2001 SOM Camaro SS M6 Huron Speed V3 AC Retaining Turbo Build (long read & pics)
 

Here it is, my official Single Turbo build thread for my new Huron Speed V3 AC Retaining Single Turbo Kit for my 2001 Camaro SS M6 with only 20,353 miles!

Here’s a little history about my car. I ordered my car back in July of 2000, I received it October 4th 2000 with only 15 miles on the odometer. At the time, I thought I would just do basic upgrades but as you know that’s never the case. I started out with a Lid, Cutout, LT headers, and then added a dry nitrous kit. That wasn’t enough so I went to heads and cam in Spring of 2003. I installed Absolute Speed STG 2 ported 241 heads and a TR 224 cam. A year or so goes by and went to a custom TR cam, a 230 230 114lsa cam for a little more power. After that I was starting to think turbo.

I was getting prepared to purchase the Turbo Technology single turbo kit. I installed a 226 222 116lsa cam a head of time for the kit. Well, shortly after I installed the 3rd cam, my daughter (2nd child) was born and major car mods got put on hold for a while. In 2007 I installed a Moser 9” with 3.89 gears since I broke the spider gears in my stock 10 bolt.

A few years pass and now I was thinking of going to a bigger motor. Back in Fall of 2010, I got a great deal on a 2,400 mile LS3 short block. Spring of 2011, I built a heads and cam LS3 for my car. I bought TEA STG 1 LS3/L92 Heads and got a custom cam ground from Pat G, a 231 238 113lsa. Shortly after I got it built and installed in my car, I moved out of state, back to my hometown for a job.

A few years go by and I was starting to think about going to a 416 LS3. I was giving it some thought and then my good friend Bill Beekman (fellow Fbody owner) said, “Hey why don’t you go Turbo?” He mentioned On3 and Huron Speed as good kits. So in fall on 2016 I really started checking out turbo kits again. At first I was going to go with On3 but after checking out their kit and asking some questions, I didn’t really care for the design and lack of customer support. It didn’t fit my style of what I wanted it to look like and fitment. So I started doing some research on Huron Speed turbo kits, I was blown away from what I saw and read online to say the least.

I was very impressed with the quality, fitment, customer service/support and other people’s reviews of what Huron Speed has to offer for our aging cars. Since I am the original owner of my car, never been in any kind of accident and has VERY low miles, 20,353 to be exact, I didn’t want a kit where I would have to severely modify my car to the point of cutting major metal to make the kit work. Basically I don’t want to hack my car. The way I have modded my car over the years, I kept every stock part off my car. If for some reason in the distant future I wanted to put it back to stock form, it’s actually possible.

In December 2016 I saw that Huron Speed was doing their Annual Group Purchase. I asked Jon (and Casey) a ton of questions on here (LS1tech) and via email. Jon couldn’t have been more professional, courteous, thoughtful and timely in his responses to my questions. In January of 2017 I got in on the group purchase and made my deposit on the AC retaining single turbo kit.

Here’s what I ordered and received from Huron Speed:

- Huron Speed AC Retaining Turbo Kit with Recirculate for Waste gate
- Turbonetics Billet 7575 Ceramic BB 1.15AR Turbo
- Precision PW46 Wastegate
- XS-Power BOV
- BMR Turbo K-Member
- Standard 4” FMIC

I received the last item for my kit in July of 2017. Huron Speed had such a huge group purchase, it took them a while for everyone to get the kits. Good things come to those who wait!

I thought I was going to start installing the kit last fall but family, kids, work, school and just daily life in general took priority. 2 days before Christmas I removed my engine out of my car so I had the motivation during this long, cold, snowy winter (almost 200” of snow here this season!) here in Erie, PA to get my butt in gear. Since the beginning of the year, I have been slowly buying parts for my build. As with most of you, I don’t have a money tree so I have been delayed in my build since I’ve been trying to save some money along the way. I’ve been meaning to start this thread for a while, so here it is.

I have a ton of pics of everything and will post up what seems important. I hope this thread helps others out with their kits as I’ll try to be as detailed as possible.

A big thanks to Jon and Casey from Huron Speed for answering all my questions at all times of the day. (Talk about dedication!) And thanks to all others on here that have helped me along the way. LS1tech is a great place to learn and share.

Now that I have all my parts, here is what’s all going into my build:

- Huron Speed AC Retaining T4 Single Turbo Kit with Turbonetics Billet T-7575 Turbo, Precision PW46 Waste Gate, XS Power 50mm BOV, BMR Turbo K-Member

- Cerakote Titanium Ceramic coating of turbo kit hotside and turbo housing

- DEI Titanium Header Wrap

- Forged LS2 Short Block from Golen Engines, New GM Crank, Wiseco 4.005 -11cc Pistons, Upgraded Wiseco Piston Pins, ARP Main Studs, K1 H-Beam Rods, Callies 24x Billet Reluctor Wheel, King Racing Bearings

- ARP Head Studs

- TEA Ported STG 1 LS3/L92 Heads

- LS9 Head Gaskets

- Cam Motion Custom Cam - 226 232 115 lsa

- LS7 Lifters

- Melling 10295 Oil Pump

- ATI Dampener

- LS3 SOM Painted Intake

- LS3 Fuel Rail

- Fuel Injection Clinic 1000cc LS3 Fuel Injectors

- LS9 3 Bar Map Sensor

- Alky Control 4th Gen F-body Meth Kit (Dual Nozzle)

- Turbosmart E-boost 2 Boost Controller

- Autometer Boost Gauge

- Derale #16925 Pusher Fans

- Tuff Stuff Chrome 175 Amp Alternator

- MSD LS 2-Step

- Ebay Black Vacuum Manifold


Thanks for reading and looking...

Bill

Turbo Kit in boxes, parts and mock up.

Pulling the engine.

more to come later....

What a clean car man! you will love your kit and Jon and Casey are top notch in their customer service they were both fantastic when I got my kit and while I was building my car. Good luck cant wait to see the results.

Nice car and build no doubt. But that immaculate garage tho....

Thx fellas...

Here are a few pics of tearing the old motor down and pulling it off the K-Member. I bought my 2 Ton cherry picker from Harbor Freight when it was on sale and used a 25 % off coupon. I filled and bled the system per the instructions and so far it has performance flawlessly.

My little 5 gallon shop vac that you see in the pics works great for sucking out the coolant from the engine. I bought it on a Black Friday sale for $10.00 and it's dedicated for only sucking coolant out of an engine when doing head & cam swaps or big jobs like this. Almost no coolant drips/leaks out when tearing the engine down completely. As most of you know, this is a big headache, the mess from coolant.

