An Ecotec, a turbo, and a man a.k.a Ecotec Turbo Build

[Avi8or]

Thought I would post this up for anybody who is looking to do a turbo setup by themselves on the cheaper side of things. I'm aiming to keep the price down as low as possible, while using quite a few eBay parts and seeing what I can get out of it. Because I live in Hong Kong currently all the parts from Japan/Taiwan/China cost all of about $5 AUS to post to me, my turbo only cost me $20 to post.

First of all the car, a VS 5 speed (T5) Ecotec that has just been fully rebuilt 5000km ago. Other than a 2.5" catback its pretty much a stock, single spinner. I am going to be running 10psi to begin with and shooting for 250rwhp.



So I have been working at this for about a month now with my research, recently started purchasing the parts I am going to need. So far I have:

The turbo
A GT35 copy with a .63 turbine on it, the quality is actually surprisingly good, they have done a decent job of making the thing.

The manifold
Currently being delivered with some work needing to be done but its a stainless sidemount

Watercooling kit
My first test to see how close the copy is, the GT35 kit fits perfectly into the copy.

LSD
Sitting in my shed at home waiting to be taken down to the workshop and fitted


From here the next point of attack is to get the oil kit for it, and finish deciding on how im going to pipe it up. Stay tuned.

[STL17]

How much did the manifold set ya back

[Avi8or]

$500, just needs a bit of welding done and thats it. Pretty good deal I thought.

[STL17]

Hell yeh got a site

[Trayner]

ill be watching this one too :P

[Avi8or]

Its second hand from some guy who was going to run it on an L67 block but has changed to a turbo LS1.

[Claudy]

Any updates yet man?!

[Avi8or]

Well thought I would put an update up. Intercooler (600x300x76) has been ordered along with a Walbro GSS341 and bunch of bits and pieces for the dump pipe to be made up with. Turbo manifold is being worked on at the moment to have it prepared, should hopefully have it back by next month. Looking at injectors at the moment, deciding if I'm going to go with the L67's or with something a bit bigger. LSD maybe will be fitted in next week, working on the design of the dump pipe at the moment, going to give my welding skills a crack one night with it on a hoist and see what I can make up. Trying to figure out what to do with the exhaust though, its a 2.5" cat back on there at the moment, if I cut the cat off the existing pipes and weld it to the dump then im going to have the issue of being a 3" dump and a 2.5" cat back (AFAIK you cant get a 3" inlet, 2.5" outlet cat).

[Avi8or]

Bit of an update, went to finally mount it all up yesterday only to find that the manifold looks like it was designed for a VT/VX (strut towers) and the geometry of it all means the turbo doesn't sit correctly with enough room. So I've decided the only option is going to be new manifolds, which I am leaning towards the Pro Flow Fab ones. Once I get those I can finally finish this build and hopefully have it on the road ASAP.

[chrrr]

We run Siemens deka 60lb injectors, we maxed out the Bosch 42lb injectors quite fast, the l67 ones are only 36lb lol

[Avi8or]

I ordered some Deka's in the end, can I ask did you put them in and get it tuned to run with them? I thought they were direct swaps but as soon as I switch on the ignition is floods the engine so clearly I am wrong

[Avi8or]

Well almost one year from when I said I would do this it is officially completed. Picked it up on Sat from the workshop, old girl is boosting about 7psi and pushing around 190rwkw. Still teething issues at the moment, but overall its going well!

Small video of compressor stall which is all I have at the moment until I go down again this week to play with it.
VS T5 Ecotec Turbo - YouTube

[delcowizzid]

the cheap turbo wont last long sneezing away with no BOV ask matt_vp LOL his blew all the fins off the compressor wheel

[Matt_vp]

Hey my Turbo died due to a bit of metal inside the manifolds finding its way to the Turbo and stopping it from spinning. The flogged out bushes from no bov proberly didn't help. Lol.

[GTP 85]

Well almost one year from when I said I would do this it is officially completed. Picked it up on Sat from the workshop, old girl is boosting about 7psi and pushing around 190rwkw. Still teething issues at the moment, but overall its going well!

Small video of compressor stall which is all I have at the moment until I go down again this week to play with it.
VS T5 Ecotec Turbo - YouTube

You've done a good job mate! I'm looking to do something similar on a spare engine that i have chillin in the shed.

Wouldnt mind having a sus of your setup

[Avi8or]

Haha well the amount it gets used I'm going to see how long that turbo lasts first, for $200 I cant complain if it dies and I need to get another one lol

Sure thing mate, its not the most polished setup out there, but considering it was all custom from scratch I think it does the job. However I do advise if your going to do it properly not to run the MAF because it is a big restriction. Plan is when its all paid off I will get an EMS ECU and have it retuned with that without the MAF.