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Thread: my official build thread

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    1,550

    my official build thread

    Well after starting many threads and doing lots of research I started my turbo build a few months ago. I didnt want to start a thread when i started the build because i didnt want it to be like 3 months long. Anyway here we go. My truck is an 04 rcsb 5.3 with basic boltons, nelson tune, rebuilt 60e, 3600 circle d, homemade traction bars, 4.10s and trutrac, HSW wet kit, and some weight reduction. With this setup I ran a best of 13.4 on motor and 12.2 with a 150 shot. I originally planned to just make a wicked NA build but after seeing so many successful and big power builds I decided to go over to the darkside and go turbo. I dont have the money to do a kb or a trick kit and still be able to afford the supporting mods so I decided to build my own kit. I had the help of two of my friends, one is my roommate, Ren, who has a pretty sick 02 camaro and the other is Nick, who is member DSCZ71. Im on a budget so its kind of a budget build but i didnt skimp on too much. I heard a lot of good things about the on3 performance turbos so i went with a 76mm with 1.0 ar exhaust and an on3 60mm wastegate. I had to decide whether to do a log style setup or a flipped manifold setup and I figured the flipped manifold would be easier and better suite my needs. I had stock manifolds from several vehicles, my truck, my old 02 camaro, my 2010 camaro and my buddy's 04 gto and the headers from the 02 camaro worked perfectly. We then went to lowe's and bought some pvc pipe and an assortment of fittings to do a mock up so I know what bends i need.

    I then bought all my tubing from mandrel-bends.com and started building.
    We then started on the cold side which was pretty easy, just a few cuts and one weld
    Here is where the wastegate is mounted, I know its not optimal but i think it will work

    I had a couple of weeks where I didnt really do anything because I was a little low on money, but when I went home for Thanksgiving break I gave what I had to my buddy Dillon to tig it up. Over the break I made a pretty big order from Speed Inc and from RPS. I just want to note that the guys at Speed Inc and Rob at RPS were extremely helpful and great to do business with. I would highly recommend them to anyone. From speed inc I ordered LS9 head gaskets, LS2 timing chain, oil pan gasket, PRC dual springs, TU1 turbo cam, pushrods, LS7 lifters, Melling oil pump, ARP head studs, ARP rod bolts, fuel rails and 80lb injectors. And from RPS; 50mm BOV, EV1 fuel injector connectors, exhaust wrap, screw in IAT sensor and bung, vbands, flex for crossover, oil feed and return lines, manual boost controller, vacuum hose, magnafuel fpr and gauge, breather tank and -12 hose and fittings and weld-on bungs for the valve covers. I got back here on Monday and started doing a little more work. The stuff from RPS came in tuesday and I got the pipes back on tuesday as well, so I added the flex joint, the vband and built the downpipe. Which all is now being tiged.

    Yesterday I started tearing down the engine to get it ready for the engine work

    I also pulled the bed off to work on the fuel system.


    Last edited by o2camaross; 12-02-2011 at 12:07 AM.

    04 RCSB 5.3, Homemade 80mm FM, TU1, TH400

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