In case you noticed the piece of wood "holding up" the front of the engine on the engine stand, I'm just being a little extra cautious when I'm not working on it. I know the engine stand can hold way more than a LS engine, you can never be too safe and cautious.

Baller man.

Clean. Kit looks damn ice too. Maybe time for a shock change? :)

Still going hard on this build??

Thx guys... Thought about swapping out the struts but with only 20,353 miles on them, good enough for now.... I'm way over budget, no big surprise there. :eek2: Build is going good. I edited my first post to add what's all going into the build now that I have all my parts. Now I can kick into high gear!

I'll add more pics tomorrow. I tore down the old engine and swapped out the K-members. I have been taking a lot of pics. This project is taking longer than I would have thought but the end result will be worth it. Good thing this is only my toy and not my daily driver... lol

Still working on the car. A little late posting these, just got side tracked. Here are some pics of tearing down the LS3 that I had in there. As expected, all the parts looks great. I always used Mobile 1 5W30 oil and a M1-206 oil filter. Tearing down is always fun, I even had my son in there to help at times. I sold my LS3 short block to my buddy Bill which I'll be installing into his car before summer hits.

Since I have all my parts and the car is all torn down, the real fun begins, actually building the car!

The first task of this long build is swapping out the stock K-member to the BMR Turbo K-member. I decided to build a brace to assist in holding the struts/A-arms and stock K-member with my shop crane so I don’t hurt myself since most of the work I’ll be doing by myself. As with any project, you have to expect the unexpected, unfortunately I had a problem with my brand new BMR K-Member.

I started swapping the stock K-member out with the new one and I ran into a few problems. The first issue I had was no matter what I did, even with the help of others, I couldn’t get the passenger A-arm to fit right. I got it in there but couldn’t get the rear most bolt in.

After wrestling with it for a while, I decided to pull everything off of the BMR K-member and test fit it in the car. Well, let’s just say it didn’t fit in the car all too well. The middle contact point on the passenger side did not want to sit flush on the frame, there was at least a 1/4-3/8 gap when the bolts were all snug. The next fitment problem was the passenger side rear mounting hole was way out of alignment; I couldn’t even get the bolt started into the frame. Trying to do this with the engine still in the car would have been even more challenging. I knew the problem wasn’t my car since I’m the original owner of the car, it has 20,353 miles on it and never been in any type of accident.

I called BMR, talked to Eric and explained to him the problems I was having. He requested some pics and after talking about it on the phone, we determined it was defective. Either it was built wrong or it got tweaked somehow before powder coating. The whole passenger side just had issues. Eric ended up swapping it out for a new one. He was very easy to work and I’m glad I was able to talk with him on the phone to sort things out. BMR (Eric) was very concerned about making it right. Thank you BMR for stepping up and taking care of your customers! Great customer support! :cheers:

It took about a week to get a new one, I test fitted it in the car and all was good. I drilled holes for the tabbed rear bolts, installed the A-arms, they both went in with no problem.

Now onto the steering rack. Once I put the rack in place, the holes didn’t quite want to line up to get the bolts in. I had to open up the holes some and grind down on the tab on the driver’s side of the rack. After that, all was good, I was finally done swapping out the K-member. As for the brake lines, there is no real secure way to mount them to the new BMR Turbo K-Member so I’ll figure that out once it’s back in the car.

Next up, building the engine….

Nice !

Beautiful car, this looks like a fun project! Great thread!

The car is gorgeous. I bought the same hf hoist to pull my engine last week but I did it from the top. Already had the heads and accessories off so it wasn't too bad for me to do.

Since I'm going boost, I wanted to try and make the build as bulletproof as possible so I had a forged short block built.

After a lot of phone calls and emails to about 12 different engine builders I decided to go with Golen Engines to build a forged LS2 Short Block for my build. Chad Golen is a great, down to earth, easy to talk to, honest guy that is willing to take the time to talk with you on the phone and/or via email to make sure your comfortable with what you want. He didn't try to upsell me on items that I didn't need. Chad answered all of my questions without hesitation, no matter how small and simple they were. Out of all the engine builders I contacted, he was the most prompt and even called me back a few times before I even decided to go with him. Great customer service and care.

The main reasons why I went with Golen Engines was that they were the right balance between price, reputation, and delivery. It was a tough choice on who to go with but Golen matched all my needs on all levels. I will say they were not the cheapest by any means, actually about middle of the road overall. I received quotes from about $4,200 to $17,000 for just the short block.

Now on to the specs...

- New GM LS2 Block
- New GM LS Crank
- Callies Billet Reluctor Wheel
- Wiseco -11cc Dished Pistons
- Wiseco upgraded Piston Pins
- K1 H-Beam Rods
- ARP 2000 Rod Bolts
- ARP Main Studs
- King Racing Coated Main and Rod Bearings
- GM Cam Bearings
- Plugged DOD Towers
- Honed to 4.005"
- Ring gap set to .022 Top Ring, .024 Second Ring
- 6 Quarts of Break in Oil

Below are pics they took of my short block being built which was also a nice personal touch.

If you are in need of a new LS style short block, check them out. Thank you Chad!

It took just over 3 weeks to get my short block from Golen Engines. When I received my short block, it was packaged well, no damage at all. We used RL Carriers for delivery.

Once I got it off the crate, it was time to get to work. First thing I did was to apply some assembly lube to the cam bearings before I installed the cam. As you can see in the one pic, I used a dowel rod and taped a piece of old t-shirt onto the end to pre-lube the cam bearings, worked like a charm.

I even used a little lube on the back on the rear cover where the cam can/may contact for added precaution. Once I got it on the engine stand, for a few moments I was in awe, it was a work of art, so purty... lol :cool:

With all the headaches I've had as well as other people with Comp Cams with the infamous cam whine issues, I went with Cam Motion for my custom turbo cam. Kip is a stand up guy, easy to talk to. We ended up going with a 226 232 115lsa cam. Should work rather well for my Forged 364ci LS2 and Turbonetics Billet 7575 BB.

Lubed the cam up with Joe Gibb Driven lube and installed my timing set. I used a brand new GM chain.

Since my last motor had less than 5,000 miles on it, I reused my Melling 10295 oil pump, used .002 & .003 shims to properly center it on the crank. I also reused my LS7 lifters as well since they are almost new as well.

