I’ve got a 94’ reg cab short bed Ford Ranger that I’m slowly collecting parts to build. I’ve got an LC9 5.3 and CD009 6 speed for it. I want to do something different on this truck and I’m really considering doing bed mounted twins. I know this isn’t the most efficient way to set up a twin turbo truck but I like to be a different with everything I do. Truck will be e85 with a Holly terminator x stand alone. I’m undecided on intercooler set up, I’m leaning air to water but I prefer the simplicity of an air to air. Either way, it will likely also be mounted in the bed. I’m debating on running the charge pipe directly through the cab and firewall to a reverse mounted intake, or just snake it along under the truck. I’m planning on designing a stand alone oil system with a small 2 gal reservoir and scavenge pump, check valve and filter for turbos. Truck has an 8.8 with 3:73 gears with an LSD. 4 link in the rear as well.

It won’t be at the track much but I’d like to be somewhere in the mid to low 10s, it will mostly just be a weekend warrior that is a blast to drive that will turn heads at the car shows. Power goal is mid to upper 600s with room to grow if I want.

One of my biggest concerns is responsiveness. I’d like it to spool as quickly as possible for a remote setup, while still meeting my power goals. What chargers would you guys recommend for a set up like this? Also, what are some waste gate recommendations? I’ve never messed with twins before so I’m trying to learn as much as possible and be as prepared as possible. Also, any input on the build as a whole is appreciated. I came here because you are the pros.

 

My first swap was a 94 Mazda b2300, I loved that truck. And I was always wanting to do bed mounted turbos. For your goals I would say the vsracing 6262s or similar. They're pretty cheap, even the ball bearing units are pretty reasonable. Should spool pretty quick and easily make 6-700

 

I think ball bearing turbos are a must. 6262s are what I was looking, I’m just unsure if the compressor side is too small and will cause back pressure issues.

 

You need to keep velocity up in rear mounted setups. Wrap all your hotside, run 2" pipe to each turbo. I'd be looking into a pair of gt3076 or possibly gt3582 in a t3 frame. Lots of work for 600hp goal.

 

The CD009 is the biggest bottle neck in your system. Its not geared long to make a decent "drag race" manual trans IMO. To launch a turbo manual well, you have to be evil to it. Are you willing to be evil to it? Pop it off the limiter to get boost building? Even a manifold mounted twin setup is going to need some crazy high RPM to get it spooling to get it to launch decent. Responsive and rear mount twins shouldn't really be in the same sentence IMO. I've done exactly what your are saying. I own a CD009 swapped setup. I've run gt3582s on a 5.3, I've run quicker than 10's, built remote setups etc etc...

Information above is good. Keep hot side limited to 2" etc... Pair it with a decent auto/stall and trans brake and 9's are in the bag easy. Even without an intercooler. I made 560/600 on 11lbs with gt35's on my 5.3. No intercooler and it had super lazy compression with the big chamber 241 heads on it. It spooled ok... but I sure wouldn't want it paired with my CD009 and I didn't have them remote mounted. I will say I was still at 1:1 with the .63 t3's at 19lbs. So I wouldn't worry about back pressure. I did run slightly upgraded billet 64/62's though. Standard journal bearing stuff.

Good luck, but I don't think that combo is going to drive how you want it. Ive never tried the gt3076's, but they would def. be more responsive. if that is more important, I'd try those. Def don't need ball bearing IMO. Its over rated. Hell buy the cheap journal versions to test and if its close upgrade to BB later. It won't be much of a difference.

 

1st gear on a cd009 combined with a 3.73 rear should make a good rock crawling gear, lol. Other than that figure on starting in 2nd for any normal driving. Unless the truck has enormous tall tires, anyway. If this build is about anything other than looks it will be far better off with a single turbo than twins. Less pipe area for heat loss in a rearmount setup, and less complexity overall.

 

great advice. I got the cd009 on a killer deal which is why I planned on running it. I could flip it for profit no problem. I know an auto will almost always be faster and launch better, but I’m not going to be visiting the track regularly. I’d be surprised if I go more than once a year… if that. Being fun to drive is much higher of a priority than having a great 60’ time. I may have overstated the importance of running 10s in my original post, it is a goal but not a priority.

I’m not completely married to the idea of a manual but to change my mind would take some convincing. The biggest thing that would hold me back is the sheer cost of a stout 6 speed, when compared to what 4l80s are going for. Like I said I got the CD009 dirt cheap so it made all the sense.

Responsiveness is my biggest concern, if it’s not spooling until 4k/4.5k rpm then I’d consider rethinking a bed mounted set up in favor is something more traditional. Overall my goal i
with it is fun. I’m not trying to be the fastest guy out there, I’m just trying to have a blast driving it while turning some heads in the process.

