turbo plenum porting?

[mikemcvaney]

Is porting and polishing the turbo plenum good for any power gains or will it simply cause the gas to puddle under the carb? Mike

 

[charlief1]

I'll be doing some mods to the one I have Mike, so I don't think it will cause a problem. The big thing is the throat not the bottom under the carb though. I'll be showing how to in the turbo thread and starting an intake thread when I'm ready to open it up some. Keep tuned.

 

[mat231v6]

I'll be showing how to in the turbo thread and starting an intake thread when I'm ready to open it up some. Keep tuned

sound like you have some cool new projects. can't wait to see this stuff.

 

[usetaboost]

I would at least port match it.

 

[charlief1]

sound like you have some cool new projects. can't wait to see this stuff.

LOL This has been in the works for a while Matt. I've been shy of money so things have been taking longer than I'd like but they're getting done, slooooowly.:frown: Aj and I talked about what mods to do and I think there's a solution to opening the intake quite a bit. The plenum needs to be cut and a piece has to be welded in to open it up more though.:biggrin: It should flow as well as the 80-81 TTA plenum at least.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

any porting will help in this area. but nuthing i would worry about until you begin pushing the 12s. and even then, a 1 inch spacer clears up any problems the were present

so it looks good. but most of us arent fast enough to feel change.

A.j.

 

[usetaboost]

I had the plenum off mine once. DIdn't really look that bad to me. They crack easily so I don't know if I'd be too excited about doing a whole lot to them. If it's already on your car I would leave it.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

I did this back in 11/2006 with my plenum. I don't have any before or after stats. It just seemed to be the thing to do if it's off the vehicle. No problems to this day with the fuel delivery. But I really don't know if it was beneficial, (it looks good though ).

 

[dr_frankenstein]

I did this back in 11/2006 with my plenum. I don't have any before or after stats. It just seemed to be the thing to do if it's off the vehicle. No problems to this day with the fuel delivery. But I really don't know if it was beneficial, (it looks good though ).

LMAO


it was a long day buffing that plenum wasnt it?

I have been buffing my aluminum lately and man is it time consuming!

looks good freddie!

A.j.

 

[WarWagon]

That poshing does look great. Freddie

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Yeah I got some buffing supplies from Eastwood, (good material, sucky company). Spent a week porting the inside of the plenum and polishing the outside. Did some damage to my forearm muscle at the elbow, (tendinitus), and had to to get some painful shots to get rid of the constant pain. The pain stuck around for another six months. It eventually cleared up. The constant vibration must of affected my tendons.

I first started with a pneumatic grinder. But then I switched to an electrical variable grinder, (much more efficient and quicker).
Sometimes ya gotta bleed a little, other times you have to cry a little.
It's some kinda phobia these freakin Buicks does to one.

 

[charlief1]

You cleaned it up really nice Freddie. The area I've been looking at is just to the side of the carb mounting pad. Build it up some there so you can open the throat up.

 

[mat231v6]

wow! nice polish job how did you do it? i always wanted to polish things up but every time i do it; it looks like cr*p. please put step by step how you did that i really want to learn how people do great polishing.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

You cleaned it up really nice Freddie. The area I've been looking at is just to the side of the carb mounting pad. Build it up some there so you can open the throat up.

What I did'nt show and I did'nt take pics of was the inside of the plenum. There were many areas that obstucted the flow, especially around the area you mentioned. It really port matched very well with the compressor side with not much to do there, (except in your case with that bigger turbo compressor you fabbed I would imagine you'd have plenty to cut just to port match the Buick plenum to it).

The only thing one can do to an OEM configuration is smoothen and polish the curve and walls on the inside of the throat, (in addition to the plenum's carb base as you can see on the pic). The EGR port inside the plenum by the throat is also full off obstuctions that need polishing and cutting.

As far as a tutorial on polishing aluminum all I can say is that would be very time consuming. Eastwood sells a video on how to properly do this with their stock. All I did was follow their instuctions. It's all a matter of patience and elbow grease, (and in my case much pain).

 

[charlief1]

That's an 83 intake isn't it Freddie?

As far as the throat, the new turbo is matched to the gasket from the original kit and it's the same size as the flange that mounts the plenum. I looked very carefully at it when I had everything apart and there has to be some serious work done to it to make it as big as it needs to be. It really is restrictive if you look at one of the TTA plenums.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

That's an 83 intake isn't it Freddie?

As far as the throat, the new turbo is matched to the gasket from the original kit and it's the same size as the flange that mounts the plenum. I looked very carefully at it when I had everything apart and there has to be some serious work done to it to make it as big as it needs to be. It really is restrictive if you look at one of the TTA plenums.

but only in comparison if your using the 301 compressor right?

in stock form would you argue any improvement?

A.j.

 

[charlief1]

but only in comparison if your using the 301 compressor right?

in stock form would you argue any improvement?

A.j.

Nope. Here's a pic of the stock V6 plenum with the piece I cut off the 301. Notice the lip is on the piece and not the plenum?

The second is the piece on top of a stock V6 inducer housing. There's deffinatly an issue there with the lip on the turbo. It really does need to be cleaned up so it will be a smoother transition.

 

[usetaboost]

I did this back in 11/2006 with my plenum. I don't have any before or after stats. It just seemed to be the thing to do if it's off the vehicle. No problems to this day with the fuel delivery. But I really don't know if it was beneficial, (it looks good though ).

Hey freddie, I've never seen pics of your ride. Could you make a thread and post them with some mods you have done? Pleeeeeease:biggrin:

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Hey freddie, I've never seen pics of your ride. Could you make a thread and post them with some mods you have done? Pleeeeeease:biggrin:

Man you guys are pic happy. :biggrin: I'll give it a shot when I get a chance. The car was modified with mostly OEM stuff anyway. My only fabs were in the exhaust, interior cab, (Pontiac headliner and custom dash pods), and body, (just a GN spoiler). And yeah....it's all black, (don't spank me).

Charlie's being trying to get me to do a sig with all the traditional mods I put into it but I have'nt gotten around to it.

In the spring I'm pulling off the heads and having the valve guides rebuilt with bronze ones. Just waiting on my Uncle Sam check to get me through it.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

That's an 83 intake isn't it Freddie? It really is restrictive if you look at one of the TTA plenums.

Yep it is an '83 intake. What year plenum you have? Is it the '83 or the earlier coolant filled one?