Turbocharging VS LS4 Swap on '06 Monte Carlo 3.9?
07-10-2014, 12:48 PM
#1
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Turbocharging VS LS4 Swap on '06 Monte Carlo 3.9? Whats up yall I'm new here. I just picked up a nice blue 2006 Monte 3.9 LT a few weeks ago. After doing LOTS of research, the engine has little to 0 aftermarket support. Which I think is crazy because its a V6 with nearly 250 HP stock without forced induction. I found a shop called Speed Mafia that make a turbo kit for this engine, they can also tune and install for around 5K. I kind of considered doing an LS4 swap if turbocharging going to cost that much, and I just love the LS4 (Cousin had a red '07 MC SS, my mother's friend had an maroon '08 Impala SS). I imagine the cars themselves are pretty similar, What do you think?
07-10-2014, 04:41 PM
#3
Staging Lane
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Superior, WI
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, seems like an unhelpful answer but that probably is the most cost effective. The LS4 doesn't have a huge aftermarket either but it is still bigger than the 3.9 if you wanted to do more with it. Plus, I know the 3.9 sounds pretty good but it'll never sound as good as the LS4!
07-10-2014, 11:02 PM
#4
TECH Enthusiast
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: WEST PALM BEACH FL
Posts: 696
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well if u could do the work yourself i could see it being less than the turbo kit probably around 4k if got a used dropout and a cradle pcm,ect But Turbo cars are so much fun i got a cartuning kit about to go on my 07 ss imp.. But answer would be if a nice turbo kit is made for the 3.9 and that should make u atleast 400+ whp as long as u do other supporting mods go turbo!!!!Call keving @ cartuning performance i bet he would build u a kit if he doesnt already make one
07-11-2014, 11:43 AM
#5
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That would be nice, but that's not really a option. Doing this swap will not be hard at all for me, I got a couple of guys helping me out on this. I plan on doing this by march of next year, just trynna figure all I might need besides engine, pcm and wiring.
07-11-2014, 11:46 AM
#6
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well if u could do the work yourself i could see it being less than the turbo kit probably around 4k if got a used dropout and a cradle pcm,ect But Turbo cars are so much fun i got a cartuning kit about to go on my 07 ss imp.. But answer would be if a nice turbo kit is made for the 3.9 and that should make u atleast 400+ whp as long as u do other supporting mods go turbo!!!!Call keving @ cartuning performance i bet he would build u a kit if he doesnt already make one
07-11-2014, 11:48 AM
#7
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, seems like an unhelpful answer but that probably is the most cost effective. The LS4 doesn't have a huge aftermarket either but it is still bigger than the 3.9 if you wanted to do more with it. Plus, I know the 3.9 sounds pretty good but it'll never sound as good as the LS4!
Trending Topics
07-11-2014, 12:51 PM
#8
TECH Addict
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: 78°14′46″N 15°27′56″E
Posts: 2,419
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes
on
5 Posts
Not worth the effort to do a swap, and I am usually a big proponent of engine swaps, having done several on various vehicles.
The turbo is a better idea, but if you really need to have a V8, then just by an LS4 car and put aside $3500 for a trans rebuild.
The turbo is a better idea, but if you really need to have a V8, then just by an LS4 car and put aside $3500 for a trans rebuild.
07-11-2014, 05:31 PM
#9
TECH Enthusiast
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: WEST PALM BEACH FL
Posts: 696
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All of my mods are on my sig and to be exact she makes 312 whp 319 wtq with extensive tuning and the built trans helps out alot with the turbo kit i should be 550ish whp and the first thing beside cam and headers would a ls6 im thats well worth the money
09-13-2014, 11:34 PM
#11
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well if u could do the work yourself i could see it being less than the turbo kit probably around 4k if got a used dropout and a cradle pcm,ect But Turbo cars are so much fun i got a cartuning kit about to go on my 07 ss imp.. But answer would be if a nice turbo kit is made for the 3.9 and that should make u atleast 400+ whp as long as u do other supporting mods go turbo!!!!Call keving @ cartuning performance i bet he would build u a kit if he doesnt already make one
09-14-2014, 06:28 PM
#12
TECH Enthusiast
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: WEST PALM BEACH FL
Posts: 696
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yea man that would be the way id go because u are gonna run into alot of bs doing the ls4 swap and end up with less power so get her done kevin is very good at what he does i got mine done about a month ago and my car is a Freakin animal.....
