420a Stage 2 turbo reviews!

[Civib2]

Okay guys I am going turbo this coming summer. I want to hear how people like their turbo GS or RS DSMs. I want to hear what everybody thought the first test drive after install and everything lets hear some good stuff guys. Also I really want to know what people think of thier turbo cars with stock internals because thats what i will be doing. Please write some good stuff or bad.

 

[Civib2]

Also Do you think low 14s is a relaistic number for the quarter if i stuck a stage 2 turbo kit on my car with my suspension?

 

[fububmc]

I have 130K miles on my car and then just last month put the stage II on and it has been running fine. I couldnt wait to drive it for the first time. Me and my dad where working on it and I was at work and then went home and it was done and i went out and it was great, nothing other then girls is better then hear that spool up and perge. Its F;IN great man. It is alot faster then n/a (no shit) but just fun to drive and be sleepin at the line and someone with a turbo next or behind you is pergin and then you just slowly take off dont spool then shift and then where he tries to go around you or past you just lay on it an d freak him out or her. Install of turbo kit was not bad just time consuming. The manual is like 4 pages long and as good as toliet paper. But if you did what i did just go to the boards and ask or look up things if you cant figure it out. The things that i got stuck on was that there was no gasket for the turbo exhaust to the downpipe but you just use a copper silicon. How to hook up the fuel regulator. And the oil return line to the oil pan. I had to make up a mock up of the piping because of clearance and kinking. But other then pretty simple. I am buying this winter a new block from howellautos, (5,600 grand) so i can push all the psi i can out of that turbo.(safely) . Then new trani and SLD, intake, etc........
Good Luck

 

[Gorkoracing]

I love it, turbos rock get one and boost your heart out. You'll never want another n/a car again.

 

[Civib2]

ah man it sounds like so much fun i cant wait. Should i go the extra money for the ball bearing turbo or not. I am going for the star stage 2 kit.

 

[fububmc]

at overboost.com where i bought it they didnt even offer it. I didnt have the money at the time for 600 more then 3000 but if you got and can wait then getty up. I just will give you more life span on the turbo with ball.

 

[Eclipsemblue]

i spent 900 bucks on my T3 setup all together, search my recent posts to see all the shit i used to put it together.

 

[Turbo 420a]

Yeah the instructions definately suck if your going with Star, but if your a mechanically competent person and know the fundamentals of how turbo systems work then the install is only a day or two. It really helped me to do it with another person, it's amazing some of the things you don't notice and overlook just by yourself, especially when doing so many things in one sitting.

It is really great and in a whole new league after you go turbo (of course). With a stage 2 and while on stock internals at around 9lbs of boost it is as fast as a SS Camaro, and yes I have tested this several times so this is true. Build up the engine, add the proper fueling components and tuning and the sky is the limit!

ah man it sounds like so much fun i cant wait. Should i go the extra money for the ball bearing turbo or not. I am going for the star stage 2 kit.

Like I always say.

Don't do the ball bearing option on a FWD if you like traction. It's the lag that actually allows me to maintain somewhat traction when leaving the line. If power was to hit any sooner I would just be spinning through first all the time. What you want is to have that lack of power down low so you can get rolling and pick up momentum and not break loose.

I'm obviously mostly talking about leaving the line and first gear here. A ball bearing turbo will show it's advantage when stepping on the gas from a lower rpm while cruising in another gear. Be that as it may, if we want to go fast don't we just downshift? I know I do.

 

[Civib2]

Nice SS Camaro that will deff put a smile on my face. And yes I am very good with cars I have alrady done a complete SR20 Swap on my buddies 240 and much more. I will have no problem with install thats why im goign with star.

 

[Turbo 420a]

Nice SS Camaro that will deff put a smile on my face. And yes I am very good with cars I have alrady done a complete SR20 Swap on my buddies 240 and much more. I will have no problem with install thats why im goign with star.

SR20 swap huh. Well, then the turbo install should be absolute cake then. The whole install can be done with hand tools actually. The only funky thing needed is a special oil pressure switch socket (used to hook up the turbo oil line to the block) - you can get it from Napa/Shucks/Etc for a few bucks. Other than that, the rest is really quite simple and just takes time.

Star is definately the way to go if you want the most for your money. Good choice.

 

[Civib2]

Yeah i have heard about that thanks for the heads up

 

[1BadRS]

After seeing some of the replies on this board about the capabilities of the Stage II kit, now way in the world it would come even close to hanging with a bone stock Camaro SS.

I was considering a Stage II kit myself until I found out what they really run. I was told to expect 92-93 MPH traps, and thats up about 10MPH from stock. A Camaro SS will run 105-106 MPH all day long. I have owned domestic cars all my life so I know very well what the F-body cars will do. My mother drives a 2002 Collector Editon WS6, the yellow and black one, it flat out hauls and is bone stock.

I'm sure going turbo is night and day compared to stock, but be real about the results, your not touching a Camaro SS or WS6 with the LS1, its just not happening. If you did beat one he wasn't trying or the car was on its last leg. Not trying to discourage anyone, but just want people to be realistic about what they can expect.

 

[Turbo 420a]

After seeing some of the replies on this board about the capabilities of the Stage II kit, now way in the world it would come even close to hanging with a bone stock Camaro SS.

Some of the reply's? I was the only one who said that...

I was considering a Stage II kit myself until I found out what they really run. I was told to expect 92-93 MPH traps, and thats up about 10MPH from stock. A Camaro SS will run 105-106 MPH all day long. I have owned domestic cars all my life so I know very well what the F-body cars will do. My mother drives a 2002 Collector Editon WS6, the yellow and black one, it flat out hauls and is bone stock.

