Pro Turbo Systems Kit - Install

[airtroop01]

So here are some pics from Day 1 of the Pro Turbo Systems - Gen 2 Lightning Kit





Put the truck on the lift



Check to ensure we have all the parts



This is the last time I'll see my engine bay look like this with a KB in it. Boo hoo.



Stripped a ton of parts from the truck. You can see my old and soon to be ACWALSH's KB and JLP upper plenum



Stripped the fairly new Dynatech LT's I got. Have fun with it ACWALSH!



Test fitting the lower sheetmetal plenum adapter.
Notice that Pro Turbo Systems didn't powdercoat the top.
What's up with that? - Guess I'll need to paint it. The rest looks great!



Test fitting the C&L chromed plenum and the PTK lower plenum to see how it looks.



Going to be pretty isn't it?

[HD DUDE]

Great work airtroop01. This will be nice to see.

[airtroop01]

Day 2 -

What can I say? Today was a rough day. Between being teased for my preference of using adjustable wrenches instead of "getting the right tool for the job" (yeah, okay, I'm lame like that!) and fighting different problems with the truck, I'm glad the day is over.

We started out by installing the turbo headers.
They were well built and went in with minimal issues.
The kit didn't come with any header bolts or header gaskets. I had to reuse the ones off my Dynatechs. (Don't worry Chris, I'll get you some header bolts)

If you do this, make sure that you have someone with small hands to work some of the bolts in (esp. on the passenger side, lower flange). Believe it or not, that turned out to be the easiest part of our day.





The instructions are a Windows Media file that you play on your computer. They leave much to be desired since they skip over some important things and you have to keep replaying the pieces over and over and freeze frame it so you can figure out where they put things...

These instructions called for modifying the AC dryer bracket and bending the bracket from being 90* to 180*... well, my bracket wasn't oriented in the same way. I'm not sure if that is a HD thing or if its a model year change for 02 and later L/HD trucks. Motor is the same, so I don't know.



Next, we had to put a T on the oil pressure sensor to tap the oil feed for the turbo. Okay, where's the T? Checking boxes. No T. Crap they forgot. Go to the trash and check to make sure it wasn't stuck in the box... nope. Not a problem, Jody went to the hardware store and found what we needed. Kinda upsetting not to have it in the box though.

Then, we had to extend the coolant hoses for the oil cooler.
They get in the way of the driver's side collector. This part wasn't technically hard, but again the instructions didn't make it clear exactly where to cut. Knowing that its much better to quadruple check and cut once, that's what we did... losing time in the process.



Okay, once that was done, we could install the crossover pipe.
The vband clamps were hard to get on. We spent ages trying to get enough threads to pop out the other side of the clamp so we could thread a nut on the end. Why they couldn't have the screw be just another 1/4" longer, I don't know. It would have made the process take just a few mins. I'm embarassed to say how long it did take us.



After that, we had to drill and tap the oil pan. Truth be told, I didn't wanna do this. I admit, the idea of punching a hole in the wrong place or doing some other damage to the pan made me a chicken, so Jody did it.



However, there's a big fitting that had to be screwed into the hole. That fitting hit a oil pan bolt, so we had to grind that down to clear.

Then, you have to install a bracket to relocate the tranny lines. This bracket didn't fit quite right. Jody ground this bracket down to fit.



Now we are getting to play with the turbo.
We had to clock the turbo housing so it moves and also the directions didn't make it clear how to mount the rear bolts. So we removed the exhaust side in order to allow a bolt to clear and drop in the hole.





Mounting the turbo.





Pretty isn't it?





Here we are installing both springs in the Turbosmart wastegate.



Houston we have a problem!
The downpipe's tube that connects to the wastegate is pointing down. The instructions show it is supposed to point up. The other tube that connects to it, won't line up. Crap!



Here are two other pics that show how the two tubes are oriented from the crossover pipe and the downpipe such that the wastegate won't connect properly.






Overall, the kit has some bugs to be worked out.
There were missing parts but we managed to workaround most of the issues until we hit the showstopper with the downpipe.

As a result, the truck won't be running this weekend.



One good thing...
So I was a bit disappointed the sheetmetal plenum didn't have the top powdercoated black too. The rest of the box looked perfect. Seems to have been a mess up. Well, I spray painted the top with laquer black spray paint and it came out perfect.




That doesn't mean we'll quit, still a lot of stuff left to hook up on my truck. Besides, need to find out if we're going to hit any more issues.

[N2BOOST]

I see you have a precision turbo after about a week I would pull off the exhaust and check the compressor wheel to housing clearance they seem to be having a problem I found this out on my new pt67 after dyno pulls and 3 passes on the track the housing is starting to get chewed up so back to precision for warrenty. My buddy has sent his turbos back a total of 5 times this summer good luck and maybe you wont have this problem.

