Since basically no one around here knows me, might as well do an introduction first. Name is Matt Whitbread, I live in northern metro detroit, and am a certified diesel nut/torque addict. Anyone in the VW TDI world might recognize my name as I run a TDI performance/maintenance shop in my side time. My day job is the head chassis fabricator at a race car shop where I've even turned the boss to the dark side; two diesel race cars are in the shop stable now. Like most everyone here, I can't leave anything well enough alone. I have an Arctic Cat 700 diesel quad that I turbo'ed, Microsquirt Efi'ed yamaha banshee, 4 TDI's with my favorite being a compound turbo AWD wagon that's making ~290whp/460lb/ft currently at 50psi boost. Once upon a time it was a V6 autotragic FWD lame wagon.
That brings me here. My very first vehicle I bought myself in high school (after mowing god know how many lawns) was a rather clean 87 K10 silverado shortbed. As the 305 was tired when I bought it, I built a ~380hp 383 motor out of left over parts from an uncles drag racing days. When gas was $1.80/gallon it was all good and scared small children. But ever since gas crested $3/gal, 6mpg of premium just hurts too bad. Sadly, it's only had 50 miles put on it in 6 years. Over the years I've been accumulating parts for a full rebuild of an undetermined exact direction. I have a kingpin 60 and a 14 bolt rear with 4.10 gears, 8 lug 15" rims to keep my current 35's, 2wd sm465 I got for free from a friend who owed me a favor, and all the body parts needed to restore it to original glory. Plan has always been diesel, stumbled onto a 4BD1T for silly cheap and was going to drop it in. But, earlier this week, the exact project direction fell into my lap.
The engine machine shop I work with happened to get a tired, but running, 4-53NA motor in as part of a trade deal. Knowing my nature of liking weird stuff, they called me and said come pick it up in return for the large amount of business I bring to them (haven't had a chance to pick it up yet as the winter apocalypse doesn't seem to be ending). Plan is to run 4-53 to sm465 with a ranger over drive unit on the front to a np205. Since truck is a lifted shortbed, I don't have driveline length for a brownie. As I got motor and trans for free, I figure I can spend the savings on a ranger unit to get some OD. This brings me to where I need some help from the two stroke sensei's here.
From reading as much as I can on the subject of extreme power mods and talking with an oldddd school detroit nut with a 6v53TT in an 85 k30 frame with a 56 body, I have enough knowledge to at least ask intelligent questions. On the other side of the coin, if anyone has any VW questions, ask away.
Here's the maniacal plan so far, targeting 400hp;
-Compound turbos
-external blower bypass valve using an Audi compound turbo v6 tdi compressor bypass valve to retain NA blower as consensus seems to be that is has better low end response than a bypass unit. It works purely on differential pressure with a ~1-2psi cracking pressure and is only $170 new from VW.
-Big enough injectors to fuel appropriately, N90's, N120's, suggestions? Been told anything N90 and up will roll at idle and won't be able to be adjusted out. Don't really care, but is that correct?
-Clean up/port/polish entire intake tract and exhaust ports
-1.5" turbo rods
-full engine rebuild to turbo spec with correct pistons, may machine down to 17:1 CR, ceramic coated domes, and coated skirts.
-Balance everything to .5 gram
-Cryo treat rotating assembly
-Big front mount intercooler
-bigger oil cooler
Truck will mostly be used for hauling light loads, playing around, advertising for my shop, and local sled pulls. I'm well aware this extreme of an engine setup will shorten engine life, but if this truck sees 10kmi/year i'll be shocked. I'm fine with doing an in frame every 100K for ~4x factory power. Fast, cheap, reliable; I know what two I'm picking.
So here's where I need some guidance; my old detroit buddy recommended short port liners with cross heads and HV/HF cams with valve springs to match, But he's not as much of a performance nut as I am. I like boost and hearing motor's sing
. From my reading of Sharfer's 3-53 setup and others here, the cross heads aren't that good for high rpms as they're heavy. Any suggestions on port height and cam selection? Injector size? Do detroit governors have any type of boost compensation for low rpm fueling or is it strictly right foot controlled?
I was thinking of running the turbo trunks and chucking them in the lathe and gently massaging the bowls to bring CR down a touch. I know it'll hurt low end tq a hare, but I'd rather have a motor that stays together under boost. It'll get a block heater and ether kit if needed for cold starting. Are head studs needed at all? I see the factory bolts are torqued down to 180lb/ft and can't find any reports of head gasket leaks from power.
