Major Milestone Options

[jensend]

While this is not Camaro specific, it is something I want to share with other motorheads. Went with my son to Ida Performance today to have his car dyno tuned. Twenty-three months ago, at the age of 19, and with no prior experience with turbocharging, he set out to do a self designed turbo set-up for my old Neon ACR. Today, the car was sucessfully dyno tuned and made 228 peak HP at 8 pounds of boost. That's 100HP over stock. The motor is designed to support up to 28 pounds of boost, but he wants to start conservatively since the car is primarily for HPDE. While I am (not too obviously) proud of his achieving such a long term goal, I'm more impressed with the skill he's shown in attempting a project that I doubt I would have considered at his age. The project involved rebuilding the entire drive train, fuel and cooling systems, as well as fabbing the turbo system along with interior/exterior mods to accomodate the gauges and intercooler.

The dyno tuning went of without a problem. Partly because he took the time to do things as properly as possible and also because of the tuning skills of Bob Ida. While it was initially stressful waiting to see how things would work, by the end of the day, watching the car perform was a pleasure.

Found out that Bob is a wizard dyno tuning and is a master with the Perfect Performance SMT6-D piggyback computer. I will be saving some money to have him tweak the tuning of my LS1. Apparently there's a good bit that can be done to improve the factory tuning- especially in the upper rpm range.

At any rate, it was a rewarding and productive day. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/2thumbs.gif) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

A partial list of mods is as follows: 1998 Dodge Neon ACR

-Motor Mods: 2.0 sohc (Plate honed and balanced)
-Crane #12 cam (cam timing etc.)
-Reground Crank (Piston to valve: .140 intake @2.5 advance and .200 exhaust )
-JE pistons (Bore: 88.0 , Oversize: +.020, Stroke: 3.268, Rod: 5.470, C/D: 1.236, Head CC’s: 52.0, compression ratio: 8.8:1, Dome CC’s: -2.6, Gram weight: 361, Skirt Style: R)

-Eagle Rods H-beam rods
-Ferrera Valves w/crane valve springs and titanium retainers
-Melling oil pump
-Morosso aluminum deep baffled oil pan
-AEM adjustable cam gears
-Modern performance aluminum underdrive pulley
-Indy aluminum intake manifold
-Lorenzo billet aluminum fuel rail
- -6 an braided fuel line supply and return w/ Earls inline filter
-Walbro 255lph fuel pump w/ stock fpr bypassed and return line added
-adjustable fuel pressure regulator on return side w/ nos liquid filled gauge
-Dodge (srt-4) 486 injectors
-NGK copper plugs 2 steps colder (bkr7es-11)
-MSD Blaster ignition Coil
-Crane firewire 8.5 mm ignition wires
-Hahn Racecraft log style turbo manifold (ceramic coated)
-Hahn Racecraft super 16g turbo (ceramic coated)
-Personally fabricated 2.5” intercooler pipes w/ front mount intercooler w/ 4 ply silicone couplers and t bolt clamps (ceramic coated)
-Blitz Dual Drive blow off valve
-Hahn Racecraft 3” downpipe w/ v-bands (ceramic coated)
-Magnaflow 94000 series universal 3” high flow cat (ceramic coated)
-Modern Performance 3” turbo exhaust
-Be cool 3” core, dual pass 22”x13” scirocco style radiator w/ personally fabricated hoses and thermostat housing
-Zirgo radiator fan
-EGR Removed and blocked
-Quaife limited slip differential
-Clutchmasters Stage 4 (4 puck) clutch (modular)
-ACR transmission (final drive 3.94:1)
-Driveshaft Shop stage 3 axles w/ extended studs (arp)
-Deyeme Motorsports firm semi solid motor mounts
-Innovate motorsports xd-1 wideband 02 stand alone setup
-Autometer sport comp egt, oil pressure, coolant temp, and boost gauges
-Greddy Profec B spec 2 boost controller
-Greddy TT turbo timer
-SMT-6D piggyback w/ 3 bar map sensor

[trackbird]

That parts list sounds extremely expensive and then some. But is certainly sounds like a very cool project and impressive at his age to pull of something like that and make it work (without blowing up anything).

Man, and I thought I was cool when I was doing simple 5 speed swaps in F-bodies at 23..... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Where are the pics?

[sgarnett]

Congratulations to both father and son (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif)

[Teutonic Speedra...]

Glad to hear it finally is all together! I remember you telling me about him working on it many months ago! Best of luck with it. For you- (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) For him- (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/2thumbs.gif) (he's only 19).....can rebuild cars but not drink!

[jensend]

My son started the project at 19, will turn 21 in April. Then well go and toast his age and achievement formally. As I explained to Boyce, i'm too big an internet imbecile to know how to take and import pix. Younger son is good with those things. Will see if he can post some pix. Soon as i can corral him long enogh to do it.

Thanks for all the kind words. Doubt he learned all that much from my skills, except perhaps with swearing at inanimate objects. Stll smiling.

[Absolut Speed]

I envy someone who can pick up that much at an early age. Must have some inherent knack or skill! I was doing good to do bolt ons and change out my coil and plugs at 19.

[John_D.]

That's very impressive. Not only the technical skills, but the research and planning that had to go into it too. Very nice when a plan comes together... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[jensend]

Here are a few pictures for the engine compartment of my son's Neon as were requested. Enjoy.


(IMG:http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f125/glenda80/StevesMotor017.jpg)

(IMG:http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f125/glenda80/StevesMotor014.jpg)

(IMG:http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f125/glenda80/StevesMotor013.jpg)

(IMG:http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f125/glenda80/StevesMotor012.jpg)

(IMG:http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f125/glenda80/StevesMotor011.jpg)

(IMG:http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f125/glenda80/StevesMotor006.jpg)

(IMG:http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f125/glenda80/StevesMotor001.jpg)

[v7guy]

that's a good looking engine bay, everything fits well. Congrats on the completed car. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/2thumbs.gif)