C2's Alero Updates

[[ion] C2]

OFFICIAL BUILD THREAD
Instagram: @turboalero

Current peak power levels are:
636 whp
543 lb-ft


But that was only 6500 rpm, and I rev to 7200, so it's definitely 650+ whp.

Most powerful and highest torque GM LD9.







CURRENT MODS


Exterior:
- ESR SR07 19x8.5 wheels, polished, clear Cerakoted
- Continental Extreme Contact Sport 255/35R19 tires
- Custom quad projector headlights with 5000K HIDs
- Painted Ford Dark Blue Pearl Metallic
- 25% VLT tint, 35% windshield

Interior:
- Evo VIII Recaro seats
- AEM CD-7F 7" display
- Sony XAV-AX7000 receiver
- 4x6/6x9 Pioneer speakers
- Rockford Fosgate Punch P1 12" loaded enclosure
- Halotron fire extinguisher
- Blue LED accent lighting

Powertrain:
- Garrett G35-900 turbocharger, 0.61 A/R turbine housing
- Custom tubular turbo manifold
- TiAL 44mm v-band wastegate
- Full 3.5" stainless exhaust
- Vibrant Ultra Quiet resonator
- Vibrant bottle style resonator
- Vibrant Streetpower muffler
- Custom intake manifold with velocity stacks
- 62mm bored/sleeved throttle body
- TiAl Q blow-off valve
- Garrett 900HP intercooler w/ATP end tanks
- ARP Custom Age 625+ head studs
- Cometic .051" MLS head gasket
- Eagle forged 4340 H-beam connecting rods
- Wiseco forged .020" overbore 9:1 pistons
- 200deg/.360" intake camshaft
- 200deg/.375" exhaust camshaft
- Crower valve springs
- AEM smart coils
- Scott's Performance Wires
- NGK 3690 spark plugs @ .022"
- PTFE core braided fuel lines (-8 feed, -6 drain)
- Killerglass upper radiator hose
- Custom aluminum coolant reservoir
- UMS custom catch can
- Ron Davis custom dual-pass radiator
- Link G4X XtremeX standalone EMS
- AEM flex fuel sensor
- AEM X-Series inline wideband sensor
- AEM 3.5 bar MAP sensor
- Zeitronix fuel and oil pressure sensors
- Mac Valve boost solenoid kit
- TI Automotive E5LM brushless fuel pump
- Turbosmart fuel pressure regulator
- Injector Dynamics ID1700X injectors
- Radium Engineering fuel filter

Brake/Suspension/Chassis:
- CTS-V front calipers w/14" rotors, Hawk HPS pads
- Grand Prix GXP rear calipers w/12" rotors, Bosch QuietCast pads
- KYB AGX struts
- Eibach springs
- eBay rear strut tower bar
- Speedbuilt front sway bar
- Speedbuilt rear sway bar

Drivetrain:
- Clutch Masters FX850 Super Single clutch and flywheel
- Quaife LSD
- Polyurethane transmission mount bushings




================================================== ===================


Had to remove previous completed stages due to 10,000 character limit in posts.


IN-PROGRESS STAGE 8 (The Endgame)

DO FINAL TOUCHES ON CURRENT CAR:
✓ Radium fuel surge tank
✓ investigate clunk noise during hard braking and subsequent quick acceleration
✓ fix clutch pedal intermittently stopping halfway down
✓ repair turbo manifold
- 3D scan engine bay, fabricate 4" equivalent cross section intake tube

BUILD SPARE (STRONGER) ENGINE:
✓ get another LD9 long block
✓ Pauter rods (CHV-220-512-1450F) with ARP CA 625+ bolts
✓ ARP main studs
✓ JE forged 9:1 strutted pistons, FSR, lateral gas ports, heavy duty wrist pins, coatings, .010" over
✓ bearings
- mildly ported head (widen and clean up exhaust side)
- assemble engine

PREP NEW CHASSIS:
✓ get a manual rust-free Alero
✓ fabricate fender bars/bracing
✓ fabricate half cage
- paint cage gray with Steel-It

INTERIOR:
- custom subwoofer box in cabin of car
- sound dampening throughout
- vibration-proof dash assembly
- replace carpet
- reupholster entire interior with gray/dark gray suede (door panels, rear side panels, dash, console)
- reupholster Recaro seats to match gray/dark gray suede with embroidered Olds logo
- suede shift boot, e-brake boot
- starlight headliner