For price, availability and high success rate for boost builds, it was a no brainer to go with GM LS9 head gaskets. 7 layers to seal, hell yeah!

To keep the heads on, I used ARP head studs. After I cleaned them up, they are easy to install, just take your time and follow the instructions that are provided in the box.

Turbo Hot Side before ceramic coating
 

Here is the Huron Speed V3 AC Retaining Hot Side before ceramic coating. The welds are amazing. I live in a manufacturing town and know a lot of welders. I showed some of my friends that are welders and they were very impressed with the consistency of the welds.

Nice job Huron Speed!

Turbo Hot Side Cerakote Ceramic Coated Titanium
 

Shortly after I purchased my turbo kit, I found out that not only does my friend do powder coating, he also does ceramic coating as well. Andy Cifelli of CI Coatings did a great job coating the hot side of my turbo kit. I had a choice of what color I wanted to go with and went with Cerakote Titanium to coat everything. The pipes look awesome!

Unfortunately you won't see much of the coating since I am going to use DEI Titanium wrap on most of it.

Turbo Hot Side DEI Titanium Header Wrap
 

Since our cars were never designed to have a turbo and all the turbo piping goes forward, we have to keep the heat under control. After I ceramic coated everything, I decided to go one step further and use DEI Titanium header wrap to wrap most of the hot side.

This was my first time ever using header wrap so after watching a bunch of youtube videos and talking with the tech guys at DEI, I decided to give it a shot and hope for the best. lol

What a job, I probably have about 7 hours invested in wrapping all the pipes and installing the stainless zip ties. I used 100 feet of 2" and 50 feet of 1", very little was left over. I did the recommended 1/4" overlap as per DEI on most parts. The bigger "straighter" pipes were kinda easy but the ones with a lot of bends require a lot of planning and trial and error. You want to keep the wrap snug as your wrapping it. It's challenge since it's kinda slippery and can fall apart easily where you cut it.

The stainless zip ties don't work like the plastic ones. I used plastic zip ties to hold the wrap in certain spots while I was wrapping (to hold it in place) and then swapped them out to the stainless ties once all the wrapping was done. The stainless ties don't get real tight at all, I even tried to use the DEI locking tool to help but a pair of needle nose worked about as good. There is a little bb inside the tab that has a little play once its "fully" tighten.

From what I'm told, the wrap should firm up once it goes through a few heat cycles.

Overall they turned out good for my first time. This is one thing I don't think I would want to do again if I can help it, defiantly takes skill to do it right and make it look good.

Fantastic job for your first time. Does the titanium wrap call for a wet application to soften/stretch it easier? I've used others and applied them wet but havent used ti wrap yet.

Thank you!

It is very soft and pliable. DEI says to NOT wet it, "install it out of the box, dry"

Since the turbo needs a drain back to the oil pan, I filled mine with 5 quarts of water to simulate a "full" oil pan. With the help of my dad, we marked it, drilled it and had it welded in with the fitting that Huron Speed provided. The fitting was anodized black and the heat from welding turned it a orange/red color.

Next up was to install the windage tray.

Since I am using ARP Main Studs, the windage tray hit the nut, as you can see circled in red.

Drilled it out and all was good.

After doing some research and getting advice from others, it was highly recommended to check and adjust my pickup tube to the bottom of the oil pan. With being a higher HP car and the G forces being applied at the drag strip, you don't want to take a chance of sucking air.

I've heard from multiple sources to have a distance of between .250" to .375". It also wouldn't hurt to add an extra 1/2 to 1 full quart of oil as well.

I actually did 2 checks, the first check as you see in the pics, put tape on the screen, get some your kids Playdoh and make 2 small balls to put on top. Put oil pan on with gasket in place, push down firmly and if you want you can also put a few bolts in to make sure it's all the way down.

Give it a minute to allow the Playdoh to "relax", pull pan off, cut each piece in half with a sharp knife and measure with calipers.

The 2nd method I did, (didn't take any pics) put a straight edge on the pickup tube and measure with a caliper from the block to the bottom of the straight edge.

Which ever method you use, take 2 measurements, front and back of the pickup tube, as it is sloped some.

After I added everything up and did my front to back average, with a washer, I ended up with .357" clearance.

I can see why this is important and I would have over looked it if others didn't mention it to me to check.

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Engine ready for rocker arm install



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Since I'm using LS7 lifters, I measured for the correct pushrod length and ended up with 7.400"



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Drivers side done, all torqued to spec.



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Passenger side done, all torqued to spec.



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Sealing up the engine some more, valve covers are on and torqued to spec.



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Since I'm going to have more current draw with the use of aftermarket fans and a Meth Kit, I went with the stock size balancer. Also for my power level, ATI recommends the stock size since it will have more dampen ability over a underdrive pulley.



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I loosely fitted the front cover and I put dabs of RTV in the corners to prevent leaks in prep of the ATI balancer install



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My son Zach lending a hand installing the hub onto the crank. Before installing the hub, I put a very thin layer of anti-seize on the crank to prevent galling of the metal since it is a press fit.




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ATI hub is finally installed, don't forget to put the back pulley on first!

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Since I'm installing a LS2 block into a 2001 Camaro, I have to install the knock sensors on the side of the block. I used a 11/32" drill bit to drill out the stock threads for the LS2 sensors.



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After drilling, I used a 10mm x 1.50 Tap to tap the hole.



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After the holes were clear, I installed them to spec.



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Engine is now ready to be dropped onto the turbo K-Member

Very nice and informative thread Bill, thanks for taking the time to put it together!

Any updates on this build?

Awesome Thread!!

Hey, it's been awhile since I've been on here. My project got put on hold for a few reasons this summer: school, work, family, helping others out with their cars and I also hurt my back early on. Since things have settled down some, I'll have to update the thread with more pics and info soon. Car is not on the road yet but hopefully soon. Stay tuned!!!

Hey guys, its been awhile. A lot has been going on with this project but really haven't had the chance to get on here to update this thread. As with most of you, life happens. With family, changing jobs, house duties, etc, the car has sat a few weeks here and there. I have made great progress over the past few months with this project. There were a lot of little things to figure out along the way and a few major issues with some of the parts which I'll explain later on with pics.

Speaking of pictures, I have taken a lot of them, as in over 2,000 pictures! About 85% of them are great, a lot of them different angles and lighting, so a lot to go through. I'll be posting the best pics for each section that I have. Well, I have some catching up to do so I'll try to get this thread up to date over the next 2 weeks or so.

Now that the long block is built, it's time to install it onto the BMR Turbo K-Member.




