Budget turbo build input wanted.

Rat Rods Rule

Help Support Rat Rods Rule:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

21willys

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
2,751
In the future I plan on using a 1976 455 olds in a build. What I would like to do is put a turbo on it for a little extra hp. SO... I need some input. I want to do all the fabricating myself and not buy anything that I don't have to. So that means using a used turbo off of something. Or two turbos off of something?

Anybody have advice on selecting a well working turbo set up?

Advice?
 
Two turbos will work much better than one big turbo. Turbos for 4cyl engine work good. There are a lot of the 4 cyl diesels out there. Lots of new turbos on Ebay for sale.
 
Two turbos will work much better than one big turbo. Turbos for 4cyl engine work good. There are a lot of the 4 cyl diesels out there. Lots of new turbos on Ebay for sale.

A turbo hanging off of each side would have to look cooler too! :cool:
 
I'm not sure the term "budget" and Turbo belong in the same sentence.

go to eBay and type in "turbocharger books" and it will bring up dozens of new and out of print books on the subject.
 
DO a little math and find out how much CC or CI of each bank on the 455. Then go looking for a factory turbo 4 or 6 cylinder with about the same size as your 1/2 of a 455. Grab 2 and go! Lol [P
 
DO a little math and find out how much CC or CI of each bank on the 455. Then go looking for a factory turbo 4 or 6 cylinder with about the same size as your 1/2 of a 455. Grab 2 and go! Lol [P

I've been patiently waiting on you to reply lol. Do you know of any turbos to steer clear off? Ones with oddball flanges or anything? Non rebuildable ones?

I also have a 440 Mopar that I could do this too. Or a olds 307, or a Pontiac 316, or a run of the mill sbc. All of witch I hold at very little value to me if they grenaded. :D
 
Well, I'm partial to the Garrett T3 turbos offered by Ford on the TurboCoupe's and SVO Mustangs but their little 4cyls are 140 ci x 2 would only be 280 ci. You probably need something bigger. Some of the diesel turbos may work.
 
If you were going to run any of the smaller motors (307-350ci) then you can run 2 Buick Grand National turbos. They have the waste gate built into them and most guys step up to a bigger one. If you are patient you can score them for around $200. If you are going to run the 455 / 440 then pick up a couple of Master Power T67 or T70 with a T4 exhaust flange. They are brazilian made and good quality for the money (Around $600 brand new)
 
After what jfg said, I looked and found this.
This entire twin T70 kit is on dabay for $999.99
I don't see the flanges. They are $25 to $35 a piece.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-H...ARGER-DIY-CUSTOM-FMIC-PIPING-HP-/200757989969
TBK-KOS-UNI-TT-T70.jpg
 
After what jfg said, I looked and found this.
This entire twin T70 kit is on dabay for $999.99
I don't see the flanges. They are $25 to $35 a piece.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-H...ARGER-DIY-CUSTOM-FMIC-PIPING-HP-/200757989969
TBK-KOS-UNI-TT-T70.jpg

I've read up on these cheap kits before and the turbos have some shady craftsmanship most of the time. Even a few of them that needed rebuilt when they was new cause they leaked so much oil. Then some still had the shavings in them from the housing being machined! Plus I hope that I get it done a bit cheaper then dropping $1000 right off the bat. Sure it would probably be easier with a kit but who likes doing things the easy way? :D
 
If you were going to run any of the smaller motors (307-350ci) then you can run 2 Buick Grand National turbos. They have the waste gate built into them and most guys step up to a bigger one. If you are patient you can score them for around $200. If you are going to run the 455 / 440 then pick up a couple of Master Power T67 or T70 with a T4 exhaust flange. They are brazilian made and good quality for the money (Around $600 brand new)

I like the idea of the built in waste gate. Less to buy and less to have to fabricate in. Did any of the T67 or 70s ever have a built in waste gate? If I remember right buying a new waste gate can be pretty expensive (on a budget build).

I don't imagine that the T67,70 turbos ever came on anything from the factory did they?

Looks like I need to do some research on the turbos that you mentioned.:cool:
 
Hmm I just remembered that I have a big turbo out in the shop off of a car diesel. Guess I should do some research and see what it is.
 
After what jfg said, I looked and found this.
This entire twin T70 kit is on dabay for $999.99
I don't see the flanges. They are $25 to $35 a piece.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-H...ARGER-DIY-CUSTOM-FMIC-PIPING-HP-/200757989969
TBK-KOS-UNI-TT-T70.jpg

Most of the stuff there will break very quickly. Try to TIG the "aluminum" pipe and see all the pretty sparkles. That being said I think it was car craft that bought one of these sets for a camaro and it did post tome good numbers. Clamps broke, fitment sucked etc.

Waste gates are not really that expensive when you come right down to it. I always use a seperate one just because it is easy to fit the turbo into a tight space without it. Also get at least a 50mm. Too big doesn't hurt you nearly as much as too small. Boost creep will toast your motor pretty quick.

The Master Power turbo's are not chinease junk. They are made in Brazil and have a really good quality rating for the money.

I have 2 of the "ebay china" turbo's on the shelf that I have a total of $400 in for the pair. They are about a 61-2 on T3 housings (going by the actual measurements not the "specs" given). I may take a junkyard 5.3L and bang the pair on it just to see how fast I can go for how long for as little money as possible. That should end in a bang! Lol
 
DO a little math and find out how much CC or CI of each bank on the 455. Then go looking for a factory turbo 4 or 6 cylinder with about the same size as your 1/2 of a 455. Grab 2 and go! Lol [P

That's the way I did it on a 5.0 ford and it worked pretty well. I did grenade the motor though--can't lettem go lean!! I Have a big single drawthrough on a 350. Really a towing/torque application. It wants to overpressure around 3K and I try to stay out of it. This may sound kinda silly, but they really are best as eye candy and to use as mufflers. The spinning blades chop the exhaust up and the tone is really sweet! none of that harsh raw open pipe sound. They do look interesting.
 

Attachments

  • 430282_131545520308311_12562898_n.jpg
    430282_131545520308311_12562898_n.jpg
    42.7 KB · Views: 21
  • 556948_177933429002853_1983812726_n.jpg
    556948_177933429002853_1983812726_n.jpg
    183.1 KB · Views: 18
Better pic of the twin turbo 5.0 . I ran a Meggasquirt and didn't program it right and it went lean and blew both head gaskets in a hard pull. Real dramatic with an open motor. A big cloud of steam and smoke, oil and water all over the windshield all in a second.!!. Not all that bad though new rings and head gaskets, and used head studs after that and programmed the Megga squirt right. Took it back to NA cause the JY turbos wanted to leak oil and smoke, and when it came up on boost things were a little too hectic for my taste.
 

Attachments

  • Disc1_014DittoTurboLeakingOilLeft.jpg
    Disc1_014DittoTurboLeakingOilLeft.jpg
    45.6 KB · Views: 21
  • twin JYTT 029.jpg
    twin JYTT 029.jpg
    159.5 KB · Views: 23
Check out CX racing and VS racing. I'd go with 2 GT35's on a T4. That 455 will need to breath and you don't want exh back pressure. Build byour own hot side, might be able to use your manifolds if they will flip from side to side. Ebay intercooler, CX racing. Ck out Sloppy Mechanics, Google it, Denmah as he goes by build all kinds of turbo set ups on the cheap. His last Fairmont made 740 RWHP with a used 5.3 and a 88mm ebay turbo from VS racing.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top