Topic: Twincharged Solstice = Turbocharger + Supercharger

[Steelmesh]

Focused on some progress this weekend, bypass pretty much done and TB mount made.  Throttle body harness built.  Don't have any free analog inputs in the EMU black ecu to monitor the throttle position, however this ecu is expandable with CANbus analog inputs; so I'm going to look into making a basic analog-to-CAN device to bring in more analog signals like the throttle position and whatever else I want 0-5V.  Otherwise, parts ordered or about to be ordered for upgrading all the cooling hoses and oil cooler lines. 

[Critterman]

work looks great

[stevieturbo]

Good job.

Given it isn't a critical DBW input, just using a single track on the unit would be fine for position, instead of the typical dual track needed for safety on DBW

[Sly Bob]

I agree with Critterman, the work looks great!

[Steelmesh]

Thanks guys!   


More updates, I have a check list of stuff to do, to help direct me because I go crossed eyed in the face of this haha



I'm taking the risk to run without the IC cores in the LSJ intake, I designed and commissioned a block off plate, made 2 because the cost of 1 was nearly the cost of 2. It will certainly reduce any pressure drop across the laminov cores since they're not there. Going to lean on water / methanol injection to help with cooling the charge here in-lieu of the heat exchanger.







New water methanol pump.  It didn't start up this season, eventually kicked on though.  Since I'm going to be leaning on water / methanol (water only on track), I have to replace the pump to ensure reliability.



Cooling system hoses upgrades, I priced out building the 'ultimate' lower rad hose out of silicone with the Tee and bends, would be around $300 so sticking with the $150 continental lower rad hose.  New DDM upper rad hose, next to the 15 year old Werks hose (which is thicker). 



DDM small bleeder hose kit also, nice molded like OEM, and price is good compared to trying to build your own with time saved.



My method to refresh OEM clamps, coat them with zinc spray, cold galvanizing





All lined clamps from Zoro (ideal brand) found a use for the 20% off coupons, lined for silicone hoses.  A bag of pinch clamps too for more permanent heater hose connections.



So many choices, I just went with all Redhorse PTFE 10 AN, decision tipped because they make hose ends in the natural finish and matches the stainless braid better, idk sounded good at the time.

[Critterman]

I was lost at the first picture, how are ou ever going to keep everything strait?

[Steelmesh]

I was lost at the first picture, how are ou ever going to keep everything strait?

Some luck, a little skill, worst case a reduction of F's given

[Steelmesh]

Noticed oil seeping around the front of the rocker cover, replacing the gaskets I noticed a potential root cause of the leak: broken spacers missing the washer portion to push on the rubbers to hold the cover on. 

These are $6-12 a piece to replace!!  Then I designed that spacer detail in CAD and started looking at online quotes, like 100 pieces or something because it seems like other people are seeing what I'm seeing.  Bad idea, $16-20 per piece at 100 pcs.  Then I went to rockauto.com, and they have them for $4 something, so the order is in for a new set.


Look at that trash metal they used what is that?  Stamped / formed steel can be that brittle?!

[Sol Asylum]

I'm going with cast, look at the grain structure in the close up pic.

[Steelmesh]

I'm going with cast, look at the grain structure in the close up pic.

I think I was thinking initially the radial cracks were from the stamping process (stretch marks), yeah makes more sense it would be cast or maybe even sintered? 

[Sol Asylum]

Could be that too.  Either way not a strong part.

[stevieturbo]

Looks like someone has tigthened the shit out of them. They're only M6, a light nip up is all that's needed

[Steelmesh]

Looks like someone has tigthened the shit out of them. They're only M6, a light nip up is all that's needed

They've certainly been removed a lot and you're right, 89 inlbs isn't much so my elbow might be miscalibrated and contributed to their demise.

[Steelmesh]

Don't want to forget the power steering plumbing, status: completed; new OEM pressure hose and then all custom return, cooler, reservoir.  I was using the stock reservoir however it was laying on it's side rigged into place.  I found this dorman reservoir and made it work, comes with a bracket that I used to mount it off a hard point.  https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-Solutions-603-678-Steering-Reservoir/dp/B07DWG27WF

FYI, base model Solstice with a turbo kit needs to relocate the power steering reservoir.

