Limequat's 4.2l I6 Swap

[thedave925]

Just got a first mileage reading: 19.9. Was hoping for better, but it's better than a 7M

Hmm I've never taken a hard MPG number for myself.
How do you drive, and what RPM range do you normally use? Miles per tank?
4.2l must be fun!

Thanks

 

[limequat]

Hmm I've never taken a hard MPG number for myself.
How do you drive, and what RPM range do you normally use? Miles per tank?
4.2l must be fun!

Thanks

I was driving somewhat sanely to see what MPG I could get. Cruise @ about 3000 RPM.

---------- Post added at 12:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 PM ----------

I'm now taking ideas on where to put one of these. I doesn't fit in the traditional spot.

 

[customs]

WHAT, only one?!

Well I am sure you could do something like this...

But maybe more in this position and since its an inline motor your manifold wont be as much of a problem.

Also are you sure that it wouldnt be possible to make it fit in the traditional spot? Maybe you could make an awesome scoop/bulge in the hood to make it fit. I assume you are having a problem with getting and manifold and turbo between the valve cover and the strut tower.

 

[te72]

Dammit Customs, you beat me to posting that LS1 setup... Plenty of room there, would just have to sacrifice a bit of cooling capacity to do so. Better idea like was posted above though, what about a power bulge, ala DSM? Unfortunately sir, you kinda backed yourself into a wall of creative thinking putting such a wide engine in there. Hmmmmmmm.... new idea. Slant the motor. Can it be done within the space available, and what consequences might there be, i.e. oiling issues, fitment issues, etc... It would certainly open up room for a turbo setup, not to mention a *potentially* lower hood clearance, but looking at the picture, it seems like you're already pretty damn close to the strut tower on both sides of the bay. Would even a 10* slant be feasible?

 

[limequat]

Good ideas guys. I'm now thinking in front of the radiador. I'll have to play with it some more.

BTW, those GT37s are huge. Like 12" in diameter.

---------- Post added at 10:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:49 AM ----------

Do you know if there are remote reservoirs readily available for GM engines?

 

[limequat]

WHAT, only one?!

Lol, yeah. The GT37 off the Duramax actually has a compressor wheel from a GT40. It's huge.

Also are you sure that it wouldnt be possible to make it fit in the traditional spot? Maybe you could make an awesome scoop/bulge in the hood to make it fit. I assume you are having a problem with getting and manifold and turbo between the valve cover and the strut tower.

Yep, that's exactly it. I set it in to see how close it was and it wasn't It doesn't sit between the strut tower and head, it sits ON the strut tower and head! Still hoping to get a stock hood on this guy.

---------- Post added at 09:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:37 PM ----------

Dammit Customs, you beat me to posting that LS1 setup... Plenty of room there, would just have to sacrifice a bit of cooling capacity to do so. Better idea like was posted above though, what about a power bulge, ala DSM?

Really want a stock hood. Besides it wouldn't be a bulge, it would be a tower!

Unfortunately sir, you kinda backed yourself into a wall of creative thinking putting such a wide engine in there. Hmmmmmmm.... new idea. Slant the motor. Can it be done within the space available, and what consequences might there be, i.e. oiling issues, fitment issues, etc... It would certainly open up room for a turbo setup, not to mention a *potentially* lower hood clearance, but looking at the picture, it seems like you're already pretty damn close to the strut tower on both sides of the bay. Would even a 10* slant be feasible?

The engine is only an inch or two wider than the 7m. Most of the difference is length. I like the slant idea. It certainly wouldn't help my hood clearance though. Think of a rectangle. The longest dimension is from corner to corner. I'll have to rip out my airbox this weekend and see how much room there is for an LS1 style mount.

 

[limequat]

After taking out my A/C lines and some other minutia, I convinced myself that I will be able to fit my turbo in after all.

