VY Ecotec Turbo Build!

[iaydemir]

Hey Guys,

I've gathered/ordered most of the parts to get my low comp Ecotec rebuild started!
It's home will eventually be my current daily VY Berlina which is intercooled and supercharged:
VY V6 Berlina Project

The plan is to finish the rebuild, get all the turbo equipment and then swap out with the current gear i have in my car. (Standard engine and Intercooled raptor supercharger). Hopefully i can find a suitable car and use this engine/charger setup as a daily driver.

Mate owns a wrecking yard in the northern suburbs so I scored a complete ecotec engine for next to nothing. So far, below is a list of what i have bought for the build and what i still need to buy. Should hopefully have the spare engine on a stand and stripped in the next week or so. Then itl be off to the machine shop! Also, once the old engine is out, the whole car is getting resprayed in jet black

Parts that i have bought so far:
- Microtech LT10s with loom to suit and basic turbo tune
- L67 Diamond Forged and Moly coated pistons, (8.0:1 comp, .020" oversized)
- L32 Hot Forged connecting rods
- ARP Head stud kit
- ARP Main stud kit
- ARP Connecting rod bolts to suit L32 rods
- Rollmaster double row timing chain
- 80lb Siemens Deka injectors
- 3800 oil pressure kit
- Cometic head gaskets
- Aluminium inlet manifold gasket
- Rear main seal
- Front main seal
- Front timing cover gasket
- Rear engine cover gasket
- Water pump gasket
- Bosch external 044 pumps and surge tank

Parts I'm still in the process of buying/sourcing:
- Larger/performance oil pan
- Harmonic balancer
- Roller rockers
- Hydraulic lifters
- New oil pump
- Cam bearings
- Main bearings
- Conrod bearings
- Cam
- Valve springs
- Valve Stem Seals
- Locks & retainers

Please let me know of any parts i might have left out as im having a mind blank at the moment.. I like to know i have all the parts before i start the build so i dont go running around/waiting for parts etc later on. Although, i'm sure theres gonna be plenty i still forget about..

Also, im stuck on which company and what cam to go for to suit a turbo and compression of 8.0:1. I know there are many threads about ecotec's and cams, however i cant really find a decent thread about a "Turbo" cam for an Ecotec. Any thoughts?

Hopefully ill be taking pics during all stages of the build

[holden_4aw_lyfe]

Hey mate! u checked out my build???

** Rebuilding a Stroked/Turbo VT Ecotec **

might give you some pointers

let me know if you've got any questions ill be happy as to help out!

[nick_]

Why don't you keep the berlina as the daily and buy another car to work on as the project? A lighter shell (anything from VB-VS) would be better if you want to get serious at the drags.

[one_and_only2004]

Looks like you're buying all the right bits. I know of people running up to 400rwkw on turbo V8's using a single bosch 044, and why did you go for an aftermarket computer? The stock one would be fine.

[iaydemir]

Hey mate! u checked out my build???

** Rebuilding a Stroked/Turbo VT Ecotec **

might give you some pointers

let me know if you've got any questions ill be happy as to help out!

Hey!

Thanks mate, i think im gonna need all the pointers i can get
I just got into work, ill have a read through your thread in the next couple of hours.

Cheers!

[iaydemir]

Why don't you keep the berlina as the daily and buy another car to work on as the project? A lighter shell (anything from VB-VS) would be better if you want to get serious at the drags.

Yer i thought of that, but i love the VY shape, also im not really gonna end up at the drags often.

[iaydemir]

Looks like you're buying all the right bits. I know of people running up to 400rwkw on turbo V8's using a single bosch 044, and why did you go for an aftermarket computer? The stock one would be fine.

Thanks mate, yer i think i got misinformed about the fuel pumps by a certain somebody. Either way i got them for cheap so ill probably end up selling one off if it isnt needed.
(Also, i bought the 80lb Siemen Deka's as it was the same price as the 60lbs..)

As for the aftermarket computer. I came across it whilst going through ebay. The LT10s was brand new, came with a loom to suit the ecotec, wiring diagram and a basic turbo tune to suit the 3.8Ltr (And i got it for a steal!).
The guy im going to get to tune the car is a whizz with Microtech so there pretty much the reason's.

[Gus]

this car will be crazy!
so much money being thrown into it haha, can't wait to see the finished result (..if there'll ever be one?)

