Wanting a ball bearing turbo !! Help please!!!!

jimmarla

New Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2011
I have a stock 87 GN with 62k miles. I am wanting to ad a cold air intake and a ball bearing turbo. I want to know what you guys would advise. I am going to keep it 100 % streetable and stock appearing, but a lil more power would be nice! It really hauls as it is, BUT, never fast enuf! LOL Thanks a bunch
 
Does the car have a scanmaster scan tool? Have you read and completed the Spring Cleaning ? If the car is all stock you have plenty of ways to make it faster before you buy a ball bearing Turbo and a cold air kit.

Does it have any gauges like boost oil and water temp?
 
Lots of factors to determine what turbo would match your setup. As far as cold air kits…waste of money IMO.
 
yea ^ its not like that turbo is spooling ice cold air lol as soon as that air hits the compresser its no longer cold lol
 
there are some advantages to a properly designed cold air kit. Drawing underhood (hot) air while driving around helps to preheat the intercooler from the inside, reducing its effectiveness. The stock air intake is pretty restrictive, so an upgrade is helpful.

I will agree that the OP needs to research a little (if he has not already), as these cars need the upkeep handled first. (fuel capacity, datalogging, "spring cleaning" maintenance including boost control lines).

Then asking for opinions on here is a good idea, as there is a ton of expertise available without salesmanship getting in the way.

But, in my opinion, after the maintenance stuff is out of the way, the usual modification path is: air intake , fuel supply, chip, datalogging, exhaust mods , turbo.

I think you will find a lot of agreement with the turbo NOT being the first modification.

Bob
 
Nothing wrong with the stock turbo. I would put money towards new pypes exhaust or gn1, k&n filter on the stock maf, and a walbro pump. After that I would get 60lb injectors. Then you need to decide if you want to run e85 or alky (both have benefits). BEFORE you get to this stage I would check all suspension bushings, parts, tune up, fuel filter, vacuum hoses, motor mounts and body mounts. It may seem like a lot now but it shows the investment after you put some power to it.
 
Depending on your goals usually a BB turbo is not needed

I am not sure but you maybe listening to some import guys who will tell you you have to have one.

Since you seem happy with your current performance you would be spending your money better using these items.

Free flowing exhaust, pypes with race mufflers is excellent and my first choice

Cold air kit will help and is a good upgrade.

Fuel pump is a must when just adding some boost

Good chip

If you want to add a turbo for better performance add a TA 49 and a set of 42 lbs injectors

That is an 11 sec combo that is proven reliable and fun.

Last but not least get yourself some sort of scanning or data acquisition system.

Hope this helps
 
A bigger turbo is going to do nothing but bring disappointment. Keep it simple and learn how everything works on the stock setup. Once you learn what it takes to crank up boost and get into leaning out the chip and adding timing, THEN it will be time to upgrade things (or if it craps out). Start with what I suggested first. My first list of reccommendations can be done without a scan tool but I would eventually get something. At least use winaldl or something just to make sure it's running right. Gotta have a good base before you start wasting money on it!
 
I just did a cold air intake. I have had positive results. Maybe some people don't. Every car is different.
 
even though the 44 & 49 turbo's are proven to be a good upgrade over stock, you will need to get bigger inj. If you do decide to upgrade turbo's even a TE60 would be a nice choice. now once you do go bigger turbo you will need atleast a minimum of 50lb inj or get the 60lb inj with TT chip & be done. but keep this in mind before you do anything! you -WILL- need a scanmaster or powerlogger to keep track of what your motor is doing. then a TH downpipe, V4 or bigger stock location int, alky kit if you want more boost but don't want the added cost of Race fuel. change the fuel pump add a hotwire kit, DR out back as GN by this time will be roasting regular tires. as all have stated above, what is it you want from your GN? because once you start to upgrade it will -NEVER- end....EVER.....:cool: if you don't believe me....:rolleyes: ask anyone here...:smile:
 
First I would do all the maintenance in the "spring cleaning" and then purchase a free flowing cat back exhaust system,remove or gut out the cat,ScanMaster,PowerLogger and a Wideband O2 system like AEM,PLX ect. Then learn how to use these with your stock set up. Once you do that then upgrade the fuel system (fuel pump, adjustable regulator, hot wire kit and a rail mounted fuel pressure gauge with a transducer from Julio to monitor fuel pressure during a WOT run). Also a good chip, CAI, adjustable waste gate and boost gauge can be added at this time. Tune for 0 knock at 15-17 lbs. After that you can get a Dutt neck stock intercooler or a good SLIC and retune. Then you can do 100lb valve springs and replacing the stock timing chain with a double roller. Also I almost forgot check headers for exhaust leaks,all this should be done before upgrading the turbo (unless you have issues with your stocker, that's a different story). Remember it's not just one bolt on part that makes our car faster, it's the whole combo (turbo,converter,tune,ect.) People have been in the 11's with the stocker, do a lot of research on this site to educate yourself so you don't waste your money. Good luck on your quest for speed.
 
I just finished the Spring Cleaning on my 130K miles T-Type.

It's not very glamorous or as exciting as buying cool new parts, but removing & cleaning the I.C. is very important. Mine had so much dirt & road grime stuck between the fins that there was only about a 5 to 6" circle in the center that air could flow through. The inside had a pretty good coating of oil to top it off. Aside from a new fuel pump & hotwire kit, cleaning the I.C. has been the best thing I've done to the car.

~JM~
 
I think you guys scared him off lol!

could be possible.......I have some friends that are in the import seen and that seems to be the standard to go faster..."just put a bigger turbo on it" LOL! There are so many people that do not realize what you can do with realatively small turbos if they are tuned right and certainly lots of people over looke the basic tune up items or "details" as I call them.
 
Yeah for some reason there's people out there that think you need a BIG turbo to have a fast street car
 
Yeah for some reason there's people out there that think you need a BIG turbo to have a fast street car

very true...........

Last year at a local street racing scene I went with my Gn and my buddy brought his TT Supra, as I pulled in I got alot of attention and even more once I popped the hood. I had a couple of guys that "supposedly" have a fast late modle GTO come over. They started picking at my car pretty quick....one guy asked what turbo that was....I said a TE-66 for some reason he thought that was funny and began to make fun of how small it was. I had about enough of their smart a** comments and just about started a fight....lol anyway it was brought up by someone to race.....I dont really race on the street anymonre but told him I would be glad to meet at the track but he did not want too.....i guess the small turbo scared him off....lol! Dorks!
 
i dont remember who said it or where i read it but the quoute goes
"dont even say the word ball bearing until your at least stage 2" not exactly but close enough
 
I went 10.61 on a 59mm compressor wheel in a full weight steel GN. It was a cast wheel and it was also from the mid 90's :tongue:.
 
very true...........

Last year at a local street racing scene I went with my Gn and my buddy brought his TT Supra, as I pulled in I got alot of attention and even more once I popped the hood. I had a couple of guys that "supposedly" have a fast late modle GTO come over. They started picking at my car pretty quick....one guy asked what turbo that was....I said a TE-66 for some reason he thought that was funny and began to make fun of how small it was. I had about enough of their smart a** comments and just about started a fight....lol anyway it was brought up by someone to race.....I dont really race on the street anymonre but told him I would be glad to meet at the track but he did not want too.....i guess the small turbo scared him off....lol! Dorks!
I didnt even know fast and late model GTO were ever used in a sentence. Every one i ever raced was a total turd. Maybe low 11's at best and they all had a blower or nitrous. You should have told them jack asses it was a twin urbo and the other turbo was mounted in the back of the car. When one or more of the asses went to look for it you could started your car and backed over them
 
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