Hi everyone! Before I get into the topic at hand a quick background rundown: I've been creeping around PFF for a while (and 60°v6) and am more knowledgeable than an average person but less knowledgeable than someone who does mechanics work for a living. What I really need is some assistance in fine tuning my fiero. My goal for the car is to push somewhere between 3-5lb more boost or maintain my current level (10lb) and possibly advance timing just a hair (without blowing it up lol)
Basic rundown of the car in it's current configuration: 2.8 60° stroked to a 3.1 then bored to a 3.2L hyper pistons (however that's spelled...) Rods out of a sb Chevy, 252h cam, TB intake and headers ported, 3>1 ceramic coated headers, Garret gt30-r turbo, tial wg set for 10lb, hks bov, Saab 9000 a2a intercooler, front battery conversion along with a few other minor things. Car was dyno'd few years ago mid summer (85-90°) and pulled 216hp/257lb ft. I have a laptop and tuning program (will be more specific later) as well as a pcm burner but I lack some of the finer points to use it effectively. That all being said it actually runs just fine I'm just looking to push it a little farther. I think ia good goal would be 250hp; just enough to get into trouble
Any and all help happily accepted. I'm located in NE Ohio if someone in my neighborhood (within an HR or 2) can lend a hand I'm willing to make the trip come springtime. I'll try and post some pictures when I get a sec.
Welcome to the forum. If you want to run more timing and a little more boost, water meth injection works well. The more advanced tuners among us(not me lol) will want to know what ECM you have, size of injectors what you are doing for knock detection etc. I have a Snow water meth system that is progressive based on boost level. It can also be paired with a MAF sensor as well by flipping a switch on the controller.
------------------ 86 GT built 2.2 ecotec turbo rear SLA suspension QA1 coilovers on tube arms
First off I lied. I'm going through the stack of paperwork and it would appear I have forged pistons at the very least. I know the injectors have been balanced but I'm not seeing anything as far as what it's got so I'll continue to look around I have more than an inch of paperwork and there might be more someplace else also... Took a pic just for the general idea of what we're looking at. It's not possible to be making 215hp on stock injectors right?
With stock injectors running 10 lbs of boost the person running the dyno would have shut it down before he could get any readings I would think. It would knock badly.
------------------ 86 GT built 2.2 ecotec turbo rear SLA suspension QA1 coilovers on tube arms
Yes the car was designed and parted together by a retired gm engineer who worked on the fiero new from the factory. Smart guy. Purchased several years ago which is why I'm double checking the specs. Enjoyed it for 6 months or so then had to put it to the side for a year due to financial constraints. This year I put some money in it to help it along and next spring I'll finish install of my remaining parts. Still have c4 Corvette rotors, oil cooler, and few other minor things to install. As I find more numbers for hardware I'll post it up. Paperwork says the turbo is a 50 trim stage 3 .63 a/r, 255 lph fuel pump, msd coil. Fairly certain ecm is stock could be wrong on that.
I have another random idea that could be fruitful... In addition to all of the various things I'll be finishing up this upcoming spring I'm also considering rotating the intercooler into a vertical orientation. Removing or cutting the deck vent to fit. I just feel like the size and placement is less than ideal and even if I just reconfigure it's placement and not swap to something bigger or water to air it'll be more effective. Thoughts?
Since you have a 3.2, I would think a T3 is a bit too small for you. There is no way you are running stock injectors. My old 3.1[2] setup with KKK K3 turbo (basically same as a T3) with 16# injectors ran out of fuel at 4500 rpm.
I would find out what injectors you actually have and upgrade accordingly (19# are good for 250 hp, IIRC - go for at least 24#); rebuild the turbo to a T3/4 hybrid. Also, switch to E85 fuel. Handles boost better but you also need 30-35% more fuel, so you'll need to check your fuel pump and probably go to 36# injectors...
FYI - I switched to E85 on a naturally aspirated motor and gained 10-12 hp...
[This message has been edited by lou_dias (edited 12-06-2019).]