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Now that the engine is on the BMR Turbo K-Member, it's time to install the Pilot bearing and Monster LT1-S Clutch


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GM Pilot Bearing


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Before Pilot bearing install


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After Pilot Bearing install. Notice the beveled edge is out.


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Time to reinstall my Monster LT1-S clutch. A little red loctite for each flywheel bolt


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Notice the flywheel bolt heads. For the Monster LT1-S clutch to work in a LS1 application, the bolt heads are machined down some so the clutch disc engages the flywheel properly. Use of stock or ARP flywheel bolts will result in immediate destruction of the clutch disc!


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Flywheel is all torqued to spec and torqued marked.


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Installing the pressure plate with some red loctite


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Torque to GM spec


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The Monster LT1-S clutch is now ready for action!


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The all to famous flywheel locking tool. I had to modify it so it clears the bell housing

Now its time to install the bell housing and transmission


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Once I got the transmission input shaft aligned so it goes into the clutch disc and the correct angle of transmission to engine, it went right on. You'd think it would be easier when it's like this, I'm not so sure... lol


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Notice the Tick Speed Bleeder for the slave. A must unless you like to fight with tight spaces and brake fluid all over the place.


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Time to install some engine accessories...


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I reinstalled my Meizere Chrome Electric Water Pump. I've had this on my car for many years, I'd say since around 2005. This thing just works great with a 160 stat.


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Power Steering pump is installed with a Turn One Pulley that I had chromed years ago. When I installed the pulley, I painted the pump with black paint and it still looks good, hasn't peeled yet..


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The AC Compressor is now installed... Will those AC lines work with the Huron Speed AC Turbo Kit? hmmm, we'll see...

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Now it's time to pre lube the engine with Driven BR 5w30 break in oil. Golen Engines included it with my new forged short block. Pre lubing the engine is ideal since this is a brand new engine. Once the engine starts, I'll have oil pressure right away and prevent a dry start.


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Remove the plug so you can install the hose from the oil pre lube tank.


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Oil Pre lube hose connected to the block. Snug is good enough here.


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I used all 6 quarts of break in oil, just pour it in, screw the cap back on and fill the tank with about 30-40 PSI of air pressure.


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Turn the valve on the tank to "on" and go take a break. It can take up to 15 minutes, all depends how cold and thick the oil is. I warmed my oil up by putting the quarts in my garage wash tub with hot water so it will flow a little better on the pre lube process. As is was filling up, I turned the engine over a few times to help move the oil to all the small nooks and crannies in the engine.


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Once all done, remove the hose, wipe off any excess oil from the port area and reinstall to port plug. I used teflon paste for the thread sealant, it works like a charm!

Tuff Stuff 185 Amp Alternator
 

Since I'm going turbo, I'll have more electrical demand on the electrical system. You are required to upgrade your alternator. As mentioned before, I'll be adding Derale pusher fans which draw 22 amps each, an Alky Meth kit, and a Boost Controller. The stock 105 Amp alternator won't be able to keep up.

A lot of people go with a stock truck alternator. While it will work, here is why you don't want to use one:

- The truck alt case is larger in some areas, while it will "fit", this is one of the tightest places in the engine bay since the drivers side turbo manifold comes forward. In future posts, you'll see what I'm talking about.

- The truck alt does provide up to 145 amps but the electrical design is just like stock, you have to increase the engine RPM's to well above idle to take advantage of the higher amperage truck alt.

After doing my research, I found that a Tuff Stuff Alternator will fit my needs. The one I chose has a 185 Amp output. Unlike the stock design, this one will provide at least 50% or more of the rated output at idle! Since the pusher fans draw 22 amps each, you need a higher output alt at idle.

I bought mine through Pace Performance for $190.00. You have the choice of stock finish, polished or chrome all for the same price. It was a no-brainer for me to get the chrome one since I'm all about show and go. A lot of places list it as a 175 amp alt, I talked to Tuff Stuff directly and they had a redesign which gives it a new rating of 185 amps output. As a bonus, it is made in the USA, Cleveland, Ohio!



https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...4274bb0b35.jpg



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As you can see, the new Tuff Stuff Alt shares the same case size as the stock alt.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...a10752e7bc.jpg


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In my previous post I pre-lubed the engine with oil, you can't do this with the alt in place, you can barely see the port I used with the new alt in place. It's all about trying to think ahead with a project like this, something I was trying to do all summer long. You try to do your best but sometimes you can overlook things.

GM Crank Bolt & ATI Dampener
 

Before I get ahead of myself, I need to install the GM Crank Bolt and finish installing the ATI Dampener.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...67277b12ac.jpg
I always add some red loctite to the GM crank bolt. You don't want this to back out!


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...9715e592b9.jpg
Before the bolt goes in, try to squeeze some RTV into the key way of the ATI hub. That way oil doesn't makes it's way to the back of the bolt. If I was going supercharged, I would have pinned the crank.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...cf4574759e.jpg
Install the bolt and torque to 37ft lbs. With a breaker bar, rotate the bolt about 140 degrees so it gets stretched to GM spec. I marked my hub for start and finish points. With red loctite and using this method, never had a issue in the 15 years of doing this. This is a one time use TTY bolt, for $5.00, get a new one.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...a76a2d17e8.jpg
Added a little blue loctite to mount the ATI front pulley to hub per ATI instructions and torque to spec.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...fd15e29dee.jpg

For the most part everything has been kinda straight forward expect for the BMR K-Member. One of the first modifications to my car to make this turbo kit work is to eliminate the stock power steering cooler. Basically, it just won't fit since the turbo is in the front and the lines would be right up on the hot side in some areas. From what I read, these are prone to leaking, mixing antifreeze and power steering coolant together creating all sorts of issues. It's best to remove it to prevent any future issues.

Trying to buy a new stock power steering return hose is impossible so I was force to make my own.


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I bought this fitting at Advanced Auto for around $6.00.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...e190ee15e3.jpg
Since this is the "low" pressure side, I just used the factory clamp on the tank and a standard worm gear clamp on the fitting that's on the rack.

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As you can see from the pictures, the power steering lines are right next to the drivers side manifold. I used some Velcro heat sleeve to wrap both power steering lines, It's kinda hard to see but I do have about 3/8" of clearance or so between the tightest spot.

Nice build for sure.

About the alternator. Looks like pulley size is same as stock and not smaller to run faster at idle. On the top end did you ask at what rpm it will quit. From what I have read in my research if you design for good output at idle or just above, you sacrifice on the top end if you rev past 6400/max out rpm's on the alt.