[one_and_only2004]

Thanks mate, yer i think i got misinformed about the fuel pumps by a certain somebody. Either way i got them for cheap so ill probably end up selling one off if it isnt needed.
(Also, i bought the 80lb Siemen Deka's as it was the same price as the 60lbs..)

As for the aftermarket computer. I came across it whilst going through ebay. The LT10s was brand new, came with a loom to suit the ecotec, wiring diagram and a basic turbo tune to suit the 3.8Ltr (And i got it for a steal!).
The guy im going to get to tune the car is a whizz with Microtech so there pretty much the reason's.

Fair enough, this sounds like it'll be an interesting build - I will be following your progress for sure.

[iaydemir]

Got some of the goodies!

IMG_1155.jpgIMG_1163.jpgIMG_1160.jpgIMG_1167.jpeg.jpg

[iaydemir]

Got some more parts on Friday.

The pistons came with Total Seal rings and i've been doing some reading, doesn't look like there much good for FI set up's.

Anybody ever used Total Seal rings? Any feedback on them? (Looking around online they seem dearer then most other brands)

IMG_1204[1].jpgIMG_1205[1].jpgIMG_1207[1].jpg

[Pub247]

why do they say theyre no good ?are they pre gapped or file backs?

[iaydemir]

There file backs, i've read in a few forums that they don't take heat expansion too well and eventually crack causing cylinder scuffing/wear. There good with reducing blow by, but a lot of people are saying there only good for an engine that only see's track time so often, not for a street engine that's driven constantly.

Then again like any brand there's plenty of good feedback along with the bad..

Just curious if anybody here has had experience with them first hand?

[chargedvx6]

Total seal rings been no good for a daily? Some say they wear the bore because they have more constant and complete contact with it but for me I'd rather as close to 100% efficiency as possible which is why I have a set of perfect seals from Trevor at pacific engine parts in Melbourne. No issues and SFA pcv issues either

[iaydemir]

The reason people don't recommend TS rings for daily is because of the extra wear on cylinder's as you mentioned above.
A daily is obviously going to do a lot more KM's then a track engine, hence why people are saying to steer away.

Thanks for that, ill try get in touch with Trevor and see what he has to offer.

[chargedvx6]

97370717 is his number.

[westerlybreeze]

Got some of the goodies!

IMG_1155.jpgIMG_1163.jpgIMG_1160.jpgIMG_1167.jpeg.jpg

Hey that oil filter housing gasket ("Oil volume kit") may leak, might pay to check it on your housing and replace it with a Aussie one before full assembly

[chargedvx6]

Hey that oil filter housing gasket ("Oil volume kit") may leak, might pay to check it on your housing and replace it with a Aussie one before full assembly

Good point. I got caught with this one before too. Just grabbed a Holden oil filter adapter to timing cover gasket and was all good

[iaydemir]

Thanks for the heads up guys, just read in another place that the American housing has a slightly different shape to ours. \
Theres a nice picture about half way down of the difference in the below thread:
Another NZ Single turbo conversion

[delcowizzid]

haha yeah thats westerlies build thread

[iaydemir]

haha yeah thats westerlies build thread

Im suprised i didnt come across that thread earlier, have been reading through a few ecotec rebuild threads but its the first ive seen of that one. Looks veryyy interesting and informative

[delcowizzid]

went like a bat out of hell that thing first huge turbo was laggy but man when it hit you knew you were on boost LOL.i convinced him to go smaller turbo and it was a bloody weapon of a turbo he changed to pulled hard

[iaydemir]

went like a bat out of hell that thing first huge turbo was laggy but man when it hit you knew you were on boost LOL.i convinced him to go smaller turbo and it was a bloody weapon of a turbo he changed to pulled hard

Thats the definition of a sleeper! Wouldn't except it if i seen it on the road lol

Yer im planning on going Garrett GT35/40 with a.70 compressor and .82 exhaust housing (GT3582BB), but the buggers aren't cheap! =/

[delcowizzid]

hehe i just use china specials one day we will bolt on a garret or something to see how much difference there is but for now the $500 buck journal bearing turbos are working great.i know where theres a few big turbonetics going cheap rebuilt by turbonetics themselves going for 600-700 US

[iaydemir]

hehe i just use china specials one day we will bolt on a garret or something to see how much difference there is but for now the $500 buck journal bearing turbos are working great.i know where theres a few big turbonetics going cheap rebuilt by turbonetics themselves going for 600-700 US

Ooo.. Care to share more about the turbonetics?