So my well worn 2.8 is getting long in the tooth and using more than its fair share of oil. The smoke screen at start up was amusing at first but has become annoying as of late. So it is time to build a 3.4 motor. What are the suggestions? I am currently running Design Ones Stage 1 Kit, about 7-8 lbs of boost. I will get the Stage 2 kit and install it with the 3.4, so hopefully it will see 10-11 lbs. Any engine building tips are welcome. Thans in advance Justis
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06:32 PM
PFF
System Bot
Aug 17th, 2002
88GTURBO Member
Posts: 114 From: Columbia Tn USA Registered: Nov 2001
i'm building up a 2.8 long block right now for a turbo, this is what i'm doing:
-*arias 8.0:1 forged pistons -*total seal ductile iron rings -shot peened rods -rolled fillet crankshaft (from gmpartsdirect.com) -block bored .030 over -having a custom cam ground by comp cams -can't remember the name of the company but they make copper head gaskets for the 2.8 -entire rotating assembly balanced -still unsure of the how i'm gonna do the top end, i have a complete iron head setup but apparently you can use aluminum heads from a 90-92 3.1 camaro (it had a distributor so the manifold would clear the fiero dist.) either way the heads will be rebuilt with titanium valves (Ferrara) and hardened everything else (crane cams) -WCF shorty headers with custom Y-pipe to locate the T3/T4 turbo -T3/T4 turbo with .70 A/R intake wheel and .52 or .54 A/R exhuast wheel -3" downpipe, no cat, no muffler, direct split into dual 2" and use stock tips -30# ford motorsports injectors -*dynotuner.net "perfect power tuner" (should be here monday i think i'll be the first on the board other than travis (1fst2m6) to have it installed) -*apexi AVC-R boost controller -*255 lph walboro fuel pump
i think thats about it, needless to say i will be getting to know my local machine shop very well. all items with * mean i already have them. it will run about 8-10 psi daily driving and 20 psi when i need to put someone in their place hope this helps
------------------ Eric '87 GT 5-speed Gold/Tan TURBO project has begun..... 20 psi of mustang eating boost is on its way :) summer of '03
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10:06 AM
Shaun41178 Member
Posts: 1285 From: Whiney McWhinersons Moms Coochie Registered: Jan 99
Hey 88GTURBO, did you say you are running a turbo setup right now? If so the smoke you are seeing could be from a bad Turbo seal.What trans are you running 5speed or auto? Do you have a blow off valve? If the car in an auto, the torque converter(the stall speed) is going to play role in what size turbo you can run. I belive auto is the best way to go with the turbo setup and you will be able to run bigger turbo w high stall converter and building about 5-10 lbs boost off line and launch then hang on.I am currently building a 3.8 turbo setup for my Fiero. I am going with a 5 speed manual trans just because the car will be Diablo when it grows up and all the Diablo are manual.
------------------ 87SE 2.8 w/5speed(waiting for a 3.8 Buick GN setup trasplant) 85SE 2.5 w/5speed (for sale) 1987 Buick GN(10.70@124MPH) 1987 Turbo T 1992 GMC Typhoon Other cars; JaguarXJ6, AMG 500SEL,Astro & Legacy
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09:03 AM
Dennis LaGrua Member
Posts: 15145 From: Hillsborough, NJ U.S.A. Registered: May 2000
I have never heard of aluminum heads on the F-body cars either, but coincidently I just finished notching the late design intake manifold and upper plenum to clear the distributor. I'm now preparing to see if I can MIG weld on it. If successful I'll be able to compensate for the notch in the runner on the end by increasing the sealing height to bring the volume back as close as possible to normal provided the type of aluminum it's comprised of can be welded on. The notch in the upper plenum is minor. I'm also talking with a friend at the machine shop about fitting bigger valves. According to the desktop dyno tests, the larger valves are crucial to getting into the 300hp range with the turbo, sensible boost, and a performance cam. If successful I'll post the results along with a picture. The intake manifold was a left over from a core motor that I decided to experiment with first as opposed to disposing of.
Excuse me that's ceiling. I'm willing to bet the post earlier mentioning a possible bad turbo seal is exactly what's wrong. I had the same experience, lots of smoke on initial start up that tends to disipate as the car warms up or should I say after the majority of the oil that seapes passed the turbine seal into the exhaust has burned off.
]b]Design One Systems has NOT perfected the Stage Two ECM for the 3.4l engine.[/b] I was using one on my turbocharged 3.4L and it ran absolutely terrible- black smoke out the exhaust everywhere!!!!. My purchase has so far proven a waste of $1000. Perhaps one of these days Kevin Leslie will make good. As I would have grown a long beard by the time Design One sends a second chip to try; I have since put back the stock 87 ECM and developed and programmed my own chip.The engine now runs excellent but the onboard knock sensor interface feature of the 85 GT ECM used on the Stage Two would certainly have been nice. I told Kevin that he will have a good market if he ever get's the Stage Two formula right. But so far-I've seen nothing
Originally posted by WikedV6: Hey 88GTURBO, did you say you are running a turbo setup right now? If so the smoke you are seeing could be from a bad Turbo seal. I belive auto is the best way to go with the turbo setup and you will be able to run bigger turbo w high stall converter and building about 5-10 lbs boost off line and launch then hang on.I am currently building a 3.8 turbo setup for my Fiero. I am going with a 5 speed manual trans just because the car will be Diablo when it grows up and all the Diablo are manual.
Smoke from a good engine with a turbo can be caused by too small of an oil return line OR bad routing of this line. If any part of the oil return line goes horizontal at any point your engine will smoke upon startup and/or running conditions. I am a proponent of using an automatic with a turbo for the reasons pointed out above. No human can shift as fast as a good automatic tranny.
