Inliners International Forums General Discussion Blown and Injected Turbo help for a 235

I recently bought a 57 chevy 150 handyman wagon with a great running 235 L6

Im retired on a small pension but I'd like to build a turbo for it.

I read through a bunch of old posts. Lots of talk about 250's and 292s but I don't see much on the 235.

I was thinking of a draw through type simular to the corvair. Keep it simple. I am not looking for a screamer, just a nice driving car with a little different engine.

Apparently you can't get parts for Rajay turbos any more?

Would a garrett T-3 be about the right size? I would not want to run much over 5 psi boost and keep it under 200 hp.

I looked at mustang SVO and thunderbird turbo coupe info from the early 80's could any of that be used? I'm not sure if they are draw through or blow through.

Thanks in advance

Gary

A turbo setup from a early carbed buick 3.8 would work great. Easy to install.
Years of use, guessing 1980-1983 in Buick regal limited and the early Grand Nationals.
This was the one before they went fuel injection. It was a Quadrajet.
Reclock it and practically bolt it on.

On ebay right now.
TURBO

I hate to sound so ignorant, but what do you mean by reclock it?

Is the pontiac turbo mentioned on ebay the same as the buick one?

Thanks

The Trans Am turbo is larger & I would say it will give you more turbo lag especially w/only a 235 CI engine.

The Pontiac turbo is larger than the 3.8 turbo, the carb adaptor/manifold is also different.
They would be in different positions if were to bolt them up on a manifold, not a lot, but there are differences.

I would say the 3.8 Buick regal turbo would be closer to what you are looking for as far as performance & boost limit.
Years made about 1978 -1982 ish.
They also had the same set-up on some Monte carlos of the same era.
Try & get a complete set-up along w/a carb if possible.


Reclocking is just loosening the compressor cover bolts to the center cartridge & repositioning the compressor cover.

MBHD

thanks you guys, I kinda thought that might be what reclocking meant but I wasn't sure. I found this on ebay, Is it the right one?

Looks like its missing the carb adapter plate and carb?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271060459505?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648

Pretty sure that is not the correct one.
That is for a 1986 - 87 blow though. It does not have a carb adaptor.They do not need one for fuel injection.

MBHD

Thanks How about this one?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/370635840577?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Says its a 79 buick rivera? Was the 3.8 the only turbo engine then?

That one is simular,,, but, it looks like it does not have the correct compressor discharge cover. The one w/3 hole flange.

Hard to see in the pic. Ask if he can take more pics of the compressor discharge area to be certain.

I do not believe there was any other factory GM turbo V-8 car other than a Turbo Trans Am 301 V-8.

MBHD

That looks like the right one. The sellers # is listed. Ask I it has a 3 bolt exh flange. It probably does. You will be able to remove a bunch of the smog junk to clean it up.

I don;t even know which end is the intake and which is the exhaust end LOL (Shows how ignorant I am, but I am learning) Looks like there are some more pictures down lower (12 total). One shows the bottom of the unit and I can see a two flange and the other end is a three flange. If I am looking at the right part.

Thanks again
Gary

OK, does not appear to be the correct one.

There is no 3 bolt flange on the compressor outlet.

Tlowe has one, post up some pics Tlowe.


MBHD

Just got in.
That is not the right one. It needs the 3 bolt flange from the compressor to bolt into your intake.

Well Dang! close but not cigar. Im still looking but so far nuthin. If we were to find the right (three bolt) compressor housing, would the rest of it work?

http://picasaweb.google.com/sixpics/292#5270033625773996354

MBHD

Here are the rest of the PICTURES that go with that one. Sadly that project has not progressed. I think this is the same as the one I posted the link to on eBay earlier in this thread.

Ok guys, I think I have the picture.

I see where the turbo bolts to the intake manifold on the 292 with the three bolts.

The only problem I have is that the 235 intake only has 2 bolts that normally hold the carb down and the spacing is considerably smaller. Would I be better off blocking the top and cutting a larger hole in the side of the intake?

I wish I knew how to post pictures on here.

The 194,230,250,292 intakes have only 2 studs to mount the 1 bbl carb. They need to mod the intake as well.
I think the carbs (235 & 292) bolt patterns are the same? Not sure though.

MBHD

When I mounted the turbo I used one stock hole and drilled two more to match the turbo mount. Then I cut the manifold bigger and got into the exhaust heat jacket which I had to fill. It would be a lot easier to use a 4bbl intake and make an adapter plate for the turbo. I'll pull the turbo and take a picture of the manifold if it will help. You could probably make an adapter on the stock manifold. I turned one over once and made an adapter plate over the heat riser side to mount a WCFB. It sorta' worked.

PICTURES? Go to that Stovebolt web site and find the Short Bus forum. It has lots of computer info. That is where I learned to post pictures and links to pictures. Beater

I see now, You have to modify the intake manifold to match the face of the compressor outlet.

If you used a 4bbl intake you could make the adapter in whatever shape was needed to match the turbo outlet.

