1990 e30
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It's been awhile, some might remember me from the fall colors cruise a couple years ago. Now that I'm bored with the LS1, it's time to put a turbo on it. I honestly just miss the violent nature of the turbocharged m20. I'm mostly interested in driving the streets. I like turbo systems that spool fast/early and hit hard. So i chose a Borgwarner S369 (69/72) with a T4 0.91 A/R turbine housing. This is probably the smallest you would want to run on a 346. It certainly will choke at full RPM, this is fine for me, I wan't quick spool for the streets. The rest of the system will be designed to be capable of the sub 1,000 hp level with my fuel pump being the limiting factor and obviously the SBE LS1 the weakest link here. I'll start sharing some pictures now and explain some things on the way. I'd love to hear suggestions if you have.
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Hey Nick! Long time no see.
I cant believe you are boosting the LS!
Are you going to get it tuned at LMT? Or is there an LS dyno tuner near you?
It's been awhile! I would like to go to LMT, I've got a terminator X I will be installing. Not sure I will be making a huge effort to get there this year, I'd really like to get a Gen IV LS that can handle the boost. I've been trying to talk the wife into letting me build an engine this winter.
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The most challenging aspect of this build has been the exhaust. After studying several options most manifolds just wont fit this chassis. I stumbled across some cast manifolds that speedway markets called "LS1 tru-ram". These manifolds are cast stainless steel, likely in china because the material has been shit to weld on and is mildly magnetic. Anyway, they market them as stainless with 1 3/4" primaries and a 3" collector. I chose to use these and snake 2.25" tube down under the engine mounts and back up. This system is full twin-scroll with twin wastegates, I chose 44mm which is probably excessive but whatever I hate boost creep. I did have to modify the driver side manifold to make better clearance for the steering shaft.
Wastegate prioritization!
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Here is some more pictures of the exhaust. The next step is to mount the heat exchanger for the A/W intercooler system. I felt the A/W will be more efficient and a cleaner package. I really want my car to look stock from the outside. I did make a grille for the lower valence from some material that pegasus sells, it's stainless steel squares like 6 per inch or something. I may end up painting it black. Edit * I did want to comment, I wish I could show you all some pretty tig welds and what not but I chose function over form long ago when I decided to purchase a mig over tig. Anyway, thin wall tube is very difficult to weld with mig. You have to make many small tack welds and must take many breaks in order to prevent warping your work (ask me how I know haha). It turned out pretty well, I chased the inside of every weld/transition with a carbide burr.
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If you can't tell I'm jumping around to catch you all up with this build as it is still in progress. Here I made some mounts for the intercooler and pump. Pumps can get very expensive, I'm going to try out this rule 500gph unit and if anything I will upgrade to the rule 2000gph in-tank unit many currently use.
The last picture shoes how well this is all coming together, water will flow from a trunk mounted storage tank to the heat exchanger (HE) top port. Bottom port HE to pump>pump through fenderwell to IC>IC to return to tank in trunk. I'm going to control the pump through the K1 relay and use the existing wiring (formerly for the aux fan/ A/C).
zip ties are temporary, apparently none of the 50 clamps I have are the right size for this pump.
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I'm completely changing the brake setup and throttle linkage. Going from the sketchy ass single pot master to a wilwood pedal system mounted under dash. I'll let the picures talk. I do want to mention pegasus again, they will make your custom AN brake lines. Very good quality and good price to boot. Cheers.
Throttle cable relocation.
I think I will be mounting the RES right here, makes room for the fuel system (soon to come, I deleted the C101 to make room for this location as well).
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This is the last update and you are up-to-date...
Fuel system, waiting on a couple fittings yet but the plan is to go from in tank walbro 255 to 8AN feed to rails and 6AN return. Like I said before, fuel system is very limited at this point. Everything is PTFE ie e85 compatible
...I think I will just end up adding a single or double pump surge tank when I need more fuel and have the walbro feed that. I have to say PTFE is so easy to work with. Get yourself some of these hose cutters from menards for $10 (summit wants $75 for their ptfe cutters) they work like a charm. 
Last update, I had to go with these cheap VS racing wastegates ($200 vs $800), I do have to say I'm surprised with the quality. They seem nice. They are basically tial 44mm replicas and you can use the diaphragm from a tial in these. I bench tested and they hold fine. I'll just need to keep an eye on them and watch close for signs of failure. I always can fall back on boost cut from the ECU. I did go with an authentic TIAL BOV.