09-21-2014, 12:44 PM
#13
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
10-10-2014, 08:31 AM
#14
Teching In
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Interesting; I have just been thru this decision-making process. I now have a nice, shiny, new 3.9 c/w everything in my garage, waiting to be sold. I WAS going to turbo it and follow the path that another guy (W body forum, 60*V6 etc) has done.
He has put together his own 'kit' as there is nothing plus it was a swap-into an 85 Z28. He has run 10.56 at 130+ and figures he is making over 600 hp based on a 3200 lb car. As of this past July he has over 300 runs on it and he started with a donor that already had over 30,000 miles on it!
Anyway, cut to the chase: the thing that dissuaded me was the lack of availability of a cam and the problems trying to swap-in ANY other cam due to the bearing sizes. I had to search North America to finally find the 2nd-last set of cam bearing BUSHINGS that I bought so I could put in a 'turbo' cam for a conventional 60*V6. $200 for the set. That would allow me to then install conventional SBC cam bearings (you leave one out) and then install any cam I wanted.
That, generally, means you throw away the cam phasing and in fact, pretty much anything to do with cam sensing, it's been bastardized so much.
That in turn brings you back to an old OBD1 PCM.
ORRRRRRR.... you keep everything that is on the motor, cam included, and 'simply' bolt on a turbo. The ECM I have with mine is the highly-regarded E67 that (I have to take others word for it so far) basically can do ANYthing.
The cam is made by pressing lobes onto a hollow tube which apparently is a limiting factor for regrinds, according to at least 2 cam grinders, but it can be done to at least some degree.
I decided to switch to the LS4 as I intend to use my car as a street-legal track machine, so it will run at higher rpms for extended periods of time, vs 12 seconds at a time then a rest... and I presume that the LS4 bottom end will manage that extended stress better than the smaller (altho still much improved) V6 bottom end would handle the stress of 10-14 psi on a constant basis. It's a judgement call on my part.
So just my comments for what it is worth. Feel free to ask questions; if I know I'll be happy to answer but I am not a techie, either.
GP
Edit: Oh, yeah; after some research (like a weeks worth!) I found that it isn't that hard to get an LS4 up to about 400 hp with fairly stock parts from the LSx family (and an aggressive, aftermarket cam, of course...)
He has put together his own 'kit' as there is nothing plus it was a swap-into an 85 Z28. He has run 10.56 at 130+ and figures he is making over 600 hp based on a 3200 lb car. As of this past July he has over 300 runs on it and he started with a donor that already had over 30,000 miles on it!
Anyway, cut to the chase: the thing that dissuaded me was the lack of availability of a cam and the problems trying to swap-in ANY other cam due to the bearing sizes. I had to search North America to finally find the 2nd-last set of cam bearing BUSHINGS that I bought so I could put in a 'turbo' cam for a conventional 60*V6. $200 for the set. That would allow me to then install conventional SBC cam bearings (you leave one out) and then install any cam I wanted.
That, generally, means you throw away the cam phasing and in fact, pretty much anything to do with cam sensing, it's been bastardized so much.
That in turn brings you back to an old OBD1 PCM.
ORRRRRRR.... you keep everything that is on the motor, cam included, and 'simply' bolt on a turbo. The ECM I have with mine is the highly-regarded E67 that (I have to take others word for it so far) basically can do ANYthing.
The cam is made by pressing lobes onto a hollow tube which apparently is a limiting factor for regrinds, according to at least 2 cam grinders, but it can be done to at least some degree.
I decided to switch to the LS4 as I intend to use my car as a street-legal track machine, so it will run at higher rpms for extended periods of time, vs 12 seconds at a time then a rest... and I presume that the LS4 bottom end will manage that extended stress better than the smaller (altho still much improved) V6 bottom end would handle the stress of 10-14 psi on a constant basis. It's a judgement call on my part.
So just my comments for what it is worth. Feel free to ask questions; if I know I'll be happy to answer but I am not a techie, either.
GP
Edit: Oh, yeah; after some research (like a weeks worth!) I found that it isn't that hard to get an LS4 up to about 400 hp with fairly stock parts from the LSx family (and an aggressive, aftermarket cam, of course...)
