Lsx direct bolt on turbo kit

[tinydb84]

Originally Posted by aknovaman

Hey, that sounds like my tool buying philosophy. ;-)

You and me both! This is my last week of tig class. Now I have to actually start working on my truck....ha!

[Heavymetl]

1) Heads/Cam is in no way comparable to turbo power. I know...I've got both! The turbo torque is insane. Once on the boost, my truck feel like it weighs nothing. Effortless acceleration at any speed.

2) The fuel system (E85) cost me a lot more than I thought. Fuel cell, -10 feed, -8 return, Holley 1800 fuel pump, Boost reference FPR, fittings, and 120lb Holley injectors. I tried to use 65lb injectors but was out of fuel at only 12psi. All E85 compatible parts and it ain't cheap. $1200+

3) It's worth every cent to do a turbo build. No, it doesn't have instant throttle response. No, it doesn't sound like anything impressive idling. But the boost is like a drug that never ends and is perfectly legal. I smile like an idiot every time I drive my truck.

Think of your build in terms of:
1) Engine management (stock ECU....sorta stinks for tuning compared to aftermarket)
2) Fuel System
3) Trans/Torque converter
4) The turbo/intercooler/wastegate components

The turbo is basically a jet engine with pistons in the way, so don't focus too much on the engine itself. Valvesprings, pushrods, head gaskets/studs, and a suitable cam with turbo friendly valve events and let it eat.

As for the hot side....buy some pipe, get out the welder, and dive in! You should see the huge pile of mistakes I've got sitting in a box. No better way to learn than just going for it. With all the room the C10 has, it's really not too difficult. And FYI, you can weld to stock LS manifolds just fine.

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by Jon01

Hell, my injectors were $900.
Like I said, you can do it cheaper but it's cobbled IMO. Do it right, spend the $ so when you want to turn it up you can.

My Holley injectors cost me $420, not $900. Does that mean my setup is cobbled?

Originally Posted by Heavymetl

Heads/Cam is in no way comparable to turbo power. I know...I've got both! The turbo torque is insane. Once on the boost, my truck feel like it weighs nothing. Effortless acceleration at any speed.



It's worth every cent to do a turbo build. No, it doesn't have instant throttle response. No, it doesn't sound like anything impressive idling. But the boost is like a drug that never ends and is perfectly legal. I smile like an idiot every time I drive my truck.
ne.

Preach on, Nathan! Couldn't agree more.

[aknovaman]

To add insult to injury, I bought a Silverado truck stainless kit from a kid who was out of $$$ and could not pay His bills. Complete kit for $600 plus I tuned a couple of his customer cars. 78mm billet turbo, 80lb injectors, intercooler, etc. Kit had 75 miles on it. Sold the hot side for $700 and kept the rest for my Jaguar.

Bought another set of 60lb for $200 and a set of 80lb for $250.

Do I feel bad, no, I am an opportunist.

[Jon01]

You guys can try to talk him into it all you want.
If he can't fab, can't tune and isn't ready/capable of doing some of this himself it'll be a project that blows budget and timeframe out of the water and ends up being sold on craigslist at a steep discount.

Yes, it's worth it in the end but not everybody is able to do it. Not a dig, just a fact.
If OP is only going for 500hp then there's no reason to go through the expense and hassle of a turbo build. H/C would get him close to 500 crank. Add some gas and it'll run plenty fine.
Or a bolt on Magnuson/centrifugal will do the job much easier.
I guess what I'm saying is a turbo build isn't for all of us. In the end the juice is worth the squeeze but it's a bigger squeeze than is necessary if you're not going to use it to it's capability.

[Jon01]

Originally Posted by Heavymetl

2) The fuel system (E85) cost me a lot more than I thought. Fuel cell, -10 feed, -8 return, Holley 1800 fuel pump, Boost reference FPR, fittings, and 120lb Holley injectors. I tried to use 65lb injectors but was out of fuel at only 12psi. All E85 compatible parts and it ain't cheap. $1200+

Our fuel systems are similar other than I have ID's and a stock sumped tank. And you're right, it's not cheap.

Originally Posted by Heavymetl

Think of your build in terms of:
1) Engine management (stock ECU....sorta stinks for tuning compared to aftermarket)
2) Fuel System
3) Trans/Torque converter
4) The turbo/intercooler/wastegate components

Very logical way of breaking it out. ECM - stock is fine, just find a good tuner. If OP is trying to do this on a budget a Holley setup is not in the cards. Also, if he can't fab he probably can't tune. Not a dig, just a statement.
Discussed fuel system
Trans - stock 80e/HD2 will live a very long time at 500hp. Converter will be 9-1500 depending on where he goes with it.
Turbo - BW 475 cast wheel, don't waste $. I/C - China. WG/BOV - Buy good ones. Cheap china units rarely fail open. Closed means you're buying a short block at least.

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

My Holley injectors cost me $420, not $900. Does that mean my setup is cobbled?

Never said that.
AK was saying I inflated prices - just going off of what my build ran and halving it. ID1000's aren't cheap but the best rarely is.

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by Jon01

Turbo - BW 475 cast wheel, don't waste $
.
.
.
ID1000's aren't cheap but the best rarely is.

I don't disagree with the bulk of what you said. Spot on for the most part.

However, you sort of contradict yourself when you say anything other than a BW cast wheel is wasting money, but in the same breath preach spending more for "less" with the ID injectors. ID injectors are killer, no doubt....and the price reflects that.

HOWEVER, I have been running my Holley 120s on the street for 2 years now, on E85, and I'm extremely happy with them. Not to mention they flow 26% more than an ID1000. I guess that is one of the benefits of spending the extra money up front on the Dominator...the native ability to use the less expensive Low-Z injectors. Pay it up front, or pay for it on the back end I guess. Boost isn't cheap, we can agree on that.