Push Lock -6AN return hose warmed in hot water fit over the nipple, and then used 5/8" silicone heater hose for the pump feed (old hose was silicone and lasted over 10 years).


At the power steering rack.  I used a power steering to AN adapter, the return hose there is the M16 sized one.  They look like these however I purchased name brand ones thinking it's better: https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Steering-Fittings-Cadillac-Fittings/dp/B0D1MW794Z


7-plate cooler, Summit Racing brand.  Needed to use 8AN to 6AN push lock hose ends, the majority of these automotive aftermarket plate coolers are -8AN or -10AN



              

I ran into issues with the Redhorse Racing PTFE hose and hose ends, sent it all back!!!  I think my style of project management is to acquire 95% of the things I need (for a sub-system at least), then when the time comes, dump all my focus into the project to finish it or hit a worthy milestone.  So defective parts is very painful because I'm so focused on making progress in the moment, anything that stops me that wasn't my fault causes extreme mental discomfort.

1) One fitting was oversized and would not go into the hose/olive. Using calipers I measured about 0.624" on the fittings that work, and 0.631" on that defective fitting that I even sanded a lead chamfer on which just hits a wall, and kinked the end of my hose pushing so hard.
2) On the last hose I was building up, I noticed damage in the stainless braid, come to find the hose was kinked there clearly not a smooth curve, it was a curve to a point to a curve stepping back and looking at it.  I added a little pressure and you can feel the less spring back force over that area.  In my mental discomfort, I put the kinked part on the ground and stomp smashed it into the concrete, because the Angel and Devil on my shoulder were arguing if I should run the hose or not, however one side said No Flipping Way and to 100% make sure I don't use it, something compelled me to smash the hose kinked into oblivion to finalize the decision.  That happened within a split second in my mind.  Yes, most likely I'm some type of autistic according to modern standards.



Summit racing accepted the return including the chopped up hose. 

I wasn't sure what Summit was going to do, so I found some Fragola fittings locally (Detroit Performance Center) and definitely paid for it. I assembled all the hoses last night, still need to flush them out and then sheath them and can finally move forward with the engine top end.  I think the nylon coated braided hose is pretty nice stuff, the inner liner is a bit softer so some care is needed there, when you insert the fitting it can fold and rip the inner liner, ask me how I know so I did some practice runs with the Fragola nuances.  I have a nice pair of cable cutters, however that was stretching the inner liner and deforming it, so went back to the trusty cutoff wheel.

[Steelmesh]

Ebay vs. Fragola oil lines


Remade the LE5 throttle body gasket, original was handmade (lower left), so I scanned that to get it into CAD and made a file to cut out with the laser.  I designed the LUV throttle body gasket a while back, this time cut it out with Felpro material instead of cereal box.





The belt it was running no longer fits.  I installed the next size smaller pulley and it still didn't fit, so I tracked down the next size longer belt and that worked.  See picture, there is more of a selection of 6-rib serp belts, so I have just been cutting off a rib and haven't had any issues. 
Come to find I modified the old tensioner to get more range, so the new tensioner I just installed is why the OG belt didn't work.


Oops.  The bypass system has a higher priority than the BOV, so almost had that fixed last night except my TIG welder started having problems, not sure wtf is going on possibly bad bottle of gas, idk I bought an inline desiccant filter to install inline tonight.

[Critterman]

I wonder how much (if any) cutting the extra rib off the belt weakens it?

[stevieturbo]

Belts are cut from sheets at the factory anyway.

Here in the UK, almost all the SC conversions just use a 5 rib as that's what the crank/tensioner/alternator are from the factory. Certainly I had no issues with mine down to a 2.8" pulley.

5 rib belts are readily available, as are 6 rib and most others

Even buying 8, 10, 12 rib and say a 50mm cog belt from a local engineering place, they could get almost any width as they just had them cut from sheets to order, although it was more expensive to go down that route as opposed to something off the shelf.

[Steelmesh]

I wonder how much (if any) cutting the extra rib off the belt weakens it?

I didn't notice anything coming apart on the previous belt, good point though I can see it fraying or falling apart, on the cut side.