That said, looks like it will be my alternator choice for my build since I won't rev past 6250 rpm (auto 4l60e rev limit) . I have four Spal fans as well. The stock alternator is maxed out.

With a Procharger, the truck/Escalade alt won't work except with modification to the pulley and bolt head on the Procharger head unit. So have been searching for a replacement. Thanks for the info.

When I was in the planning stages, I first contacted ATI to get their input on the size of the dampener. At first I was going to get the 10% underdrive but after they explained the technical benefits of having the stock size, it just made sense. Basically it will dampen the harmonics of the engine/crankshaft better and provide better charging since it spins the alternator at normal speed.

When it came to the alternator, I talked to Tuff Stuff and they ask me a few questions like current load, rpm, balancer size and the other details of my build. I said I'm only spinning the engine to no more than 6,800 RPM and they said that's fine, no issues. The pulley on the alt is stock size.

Technically on paper it should be perfect.... I'll be doing some electrical testing when it's all done with my DC clamp on Ammeter.

Turbo Oil Drain
 

Since the power steering lines are all done, I decided to work on the turbo oil drain next. As most of you know, the turbos that we use need a oil feed line and a drain. With the design of this kit and other Huron Speed kits, the turbo sits in front of the engine but not too high due to the design of the car. We need a good drain system back to the oil pan. You need to make the hose from the turbo to the oil pan as straight as possible with no dips in the line to prevent a back up of oil to the turbo. I used the lines and fittings provided with the kit.

If the drain loops down or up, the oil leaving the turbo can back up to the turbo and start smoking. Personally I haven't experienced this but it's what I all the research I have done as well as what Jon from Huron Speed has explained to me. This task is pretty straight forward.



https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...ec158d6e95.jpg
I mocked up part of the turbo hot side and mounted the turbo. Installed the turbo oil drain flange and attached one side of the oil drain.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...f7bb231464.jpg
I feed the drain line between the engine block and alternator to this point to so see where I needed to make a cut.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...ba31818490.jpg
I don't have much experience with these types of lines so a friend of mine said to wrap it with electrical tape to help prevent fraying which did the trick!


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Its hard to tell but it's a straight shot from the turbo to the oil pan, so all should be good. My only concern is what will happen if I'm driving down a steep hill (7%-8% grade or more), the oil pan will be slightly higher than the turbo, hopefully it won't back up and start smoking.

Anyone have some insight on this?

You will experience smoking on hard deceleration, as well as sitting on a downhill grade. I went through this with my car, I put a pump on it.... smoke went away.

Modifying AC Lines for the AC Turbo Kit
 

With the turbo oil drain line done, I had to address the AC line issues. Jon and I exchanged a few email back and forth about this. For a proper and clean installation, it is a must to get your stock AC lines modified to have the proper clearance of the hot side. Jon said you can just "bend them out of the way". While they do bend some, you take the risk of cracking the lines and having the lines still be very close to the hot side.

To make this a true AC retaining kit, the kit really should include modified lines for a proper and clean install. If Huron Speed can't provide the lines, at least provide an exchange service to modify the lines for you. This is one area where Huron Speed can make a good kit a great kit.

I just happen to have an old f-body ac compressor sitting around so I removed the lines and took them to my local AC/Radiator shop, Canfield Radiator. After showing them a bunch of pictures and I had the line in hand, they were able to modify the lines for me for $100.00. Once I get my car done, I'll take the car back to them so they can finish making the other lines and charge the system for an additional fee. This needs done now, once in the car, it will be a nightmare of trying to replace the line on the back of the AC compressor.


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Stock AC F-Body line modified for $100.00


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...8b09ef6b8a.jpg
Stock verses modified


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Don't know what your plans are for your ac condenser, whether you plan to keep stock or replace with a bigger generic condenser. What I found is that AN fittings and Goodyear hoses are are so easy to build and secure to the condenser rather than staying with propitiatory hose or pipe connections. The newer style condensers are more efficient than our 20 year old stuff. Cold Hose was very helpful. Goodyear hose is smaller too, but same inside diameter. Just a thought.

Planning on keeping the stock AC condenser. Where I live it rarely gets above 90 in the summer, mostly 80's. Before all this, I didn't use the AC all that much in this car. Hopefully it will all work out. If not, I may have to go aftermarket for the AC condenser side.

Installing part of the hot side and turbo
 

Now it's starting to get real. After a lot of test fitting the hot side, I've come to the point where its time to permanently install part of the hot side and mount/install the turbo.

Huron Speed suggests to install the each header manifold loose and then connect the merge between the two manifolds with the included V band clamps. Once all connected, I made sure that the V Bands flanges were all square and aligned with the clamps attached. I went back and forth between each side tightening each clamp up while making sure the V Band flanges remained flush and square with each other. Once all the V Band clamps were installed and sorta snugged down, I started on the manifold to head bolts.

While Huron Speed provides new header/manifold bolts, I decided on using my stock bolts since they had more contact area than the cap bolts that were provided.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...11d3d55ddb.jpg
Kinda hard to see but I installed the T4 flange metal gasket. I also used GM exhaust manifold gaskets.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...9e8d9da76d.jpg
To get to the back nut, I used a stubby 15mm wrench, worked like a charm.


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Note how the nuts and bolts are.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...19c4fcdb8b.jpg
In this pic, you can see the turbo drain line slopes down which is what you want, the higher the turbo the better it will drain to the oil pan.

SOM Painted LS3 Intake
 

I'm all about show and go, If done right, it can look good as well as go fast. Everyone has their own take on what looks good. While some guys go all out and chrome and paint everything, I guess the look I'm going after is "Enhanced Stock". I have some chrome, painted parts, wire tucks and polished parts. It's a simple clean look that doesn't scream at you when you pop the hood.

The first piece to my enhanced engine bay is my SOM painted LS3 Intake. I have to give a shout out to my friend Kevin Hilbert owner of Danzer Collision. They did a fantastic job on painting my intake. The color looks spot on to my car and looks so silky. With all the angles its hard to appreciate it's beauty in these pictures. In person, it just pops!


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...7edf19bf71.jpg


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FIC 1000cc Fuel Injectors and 3 BAR MAP Sensor
 

To feed this beast, I bought FIC (Fuel Injector Clinic) 1000cc injectors. When installed in a LS application, they end up being 110lb injectors at 58 PSI of fuel pressure. These are suppose to be plug and play, just use their injector data and your good to go.We'll see....