RUSTPROOF AND PAINT EXTERIOR:
- ensure proper drainage in body to prevent future rust
- fully rustproof everything possible
- paint car same blue
- replace window trim
- pull windows from current car and install on rust-free car


TRANSFER ENGINE AND GOODIES OVER TO NEW CHASSIS:
- add tow hook to front subframe where it is accessible through bumper opening
- powder coat subframes and other steel parts like trailing arms
- install BMR lateral links
- install RPS triple disc carbon clutch
- reinstall A/C using custom lines and Link ECU control
- fabricate new aluminum water outlet with additional bung for level sensor
- install/configure Casco Universal Coolant Level Sensor 2030100057
- install engine/trans, brakes, wheels, fuel system, etc.
- silver TiAl Q BOV
- install polyurethane engine mount to test it (hate vibrations so if it's annoying it's back to OEM)
- wire tuck engine bay as best as possible

MISC:
- custom adjustable coilovers
- 3D scan car, mock up possible new bumpers and skirts
- add bellows to wastegate tube for easier installation and ensuring v-bands seal
- add ambient air temp sensor
- configure TPMS with AEM display
- Volk Racing TE37 Ultra M-Spec 19x8.5 ET+45, polished
- create custom carbon fiber front splitter

[nicothehut]

cant wait to see it..wereever you post it.

[Papa Rad17]

Pics or it did, doesn't? happen

[[ion] C2]

So if my smoke leak test finds significant leaks like I expect, I'm going to have to have a shop take it apart (no easy task, charge piping, oil feed/drain, etc. everything is VERY tightly designed and there's a specific order to install/remove things that I don't know because Adam Brand @ StreetOrStrip Concept didn't give me the paper he said he would detailing order of operations, because he was pissed off).

The flange will likely need milling and the passenger side most stud hole in the head needs to be helicoiled. He knew the stud didn't work right but instead of fixing it just half-assed it and installed everything anyway. I'm fairly certain the exhaust manifold flange doesn't seal due to warping, not enough clamping on that stud, and possibly even the flange being too tall and colliding with the cam tower instead of squeezing against the head surface.

[[ion] C2]

Well my smoke machine doesn't work just like a lot of the reviews say. I followed the instructions perfectly, waited til it heats up and the light comes on before turning it on. Nothing. Might go back and get another one because it would be useful, but I think my basic soapy water method was able to find all the leaks anyway.

I just used the shop vac to pressurize the exhaust and sprayed soapy water. Everything seems well sealed, even the manifold to head flange, but the v-band from the manifold to the turbo has a HUGE leak. That will kill your spool time.



In fact, that leak plus the 3-bolt one midway down the car were able to support the engine running for 2-3 minutes before I noticed my exhaust was still capped off from when I boost leak tested it when we first started the car at StreetOrStrip Concept. That's a big leak. Usually when I forget to remove the cap (twice before that) it BLOWS OFF super far away even though it's t-bolted on. So yeah. Big exhaust leak will hinder performance.

I could probably try to undo the v-band and pop the turbo in place but I am assuming everything is really under some serious fitment stress and I might not be able to, or make it worse lol. Damn it. I'll probably have to take it to the other shop and see if they'll fiddle with it for not too much money and then we can pressure test exhaust again.

Also, my boost controller seems FUBAR. Getting a new one tomorrow.

[[ion] C2]

Noticed this when inspecting things. The wastegate banjo looks like it only has one washer. Will have to add another one in. Boost leaks, no matter how small they seem, are a problem. This one would especially cause issues with boost level control.













Behold: the world's most expensive coolant reservoir. Seriously, it was about $1,000.

Chemfluor 367 clear tubing for maximum chemical compatibility. Kynar PVDF fittings with Viton seals. Stainless steel adapters. Internally baffled, polished and clear Cerakoted reservoir. Rubber bumper on bottom, factory location and fitment.

[homegrown]

Geez Chris - you're into this car thing deeper than I am.

[[ion] C2]

Originally Posted by homegrown

Geez Chris - you're into this car thing deeper than I am.

