1965 Lemans Gets Booosted
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 127
Likes: 74
Remember my wishful thinking of smooth sailing and no issues?
Didn't get home until 11pm..
Check valve on the brake booster failed, suspect it blew out the diaphragm.. Okay cool. Pull off that line and plug the booster, get rolling again
Various boost leaks popped up.. Cool, tackle those.
While checking for boost leaks, saw something fishy on the smoothed intake, found a soft spot.
Just to be safe, swapped that out to another stock truck intake.
Springs in the gate (supposed to be 12psi) seem to be creeping too much or something else going on?
Swap the 7psi spring in, things seem to be going well. Car seems to have a shimmy 5200ish + rpm.but hey, everything else seems to be good now.
Nothing gave us reason to think it was motor / transmission. Brand new driveshaft. Think there's something going on in the rear end which I knew all along was going to be the weak link in the car, just didn't think it would show up yet.
So more investigating today + leaving the car to get dialed in at 7psi unless we figure the shimmy out.
Off memory, 7lbs made 510 / 550 ~
Didn't get home until 11pm..
Check valve on the brake booster failed, suspect it blew out the diaphragm.. Okay cool. Pull off that line and plug the booster, get rolling again
Various boost leaks popped up.. Cool, tackle those.
While checking for boost leaks, saw something fishy on the smoothed intake, found a soft spot.
Just to be safe, swapped that out to another stock truck intake.
Springs in the gate (supposed to be 12psi) seem to be creeping too much or something else going on?
Swap the 7psi spring in, things seem to be going well. Car seems to have a shimmy 5200ish + rpm.but hey, everything else seems to be good now.
Nothing gave us reason to think it was motor / transmission. Brand new driveshaft. Think there's something going on in the rear end which I knew all along was going to be the weak link in the car, just didn't think it would show up yet.
So more investigating today + leaving the car to get dialed in at 7psi unless we figure the shimmy out.
Off memory, 7lbs made 510 / 550 ~
Last edited by brucebanner; Apr 22, 2022 at 11:30 AM.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 127
Likes: 74
It's a VS racing kit. 44mm wg & 50mm bov. Car is still at the dyno, going to do some more tuning yet.
Have to replace the brake booster anyways, I could pop on another check valve but I really think we split the diaphragm when the check valve failed on one of the first pulls.
Have to replace the brake booster anyways, I could pop on another check valve but I really think we split the diaphragm when the check valve failed on one of the first pulls.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 8,032
Likes: 661
I always see people (hot rod/TV) do cheap turbos but they always (that I’ve seen anyways) use name brand WG/BV. Your problems prolly don’t have anything to do with that, but it’s always something to consider.
I bet you’ll surprise quite a few people who think your a old semi slow muscle car. Should be a total blast.
I bet you’ll surprise quite a few people who think your a old semi slow muscle car. Should be a total blast.
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On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 127
Likes: 74
WG & BOV disassembled and inspected, put back together. It's not super unusual to have a leak with either, so it's important to do that. I'd do it regardless of brand however.
Turbo is making good power when there are no leaks. All of the leaks were couplings that weren't quite seated right / tight enough.
I'm not going to sit here and say VS is the best of the best but for the price point and customer service, hard to beat. I certainty don't have any issues with it so far.
Turbo is making good power when there are no leaks. All of the leaks were couplings that weren't quite seated right / tight enough.
I'm not going to sit here and say VS is the best of the best but for the price point and customer service, hard to beat. I certainty don't have any issues with it so far.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 127
Likes: 74
Couple of my shitty videos from the other day. Got the car home last night, dialed in conservatively on the 7lb spring. Going to get some driving in and make sure no other issues pop up. Over the summer some time we'll turn it up some more.
Last edited by brucebanner; Apr 23, 2022 at 08:36 AM.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2021
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@Project GatTagO totally forgot about that measurement you asked for...
This is rough but center to center of log to 90 elbow up to turbo is 6" - 6.5" or so.
Tough squeezing my hands in there but I just had a quick look since I remembered you asked.
- - - -
Back on topic of the car, I took a quick drive around town today, like 20 mins or so and everything seems to work as it should. I need to get a lot more seat time in to learn this car but it's going to be a blast even at this low setting.
This is rough but center to center of log to 90 elbow up to turbo is 6" - 6.5" or so.
Tough squeezing my hands in there but I just had a quick look since I remembered you asked.
- - - -
Back on topic of the car, I took a quick drive around town today, like 20 mins or so and everything seems to work as it should. I need to get a lot more seat time in to learn this car but it's going to be a blast even at this low setting.
@Project GatTagO totally forgot about that measurement you asked for...
This is rough but center to center of log to 90 elbow up to turbo is 6" - 6.5" or so.
Tough squeezing my hands in there but I just had a quick look since I remembered you asked.
- - - -
Back on topic of the car, I took a quick drive around town today, like 20 mins or so and everything seems to work as it should. I need to get a lot more seat time in to learn this car but it's going to be a blast even at this low setting.
This is rough but center to center of log to 90 elbow up to turbo is 6" - 6.5" or so.
Tough squeezing my hands in there but I just had a quick look since I remembered you asked.
- - - -
Back on topic of the car, I took a quick drive around town today, like 20 mins or so and everything seems to work as it should. I need to get a lot more seat time in to learn this car but it's going to be a blast even at this low setting.
What did it make on the dyno?
Andrew
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2021
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Out for a drive today, wasn't building boost. Come home, let the car cool down (watched the raptors win!) and started checking the charge piping for loose clamp or something somewhere.
Couldn't find anything and was about to pop the wastegate off to check the diaphragm, turns out the lower clamp is missing altogether along with the fire ring inside.
I'll be contacting VS in the morning haha.
Couldn't find anything and was about to pop the wastegate off to check the diaphragm, turns out the lower clamp is missing altogether along with the fire ring inside.
I'll be contacting VS in the morning haha.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2021
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Spend a little bit of time last night getting the motor ready to be pulled.. Started steaming/smoking pretty bad out of the catch can. Pulled the plugs, no real indication there. Boroscoped yesterday, no indication from that either. Thinking it must he rings on #8 (based on the plug differences). Still only 7lbs and 14.5°. All plugs looked good, with #8 being the "worst". It is the most carboned / sooty looking and even then, still not terrible At a loss really, not really sure what else I can check before yanking the motor. Going to re test the injectors just to be safe and cross that off the list. Open for suggestions haha. Plans to yank, hopefully find the culprit, fix, button back up and then turn it up.