Each injector has it's own serial number and comes with a flow sheet as show below.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...07b4685646.jpg


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I am using HP Tuners and will be using a their 3 BAR OS. My plan is to eventually run up to 20lb of boost, so a 3 bar setup made sense. To properly read vacuum manifold pressure, I went with the GM 3 BAR MAP Sensor

Assembled SOM LS3 Intake
 

Intake is painted, Injectors are in the fuel rail, now it's time to build and install the intake.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...1448d515ab.jpg
I'm using a Nick Williams 92mm TB.

Mounted on the fuel rail is a fuel pressure sensor for my AutoMeter Electronic Fuel Gauge. Don't want to go lean!


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SOM Painted Coil Packs
 

To compliment the intake, I also painted my coil packs SOM. (Sunset Orange Metallic) for those that don't know.....

I'm not sure if I'm going to powder coat the valve covers gloss black or go chrome. Maybe once it's in the engine bay and I look at for a while, I'll decide. Simple easy project for winter time.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...c9035afd87.jpg


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That engine is looking good. Nice work!!!

I need a k-member hoist like you built. Got the specs for those pieces/hardware by chance?

Thank you!

Are you referring to the dolly that I made that the K-Member / Engine sits on or the brace that connects the struts together for the crane? I should have more detailed pics of each.

Bill

Engine Complete, Ready to Install
 

After a lot of blood, sweat and tears (beers), The engine is ready to install back into the car. YEAH !!!

Doing a build this large is a first for me. I've done countless head and cam swaps, header installs, intakes etc on these cars. This build takes the cake. It took longer than I anticipated but being the anal kind of guy I am, I took my time and things had to be as perfect as possible. Its way easier to fix things now than later on. I triple checked things all the time and paid attention to the smallest details. With everything out of the car you have many opportunities to view and work on the engine, as you know, it's more of a challenge when the drivetrain is in the car.

Being a one man show and doing all the work myself except building the short block, to be honest, I'm kinda proud of myself. My dad tells me all the time that he's impressed by what I can do with these cars and he could never do it. He says, give me a 60's - 70's car and it's no problem for him, tons of room to work in those cars and no electronics. lol

With a lot of planning, research, asking the right questions, taking your time and having a lot of patience, it eventually all came together.




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Maybe not looking in right place but I don't see a fuel pressure regulator. With all of the additional rwhp, obviously are going to need more pump. How do you plan to manage fuel pressure?

I currently have the Racetronix single pump and hotwire kit from 10 years ago. The wastegate has the 7.5lb spring installed which will probably max out the Racetronix pump fairly fast. At this point and going into winter, I'll just keep that for now and tune it the best I can for break in of the new engine. As long as I keep an eye on fuel pressure and injector duty cycle, I should be ok as long as I don't get greedy and constantly beat the snot out of it.

If money allows this winter, I would like to upgrade to a dual intank pump, new feed line, fuel pressure regulator and new rails to support at least 1,000+ RWHP. Not sure of what brand of parts for the fuel system I'm going with yet.

Drivers Side Firewall Hole
 

Before the engine goes in, I have to make a hole under the steering column so I can run wires for my boost controller, Alky Meth Kit and vacuum lines into the passenger compartment.



https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...d0e8815e9c.jpg


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To make the hole, I used a 1 3/8" Bi-Metal hole saw. It was tight to get a drill in there but you can do it...


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...08e18a9f78.jpg


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...69adb3ecbf.jpg
Now that the hole is drilled, I needed a big rubber grommet to put in there so the wires and hoses don't get cut due to vibration against the metal. I bought this at either Autozone or Advanced Auto.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...d1a0a39161.jpg
Grommet fits nice and snug.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...28d980cf58.jpg

Empty Engine Bay
 

Before I install the engine back into the car, I wanted to give the engine bay a quick wipe down and snap some pics for future reference.



https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...5449641f04.jpg


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Behind the ABS module and fuel lines, I ran my wires for the Boost controller, Alky Meth kit and vacuum lines to the hole I drilled earlier. I put most of it in wire loom to give it a factory look.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...425802a70b.jpg


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The wires and vacuum lines fit route great in this area.


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Finally, The drivetrain is going in
 

After many months of planning, buying parts and assembly, its time to install the engine in the car. I'm finally going turbo!!! Yea!

After we safely raised the car and put the blocks under the sub frames, we slid the drivetrain under the car. As we lowered the car body onto the engine, I quickly learned that it doesn't just drop in like normal. I've asked Huron Speed if you can do it this way, they said yes no problem. Well yes and no.... Some of the piping, clamps and brake lines come in contact with other things as I lowered it down. After some trial and error we got it in for the most part... If I had to do this again, I think I'd install the turbo kit after the engine was installed.

One of the main problems I had getting this in was the engine cradle that I built. Overall it worked great but the issues I had were the supports I made to hold up the A-arms. When I set the body down onto the struts, the springs wouldn't compress enough to get the K-Member bolts in. I ended up removing the supports to allow the body to fully drop down. Even though I did a test fit of the Turbo K-Member to the frame/body, I still had to use some persuasion to get some of the 6 bolts into the body.


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A few more...

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I would suggest looking unti Earl's Ultra Pro lines and fittings for your fuel system. I used them and they are easy to work with and route also the price point was better than some other PTFE AN fuel lines. I turned my sytem into a return style and am happy with how it came out. Nice build too BTW!!

Attention to detail is awesome. Good work!

Great build!

Is there a support for the turbo in that kit?

Looking forward to see where the exhaust goes and the rest of the build!

Congrats on getting it back under the car. Good advice. I am hoping to have mine back under my car in the next 2-3 months, and I'd hate to run into massive issues with the kit on the motor. It's already on it. Before I pull it off, what hit? The driver header and ABS block?

Thank you!

Once its all done and the bugs worked out, I plan on upgrading the whole fuel system (when $$$ allows) minus the new 1000cc injectors. I'll have to check out the Earl's products.

Thanks!

I'm trying to take my time and to figure it all out as I go. Being a one man show, it does have it's challenges!!! If I do this again (maybe for a buddies car) it won't take so long the 2nd time.

The turbo sits on the merge. All the weight from the hot side is on the exhaust manifold bolts. I was thinking there could be a extra support of some kind, not sure at this point on how to add it properly.

The AC Line and drivers side manifold was hitting the brake lines. You will need to bend your brake lines by the ABS so the manifold clears. If the engine is out, do that first, it's a pain with the engine in the way. I'll be posting some pics and info soon about those issues.