Yes, you can expect 92-93MPH traps on stage 1 at 5psi. I'm talking about stage 2 here however. I along with other Star users have gone over 100mph through the 1/4 mile with Stage 2 at 10psi. Whoever told you 92-93mph was obviously refering to stage 1.

I'm sure going turbo is night and day compared to stock, but be real about the results, your not touching a Camaro SS or WS6 with the LS1, its just not happening. If you did beat one he wasn't trying or the car was on its last leg. Not trying to discourage anyone, but just want people to be realistic about what they can expect.

I was being realistic. Considering I tested this myself several times with my friends SS back when I was on a stock bottom end, I don't see how I could be any more realistic. Yes his Camaro was faster than my car on highway pulls, but from a dead stop up to about 90-100mph it was a different story. Please take a look at the following stock 97' SS specs.

http://www.fast-autos.net/chevrolet/97chevroletcamaro.html

Stock time for the body style Camaro SS I'm talking about (97 and before, not the 320hp one afterwards) is 14.0@104mph out of the factory. Yes, mph is a couple ticks higher then where you will be with Stage 2, but properly setup Stage 2's have ran under the 14 second ET, that's making it through the traps first. Just because the SS has a higher MPH doesnt mean it wins a race, it's who gets through the traps first.

I think you're seriously misinformed about the capabilites of a PROPERLY setup Stage 2 420a while on stock internals. Whoever told you to expect 92-93mph was talking about stage 1, simple as that, look at the trap speed of this Stage 2 on stock internals for reference:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=24813&password=0&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

101.58mph, looks a little faster to me then 92-93mph...

 

[Civib2]

Wow that guy that ran a 14.1 is running 11psi on stock internals thats risky he must have a lot of money to fork out when he blows a rod.

 

[1BadRS]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134691

Thats where I got my info from, right out of the mouth of a fellow board member who is turbo, and I specifically asked about a STAGE II Turbo. If your pulling 101mph thats great, I am very happy to hear that they can do that.

As far a the Camaro SS, your talking about a LT1 not the LS1 motor which has been around in F-bodies since 1998. I'm sure you could hang with or possibly beat a bone stock 97 Camaro SS with the LT1 motor but no way you are hanging with a LS1 motor. On top of that do a few little bolt on mods to the LT1 and you will be eating his dust if he can drive.

I'm certainly not trying to start a flame war, I got info from a fellow 420A owner who went STAGE II Turbo and that was the reply I got. Furthmore I have owned F-bodies my whole life and know exactly what they are capable of. Going turbo on a 420A motor would be night and day vs. stock, thats a huge difference in times, but stock LS1 camaros or firebirds pull 105-106 from the factory, thats all the way down to the paper air filter.

 

[1BadRS]

I also wanted to add, that I know he is only running 6-7 pounds of boost, which may be the reason for the 92-93mph times, but on stock internals you aren't going to be boosting much higher maybe 2-3 psi more.

It is also nice to see that 100mph traps can be obtained with a STAGE II kit, I may have to reconsider that option again. All the info on this site is great, and it really helps people make educated decisions as to what parts to buy and what works best with what.

 

[Civib2]

Alright guys no more fighting all I want are posts of people who have the stage 2 kit and can talk for themselves and what they think lets not start who can beat who and what can beat what or we will get off subject

 

[SnoopySLR]

I hate to be the one to shed some darkness on this thread, but....

I installed my turbo at 126xxx. Star Stage 2. I blew it up the same day. Piston rings just went plooie. Here's the deal. I think my rings were going anyway. You might have good luck like a lot of other people, but mine couldn't take it. Another thing is, don't boost above 9 on stock internals, I've heard multiple horror stories about that

Install wasn't bad. Took 6 hours. The Downpipe is a joke though. It took FOREVER to get that thing to fit. In the end I had to make all the holes bigger to get it to bolt up.

Good luck man!

 

[turboed420A]

I don't have a 1/4 mile time but I'll be glad to take on a camaro....

New dyno post coming next week with the AEM EMS tuned..

 

[RAVAGER576]

Nothing but happy when I bolted mine on.

I have the Hahn Stage II with the FMIC. My first drive was at about 3am on a Monday, we had worked ALL weekend on the car and intended on having it done later Sunday not earlier Monday. The first drive was totally awesome ... the sounds, the feeling, all great! My engine had been rebuilt about a year before so to this day Im still running strong ... planning on rebuilding it here soon but if I didnt want just a tad bit more security Id leave it be.

You'll love it and you'll love the attention you get because of it. Every time I go to the local drag strip I get flocks of people admiring my little turbo chrysler ... its a very very cool feeling!

Peace!

 

[uh-oh]

i love my custom made kit...kinda similar to the hahn kit stage idk 4?? maybe...not sure...currently on 18psi unless more is necessary

 

[SBstar]

Hey Uh-Oh you gotta post some 1/4 mile times on 18psi bro. I wanna see what its doing. I don't have it yet but I'm going turbo on my car and I know I'll love it.

 

[dont need 8]

all you turboed 420s are making me jealous. (must save, must save, no new records to DJ, no clothes, no computer parts, must save, must save)

 

[dustyb]

personally i think that anyone that turbo's a 420a engine w/o upgrading the internals is kinda defeating the purpose of installing a turbo. and oh yea, my bad, this thread is old.