Re: Kind of a noob question about the pontiac 301 turbo
 

Oh, well yeah. That makes sense.

Consider yourself blessed. You don't have to work with the turbo technology and fluid dynamics knowedge of 1980. You have much better stuff available to you than the best ---- money could buy in 1980. Pontiac used that Garrett heap because it was as good as it got. You can pick any crappy deisel turbo and it will whoop the hell out of the TB0305. You can also learn from the Pontiac engineers mistakes and DO NOT do a suck-through carb layout. It sucks.

By the way, here's what one of those ugly turbos look like, in case you or someone else hasn't seen one. Note how big around it is. Also, the turbine is massive. The turbo sat above the passenger valvecover with the turbine hanging off the side and the compressor centered over the intake. The funky 3-bolt aluminum flange mounted right to the intake manifold. A 90 degree albow attached to the compressor inlet, and that elbow held the Quadra-junk carb. Stock wastegate is 7 psi. The drivers side exhaust manifold bolted to a pipe that crossed under the engine and went into the passenger side manifold. That then fed up into the turbine inlet. So, drivers side exhaust went engine, drivers manifold, crossover, passenger manifold, turbine, then out to the ex system. Brilliant design. Actually, this is how Buick's turbo V6 engines did it too and they worked pretty well (at least the later meat-injected ones).

http://www.plastikhosting.net/upload...r/IMG_0051.jpg

http://www.plastikhosting.net/upload...r/IMG_0052.jpg

The next two pics are the monster TB0305 next to an IHI-RHB5-VJ17 (87-88 Thunderchicken 5-stick).

http://www.plastikhosting.net/upload...r/IMG_0053.jpg

http://www.plastikhosting.net/upload...r/IMG_0054.jpg

Here's a pic of what it looks like under the hood of a Turbo 301. Don't ever do it this way.

http://www.plastikhosting.net/upload...5aad314c_o.jpg

Re: Kind of a noob question about the pontiac 301 turbo
 

Look here. These dicks have had 2 Turbo 301 cars pass through their hands. Some good pics of what these lumps looked like, for those who might be curious:

http://www.classicresto.com/mambo/content/view/113/2/

http://www.classicresto.com/mambo/content/view/107/2/

Re: Kind of a noob question about the pontiac 301 turbo
 

they probably sound awesome when spooling open downpipe.. but suck ass once the noise wears off

Re: Kind of a noob question about the pontiac 301 turbo
 

Like I said just looking at the options. How does the turbo being mounted right next to the carb like that work? I don't understand that setup at all. But yeah I don't know lately I have been thinking I would be better off starting from scratch with a 350 crate motor from GM Goodwrench through Jegs.com it is like $1500 before shipping. I already have a holley 650 double pumper I could throw on there, as well as an edelbrock performer intake manifold, and a full exhaust system and be putting out like around 290 hp and like 370 lbs/ft torque at the crank. It wouldn't be a bad turbo motor either it only runs like an 8.5:1 compression. Maybe a T3 based turbo kit later on. It could be some big time fun. Especially when the bracket racing at the local track rolls around.

Re: Kind of a noob question about the pontiac 301 turbo
 

Stock 301 Turbo: There is a tube with a 90 degree bend that bolts to the turbine inlet. That tube goes out an inch or two, then turns 90 degrees straight up to the carb. The carb bolts to the tube in its regular sraight-up configuration right under the air filter in the last pic above. So the fuel goes from the carb, makes a hard 90 towareds the passenger side, then gets its ass kicked in the turbine, then is shoved into the intake manifold. Shitty design.

If you want my retarded ass 6.5 cents, I say buy the SBC crate motor. Unless you have the ability to build one yourself. Then just go buy an old Vortec truck/van motor and rebuild/refresh it. Edelbrock sells a Performer intake to put a 4-bbl square-bore on the Vortec head. It's like $150 or something. The Vortec head is actually pretty damn good for stock iron ----. Better than many aftermarket iron heads. At least as good as Dart SR's, maybe better. Plus, the Vortec motors used the plain old HEI distributors, which work very well and have millions of upgrade coils available. Hot ignition, nig-nog price. I love nig-nog prices. Possibly the cheapest way to make 300hp in the world. Then you turbo that bitch. Oh, and unless you find a T-3 with a HUGE turbine housing (and I mean ------- gargantuan), you are going to want a bigger turbo. Remember, if you are starting with a 300 horse motor, you can probably count on an easy 400 horses with a little positive manifold pressure. That's big turbo territory. You might want to look at a couple of T-3's or some Borg Warner bullshit or something. I don't know ---- about those big fuckers. The Cummins guys might be able to help you out there. They love big CFM's for cheap.

Re: Kind of a noob question about the pontiac 301 turbo
 

I think I am all but decided on the 350 crate. I know quite a bit about building motors but when it comes right down to it I would trust it a whole lot more if it was professionaly built then if it screws up chances are I have a warranty...But the motor would come first then I would focus on finishing the rest of the car so it was street legal before I started fabbing up a kit. Plus it would be nice to drive a 300ish horsepower Trans Am after driving my Civic for over a year and a half now. I saw a guy on here building a motor with a giant volvo semi turbo. That would be fun. Either way after it is street legal I will be hitting up the local bracket racing. Heck maybe I will win one or two and pocket some cash. That would be sick.