Can a 3.0L handle a turbo?
 

Now that I have been scared off the 3.6 conversion!!!:(

I am thinking of a 3.0L or 3.2. There is a company that makes a turbo kit that would work well on these cars...even thought they don't have a kit for these cars.

But will the 3.0 or 3.2 handle the power? how buch psi can they handle?

why are you scared off the 3.6 conversion? There is not much behind it.
Converting a 3.0 or a 3.2 to a turbo is a bigger hassel.

If you read my other thread, some guys are saying there is a lot behind it.
Mounting a Turbo to a 3.0 or a 3.2 would be very easy....in terms of installing it. The rest is up in the air.

STS turbo makes a kit for the ls-1 GM engine that goes at the back of the cra not under the hood. I have first hand experiance of the power gains from this kit. Not to mention the cost of a 3.0 and a turbo is cheaper then the 3.6.

Well, you are right about the costs, but the result with 3.6 would be more reliable and would last longer than a 3.0/3.2 with a turbo. I am also afraid, that the 3.0/3.2 will consume fare more gas and requests higher maintenance costs.
I did a 3.6 conversion last year with less than $7000.
3.6 engine with brain and wires: - $7000
sold my 3.2 for + $4000
Timmins conversion Kit approx - $2500
Oil cooler upgrade: $600 (you need this also with a turbo)
Upgrade to Big reds: $2000 (would also recommend with turbo)
approx - $1000 for small parts....

How on earth would a turbocharged 3.0 or 3.2 not bring the weight and power gains that would scare someone off from a 3.6? Displacement -- literally -- is as light as air. Turbochargers, plumbing and intercoolers are not. And of course the torque characteristics of a piggybacked turbo will be harder on a 915 than the linear delivery of a 3.6.

If 3.6 horsepower is important to you, don't screw with some non OEM turbo on a 3.0. Get a 3.6. Sure, you can possibly get an early 3.0 turbo, but I hear lag is abysmal with those motors. Plus 3.0 turbos are fairly rare, IIRC.

I love my turbo conversion and it has very little if any lag whatsoever and mine started as a 9.3:1 sc engine

Wow! That's fairly high compression for a turbo motor of the SC era.

Didn't read the threads that scared you away from a 3.6, but if you're being told that it's easier, cheaper, and more reliable to turbo charge a 25 year old+ 3.0, I think you're being misled...in a big way.

Squires (STS) will sell anyone a "Kit", which will be a basic low boost system, which they need to do because they can't afford the bad P.R. of smoking your engine with a decent hi-boost system....AKA turning your 911 engine into a 100% efficient oil pump. They don't sell management systems, forged pistons, or any of the countless innards that you REALLY need in order maintain decent (14psi +) boost , for decent durations of time (like pulling a 12 % grade for 20 miles)...or can you say Time Trial.
BTDT , and most of these turbo kits are just re-packaged whiz bang kits of the 80's, which never stressed the utmost importance of proper engine internals, and engine management .
BAE Turbos came close, the owner (late) Bob Mclure was a Porsche junkie and went the xtra 10 yards making his kits "Adequate" . STS is enjoying their 15 minutes of fame right now with their "Rear mount" turbo system (patented too !); Porsche Ag had their 911 turbo "Rear mounted" back when air was clean and sex was dirty.
If you can write the checks for a hot 911 3.0 forced induction engine...it will do everything you need it to do.
Or you can write one check to the 911 dismantler and put that bad boy 3.6 big torque engine in and call it a day.
Both avenues offer rewards...all MOTOR will be less expensive.
Vent session OFF.
Marty

super charge it

Considering the resale of your 3.0, I can't see how a 3.6 conversion would cost more than a turbo install. To do it correctly a turbo will end up costing far more. If reliability is important to you, (holding boost for a long duration), then you will need to do it right.

Personally Id go for a 3.6 if I where you.

FWIW, many of us have done low boost turbo conversions on our 3.2's without any issues whatsoever... many of these cars have seen serious track and drag events. If it's done right, with the right engine management and fuel delivery modifications, there's no reason why it can't/won't handle peak boost for long durations and be a reliable daily street car.

I tore down my motor after 2 years of running a low boost bolt-on turbo system and everything inside was still perfect... I tore it down to install more go-fast-HP-bits to handle higher boost :cool:

Ben doesn't mention that he is on his second engine.

-Andy

You mentioned on your other thread that you found a 3.6 equipped with the conversion bits for $7000 CDN. That's a really low price for a healthy motor...

If, for whatever reason(s) you are up in the air about how to get serious power out of your car, the price is right for the displacement conversion - hands down.

If money is no object, then.......

Well I would say that unless the 3.6 is just not doing it for you with the HP you are into a lot more money for a 3.0 turbo or even more for a 3.2 turbo.

3.2 ~5500 for a descent engine
turbo exhaust ~2500 for a good set of heat exchangers and muffler
turbo charger ~1000 for a used modern turbo
engine mgmt sys ~2000 for something like a HALTECH
the list goes on for a while but I calculated something like 20K for a 500 hp turbo conversion. I bought a 3.3 complete turbo system and haltech engine mgmt system and saw how much more I need to buy. I have a 3.6 conversion in my 74 and it is a real pleasure to drive. I plan on swapping that drive train into my 67 and putting the turbo in my 74.

Having done the 3.6 and being well on my way to building a turbo 3.4 I would say that the 3.6 is easily 5 or 6k cheaper way to go.

dont know if my drunken ramble helps but a 3.6 is a very fun car to drive around.

:eek:
In that case, get a 3.6...;)

Low blow man that was my fault not the engines read through the thread it was a 50 cent hose that caused the melt down and my customers are still running theirs strong

This board should yeild better information than this. There is a lot of total BS on this thread concerning turbo transplants and kits.

Talk to the folks who have done each of these conversions - 3.0/3.2 turbo kits, 3.2, 3.6, 3.3T and get some factual data instead of opinions. Factual data being cost, what they did, what they did that they didn't have to do (such as add an engine management system or huge brakes), and what they use the car for. I would be totally confused if in the position of the poster at this point.

ok point taken

I used a stock sc engine 81 9.3:1
turbonetics T4 TO4E $750
ssi/early HE $800
made the stainless cross over @ a retail of 600
Tial BOV 200
Tial wastegate 200
Megasquirt EFI $800
3.2 intake $200
pressure piping $300 and all my fab time
muffler $200 materials and my time


everything worked very well until the waste gate to turbo hose melted