I would just drive it as is and see how you like it. The only way to judge an intercoolers effectiveness is to monitor charge pipe temperatures and then make changes as needed. If you have a stock ECM you may not have a knock sensor (I think only 85 model years had one) . Trying to make big power without a way to monitor KR and temperatures can be disasterous. Everything looks clean and well thought out in the engine bay. You could easily change out the air to air for an air to water intercooler, the HX would sit in the same spot and one to fit the piping configuration is probably available. I got all my intercooler stuff from frozenboost.com . As far as E85 is concerned, unless you are looking to make max power I would not bother. Your mileage will take a big hit and the Fiero gas tank is small at 10 us gallons, so you will get not much range out of a tank.
------------------ 86 GT built 2.2 ecotec turbo rear SLA suspension QA1 coilovers on tube arms
I have another random idea that could be fruitful... In addition to all of the various things I'll be finishing up this upcoming spring I'm also considering rotating the intercooler into a vertical orientation. Removing or cutting the deck vent to fit. I just feel like the size and placement is less than ideal and even if I just reconfigure it's placement and not swap to something bigger or water to air it'll be more effective. Thoughts?
Air travels up through the decklid vent, so right now your intercooler is oriented to be cooled by the airflow.
The intercooler presently appears to fit well with those custom red pipes. I don't think I would mess with a good setup without good reason.
Thanks for the replies folks. I have considered water meth injection but I'm weary of unnecessary added complexity. Same reason I haven't ALREADY done a water to air conversion. As for e85 it's like foreign speak around here, i wouldn't even know where to get it lol and the added knock control could be gained with some octane booster in place of e85 if it's required. If I could make 16lb on 110octane without major mods past what I've already got in the works that'd be stellar. I don't know how realistic that is but I like to dream big when possible.
Should be noted that the previous owner told me at some point he had it up to 15lb boost but the car was "uncontrollable" at that level. Mind you he was mid 70s when I got it from him so idk how much I believe it point blank but it's something to keep in mind.
Forgot to mention the exhaust. The trunk has been cut and pieced back together to accommodate the entire exhaust in the engine compartment. I understand why I just think it's way too long considering it's a turbo car. If it was n/a I'd be okay with it for back pressure but for this I think it's unnecessary. Few 180° turns and at least 7ft of pipe post turbo to tips. Not to mention the heat output once the car is nice and warmed up. Currently has a spintech w/duals in this configuration... At some point (not soon) imma do something to shorten it or add the item in question below.
This is completely off topic from my original post but I'd still like to hear from you: I heard from a buddy about boost actuated exhaust cutouts (which I hadn't heard of up to then). Anyone have any experience with them and do they have a place in a turbo fiero application?
My exhaust system goes like this: Turbo-downpipe-180 degree turn-catylytic converter-180 degree turn-straight pipe-90 degree turn-stub out under the bumper. Single outlet. All 2.5" pipe and mandrel bends in stainles steel. No muffler and it is only noisy when you really get in to it. Cruising along it is not loud at all.
------------------ 86 GT built 2.2 ecotec turbo rear SLA suspension QA1 coilovers on tube arms
[This message has been edited by wftb (edited 12-07-2019).]
Originally posted by 86dreamachine: This is completely off topic from my original post but I'd still like to hear from you: I heard from a buddy about boost actuated exhaust cutouts (which I hadn't heard of up to then). Anyone have any experience with them and do they have a place in a turbo fiero application?
In some modified turbo cars, the wastegate flow does not merge back into the turbine discharge pipe.
Instead, a separate exhaust pipe is used for the wastegate flow... the wastegate pipe will only convey exhaust gas at maximum boost, uncorking the exhaust at that point. Often, no muffler is used on the wastegate pipe, so it is called a "screamer pipe".
Pmbrunelle, i wasn't talking about an external wastegate (which is present on this build) I meant a dedicated straight pipe post hot side directly out the car (decklid in our case) so you'd maintain your full exhaust, wastegate, etc but when you reach your boost number you ditch all the excess back pressure and could in theory pull some extra horse on the top end. I've seen some folks pull a BUNCH of "free" horse on the Dyno with cutouts in boost. Mind you they are front engine and have more exhaust to bypass but even so the idea is valid in general was just curious if anyone here had heard of or seen them.
Lots of new performance cars have electronically operated muffler cutouts from the factory. All they do is bypass the muffler when you have the car in track mode usually. New top of the line Camaros have them, 1ZLE? not sure of the model.
------------------ 86 GT built 2.2 ecotec turbo rear SLA suspension QA1 coilovers on tube arms