Do they sometimes use a large hose between the intake and the turbo? Seems like I have seen that done.

I hate sounding so ignorant

Another thing to remember about with turbos. Not all of them can have fuel pass thru them. Most are made for just air and no fuel. The early Buick and that Pontiac 301 unit is made for fuel to pass thru. The other types would get the seal destroyed with fuel.

Thanks Mr Lowe, I read in some of the corvair liteture about the draw through systems needing the carbon seal and that most turbos don;t have one. Im pretty sure I am going to use some version of the buick system if i can find one.

I added 3 pictures to the ALBUM . I had to mill the mounting area flat and fill the outside stock hole. I think if you started with a 1/2" aluminum plate you could use the outside stock hole with a counter sunk screw and match the inside hole with the top turbo outlet hole and drill and tap two more holes for the other turbo flange bolts. I'd use studs for those two. With a 1/2" plate adapter you could blend the intake and output throats. Just my idea but it would be cheap. I could not find a stock manifold to photograph but I'm sure the spread is the same as a 235.

Thanks for the pictures.
Its starting to fit together in my head, how this thing is done.

So if I had a 4 barrel intake I could fab a right angle adapter to mate with the nose of the compressor exhaust housing, even if it didn;t have the right 3 bolt exhaust. The three bolt simplifies the project in that you don't have to make an adapter. Is that correct?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/81-MONTE-CARLO-T...1b050bf&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-GM-3-8-L-V6...a67bb89&vxp=mtr


MBHD

Thanks for the links I will keep an eye on them and possibly bid on one. I don't know how you find them, I have been searching ebay for several days and didn't see either of them.

On several of the pictures you can see am iron casting that sticks out at right angles to the turbo (comes off the carb casting) and looks like it bolts to the block or intake. (square hole, two bolts) IT has a metal pot or something on top of it. What is that for? water circulation?

This has really been a learning experience for me and I can;t thank all of you enough for your help.

I have been recommending for guys to use one of these set-ups on there inlines but I do not think anyone here actually has one up & running.

I.M.O., it is the most easy way & cheapest to get a turbo on your inline 6.

MBHD

Pretty sure what you are seeing is EGR stuff. That is smog hardware and you won't be using it. Hank is probably right about the 3.8 setups. That is listed as 231 ci and that is good for your 235. As he says you won't find a more simple less expensive turbo unit.

Beater, That makes sense. (EGR)

I agree with both of you, Yep, looks like the way to go. It's just a matter of scrapin up the money. Im leaning toward that unit missing the carb. I've got a couple later model quadrajets out in the shop.

If I understand things correctly, the aftermarket intakes arn't useable with the stock exhaust manifold, so a header would be required. Might be better off just milling the top of the stock intake off like you did.

we will see how it goes.

Have you thought of using a stock exhaust and looping under the oil pan to mount a turbo on the Passenger side of the block? I'm not for sure of the room you'll have on your Handyman Wagon, but on my truck there's gobs of room for it.

Like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFajr4QgARk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIxrRpjIa2g&list=UUo0VSSVd3KYJIXrzihzaeTQ&index=1&feature=plpp_video

Do not attemt to do it this way, B.T.W.

Unless you know how to properly set it up corrctly.

MBHD

I can see why someone would want to put it on the paseenger side.
The advantage would be (other than a lot more room) that you would not need the special nose on the compressor exhaust. Any properly sized draw through turbo would work so long as it mated to the intake pipe on the manifold.

In the video, it looks to me like the carb needs to be closer to the compressor and turbo to elimanate the frosting situation.

For now, Im going to try to keep it on the drivers side and low enough that I can close the hood (with an air cleaner on the carb. I don't want any hole or bulge in the hood.

A blow through would be better then.

A fellow over on the classic chevy site asked me how much horsepower I expected, Of coarse I didn;t know so I did a little reading and from what I can see, it looks like people expect from 7-10 hp per lb boost on the conservative side to 20 on the liberal side. So if the 235 put out 140hp and I add 5 lbs boost would 190hp be realistic?
Thanks

Throw the horsepower idea out the window. Your engine will not rev that high. TQ is what you will increase. Expect 5-10% increase in TQ for each LB of boost.
As an example of what these look like and availability, here is a turbo setup from a pontiac trans am 301 circa 80-81. Picked it up at a swapmeet this weekend for 80.00 as you see it. Also saw a buick one for 295.00 . So they are out there.

Not for sale is it?

Is it in good shape?
Does the shaft spin?
It his your 2nd or 3rd set-up now?

MBHD

250 ft/lbs at 4,000 RPM is 190 hp.

Frank Mcgurk got 197 HP out of a 261 back in the 50's. I can't see why a well built 235 couldn't do the same, espesially with a turbo.

http://www.selectric.org/55chevy/soup.html

I was chasing down a local lead on a used clifford 4 bbl intake for a 235 and found an intake with a holley two barrel, offenhauser rocker cover, and split headers. THe down side is I think they are for a 250/292 not a 235. Anyone intersted in some trading for a 3.8 turbo?