89L98TPI

Well the BOOST bug has bitten me and I'd like to start piecing together a rear mount Turbo setup. I've checked all over here for info but there isn't much. Since there isn't much maybe we could make this thread a good beginner thread . If I had the money I'd gladly drop it off to Blowerworks or somebody along those lines but I don't. I've been copying the 383 SR builds and when I started quoting out 383 or bigger I didn't like the price tag or the power rating. I literally got my SR and LPE headers on went for a few cruises and it hit me. Why not BOOST!!! So where should I start is where I'm getting too. I'd like to buy the turbo with my tax return since it seems it will be the most expensive. Any info, tips or anything would help a lot. Thanks in advance for any replies guys and bare with me guys I'm learning.
Ron

James93LT1

http://www.raptorllc.net/LT1.htm

dizwiz24

Ummmm. This is not mainstream. I only know of one, possibly two cars out there with this.


Unless you have awesome fabrication skills to do a front mount turbo, id go s/c. There's more info for us out there.

Btw, you mention turbo in hopes of saving money. Turbo setups are generally more expensive. More custom fabrication (I'm not aware of anyone that makes off the shelf turbo headers for lt1 corvette).

illenema

Enjoy.

lcvette

depending on your fabrication skills and what equipment you own will dictate how much it will cost. if you cannot weld or don't have a good welder its going to cost you a lot more to have one built for you.

why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you feel comfortable in doing fabrication wise do we can better help you determine cost and a direction.

Chris

89L98TPI

Well to start off I have a 89. My buddy (welder/fab guy) was just given a 84 with 383 No intake by his brother who owns a trans/motor shop with lifts. I told him I'd do some reading on a turbo setups on here. That's when the BOOST bug bite me. I guess you can say we're also trying to prove his older brothers wrong about being "fast". There carb big cubes or BBC guys. Anyway We seen the sts kit pics and the piping isn't the part that worries us. it's more ordering the right turbo, bov , Wastegate etc that we wanna get right. I know I probably jumped the gun making this thread before reading more but most of what's on here says STS kit is a ripoff and to piece your own together. Just trying to get some help. I guess I'll do some more reading on other forums

lcvette

No worries, I think in my opinion a rear mount setup would be very easy and straight forward to build. Having an 89 you have a chipped ecu, I believe I remember reading somewhere that someone had cracked it and found a way to convert the map sensor to a 2 or 3 bar so you should be able tune it relatively well without going to a stand alone or other costly system. With the size and improved performance of high impedance injectors these days no worrying about a resistor box or the ecu injector drivers burning up. So I think that portion requires some verification on your part so you can be sure you will have a way to tune it once completed.

As for a parts selection.. What is your power goal?

Here is what I would piece together for myself:

Comp Turbo 67mm unit w/.82AR hot side housing, Oiless, triple ball bearing.

~$1600

Precision 44mm wastegate

~$330

Tial 50mm Q- BOV

~$250

Intercooler, I would put it where the spare tire is located and get one that has been anodized black, won't even recognize it like that and it take it out of the engine bay so you can easily keep all your AC and not interfere with any cooling ability. I would look at the 12x3x24 size if you power goal is small to moderate and a 12x4x24 if you have bigger plans.

~$250 w/ piping kit
For piping, use ONLY stainless steel if you want it too last on the hot side and aluminum for the cold side. I would merge the exhaust leaving the manifolds, go 2.5” to 2.5” into 2.5” all the way back to the turbo. And also run a single 2.5” aluminum charge pipe.
~$750-800 for v-bands flanges and tubing to complete the build.

Miscellaneous hoses fittings for cooling for the turbo and what not..
~$300-350

That should put you in the ballpark of building a quality rear mount turbo kit that will give you years of service and excellent performance!

Chris

StatmanRN

I have an STS setup on a C5. I also have a 95 and had toyed with the idea of a rearmount setup.
The raptor setup looks pretty good. Depending on how much boost you plan to run, an intercooler may not be required. You get some intercooling effect from the long charge pipe.
The worlds best intercooler is a small hit of nitrous. Eliminates the lag problem too. Rear mounts typicly have a bit of a lag compared to front mounts unless you go with a smaller size.
Are you running auto or manual? you dont absolutely need a blowoff valve for an automatic. Also, I have found better results running with automatics [esp with a stall]as they stay in boost and just pull like a train.
Use a Turbowerx exapump -in the rear- to scavenge the oil. You will also need a pressure swtch and some sort of low PSI warning
If you have fab skills time and tools, go for it. But it will end up costing you more than you think.

Tom400CFI

That is actually a really cool idea. I dig it!

