I recently got a 88 sunbird gt turbo. The motor only has about 4000kms put on it since it was rebuilt. Im going to use it for a summer car and would like to get it capable of running in the 14's in the 1/4 mile. What would be the easiest way to do this without resorting to nitrous? Any information would be appreciated, Thanks.

Also it has the 5 speed manual transmission.

Replace all internals with aftermarket parts that can run at a high RPM, Make the turbo bigger, Exhaust bigger, intercooler bigger, Then tune it. Good luck on the tranny though.

Nice find.

Also take all unnecesary weight out of the car, extra seats, carpet, radios, electronics.. Blah Blah Blah, If you want to ride it on the street tho too. Make sure you keep windshield wipers, All signals and lights.

And get it safetied and etested before you tune the @!#$ oiut of it.

it should already run the 14's. . . . daily at that, unless you're a @!#$ty driver that is.


now, faster is a different ball game.



I need a new sig.

miles gillings wrote:And get it safetied and etested before you tune the @!#$ oiut of it.

Go away. That makes no sense.

What do you use to tune on an 88 anyways? Must need to get a stand alone, unless you guys have re-flashable chips. But in all honesty that computer is so archaic that it would be worth it to go stand alone.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

I'm pretty sure you can chip that ECU. As for getting 14s out of it, if it isn't there already, basic bolt on mods should get you there. I'd bet a basic intake/exhaust would do it. That being said, almost everything for those SOHC engines has to be custom made. I hope you get it to where you want it. I love 2nd gens, and especially fast 2nd gens.


2010 Honda Fit LX

Thanks for the info.The car is my winter project I plan on putting a new exhaust system on it and an inter cooler to start things off. Would these two basics mods require tuning for the car to run properly or could I get away without having to tune it?

Ian, look into the parts you just said, there is a few companies that will flash that "computer" for you, you should also ignore Miles (read his moronic posts.......), there are also a few of us that use to fun second gens and a few that still do, inter-cooler can be ran, I forget the routing, if I remember correctly there was another factory turbo off another car that would work (someone correct me if wrong). you can remove some weight, that info on here somewhere, but those cars I believe stock were mid to high 14s. so there is potential, like Tony said you need to fab alot, but then again it IS a JBODY lol if your willing to toss cash at it there is lots you can do

"As I lay rubber down the street, I pray for traction I can keep, but if I spin and begin to slide, please dear God protect my ride." -Amen

Ok so I think I will go with a small inter cooler , 2.5" exhaust, and just curious would there be any benefit of adding a BOV? Thanks for the replies so far.

A bov is not an upgrade. its just for sound. UNLESS the car doesnt already have a bypass valve/re-circulation valve then it will increase compressor life and reduce the time to re-spool after already being spooled. But you would likely know you didnt have one because the car would sound like a helicopter out the intake when you left off the gas with the car in boost.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

they come with a recirculation valve. in fact, if you have the car running and you're over the engine bay, if you hit the throttle, you can hear it cause the blow-by when you let off.

as you said earlier Leafy, Standalone is the best way to go computer wise. I had an 89 Bid going in the 12's ages ago before I knew about JBO or any of the J scene. finding parts to build the engine is hard, but there is stuff out there still to beef that little engine up. at one point, Wiseco did make pistons and someone made rods, with the crank, depending on the mileage, you may or may not have to change it out. mine held up quite well under 16 lbs of boost, and 21 lbs on track days.


I need a new sig.

I don't know a huge amount about turbos or sunbirds for that matter,so I was just wondering what is needed and how to raise the boost on the sunbirds up to about 10-11 psi of boost. Thanks again for any info.

Is a manual boost controller all that I will need...I have been tying to read around the site but could not find anything specific for this car.So I'm unsure how to do this properly.

Well it should be a manual boost controller and a tune.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

the OEM tune should hold up with 3Lbs increase of boost without a problem.

Ian, what is yours currently running at for stock boost?


I need a new sig.

The car isn't on the road right now its my project for the winter so I'm not sure what is shows for boost but as far as I know it has never been adjusted so it should be at the stock level of boost. Sorry I know this doesn't help much I would try and check but one of the gas lines are leaking so I am in the middle of changing the lines

alright, Mine was showing about 8Lbs of boost when I first had gotten it, though I'm not sure if it was the stock read-out or not. first thing I had done was a manual boost controller so I could see how it would react under different levels of boost, seemed to be fine up to 13Lbs, but anything more it was running horribly lean.


I need a new sig.

Ok thanks I will only raise it to around 10-11 lbs tops so it should be fine with that while running 91 octane gas and an intercooler
Thanks for the info

Sorry to bring up old threads and questions but I'm just curious. If I get a manual boost controller and raise the boost up to say 10-11 psi would the car cut out? I've been reading some info and most people seem to mention a map bleed, but is this necessary with this kind of increase? Also is necessary to have an intercooler if increasing boost by this amount? I'm just trying to gather up as much information as I can before I start spending money and modifying the car. Thanks for the help you all have given, this site is a great resource with many helpful people.

dude you have the motor of motors, the one that started all the jbody hype, i mean the real hype. So you should already be close to your 14's stock if not already there-should be there. But yeah man, there is a ton of cheap and easy ways to get power out of a factory turbo car.

Intake needs to be opened up-Filter, pipe,
All your charge lines should be replaced-intercooler piping and a good front mount, I say mitsumoto universal, but everyone has own taste
Full turbo-back exhaust-you can make all this at home or a shop should be able to do it for a couple hundred bux+muffler(s) and cat(if you even run one)
manual boost controller-run 10-12 pounds to it-factory should be able to make it, mite hit its max rotation and peak early, but you can always get a bigger one later, or just off another car..dsm should do nicely
fuel injectors maybe needed, but I doubt the factory ones will have a problem

all I can tell you is that this should def get you where you want, and the best part is you can do this all at home if you have the time and ability. get on ebay and get some 2.5" intercooler pipe-a universal kit and go nuts wit it, same with the exhaust, just get a universal umm...2.75 kit and just have fun, make some duals if you wanna, have fun with it. I know on the dsm's an upgrde like this with no tune brings power levels up about a hundo horse...but that's a dsm-for sake of arguement haha, but it doesn't matter as this lies true for all turbo cars is the exhaust and intake charge pipe is always restrictive and boost is set too conservative. try it out and i'm sure that little motor will realize a gain of 50whp...probably see more with a nice header too