I made up some new 2 AWG starter and alternator cables, $30 amazon hydraulic crimper is prime.
Last, good luck finding oval aluminum tubing. Since i am going 3" for the entire intake system I had to make my own oval with a press. Turned out pretty nice and believe it or not, the oil pain sits lower than this tube. Downfall is, the exhaust crossover runs in front of the oil pain as well. I doubt this will affect IAT's too much.
Downpipe, I'm going with 3.5" to an electric cutout, don't know where yet but hopefully not far after the turbo. Then I want the exhaust to neck down to maybe an aftermarket e30 catback system. Just to keep that stock look and feel. We'll see what happens. There is barely any room, although none of this hits, I will need to move the coils up a bit on the valve covers and get fancy with the plug wires. Still a work in progress....
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Wow great progress! This looks fun
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Impressive fab work
can you link the cable crimper? Thank you sir. Here you go: https://www.amazon.com/Hydraulic-Battery-Terminal-Crimping-connectors/dp/B07ZFLVZ75/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=hydraulic+crimper&qid=1596976179&s=power-hand-tools&sr=1-7
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@SteelBlue I’ve got a SBE LS1, basically all the gen III LS have weak rods and pistons. I will keep the boost low (under 10 psi). Perhaps 600-700 level? I’m either building this LS1 or an iron block with forged internals.
Updates: I added some heat shielding to the firewall and powder coated the brackets I made. The flat ones move the coil packs up about 30mm to make clearance for the wires. The down pipe is very close to the valve cover. I also made the mounting bracket for the brake reservoir.
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Still working on random parts of the car.
1. Added a proper metro-pack connector for the fan and added the wiring for the pump.
2. Added a bleeder to the intercooler and heat exchanger.
3. Installed the reservoir in the trunk and yes I did leave that length of clear hose hanging like that....just to bug your OCD. Got one of them hose cutter tools, so nice...
4. Finally got the last fitting in today for the fuel system. Finalized the fuel hoses in the engine bay area. Mounted the fuel filter.
5. Turbo drain mocked up. Need to pull the oil pan to have the -10 male fitting welded in place. You can see the drain tube will also have a -10 fitting welded in place. I plan to use a coupler to attach.
6. Took a picture of the coil relocation and LT1 boots I got to route the wires away from the exhaust. As long as they don't touch the exhaust they should be good to go. I have some fiberglass sleeve I'll use over the wires as well.
7. Made a new ground cable for the battery. Still need to make a new engine ground.
8. Hard line to AN fitting adapters installed.
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This is great! What are you running for brakes?
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As far as your pump goes I would test what gph you’re actually going to get thru your heat exchanger/tubing/etc. For what it’s worth my 500gph pump for my coolshirt setup ends up being like 11gph at the shirt through smaller tubing.
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As far as your pump goes I would test what gph you’re actually going to get thru your heat exchanger/tubing/etc. For what it’s worth my 500gph pump for my coolshirt setup ends up being like 11gph at the shirt through smaller tubing.
I honestly don't have high hopes but I thought I would give it a try. I'm not exactly sure how I will set up the logic to run the pump. I was thinking to have it turn on when I hit 100 kpa and/or IAT above x. Thoughts? I think the intermittent cycling will keep the water cooler for a longer amount of time. I am also thinking about adding an override switch in the cabin to run the pump continuous if I wanted. Anyway, I think the pump will change how fast the IAT changes so I'll have to wait and see.
Thinking out loud, I think I could even leave this pump and add another in the tank or just outside to serve as a feed. It may or may not work but, likely just make the system more complicated. The best choice is probably to fork out the $$$ for a pump should I find the need.
This is great! What are you running for brakes?
Manual, Wilwood pedal box with factory calipers and HPS pads. I've been looking at options to upgrade the calipers and rotors. Any suggestions?
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1. Finished up the fuel system.
2. New fuel pump wiring (10 AWG TXL), I know the splice is weird but I wanted extra there in case I ditch the factory pump/hanger.
3. Final install on the water pump.
4. Not shown, I ran a 1 AWG ground cable from the battery to the engine compartment. This is to ground the engine block. Also ran the power wire for the terminator x (must be installed direct to the battery).
5. @patsbimmer1 brake system
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