If you you have the same kit and want more details PM me.

Pass Side Wiring
 

Now that the engine is installed, it's time to start hooking up things so I can fire it!

With all the research and advice from people on LS1tech, heat is the enemy with turbo cars. To help keep the heat under control, I ceramic coated and used DEI Titanium wrap for the whole hot side and used heat sleeves and tape for the harness.

Sure, this kit is " Designed for these cars", BUT its not as simple as install the parts and your good to go. There are some "Minor modifications" Huron Speed suggests you will need to do to your car to make this kit work/fit properly. When it comes to the wiring, in some ways you have to be creative since the pipes go forward towards the from instead of towards the rear. Paying attention to detail with your wiring will pay off for the long term, you don't want to melt any wires.

On the Pass side, I had to slightly modify the harness. Basically I just rerouted some of the factory wires in the harness so it fit better and cleared anything that would rub or come in contact to the hot side. It's hard to see but I tried to maintain a clearance of at least 3/4" or more from other wires, hot side, or metal parts.

As you can see in the pics below, I tried to be generous with either the DEI heat sleeves or the Summit Racing Velco Heat Sleeves. I recommend buying a few different sizes to use throughout the project.




https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...4e31bcdcf4.jpg



https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...b549c501bd.jpg



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Short answer, yes. Did a lot of test fitting. You need to trim the air dam deflector and the Fuse box holder. The IC bracket that comes with the kits works fine. I'll be posting more about the cold side later.

Drivers side brake lines
 

Before, I said it might have been easier to install the turbo kit after the engine was installed due to the brake lines by the ABS module. I brought this up to Jon and all he could suggest is to "bend them out of the way". At first I was hesitant since I had to really bend them a lot to clear the manifold. As you can see in the pics, it was rubbing hard on the header wrap. My concern was if I bend them too much, will I kink or crack the lines. Since my car only has 20,xxx miles, the lines are still brand new and no rust. So I figured what the hell, lets do it.

I tried to bend the lines with the manifold in place but there is no way in hell to do it, the drivers manifold had to come out to gain access. If I would have know before, I would have bent them out of the way before the engine went in for clearance. Months before I did my tear down, I did a lot of research about this kit but never really came across this issue, except someone said just "bend them a little to clear". Hopefully this post will help other people in the future.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...1c65bb4de7.jpg


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...4226ec5caf.jpg


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Another issue is the brake line that goes along the turbo K-Member. It's kinda hard to see but the line only has about 1/8" - 1/4" gap between the line and turbo down pipe that goes out to the back of the car. I might have to revisit this later on. This is one area where the kit needs re-engineered for better fitment and clearance.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...34e70528fc.jpg

I know I'm late to the party but stainless safety wire works better.

Yeah, I heard about that a bit after I wrapped them. Will defiantly keep it in mind if I have to wrap any pipes again.

Not sure if there is enough room on a F-Body, Huron Speed might be able to explain more.

Those pics are very helpful, thanks for posting them billium.

You are quite welcome!

Before I bought my kit, I did a lot of research and didn't find too many detailed threads about this kit with pics. As you guys read my thread, it's not as plug and play as some might think. Hopefully this will help other people out in the future.

Bill

After attempting/figuring out a hi-flo kit back in 2008, I'm sure this will be a cakewalk in comparison. But, I'm up for all the cheat sheets I can get for fewer surprises!

Turbo
 

Thank you!

Cam Gear - 1x vs 4x
 

Now that I have some basic wiring done and the brake lines are somewhat clear, I'm at the point I can do a test fire to see if my new engine runs and has oil pressure. I loaded a new tune in the PCM, got my scanner going and hit the key. It stumbled at first due to the air in the fuel rail and then comes to life! Hell yeah! With no coolant in it yet, I didn't have much time to let it run. Oil pressure is good and seemed to run ok, gave it some gas and it was stumbling. My check engine came on shortly after it started up. I checked the codes and I got a P0342 Camshaft Position Sensor A Circuit Low. I was stumped to say the least. Shut it down and started doing some troubleshooting. I didn't find anything and let it cool for about an hour and started it up again, same thing, P0342 code. WTF.... ugh...

Well after looking over everything many times, I couldn't figure out why I was getting that code. After being frustrated, I walked away from it for a few hours to try to clear my head and think about what it could be. With all the pictures that I took of my build, I decided to go back and look at them to see if anything sticks out.

Well, with any big project, your bound to make a mistake or two especially since I'm a one man show. I found the problem in my pictures. I wasn't going to post this because it's kinda embarrassing but figured what the hell, maybe it will help others out in the future and they won't make the same mistake I made. Isn't that what this site if for, sharing the good, the bad and the ugly... lol

When I ordered my engine, I had Golen Engines install a billet 24x reluctor wheel since I have a 2001 Camaro with a 411 PCM. If you recall from my first few posts, I had a H&C LS3 in the car before with the Lingenfelter 58x - 24x converter box to make it all work. When I was assembling my new engine, I installed the wrong cam gear! For some reason, I installed the 4x cam gear from my old build instead of the 1x cam gear that the 411 PCM needed to have the proper timing. I looked at the damn thing many times while the cover was off and didn't notice. I feel like a dumb azz but at least I didn't destroy anything, just my pride....

I tore it back down and installed the new 1x cam gear that I got from my local GM dealer. Reinstalled the the front cover with a new front main seal, reinstalled the balancer with a new GM crank bolt and started it up again. Fired right up, ran a little smoother and no codes!


The moral of this story (post), when installing a Gen 4 LS block into a GEN 3 LS car or truck, make sure your crank reluctor wheel and cam gear match your PCM type...




https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...8b94bf339d.jpg


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My son Zach giving me a hand as always with my car, thanks bud!


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Hey look, there's the problem!


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...1894eede6d.jpg
Big difference between the 2 cam gears, on the left 1x cam gear, 1 pulse to the PCM per revolution, 4x cam gear on the right, 4 pulses to the PCM per revolution.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...319c67c814.jpg
The new 1x cam gear is finally installed.


