump out the low speed resistor on the shroud to allow for high speed all the time and to shed some amps off the electrical system
BLEEDER VALVE AND ADJUSTABLE WASTE GATE. The adjustable waste gate will get you close to where you want to be, and the bleeder valve will help you better dial it in and it is great for on-the-fly adjustments. It has also been "rumored" that the bleeder valve causes the boost to come on 600rpm sooner.
BLOCK OFF COOLANT LINES GOING TO THROTTLE BODY.
REPLACE HEAVY STOCK STARTER WITH MINI STARTER. www.turbobuicks.com.
(87 GN ONLY) REPLACE STEEL BUMPER RE-ENFORCEMENTS AND REAR BRAKE DRUMS WITH ALUMINUM ONES
POWER PLATE. Another item that is debatable. The stock plenum forces air in to the intake manifold / cylinders unevenly. This evens out the airflow. All cylinders should be getting close to the same amount of air.
PORTING OF THROTTLE BODY AND PLENUM. Jay Jackson 62MM throttle body / plenum mod.
"BELL MOUTHED" TURBO INLET.
ALCOHOL KIT. I went from 15-25lbs of boost on alchy. Your results may vary. It is said that every 1lb of boost = 10HP.
"TEST PIPE" TO REPLACE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. Turbos hate back pressure. I loved this mod. Really woke up the car. Some people swear this is good for 50HP.
"BETTER FLOWING" MUFFLERS / PIPES. I cut my mufflers off and added a straight pipe. The turbo kind of acts as a muffler. This will be too loud for most people. I like it. You will need at least some better flowing mufflers. Turbos hate back pressure. Also, larger mandrel bent pipes in the system make a difference.
3" STAINLESS STEEL DOWN PIPE.
UPGRADED INTERCOOLER / INTERCOOLER AND 1/2. The stock intercooler is an effective unit. However, the input neck can be improved upon. Instead of doing the "Dutweiller neck mod", it is, in my opinion, much better and easier to just by an upgraded stock location intercooler. Additionally, stock intercoolers my contain many "pin holes" which can let the pressurized air escape.
BIGGER STOCK STYLE OIL FILTER. AC PF52 is an improvement over the dinky stock filter and goes right on.
BIGGER BIG STYLE OIL FILTER. RJC biggie oil filter mod.
SHOCKS AND SPRINGS.
HOLLOW 1LE FRONT SWAY BAR. Lighter and stffer. Jounce bars also stiffen up your ride.
BOXED REAR LOWER/UPPER CONTROL ARMS. Boxing rear arms on the suspension with the addition of poly bushings or the lift/traction bars sold by various vendors.
URBAN MYTHS
HEADERS. The stock exhaust manifolds/headers are well designed. They are good in to the 9's. Anything bigger will cause turbo lag.
RACE DAY - GETTING YOUR "ET" DOWN
USE RADIATOR FAN SWITCH TO TURN FAN ON WHILE COOLING OFF IN BETWEEN RUNS; TURN CAR ON FOR A MINUTE OR TWO TO CYCLE THE COOLER RADIATOR WATER IN TO THE ENGINE, AND THE HOTTER ENGINE WATER IN TO THE RADIATOR (THANKS JORGE!)
PLACE SOME ICE CUBES ON TOP OF INTERCOOLER AND CHUCK SOME ICE CUBES IN TO YOUR INTERCOOLER SCOOP OR USE A SPRAY BOTTLE TO SPRAY WATER IN TO IT...