Blueblood85

Don't know if you've been there yet but check out...
http://www.theturboforums.com
Massive amounts of information and knowledge there! Back in the day when i had my turbo mustang i practically lived on that site. It started as a 'stang only site (turbomustangs.com) but has evolved to cover pretty much everything and anything turbo now. My best advice would be to learn how to read compressor maps! Thats 80% of the battle imo. Other than that, just research till u think u have a good plan. Then step back, look at it all again, and find/fix what u missed...cause you will lol. Good luck

rhanselman

Quote:

Originally Posted by 89L98TPI

I know I probably jumped the gun making thisthread before reading more but most of what's on here says STS kit is a ripoffand to piece your own together. Just trying to get some help. I guess I'll dosome more reading on other forums

I'd like to jump in here and clear some things up...

The C4 Rear Mount Turbo System was created out of the desire of two individuals that love C4's. The two individuals were myself (Ron Hanselman) and JerryDowny. Jerry and I felt that the remote mount turbo system was unconventional but solved several issues of conventional turbo builds.

At the time, STS was only offering C5/6 systems for the Corvette unless you wanted to purchase a universal system and try to do it yourself. So, Jerry and I contacted STS to see if they could be convinced in developing a system for us. STS was not interested...

So, Jerry and I struck a deal to develop the C4 system under rights given by STS. After interviewing and working with several fab guys (and failing twice) we ended up with a gentleman and his brother in CA. These two gentlemen were no strangers to exhaust work; their resume included doing design work for Magna Flow. We visited their facility in Long Beach and needless to say we were impressed.

STS sent their own fab guy out to help with the initial design work but after the CA pair got a feel for what we wanted they came up with their own design which Jerry and I really liked. We also wanted to depart from an STS standard of using mild steal. We felt the SS was the way to go for the discriminating buyers of Corvettes. All of our systems are SS.

Then, the economy crashed... Jerry and I had already vested lots of cash andtime into the development and production of 20 LT1/4 and 10 LT5 ZR-1 systems.We decided to put the project on the shelf until the economy recovered. We stopped advertising and we stopped the development of the L98 system.

In the meantime Jerry started Jerry's Gaskets and has been doing very well. He decided to sell me his half a Raptor so he could concentrate on Gaskets and parts for the LT5. I am now the sole owner of Raptor. I have since transferred all the systems to Henderson Performance a well know shop just North of SanAntonio TX. The owner Corey and I have known each other for about 11 years and he's performed many mods to my ZR-1. He is considered one of the top ZR-1tuning guys in the country.

The way ahead... I just moved from Vegas to Salt Lake City and I'm getting settled in. I plan to start offering systems soon. The ZR-1 and L98 systems will be custom installed only in San Antonio TX while the LT1/4 kit will be available as a do it yourself install or you can have your preferred shop do the install. We currently are installing a Twin Turbo System in a 1990 ZR-1 so we're just about there...

Now to become a supporting vendor again just to make sure I do everything by the book...

So, I guess what I was trying to say is Raptor and STS are two different companies. STS gives Raptor the right to design, build and sell remote mount kits under their patent. We are not the same and to this day STS does not have a C4 system.

If you would, I'd like some clarification on the Rip Off comment. Just curious... The rear mounts do delivery very good power especially for the money so I'm interested on how they are a rip off. My Twin Turbo Z puts down 600 plus to the wheels and my LT1 car does the same. Nice combo...

Cheers,
RH

355tpipickup

Subbed for info! Always wanted to run a rear mount on my truck

xpk

I just read your comments about moving and growing your turbo business. I live in Riverton, Utah and have a 89 convertible I am interested in boosting power on a bit. Perhaps we can work together to create something.

rhanselman

PM me your number please.

FYI, we are finishing up another ZR-1 twin. Should be finished next week.

lcvette

I am very curious about what STS's patent covers, and why you felt you would need to build under there patent? I cannot imagine it would hold much water as the actual system is still the exact same design as any system its just a matter of where you locate the parts. I don't see it holding up in court and further more if it could, I would venture every other turbo system manufacturer out there would be setting up patents for the first one who designs aftermarket turbo kits for new vehicle models. would you mind chiming on or PM'ing me on this? just curious. I could be way off base but that's how it appears to me. I am going to see if I can find a copy of their patent to maybe better understand what rights they have.

Chris

Brand-X

Beyond some pieces they've specifically designed, not sure what they could have patented. If patent laws worked that way, procharger wouldn't be able to sell a kit for a car for which vortech was first to market....and, we know that isnt the case!

Tom400CFI

PM sent...

Mr. Burns

Ive read some time ago in book only about turbochargers. It would tell you how to put a turbo system on anything aircraft, watercraft, 2 cycle engines and of course the small block you are dealing with. The idea that i got from the book is that if your engine has good tourqe as is, and upgrading the fuel, exhaust and computer as needed to support boost only adds to that. Keeping those things in mind a bit of turbo lag isnt as bad as one would think, the natural tourqe of your engine gets you on the move while the turbos take a second to catch up. Thats just my thinking, however it was confirmed as very possible from a guy who had the worlds fastes 4cyl mini-van(kinda funny but youtube minivan vs camaro select the first one) 34 psi of boost and a 12 sec 1/4 time. Maybe just another way to look at it