11-27-2014, 12:50 PM
#15
On The Tree
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Interesting; I have just been thru this decision-making process. I now have a nice, shiny, new 3.9 c/w everything in my garage, waiting to be sold. I WAS going to turbo it and follow the path that another guy (W body forum, 60*V6 etc) has done.
He has put together his own 'kit' as there is nothing plus it was a swap-into an 85 Z28. He has run 10.56 at 130+ and figures he is making over 600 hp based on a 3200 lb car. As of this past July he has over 300 runs on it and he started with a donor that already had over 30,000 miles on it!
Anyway, cut to the chase: the thing that dissuaded me was the lack of availability of a cam and the problems trying to swap-in ANY other cam due to the bearing sizes. I had to search North America to finally find the 2nd-last set of cam bearing BUSHINGS that I bought so I could put in a 'turbo' cam for a conventional 60*V6. $200 for the set. That would allow me to then install conventional SBC cam bearings (you leave one out) and then install any cam I wanted.
That, generally, means you throw away the cam phasing and in fact, pretty much anything to do with cam sensing, it's been bastardized so much.
That in turn brings you back to an old OBD1 PCM.
ORRRRRRR.... you keep everything that is on the motor, cam included, and 'simply' bolt on a turbo. The ECM I have with mine is the highly-regarded E67 that (I have to take others word for it so far) basically can do ANYthing.
The cam is made by pressing lobes onto a hollow tube which apparently is a limiting factor for regrinds, according to at least 2 cam grinders, but it can be done to at least some degree.
I decided to switch to the LS4 as I intend to use my car as a street-legal track machine, so it will run at higher rpms for extended periods of time, vs 12 seconds at a time then a rest... and I presume that the LS4 bottom end will manage that extended stress better than the smaller (altho still much improved) V6 bottom end would handle the stress of 10-14 psi on a constant basis. It's a judgement call on my part.
So just my comments for what it is worth. Feel free to ask questions; if I know I'll be happy to answer but I am not a techie, either.
GP
Edit: Oh, yeah; after some research (like a weeks worth!) I found that it isn't that hard to get an LS4 up to about 400 hp with fairly stock parts from the LSx family (and an aggressive, aftermarket cam, of course...)
He has put together his own 'kit' as there is nothing plus it was a swap-into an 85 Z28. He has run 10.56 at 130+ and figures he is making over 600 hp based on a 3200 lb car. As of this past July he has over 300 runs on it and he started with a donor that already had over 30,000 miles on it!
Anyway, cut to the chase: the thing that dissuaded me was the lack of availability of a cam and the problems trying to swap-in ANY other cam due to the bearing sizes. I had to search North America to finally find the 2nd-last set of cam bearing BUSHINGS that I bought so I could put in a 'turbo' cam for a conventional 60*V6. $200 for the set. That would allow me to then install conventional SBC cam bearings (you leave one out) and then install any cam I wanted.
That, generally, means you throw away the cam phasing and in fact, pretty much anything to do with cam sensing, it's been bastardized so much.
That in turn brings you back to an old OBD1 PCM.
ORRRRRRR.... you keep everything that is on the motor, cam included, and 'simply' bolt on a turbo. The ECM I have with mine is the highly-regarded E67 that (I have to take others word for it so far) basically can do ANYthing.
The cam is made by pressing lobes onto a hollow tube which apparently is a limiting factor for regrinds, according to at least 2 cam grinders, but it can be done to at least some degree.
I decided to switch to the LS4 as I intend to use my car as a street-legal track machine, so it will run at higher rpms for extended periods of time, vs 12 seconds at a time then a rest... and I presume that the LS4 bottom end will manage that extended stress better than the smaller (altho still much improved) V6 bottom end would handle the stress of 10-14 psi on a constant basis. It's a judgement call on my part.
So just my comments for what it is worth. Feel free to ask questions; if I know I'll be happy to answer but I am not a techie, either.
GP
Edit: Oh, yeah; after some research (like a weeks worth!) I found that it isn't that hard to get an LS4 up to about 400 hp with fairly stock parts from the LSx family (and an aggressive, aftermarket cam, of course...)
11-27-2014, 08:29 PM
#16
Teching In
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds like they are. I'm not going that way; I'll be using an F40 6 spd from a G6... manual. Quite a bit of 'testing' already been done on this tranny behind a number of V8 swaps into fieros... so far, so good!
11-28-2014, 12:51 AM
#17
On The Tree
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds like fun. All in all I want a 3800 car again in a year or two.