[Speedin Bob]

You'll get it on the road Phil!

mega sweet!

Bob

[airtroop01]

Originally posted by N2BOOST
I see you have a precision turbo after about a week I would pull off the exhaust and check the compressor wheel to housing clearance they seem to be having a problem I found this out on my new pt67 after dyno pulls and 3 passes on the track the housing is starting to get chewed up so back to precision for warrenty. My buddy has sent his turbos back a total of 5 times this summer good luck and maybe you wont have this problem.

Thanks for the heads up!

[Madferraristi]

Looking good Phil, can't wait to see it on the Dyno next month.

[airtroop01]

Originally posted by Speedin Bob
You'll get it on the road Phil!

mega sweet!

Bob

Yup, it'll happen. Eventually. How many gray hairs do I get from this one?

[airtroop01]

Originally posted by Madferraristi
Looking good Phil, can't wait to see it on the Dyno next month.

Hoping so...

[airtroop01]

Day 3 -
Today went a little better, but we still had issues. Thinking that there has to be a way to modify the downpipe, we examined and reviewed the placement of things. Yep, there was no other way than to just wait for another one.

So we decided to complete the install of the turbo and mock everything else up to see if we'll have any issues.

I started by changing the spark plugs and put in some fresh NGK BR7EF's in there. After that, we decided to install the C&L plenum and the sheetmetal adapter on the engine.

The powercoat and the lacquer black paint turned out well. I'm very happy with the way the engine bay looks.

Trying to tighten the bolts down, we realize the blower bolts are too long for how thin the sheetmetal adapter is.



Instead of cutting the blower bolts down, Jody decided to machine some thick spacers which I think look pretty trick.




Things started moving a lot faster now.

Jason assembled the cold side of the turbo.
We found a 4.5" stainless steel hose clamp was missing from the kit which was supposed to be included. Also, for the MAF, there were only 4.25" clamps and no 4" clamps. So it didn't clamp down enough. Luckily, on my old setup, I had some turbo specific clamps since I thought they looked cool. We were able to use it and move on.



Here's the blow off valve



Here's the tube leading off the MAF to the air filter.
Notice the hole drilled for the IAT sensor.



Oh yeah the system is coming together...













Top side is pretty much done!



My complaints:
There is no vacuum hose diagram. There no instructions to tell you what you can cap off (ie. like the boost bypass) and how to connect the idle air hose to the driver's side PCV when there's one hole in the MAF tube inlet.

I'm going to try to figure out how to T the plastic tubes coming off the intake and have them join at the MAF nipple that's there. Not sure if I can find a 2x 3/4" + 1 x 5/8" T

They also forgot to include a rubber hanger so the downpipe is just being held in with tie wraps right now.

We also fought a braided oil drain line which was supposed to be 13.5" and comes 15" long - needs to be 2" shorter because when connected it kinks.

instructions say 13.5 but don't tell you to cut the line.

[N2BOOST]

looks like it is going as expected I am supprised looks like no intercooler? Or does it utilize the original liquid to air I am used to imports we use air to air?

[airtroop01]

Originally posted by N2BOOST
looks like it is going as expected I am supprised looks like no intercooler? Or does it utilize the original liquid to air I am used to imports we use air to air?

Yup, it utilizes the stock liquid-to-air intercooler.

That's one of the reasons for the sheetmetal intake adapter.

[bgstew6]

YYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW W Friggin Nice Phil!!!!!!!!!!

[Krix330cic(NJ)]

Damn Phil!!

I know you have one, but does this kit require a built bottom end?

Chris

[airtroop01]

Originally posted by Krix330cic(NJ)
Damn Phil!!

I know you have one, but does this kit require a built bottom end?

Chris

Nope... you can run a stock bottom end with it.
Frank5L on nloc did and got 640 rwhp.
Then he went with a bigger turbo and got 700+ before it went boom. Of course he's a nut.

But consider this... as is, most of us, have no problem pushing 15 psi through a stock long blocked motor. With that amount of boost, I think most people see 400/500. If your motor didn't have to turn the supercharger, it would make more power since it costs quite a bit of power to turn the blower to that RPM to make 15 psi. With a turbo you don't incur that loss so you would be making 500/600 with the same boost. Also, you would be running cooler with the turbo (which still trips me out considering that it uses exhaust gas to turn the impeller).

So, as long as you limit your boost, you should be fine.
Cooler inlet temps also means less chance of detonation.

I'm hoping to have some good IAT temps to report.