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New GM Crank bolt with a little red loctite installed to GM spec

Awesome write up man! I've been running the V3 A/C kit for almost a year and a half now ... While I will say hurons kit is amazing quality, Im glad I wasn't the only one running into the same problems you mentioned....
Brake lines- I bent them out of the way on the driver's side but eventually burned through the steel line and had to have it repaired.
A/C lines- they had to be bent in order to not be touching the passenger hotside.
Wiring- had to be rerouted and zip tied in various places to not get burned up.
Power Steering- had to bypass the cooler, and order stainless replacement lines so they could be rerouted because there's no way they would have lasted being that close to the down pipe.
Steering Rack- the down pipe is literally on the driver's side boot cover, it melted through, not much room for adjustment there other then wrapping

The kit is great but like you mentioned, there's alot of small things that needed attention and eventually started to $100 me to the point where I was about demod the car and sell it

Yep, it has cost me a lot more as well to try to make everything work properly and not get burnt up. I've been having issues with the turbo downpipe (J Pipe) hitting the sway bar. It's physical impossible to make it work. The pipe is just made wrong, it has a hair too much bend in it. I put my stock sway bar back on and no dice, still won't fit.. I've been working with Jon to resolve this. Will be posting about the sway bar issues soon with pics.

I've been making great progress on the install, just behind on posting all the details and pics here.

When I'm all done, I'll be posting suggestions on how Huron Speed can make a good kit a GREAT kit!

I decided to run without a sway bar, I DD my car and haven't noticed much of a difference without it.

It is a great kit but there's definitely some tweaks that can make it better, I feel like the angle on the downpipe that goes over the steering rack could be improved for better clearance as well.
we are dealing with fbodys at the end of the day, it'll never be perfect lol

Customer service is fantastic as well, I've gotten replies and emails answered after hours and weekends!
​​​​​​

I was able to make it all work, but had to modify the downpipe. Yes, the output pipe that goes over the steering rack needs to be redesigned a little.

While Jon does provide good customer service via email, it would be nice to actually talk to him on the phone to work out an issue, Instead of going back and forth over email 20 times and over 8 hours, a simple 5 minute call can resolve the issue much sooner. You can't always do everything over email, sometimes things don't translate well.

i agree 100%

This is they're 3rd version and from my understanding, its gotten better each time so hopefully it continues to do so...
Our feedback should help the cause hopefully

Turbo Downpipe Issues with Sway Bar
 

Now that is actually running, It's time to start buttoning up this install. Well, my first major issue with this kit is that the downpipe hits the sway bar. It seems that the pipe has too much bend in it and doesn't allow the flange to sit flush on the turbo to get the clamp on. I contacted Jon from Huron Speed and he said "this is the first he has heard about anyone having this issue"... hmmm It seems that a lot of people have been having issues with this.

He said the kit was designed for the SS or WS6 sway bar and asked if I changed mine. I did, I installed a BMR sway bar about 10-12 year ago. he said that may be the problem. So I dug out my old GM SS sway bar, put that in and same issue, the downpipe still hits the sway bar.

So after many emails back and forth, Jon offered to send my a new turbo downpipe (J - Pipe) to see if that makes a difference. I received it a week or so later and damn, same problem! WTF!!!! Jon suggested to just remove the sway bar and problem solved. I said no, it's mainly a street car and I want it there.

Well, the only way to fix this is to cut and reweld the downpipe to gain the proper clearance. After a bunch more emails back and forth, Jon agreed that it needed to be modified and would make it right by footing the bill for the custom weld job.

I contacted my local trade school and had one of the welding instructors come to my house to have the downpipe modified. We made the cut, installed it in place using zip ties and spacers so we can weld in the proper clearance.




https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...dfce997f2b.jpg
With the sway bar installed, this was the best the downpipe would fit onto the turbo...


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...30b01ca681.jpg
Here, you can see where it was hitting the sway bar and rubbing the shit out of my DEI wrap. The part by the O2 bung is where it sits against the merge which it's suppose to.



https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...7eb78f508c.jpg



https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...d255c18401.jpg
Notice how much we had to open it up to fit.



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I used a 1/4" piece of wood as a spacer.



https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...702e2ee2c6.jpg
I used a 1/8" piece of wood for clearance here.



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Getting all welded up!

Ugh. What a pain. Stock swaybar or the BMR end up staying on the car with the modified DP?

Tell me about it, many delays with this project that were out of my control...

Since I had the same issues with either sway bar, I put my BMR sway bar back on and modified the DP with the spacers in place.

Wastegate Recirc pipe issues
 

Another issue I had with the hot side was that the wastegate recirc pipe would not line up even when the kit was mocked up on an engine, on an engine stand. Again, I emailed Jon from Huron Speed many times about this and he assured me that it will go on. Umm no it won't.

My AC turbo kit was one of the last kits that had this feature where the wastegate would vent back into the exhaust like its suppose to. Huron Speed discontinued this feature since it's such a pain to get it to line up and that it's the lowest part of the kit (ground clearance). As of this past summer, all AC retaining turbo kits from Huron Speed vent the wastegate to your engine bay.

Being that this is a street car with AC retaining, I didn't want to vent exhaust gases into my engine bay while under boost and have some exhaust smell come into the cabin with the windows up. Most people would say screw it, whats the big deal, Well, I bought a AC turbo kit so why not make it right.

Once I had the DP modified and had the clearance I needed, I also had the wastgate recirc pipe modified as well since I had the welder there.




https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...0e4c335980.jpg



https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...116ea42759.jpg
No matter how loose I had the pipes, this was the best I could get it. Even though there is a flex pipe in there, I could flex it some but then the recirc pipe seemed to be too long and wouldn't line up in other ways... ugh.......


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...1135fca423.jpg



https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...e69119cf4a.jpg

I understand that. I'm doing the whole car (rear/trans/engine) at the same time, so I know all about delays. I have pretty much accepted the fact that I can't have a timeline with this, as it busts at least weekly lol.

I'm trying to make the DP fit around my Strano front sway. Luckily I have a friend that can weld, so I'll keep your method in mind when we get to that step.

I didn't get the recirc pipe with my kit, but didnt give it a ton of thought. I'm also going to run an exhaust dump up front on the DP, so it was going to get cut anyway. Hopefully won't be too smelly.

I had all the same issues that you guys had, but the sway bar problem, I unbolted the sway bar from both lower control arms and pushed it up. then I bolted everything up. with the front suspension loaded (weight on the car on the tires) it's tight but it fits. I wanted to try longer sway bar links but never got around to it. I have been driving my car with this kit for about a year with factory ss sway bar. I got one of the first kits in a group purchase. if the weather breaks I will post some pics this weekend

Photochop - By mid summer, I gave up on a timeline and just kept at it when I could, figured it will get done when it gets done. Good luck, post some pics of your results.

GMTECH4 - Seems to be a common problem that Huron Speed really needs to address. I look forward to your pics.

Bill