[Steelmesh]

I have fallen behind in my plans to get it running, it's going along with the theme this year however:

The first time pressurizing the fuel system it sprung a leak in the AN hose run under the car to the front.  I'm excited that I have no choice in my mind but to invest in a 8AN PTFE pressure line to the front (and surge tank spider web); the exciting part is running E85 and the not exciting part is paying for it up front, why I started milking it with $11/gal 260GT, womp wha.  Pretty sure ID1050x injectors are next, however I challenge the tuner (myself) and twincharger system to earn it via high duty cycles meaning it's working, converting the fuel into all the torque up top.

Waiting on the 818 Fuelab 10 micron 8AN filter, want a proper fuel filter element if I go to the 1050s, hear those steel screen mesh filters don't meet the rating often saying 10 micron and tested 20-30 micro actual, so can't be a cheap as this time.

[Sol Asylum]

Why not run a hard line under the car and flexible lines on the ends?

[stevieturbo]

-6 would be fine even for the high presure feed. It will support, 6, 700hp or so although certainly no harm future proofing with -8. And yes, PTFE is the best option in most cases.

I used 1450cc injectors for mine as I wanted scope for 5-600hp on E85, if and when I ever push that hard. Although 99% of the time I'll just be regular pump fuel as it's all we get here.
Currently on pump fuel and current usage, not pushing too hard only sitting around 50-55% IDC, so if I was on ethanol, that would be around 75-80% IDC, so everything is working ok with a little room to grow.

For ethanol, you need a microglass filter. Radum make a decent one along with an ethanol sensor bypass which allows a few strong mounting options.
My other car I use a large -12 Aeromotive. Never any harm with a big filter.

[Steelmesh]

-6 would be fine even for the high presure feed. It will support, 6, 700hp or so although certainly no harm future proofing with -8. And yes, PTFE is the best option in most cases.

I used 1450cc injectors for mine as I wanted scope for 5-600hp on E85, if and when I ever push that hard. Although 99% of the time I'll just be regular pump fuel as it's all we get here.
Currently on pump fuel and current usage, not pushing too hard only sitting around 50-55% IDC, so if I was on ethanol, that would be around 75-80% IDC, so everything is working ok with a little room to grow.

For ethanol, you need a microglass filter. Radum make a decent one along with an ethanol sensor bypass which allows a few strong mounting options.
My other car I use a large -12 Aeromotive. Never any harm with a big filter.

Thanks for pointing that out, will order the 6 micron fiberglass element option for the fuelab!  I got the fuel system completed and pressurized yesterday

[Steelmesh]

Why not run a hard line under the car and flexible lines on the ends?

It's a confusing balance of get it done and get it done right.  I'm headed towards 100 hrs of work on this car in 2025 and for the past 3 weeks have been doing something to it everyday and full-time on the weekends trying to make the next autocross race and I am so far behind with all sorts of excuses.

[Steelmesh]

My Protig 200 welder stopped working. TIG is so important to my hobby and I'm dead in the water here, I have no hesitation in buying a new one, there is a Lincoln Squarewave 205 in the back of my car right now I got first thing this morning in stock locally.

I'm going to be so upset if I start welding Aluminum like I use to with the Lincoln, because I have been blaming myself personally, my eyesight, my dexterity, my age for not being able to weld aluminum anymore this season.  I'll destroy the Protig with a sledge hammer if confirmed.  Don't think it's worth more than it's parts: "For sale AC TIG welder minus the AC TIG and includes hack job gas flow control, all you gotta do".

Then yesterday, my compressor started popping fuses. Looks like these time-delay fuses are about the same cost as getting a new load center + tandem breaker.  Let's say the compressor is bad, the breakers pay for themselves the first time they trip.  I checked the both caps, they measure out within their spec.  I did an oil change on it, no debris or nothing.

[stevieturbo]

Wearing glasses definitely helps me weld. But machine can also make a difference for sure.

my old one failed a year or two ago, and couldn't be repaired. They supplied me with aused, but newer model of the same, and it just works better all round.
And I'm not a great welder by any means, so even that was a surprise. I even wonder if mine had a fault since new, it was around 12 years old or so when it died, and I could never really use the foot pedal at full power or it'd trip the thermal overload/duty thingy.

New one, not a problem, it'll take full pedal.