Anyone running a single turbo SBC or know anything about it?

[Guest Magnum Rockwilder]

I have a chance to buy a turbocharged chevy 350. It's still in the car and running, and the guy says it runs good in the low rpm but "flutters at full throttle". The engine is a 4 bolt with only 5000 miles. The condition and type of the turbo is unknown. It has a regualr manifold on the driver side and a turbo manifold on the passenger side with a pretty good sized turbo. It boosts through a box that goes around the carb, so I guess that makes it a "blow-through" design. It has a short exhaust pipe coming off the turbo, and an oil line.

 

I don't know a lot about turbos, but I'm mechanically adept. If I get this setup, worst case scenario is I need a new turbo or need the old one rebuilt, right?

 

Any idea why it would run good but "flutter" at WOT?

 

Will the turbo fit in the Z engine bay?

 

Any idea how much a junker car with this engine and a TH350 is worth?

[tfreer85]

The flutter could be caused by a couple of things.

1) Lop-sided pressure.

2) Un-proper valve seating in the intake (forcing the exhaust back through the intake valve during hard acceleration).

3) Exhaust leak or pipe leaking or bad gaskets.

4) Bad lubrication in the turbo.

5) Blow-by (bad piston ring seal in one or more pistons)

 

Thats all that I can think of. It may be just the turbo, however, it could be numerous problems with the engine itself and since there isn't another turbo mounted to compare it to, its hard just to tell with such little description. If you have heard it run, is there anything that sounds like a bolt somewhere in the block (that would signify a detonated piston which is common with forced intake systems). Also i've heard but don't know for sure, that if you don't have enough backpressure in the exhaust system that it won't properly turn the turbo over. Since it "runs fine at low rpm" its probably because there isn't enough pressure to make bad piston rings, exhausts leaks noticeable. I hope that this helps.

 

Also, in my town, I could by a TH350 for around 300 dollars. As for clearence I'd recommend talking to TurboMeister, he seems to have a lot of experience with turbo clearence and such.

Tyson

[Guest Magnum Rockwilder]

When he said it "flutters", I think he meant is hesitates. I asked him about it and he said the car runs great around town and he used it to pull a trailer for years, but if you "mash the gas it bucks and stuff". He said he was told he "needs to put the carb in a box", but it's already in a box. I'm thinking maybe it has a boost leak around the carb box and the boost referenced FPR is richening the mixture too much under boost.

 

Dunno, but I think I'm going to buy it. I'm a few hundred short so I need to go run more ads in the classifieds for my Z parts.

[Turbo Meister]

Any idea why it would run good but "flutter" at WOT?

Will the turbo fit in the Z engine bay?

It could hesitate because of too rich a fuel mixture or if it is at higher rpms it could be due to insufficient fuel pressure.

I haven't heard of any "stock" V8 turbo system that would fit under the hood of a Z. However, if you are willing to cut into the inner fenderwells and hood, it may fit. I placed my turbos in front of the engine because they would not fit at the sides. Look at my photo gallery for the layout.

Hanns