 

With front mounted t4 gt3582 twins on a 5.7 with a t56 and 3.73 gear in a 4000lb car, I am over 3000rpm before seeing any boost pressure in 1st gear. Of course as soon as it does get into any positive pressure it blows the tires off on the street.

 

My cam only 5.3, th400 has front mounted twin gt3582s in a t3 frame. I see positive boost pressure at 3,000 rpm. Fully lit by 3,300. Still early in the tuning game. I'm going from vaccum, to almost 13psi in 1.4 seconds.

 

Its not that an auto would be a little bit better its a night/day response difference. There are some bad *** manual setups out there, but its not practical or easy on parts to launch one well. Drop average joe in a manual turbo car at the track and their 60' times generally suck. To the point an auto would be like 1-2+ full seconds faster. TQ multiplication also allows the turbo to spool better from a roll. With a 10 second drag car you want simple/easy. Don’t need a fancy new auto's. You need/want the old school 3 speed th400 or a 2 speed glide with a loose converter. They can be built to handle the power easily with the least amount of maintenance. You just gear the cars final ratio to cruise where you want it, and don’t worry about OD.

My CD009 setup was more expensive compared to a mildly built glide/th400 w a brake. But the CD009 trans cost me $1500. By the time you bought the $800+ adapter (which is a pain to do yourself I might add) Shifter, lines, clutch, press plate, flywheel, bell housing, master, slave, etc... I was all in like $2600+ on a CD009. Put $1500 in a stock case glide or th400 and you will get a pretty darn tough “drag race” trans. that will take some serious abuse.

I get wanting to row through gears though. I ended up with a 2.73 rear gear to make the CD009 “work” with my LS powerband (na setup). The ratios are then more along the lines of a T56 with 3.73’s.

If you just want to build something fun, start with small cheap cast wheel journal bearing turbos to see how they perform. Worst case you bump up to gt3582’s down the road. Or upgrade to a better set of GT3076’s.

A legit GT3076 will flow 520ish hp each, but I’m sure the knock offs flow less. I’d give those a shot if you want a fun responsive setup and aren't super concerned about track 60’ times and ET’s. You’ll likely get 10 second MPH. Just not a 10 sec ET without a decent 60’/330 time. And they will def. spool quicker than the gt3582’s.

Could also bore your 5.3 out to a 5.7. Bigger motor could help a lot with response. More compression helps, E85 helps, nitrous helps ALOT and is dirt cheap to spray a tiny shot. Could just use a 50 shot or so on track days.

 

ive got an lq4 bored 10 over and stroked paired to cd009 running around 973 to the crank with a g42 you def beat up on the trans but they hold the power usually the issue is the clutch only one that im limited to using is fabbots ls->cd009 kit for 1600 get everything you need except trans which you can still find for 6-1k used or 2.5k new def weird gearing compared to t56 lineup but cheap and works for me I dont think the adapter was hard outside of just cutting oem bellhousing

 

decide what you want the car to do now if you want to track it will 100% be easier to do with auto I wanted to be hard headed and have a stick why cuz why not have ran into issues like having to get a fancy shifter to fit a 1350 slip yoke but let me know ive been tooling with cd009 for awhile now

 

A 5.3 with a glide or th400 is about as easy as it gets. I'd vote for twin gt3076 I a mid remote setup. I entertained using them on my front mount deal, but a pair of gt3582 was under $300 new.

 

Feel like people don't go small enough if they want response from twins. Esp. rear mount units.

Neighbor had a set of tiny 16g DSM turbos on a 351 ford. Made boost like a roots blower. It was done by 9lbs or so, but holy hell it lit them off quick. Believe a 16g is a 48/49. No idea what the back pressure was, but there was no real transistion to boost. It was just NOW. I’d guess it was 550-600whp. But it drove like an NA motor.

Can always throw on a 3rd if its not enough!

 

Exactly. And let's be honest here, because we all know turbo noises and burnouts are what turns heads at car shows. Both are far more difficult with oversized turbos.

 

Think the quality of the turbo used makes a huge diff as well. Topfun99 over on YB has a 3500lb 7 sec fox body that uses some relatively small units on a healthy 363" SBF. He runs Precision 64/66 T3’s up to 30lbs. Its 1:1 to 15lbs and he sees 36psi of back pressure at 30lbs. Positive manifold pressure starting at 3k. Expensive units, but goes to show you don’t need massive turbos. Won Sick Week last year as well for 8.50 class I believe, so pretty darn reliable.