Lastly, does anyone have a line a 4-53 automotive bell housing that'll let the sm465 bolt up? Maybe a flywheel/clutch part number? I've read they do exist but can't find any leads on one for sale. Is Leid's a good possible source? I'd love to do an all oem type drivetrain assembly with no funky adapters.
Once I hit 10 posts I'll post up some pics of the various parts and cool stuff you guys will appreciate. Thanks in advance for the help and sorry for the long first post!
That brings me here. My very first vehicle I bought myself in high school (after mowing god know how many lawns) was a rather clean 87 K10 silverado shortbed. As the 305 was tired when I bought it, I built a ~380hp 383 motor out of left over parts from an uncles drag racing days. When gas was $1.80/gallon it was all good and scared small children. But ever since gas crested $3/gal, 6mpg of premium just hurts too bad. Sadly, it's only had 50 miles put on it in 6 years. Over the years I've been accumulating parts for a full rebuild of an undetermined exact direction. I have a kingpin 60 and a 14 bolt rear with 4.10 gears, 8 lug 15" rims to keep my current 35's, 2wd sm465 I got for free from a friend who owed me a favor, and all the body parts needed to restore it to original glory. Plan has always been diesel, stumbled onto a 4BD1T for silly cheap and was going to drop it in. But, earlier this week, the exact project direction fell into my lap.
The engine machine shop I work with happened to get a tired, but running, 4-53NA motor in as part of a trade deal. Knowing my nature of liking weird stuff, they called me and said come pick it up in return for the large amount of business I bring to them (haven't had a chance to pick it up yet as the winter apocalypse doesn't seem to be ending). Plan is to run 4-53 to sm465 with a ranger over drive unit on the front to a np205. Since truck is a lifted shortbed, I don't have driveline length for a brownie. As I got motor and trans for free, I figure I can spend the savings on a ranger unit to get some OD. This brings me to where I need some help from the two stroke sensei's here.
From reading as much as I can on the subject of extreme power mods and talking with an oldddd school detroit nut with a 6v53TT in an 85 k30 frame with a 56 body, I have enough knowledge to at least ask intelligent questions. On the other side of the coin, if anyone has any VW questions, ask away.
Here's the maniacal plan so far, targeting 400hp;
-Compound turbos
-external blower bypass valve using an Audi compound turbo v6 tdi compressor bypass valve to retain NA blower as consensus seems to be that is has better low end response than a bypass unit. It works purely on differential pressure with a ~1-2psi cracking pressure and is only $170 new from VW.
-Big enough injectors to fuel appropriately, N90's, N120's, suggestions? Been told anything N90 and up will roll at idle and won't be able to be adjusted out. Don't really care, but is that correct?
-Clean up/port/polish entire intake tract and exhaust ports
-1.5" turbo rods
-full engine rebuild to turbo spec with correct pistons, may machine down to 17:1 CR, ceramic coated domes, and coated skirts.
-Balance everything to .5 gram
-Cryo treat rotating assembly
-Big front mount intercooler
-bigger oil cooler
Truck will mostly be used for hauling light loads, playing around, advertising for my shop, and local sled pulls. I'm well aware this extreme of an engine setup will shorten engine life, but if this truck sees 10kmi/year i'll be shocked. I'm fine with doing an in frame every 100K for ~4x factory power. Fast, cheap, reliable; I know what two I'm picking.
So here's where I need some guidance; my old detroit buddy recommended short port liners with cross heads and HV/HF cams with valve springs to match, But he's not as much of a performance nut as I am. I like boost and hearing motor's sing
I was thinking of running the turbo trunks and chucking them in the lathe and gently massaging the bowls to bring CR down a touch. I know it'll hurt low end tq a hare, but I'd rather have a motor that stays together under boost. It'll get a block heater and ether kit if needed for cold starting. Are head studs needed at all? I see the factory bolts are torqued down to 180lb/ft and can't find any reports of head gasket leaks from power.
Lastly, does anyone have a line a 4-53 automotive bell housing that'll let the sm465 bolt up? Maybe a flywheel/clutch part number? I've read they do exist but can't find any leads on one for sale. Is Leid's a good possible source? I'd love to do an all oem type drivetrain assembly with no funky adapters.
Once I hit 10 posts I'll post up some pics of the various parts and cool stuff you guys will appreciate. Thanks in advance for the help and sorry for the long first post!