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I wasn't going to make a build thread until I started on the hot side but decided to go ahead and make one now because I will have plenty of questions to ask before I even get to the hot side part.
Quick run down on the car:
02 Z/28 with 127k miles on the body. It is equipped with a T56 right now that hopefully I'll be able to remove very soon. When I bought the car in April of this year, it already had the LQ4 swapped in, so that worked for me. Pretty much a mismatch combo (at least in my eyes). Has LS6 intake, untouched 241 heads and an Isky 233/236 cam. My first performance car, it only put down 375whp/375wtq but to me, it was fun and pulled nicely. Until I started having clutch issues. The car is now up on jack stands in the tear down process.
Goals for this build are:
- 90% street & 10% strip
- retain AC, leave all the under hood stuff in stock location
- the few times it goes to the strip, I'd like to see a 135mph trap eventually
- Hit anywhere north of 600whp
Run down of the build:
- On3 7875
- VSRacing Wastegate & BOV
- Either truck manifolds or LS3 manifolds with 2.25" v-bands welded on
- 2.25" crossover (mild steel) will be garage welded with a tiny 110v stick welder (if I buy a tank of argon anytime soon then I'll TIG it together with my 110v machine)
- LJMS Stg 2 Turbo Cam
- LS9 head gaskets
- China Head Studs
- no intercooler (might add one down the road)
- E85
- SD 80s
- Walbro 450lph in tank
- junkyard 1992 4L80e w/ HD2 shift kit & Edge Racing 32-3400 converter
- Stock 10bolt for as long as I can make it last
- if I can swing it by the end of the build, I'd like to get a pair of 15" Weld RTS wheels for the rear
This is my first build ever and honestly only the second time I've really gotten dirty working on cars. So all of this is new to me. Almost everything probably takes me 100x longer to do than most of you guys haha.
The car is in the tear down process right now, just started a couple days ago. I'll post some pics of where it's at right now.
Feel free to ask questions, and to give feedback/advice. I will be using this build thread to ask most of the questions I have as well. I would love to get answers from the experts. Thanks for looking, and stay tuned! Hoping this build goes pretty quick. Bout to remove the remaining stuff in the engine bay so I can install cam, LS9 gaskets, and China studs.
Welp, wasn't able to make as much progress today as I wanted to. I at least wanted to get the heads off so I could install cam, valvesprings, LS9 gaskets, and china studs. But whoever built the car before me welded the entire exhaust system together with no clamps or v-bands anywhere. I had to spend all day cutting it.
Gotta go pick up a swivel so I can get to the last header bolt on the passenger side and then I'll be able to remove the LTs/exhaust and take my heads off.
Will hopefully have cam, springs, gaskets, and studs installed by end of tomorrow. Then will start on the BMR k-member install & removal of the T56.
Last edited by NateLS1Mustang; 05-17-2016 at 09:34 PM.
Welp, wasn't able to make as much progress today as I wanted to. I at least wanted to get the heads off so I could install cam, valvesprings, LS9 gaskets, and china studs. But whoever built the car before me welded the entire exhaust system together with no clamps or v-bands anywhere. I had to spend all day cutting it.
Gotta go pick up a swivel so I can get to the last header bolt on the passenger side and then I'll be able to remove the LTs/exhaust and take my heads off.
Will hopefully have cam, springs, gaskets, and studs installed by end of tomorrow. Then will start on the BMR k-member install & removal of the T56.
Damn.. good luck with the build Nate. I would go punch the guy you bought the car from in the face.
Sounds very similar to the first build on my car. You should have no trouble meeting your goals of a 135 trap. I went 10.6 @ 136 my first trip to the track with a turbonetics 7875 and stock 10 bolt on 10 lbs through my full exhaust.
So you guys using truck manifolds.. Do the V-bands and BMR k-member give just enough clearance for a truck manifold to fit on the passenger side while retaining AC?
I'm trying to mock the passenger side manifold up and really not seeing how it will fit..
You can't use a truck manifold and keep AC from what I understand.
That's a huge bummer. I thought what I've been reading for the last year is that truck manifolds are the way to go if wanting a cheap/junkyard way of retaining AC.
Oh well, the AC on the car hasn't blown cold since they day I bought it. I'm used to driving it without AC in Texas heat anyways lol. So basically, I guess what this means is I can send my BMR turbo k-member back if I have to delete AC because the stock k will work fine at this point then eh?
I still had to notch my stock k-member with the truck manifolds but I used the 3 bolt flanges on my first kit. I have a BMR k-member and would never want to run a stock one again regardless. There is so much more room to work on stuff now.
Also, I think it's a passenger C6 manifold that guys use to keep AC if you still want to go that route. I live in Iowa so it's not as hot year round like it is in Texas, but it still gets 90+ with unreal humidity. I haven't had AC in an Fbody for years.