[[ion] C2]

Well, I tried to re-align the turbo manifold v-band to the turbine inlet v-band. They were offset significantly. I was able to line up the flanges so the exterior circumference of them were inline., and while everything is lined up reasonably well, and clamping felt better, there's still a large gap visible on the rear. The other 2 gaps in the clamp where you can view alignment seem decent but not super squeezed.

I think it's because one or both flanges are warped, either from welding, or from driving it an hour home with the flanges misaligned. So that sucks. I was trying to fix it myself but I hate dealing with other people's shitty work on v-bands. Everything is so cramped and tight fit it needs to be perfect. If they can't get it to seal that means some new v-band welding is in order and a huge costly remove and reinstall. Possibly a new turbine housing from TiAl if that one is warped. Yay. I just want my shit to work. No one seems to be able to do quality work.

Dude's just like "yeah man I deck everything I do on this belt sander" yeah that's not the right way to make shit flat.
Or how about his "I always tighten flanges from the outside in (outer most bolts inward)" which is the exact OPPOSITE of how you're supposed to do it. Start with the center screws/studs and move out.

[[ion] C2]

Opened the bumper to expose more area for cooling. Scrubbed what I could off with brake cleaner of the jackass's logo that he spray painted on.

You can also see a glimpse of my clutch reservoir relocation bracket which will allow my newly polished RSM strut brace to be installed comfortably.

[[ion] C2]

RSM bar installed.

[[ion] C2]

Bumper's kinda floppy around the wheel well area, will have to trim it and/or make brackets to hold it in place. Tires rub it when backing and turning so probably happens when going forward too.

[[ion] C2]

IAT sensor broke after only about 60 miles. Crappy wiring probably. The moment it broke was during a 2-3 gear shift that was hard and also at about 27 psi (oops).

Edit: I'm dumb. I've had this sensor for over 10 years and it's endured a ton of shit. I mistakenly thought I bought a new one recently for the updated build but I only bought the bung.






Took some pictures while I was out logging.

[[ion] C2]

Got the boost dialed in to 22 PSI. It's nutty.
Excited for a real tune.

[[ion] C2]

Budget prevents the next steps in modding until late September, when hopefully I'll be able to get the radiator and intake installed, at which point it will be ready for the dyno.

Probably sometime in October. Since the engine and overall system is built for it, my goal is to tune it for 550whp. Tuner won't like that because HPTuners only allows for about 15 psi accurately throughout the high RPM range. Going beyond (likely to 25 psi) requires much higher fuel numbers in the 15 psi (and beyond) cells, making part-throttle conditions where you hit 15 psi or so extra rich because they're fueling in expectation of full throttle. He will likely want to try to do a scaled 2.5 bar system and hopefully that won't make anything act weird.

Have to stay emissions friendly here so a standalone likely would be complicated to keep the OBD2 port displaying what it should to checkers.

[[ion] C2]

Still slow progress even in October. Currently relocating my ignition coils to allow space for my giant AEM air filter, and will have a local shop fabricate the pipe for me early November. For once I'll actually have a real intake.

That same local shop is going to try to re-fit the turbo to manifold, but I am not optimistic on it. Everything being so tight back there and v-banded makes it hard to fix misalignment.

Then I'll continue to save what little money I can to afford the radiator (likely $1200) and install that, and it should be ready for tuning, and hopefully not break anything lol.

[[ion] C2]

Ignition coils relocated. The local shop that was going to fabricate my intake tube and re-fit the turbo to manifold backed out after I dropped it off. The owner caught wind of the project, scolded the person I dealt with who put it on the schedule, and forced me to take my car back to find someone else to work on it.

I went to another shop, and they didn't want to do it, as it was out of their typical groove of projects, of course. No one does work on Aleros, especially not custom stuff. Luckily, their lead fabricator is interested in helping me out at his home shop, and he's not even scared of doing what it takes to fix the turbo to manifold fitment. So we'll see how it goes.

[[ion] C2]

Radiator won't be ready until mid January. Lead time is crazy when you're having the best manufacturer make it.

[jawa]

i like your headlights

[[ion] C2]

I don't, which is why I paid $2,000 to have new ones made, that have yet to be made. Coming up on 3 years in January.

Right now they aim down and are unable to be raised. So I can see 10 feet in front of me really well and that's it. lol

The new ones will have 4 projectors on as low beams, and raise the flap for highs. All 4 all the time. Will be very nice, for me, not for anyone else on the hilly roads I drive on.