I have two GT3788VA off of a Duramax. These are the Garrett GT series GT37 frame, but with a GT40 wheel and variable geometry on the exhaust side. One of them will flow over 900 CFM, so the other is a spare. There are few people on the tubes that have used these turbos with varying success. Those fortunate to have stand alone engine control can program an output for the turbo. Others use wastegate actuators to control the veins. Here's a video from someone in the former camp. Spool to 25 psi is almost instantaneous on all of 2.2 liters:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4lDkm6Xj5g&feature=related

My turbo is only slightly bigger, but with an additional 2.0 liters of displacement, I expect spool to be incredible. Here's how it works: The PCM drives a solenoid that in turns controls oil flow to a slide ring on the turbine. Full oil flow, the turbine is choked to almost nothing. These turbos will make boost at idle.

Low oil flow, and the vanes open up. No need for a wastegate.

I think this may go with some work:

 

[te72]

That last pic a photoshop or actual mockup? My eyes are tired, but that looks like it could work!

 

[limequat]

Actual mockup. I've since clocked the compressor 90 degrees and it's looking even better.

Sidebar: Diesel soot is the nastiest stuff.

 

[limequat]

Here's the compressor clocked 90 degrees. I think this is pretty close.

 

[thedave925]

This looks promising, V-band clamp and some skill can yield results.
Almost looks like you could retain the AC, with dropping the low hard line some.
Is there some kind of sleeve to put over the coolant line feeding the heater core? That would be hard to get to later on if it split from heat.

 

[spencyg]

Amazing Build! I love the forward thinking with this project along with the "hey, I respect that you don't respect what I'm building, and I'm going to build it anyway" attitude. True achievement doesn't come from following the crowd. To truly achieve you need to put your neck out there.

Fantastic thread.

Oh, and I'm very happy to have my first post on SM be in response to this build.

SpencyG

 

[limequat]

This looks promising, V-band clamp and some skill can yield results.
Almost looks like you could retain the AC, with dropping the low hard line some.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Is there some kind of sleeve to put over the coolant line feeding the heater core? That would be hard to get to later on if it split from heat.

I think I'm just going to reroute it. The nipple coming out of the block is actually a thread in fitting. I'm planning on replacing it with a 90 deg elbow to free up space for the downpipe.

---------- Post added at 03:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:21 PM ----------

Amazing Build! I love the forward thinking with this project along with the "hey, I respect that you don't respect what I'm building, and I'm going to build it anyway" attitude. True achievement doesn't come from following the crowd. To truly achieve you need to put your neck out there.

Fantastic thread.

Oh, and I'm very happy to have my first post on SM be in response to this build.

SpencyG

High praise, thanks

 

[customs]

Lol, yeah. The GT37 off the Duramax actually has a compressor wheel from a GT40. It's huge.

I was being completely sarcastic. Looks like you may have some room to squish between the tower and head. I hope you can pull that off, in my personal opinion it will look a lot better then running the setup I showed of the LS motor.

 

[limequat]

I was being completely sarcastic.

OK, wasn't sure. I've seen some/heard of some crazy twin turbo swaps. I wouldn't put it past some SM members to try to drive two GT37s off of a 7m

Looks like you may have some room to squish between the tower and head. I hope you can pull that off, in my personal opinion it will look a lot better then running the setup I showed of the LS motor.

Thanks, and agreed. An inline engine just "looks right" with a turbo next to the head.

I'm thinking about an intercooler now. Kinda wanna do air-water. I think I can put one where the windsheild washer resevoir is.

 

[thedave925]

Doesn't the air-water intercooler still have a pump and heat exchanger of its own?
That sounds like a nifty way to shorten IC runs if you don't mind the extra plumbing for the coolant runs to the exchanger it uses.

 

[limequat]

Turbo is bolted to the engine. Made a bracket using the mounts for the air injection and then down to the block. Another L bracket holds the top of the compressor housing. Got started on my downpipe but ran out of weld wire.

 

[bombinuass]

just now read all 34 pages. this is simply awesome. Goodluck and it inspires me to do a swap.

 

[Supra_Villan]

Any draw ups for the manifold yet?

 

[limequat]

Any draw ups for the manifold yet?

I'm going to be using the stock manifold modified by Tom Langdon at Stovebolt. Next I'll build a pair of S shaped up-pipes to feed the turbo. Hard to see from the top.

---------- Post added at 07:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:48 AM ----------

just now read all 34 pages. this is simply awesome. Goodluck and it inspires me to do a swap.

Thanks!