Thank you for the feedback, Red. Given my current situation, I'll probably send the BMR k-member back so I can use that money to finish some other things. I'm putting v-bands on my manifolds so it should work with stock k. I can put that $600 to good use in other places.
Cool setup, it sounds like that LQ4 made for a good street driver.
I don't know how many parts and pieces you may currently have but you'd be well served to check out Huronspeed and contact them regarding your build. They can set you straight on what you need or may want and they offer an A/C retaining turbo kit. They may be able to sell the hot side and other pieces to you.
If it's hard to swing the cost of one of their setups then it would be pretty hard to justify going turbo in the first place IMO. No slight to anyone, going forced induction isn't cheap so you either need to save and take time, build it yourself, or get a chunk of cash and start spending. You have to have a good bit of at least one of the following to do a turbo build: Time, Money, Skill.
I'm assuming it's pretty much impossible to route the downpipe out the back with stock K eh?
I will get you some photos as soon as possible. But I'm using the stock K with some motor mounts I made (spohn copies) and the 4" fits through the stock k great.
Edit: I would stick with the tubular K if I were you though, it's pretty much next on my to do list. Weight & Room
Cool setup, it sounds like that LQ4 made for a good street driver.
I don't know how many parts and pieces you may currently have but you'd be well served to check out Huronspeed and contact them regarding your build. They can set you straight on what you need or may want and they offer an A/C retaining turbo kit. They may be able to sell the hot side and other pieces to you.
If it's hard to swing the cost of one of their setups then it would be pretty hard to justify going turbo in the first place IMO. No slight to anyone, going forced induction isn't cheap so you either need to save and take time, build it yourself, or get a chunk of cash and start spending. You have to have a good bit of at least one of the following to do a turbo build: Time, Money, Skill.
I was trying to mimic Hurons kit as much as possible. I have every thing I need for this build except for an electric cutout. But everything else I've got. I can weld so I'm going to fabricatw & weld the hot side myself. I've got all the piping I'll need for under $275.
Once everything is torn down, I'll be able to start actually installing & fabricating. However, I am held up big time at the moment and don't really know what to do from here. I'll explain in another post.
So another day wasted completely. I had to finish cutting up the exhaust and remove it from under the car. Got that done in about 30mins or less. Sawzall is great. Now I had to remove the driver side LT. Well this off brand POS is completely stuck. Won't come out from the top (as yall know) and doesn't even come close to fitting out the bottom neither. Not even sure how the previous owner was able to install them.
The rear LT flange hits at the firewall, the first primary hits at the steering joint, and then further down the first primary hits at the k-member/motor mount area. All three of these spots making contact at the exact same time therefore not allowing the LT to be lowered anymore. If I hammer it down, it only gets even more stuck and harder to unlodged. I tried hammering the part where it hits the firewall in but not enough room for me to swing a hammer hard enough to make any dents.
So the only thing I can think of now is dropping the k-member and letting the LT fall out that way, or I'm gonna have to cut each individual primary off the flange... Either way is going to be tedious and sucks absolute cockus.
Rear flange also getting stuck on that block above the oil filter right below that head bolt in the picture.
First primary getting stuck on the steering joint/shaft.
First primary further down also hits at the k-member/motor mount area.
Completely stuck.
Edit: might have to try notching the firewall where the flange is hitting at. Not sure if I'll be able to though, probably will not be enough room to maneuver the sawzall down there. Looks like I could also unbolt the steer joint/shaft to free up some room to slide the LT out.
Last edited by NateLS1Mustang; 05-18-2016 at 06:49 PM.
Undo the bolt on the steering joint and take that apart. That should get you clearance to get it out. Either that or wait until you do the k member. I wouldn't notch the firewall for a header removal.
Undo the bolt on the steering joint and take that apart. That should get you clearance to get it out. Either that or wait until you do the k member. I wouldn't notch the firewall for a header removal.
You're right. Notching the firewall is a bit too much for an LT removal lol. And yeah, I was just thinking about that steering joint. It looks like it'll give enough clearance with that out of the way. I will do that tomorrow.
Yeah, I've had to unhook the steering joint to get headers in before. I bet you get it out with that removed.
Glad I'm not the only one then haha. I was thinking to myself all day yesterday, "there is no way anyone else has ever spent this much time on a single LT removal," lol.
Glad I'm not the only one then haha. I was thinking to myself all day yesterday, "there is no way anyone else has ever spent this much time on a single LT removal," lol.
Lol it's all good. I knew about that because a set of BBK headers I helped install needed the same thing.
One other thing to add to your build IMO is a front mount intercooler. I don't think you'll come close to your goals without one and the easiest time to install one is during kit fabrication. That way you don't have to redo your entire cold side pipe layout.
05-17-2016, 10:28 AM
My 02 Z/28 LQ4 7875 4L80e Build 
