Looking for advice on first turbo upgrade for my GN!

T

turbobuick1

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
I have an 87 GN that I would like to install a larger turbo on. I have the stock turbo right now. Please see my sig for the few modifications Ive done.

As far as criteria goes for selecting a new one:

* I don't care if its stock appearing or not.
* Would be nice to have something that will bolt to my aftermarket downpipe and use the stock style integral wastegate.
* I don't have a particular E.T. in mind, except maybe to use the 60 lb injectors to their maximum potential.

I am leaning towards a ball bearing turbo so I can run an aggressively large size for use with the stock torque converter, yet still have good streetability. I don't mind installing a higher stall converter, but bottom line I want this car to be very responsive and fun on the street.

Any thoughts, advice, recommendations are truly appreciated.
 
turbobuick1 said:
but bottom line I want this car to be very responsive and fun on the street.

Any thoughts, advice, recommendations are truly appreciated.
Click to expand...
max the stock turbo out,then a 49 turbo with a good tune with a restall d5,shift kit for the trans or get one fully built and drag radials.
 
turbobuick1 said:
I am leaning towards a ball bearing turbo so I can run an aggressively large size for use with the stock torque converter, yet still have good streetability.
Click to expand...
you wont be able to oversize the turbo even in ball bearing and have good streetability.the stock turbo/49 are great street turbos on the stock motor when tuned correctly.
 
I really had the most fun back in the day with a near stock car with bolt-on's and a Te44 garrett housing, the car was super fast on the street (probably 11.90s) and seemed indestructible even with boost in the 20s all the time.
 
Hi guys, everyone opinion is different... I say get a 6262 Ball Bearing. Now , there are a ton of members HERE who have never used a ball bearing turbo but will say its not needed. But its night and day difference. Mine spools like lightning.

Also, I would get a loose TCS Billet 9/11 or Precision Muti disc O pump. Because you have the ability to lock the converter at cruising and @ wot at the track(if you want)... 2400-2600 @ 1....those two hold up well.

imo, again, I think for a 10.5X STREET CAR or slower, a ball bearing turbo and a strong lockup converter is tough the beat. Any faster, I would go with a totally different combo.
 
TTA976 said:
Hi guys, everyone opinion is different... I say get a 6262 Ball Bearing. Now , there are a ton of members HERE who have never used a ball bearing turbo but will say its not needed. But its night and day difference. Mine spools like lightning.

Also, I would get a loose TCS Billet 9/11 or Precision Muti disc O pump. Because you have the ability to lock the converter at cruising and @ wot at the track(if you want)... 2400-2600 @ 1....those two hold up well.

imo, again, I think for a 10.5X STREET CAR or slower, a ball bearing turbo and a strong lockup converter is tough the beat. Any faster, I would go with a totally different combo.
Click to expand...
Come on Joe.. i will put my JB NLU against your BB LU... But you have to come here where its not -40degrees....:D
 
Tell me about it...weather is terrible!

Your faster than me.lol. I have a street car. Track car doesn't matter. Just my opinion.

Both setups CAN get you to 10.5 or slower...which I consider fast enough for a street car.

I liked having the ability to lock the converter while cruising then lock it at the track. Options are good for a street car. Track car doesn't matter....jmo
 
Just pulling your chain..A te44 bb is a ton of fun on a street car and sounds pretty cool too... any bigger and you open a big can of worms, on a stock car that is.
 
My first and only upgrade from stock was a TE44. It didn't have a Garrett housing, yet the SOB took off like a bat out of hell. With my stock converter, stock IC, a good tune and alky I ran 25psi at the track and on the street. I ran an 11.88 with a stock long block and my TE44, with a 1.79 60' time.

My next upgrade will be a 6265, but with a rebuilt 109 long block. I'm looking to hit mid to low 10s.

PS how much boost are you running on the stocker with alky?
 
V6sleeper said:
I really had the most fun back in the day with a near stock car with bolt-on's and a Te44 garrett housing, the car was super fast on the street (probably 11.90s) and seemed indestructible even with boost in the 20s all the time.
Click to expand...
yup guys don't get that,most of the time bigger just leads to more converter,more injector,twin pumps,bigger lines,larger downpipes,xfi,then a stroker:rolleyes:
 
TTA976 said:
Now , there are a ton of members HERE who have never used a ball bearing turbo but will say its not needed.
Click to expand...
I have;)on a stock motor, stock head, stock tranny,stock converter its a waste of $.a 44 with a garret.63 and a d5 can go low 11s and have perfect street manners,if he then wants the 10 sec money pit he can sell the 44.
 
MCH86GN said:
My first and only upgrade from stock was a TE44. It didn't have a Garrett housing, yet the SOB took off like a bat out of hell. With my stock converter, stock IC, a good tune and alky I ran 25psi at the track and on the street. I ran an 11.88 with a stock long block and my TE44, with a 1.79 60' time.
Click to expand...
that's a nice pass but to me one thing about the 49 that I had a lot of fun with was going 1.5 60fts on drag radials right off the footbrake,the garret.63 did that,later on the pte.63 but I had to work the combo harder.
 
Mr.Spool said:
yup guys don't get that,most of the time bigger just leads to more converter,more injector,twin pumps,bigger lines,larger downpipes,xfi,then a stroker:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Lots more money and time tuning. However, I did go with a just a TE44 and I loved the turbo. But there was a batch of XP fuel pumps that were faulty in the spring of 2008 and I got one and when it failed, the stock head gasket popped. Of course I was blamed, for not topping off my Alky, which is complete BS. I had a 5 gallons of methanol and after two runs I would top it off. I had just topped it off when the head gasket popped.

So when I took my car in to get the head gaskets replaced, I got talked into buying a set of Champion Ported Irons. Once everything was zipped up, car wouldn't start. We hooked up a gauge and sure enough no fuel pressure. I asked why, the person who did the work say your pump failed. He replaced it for free with a Walbro 340. However, he never admitted that my head gasket popping was a result of the fuel pump failure.
 
Last edited:
MCH86GN said:
My next upgrade will be a 6265, but with a rebuilt 109 long block. I'm looking to hit mid to low 10s.
Click to expand...

I have the 6266BB and fuckinn love it. Spools super fast on my car. Way faster than my last journal turbo with a smaller compressor ,turbine and smaller A/R. lol. Spools faster and makes more power up top...win win...I've had many bb and journal. Tall turbine isn't needed for his stock setup though....
 
Mr.Spool said:
that's a nice pass but to me one thing about the 49 that I had a lot of fun with was going 1.5 60fts on drag radials right off the footbrake,the garret.63 did that,later on the pte.63 but I had to work the combo harder.
Click to expand...

I didn't think about the 60' times and quicker spool with the Garret .63 exhaust housing. Like a dummy I sold my stock turbo, it only had 64k miles on it. Knowing what I know now I would have replace the pte housing with my garret housing.
 
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