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New to FI and LSX world and wanting to build a semi-budget LQ4 with twins. HP goal is around 800-900rwhp and will live for a season. Going in a 2900lbs 1980 Malibu w. T400.
ET goal is high 8's - mid 9's
Where to start?
LQ4 - what year is most desireable?
TT Kit - CXR, Huron, On3, Others?
Will be going with a victor Jr or other carb intake and running a blowthrough at first until I switch to EFI. 1 learning curve at a time.
You want to buy an 04+ LQ4 9:1 compression or LQ9 10:1 compression engine because they come with the GEn4 internals, better connecting rods and floating pistons. Your better off building your own turbo kit. Look around here, with some stock manifolds and a competent welder it's not too difficult. Your better off going straight to EFI b/c it will save you a bunch of money in the long run.
Thanks T. Just discovered Denmah's wiki, which is incredible and he also breaks down the years for good cores. Rethinking EFI as well. Was always worried about the tuning since no one I know and trust has any experience.
If you are going to run twins... just use stock truck or similar manifolds flipped forward and make your own piping to the turbine housing... then bumper exiting downpipes.
If you have the stock truck intake... just run it. JFR Racing had the stock bottom end record in a 3400lb Nova, stock 6.0 shortblock, mildly ported 317 heads, 218/218 cam I believe, stock truck intake/TB, upgraded injectors, single turbo running 8.20's@171mph or right around there.
A single turbo can easily bend the rods in your stock bottom end... unless you plan in the future to do a super built motor and are shooting for 1500hp+ I would just run a single. Less weight/packaging constraints.
I want to go with twins since I have tons of room, smaller twins spool quicker, and are just badass to see. I plan to get my toes wet with a jy lq4, then If I like what I see, build a more solid lq4 w. good internals, but keeping the turbo setup.
I am a efi/fi virgin and so are all my friends that normally help me build/tune, so I figure a kit is the best way to go as for getting all the necessary parts. In a 2900# car w. T400 tbrake, and what, 3.23's, even 700whp should easily go 9's.
700whp in a 2900lb car should easily go 8's lol. I just easily went 9's with 650 and 3600lb car.
Twins will not "spool quicker" if your single is setup to what you're trying to do. With that said yes twins are badass looking. Cast wheels s366's are very popular and are about 650 each. Those turbos can make 1300-1400 to the tire it will be more then what you need that's for sure. Lots of guys going deep in the 8's with those turbos.
I assume I could run race gas once I upped the boost, or would that be an issue? See lots of folks running PG, or E85, but not many using 100-110 oct. Is it purely the cost per gallon, or something about higher octane hurting boost?
Last edited by Rob07002; Sep 12, 2016 at 08:49 AM.
Better quality race gas is more expensive, less available, and the leaded variety will eventually ruin your oxygen sensors. If you do use it, it is awesome for boost. That being said, alcohol based fuels carry a lot of oxygen with them and are high octane, so they are also great for boost.
So the build has officially begun. Weather here in the NE will get ugly soon, so I want to start buying all the part ASAP and make the swap during the frigid months.
I just picked up a 2006 LQ4 6.0 with only 73K. Here is my shopping list based on the amount of homework done. What's missing?
You may want to rethink china studs. Good head gaskets and a good tune with stock head bolts is all you need. I know of a few people that have used china studs and when they try to take them out they are seized and cause all kinds of problems
You may want to rethink china studs. Good head gaskets and a good tune with stock head bolts is all you need. I know of a few people that have used china studs and when they try to take them out they are seized and cause all kinds of problems
Yeah, I've read most of the threads here, on turboforums, and the bullet. Can go either way I suppose. I may not go china studs and stick with ARP's when the time comes. Just trying to keep the budget from spooling out of control on this build.
My plan is to get my feet wet with FI/EFI on a JY motor and build a seperate long block with all the forged/top=shelf stuff.
I've also had top tier parts break for no reason and that is painful.
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Shopping List/Recommendations - TT LQ4 
