I've read the FAQ's a few times and read through most of the boost forum threads a few times. Unless I'm missing it, I don't really see a set list of what parts people have used for specific goals.
For instance, if my goal would be 250-300whp on a Saab setup. Could it be done and what engine parts would be built to compliment the HP goal type of chart.

One of the guys on our GMofSA forum posted a list sheet of parts that break at certain HP levels (below). Something like this for say, an L61 from stock that plans to run 200hp, or 250hp.

It would be a 'guide' and not precise obviously, because every car is slightly different. But a general rule is even with say the Saab setup, from a stock L61 (2.2Eco) you'd have to upgrade fuel injectors, possibly the fuel pump?, maybe a better intercooler..etc. Im by FAR a noob in the boost topic, and its all foriegn to me when i try to think about what I actually need when I go to shop around. But I'm a visual learner..and dont have the luxury of having it all infront of me so when people talk BoV's and turbo types and IC's, Im lost on the variations between them and their capabilities.

Or I can just scouting others builds, but most dont have very good pictures of their builds and dont have very good descriptive 'how to's.




04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.

So what are your goals for the car in general and hp?




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~Using nitrous is like having sex with a hot chick with an STD, you wanna hit it, but your afraid of the consequences.~

As a general rule of thumb, I agree with most of that chart. The only thing that's blatantly obvious, is the injectors. You'd be hard pressed to get 200hp safely out of the stock 24lb/hr injectors, let alone 300hp. Do all 2nd gen L61 and LE5's come with 36lb/hr injectors? If so, that might be the discrepancy.




I have no signiture

sorry a chart like that is gay.

stock rods and piston' will take more than 250whp.



FU Tuning

No Longer Screaming wrote:sorry a chart like that is gay.

stock rods and piston' will take more than 250whp.

Lol, yes and I'm a witness.




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~Using nitrous is like having sex with a hot chick with an STD, you wanna hit it, but your afraid of the consequences.~

Well that chart was pulled maybe from the earlier Ecotec days when they didnt have as many statistis? Its just an example anyways of how a chart would sort of go.

I have two angles to approach a boost setup.

1. Buy my second vehicle and I invest in a second Ecotec engine (easily had for under $500), and start tearing it apart, rebuild it with upgraded internals and piece together a turbo setup thats much more capable than a simple Saab setup. This is a much more expensive route obviously, but would turn the car into a 'project' rather than a DD and really get into a small investement (time/hobby-wise) to make it fast.

2. I get the current engine thats in my daily driver rebuilt with brand new stock components and maybe a few inexpensive upgrades so it's safe for a basic turbo setup (Saab, then play around that). This would be the route if I wanted to keep it simple, keep driving it daily, and not worry about rediculous power (400+). This way I'd get a good grasp of boosted engines, and decide if I wanna go bigger later on, or get bored and sell it.

Im currently at 168k miles. I definitely hear a very slight lifter or knock at WOT sometimes, and every now and then when I'm WOT in 2nd or 3rd, I feel a silght hesitation during the power curve (almost like an electrical or fuel inefficiency). However, the engine was well cared for and is in stellar condition, for its year/mileage. Mine is probably cleaner than 90% of them here (inside and out of the engine bay!). I'm thinking the intermittent hesitation I get could be something as simple as a new plug/wire change or fuel filter. I'm going to do a full 'tune day' and replace all that stuff.

I've seen some of the dyno charts too, where the power curve is very high in the RPMs before it even shows much power. What kind of setup would you build to be able to get a nice low to mid level RPM power band instead, if possible? Im guessing smaller turbo with higher psi? and would the Saab injectors/turbo setup be capable of reaching a lower to mid RPM power goal, or is it not able to hand enough psi based on its size to do that? I'm still researching that kind of information in the forums... oh and sorry this is long, I'm finally able to sit down and relax for a few hours


04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.

oh and heres a perfect example of what I'm looking for...but I dunno if different turbos with different components would be consistent enough to make a reliable chart...but the concept of what setups give you what power curves (which RPM levels are desired boost levels achieved) would be a nice way to say what you want without finding out later you dont like what you just spent all your money on.

"If you wan't even more torque and faster spool look into a T04E 50 trim with .48 A/R exhaust. SRT4 guys run them and hit full boost at like 3000 RPMs. They max out at 400 WHP (which is what you want), but they spool super quick and make for a really fun DD."

so how does the higher compression Saab turbo compare to that one?


04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.

How about the third route?

3. Buy a second ECOTEC engine, tear it down, build it up with performance parts, gather everything you need for turbo build (and I do mean everything), and then do the swap one weekend?

If you take your daily driver down, what will you drive when things take longer than expected? Or if something goes wrong?

Why spend the extra funds buying a second car and motor just to build one of the two?

Cheapest route/safest route is option 3 plan and simple. Trust me, I rebuilt my daily driver..... 5 years later I am still building my "daily driver" (my story is a lot longer and more complicated then just building my daily driver though)

Good luck either way.

Josh, I am definitely buying another vehicle. I want a truck (4x4 Frontier for weekend/random useage). If i got a truck, I'd still drive the cavalier for the daily commutes (twice the MPG). I've always had 2 or 3 running vehicles. Like up until December, I had a chopped 2dr Jeep XJ that I 4wheeled and then used it as a backup when needed, although it was barely street legal. I also had my Xterra (totaled in December). Its just nice to have incase ones goes down. So that would take care of the Cavy being 'under the knife' for a short while.

The question is, my first turbo build, and not being super knowledgeable about turbos yet, do I learn as I go and invest little on the stock block and just upgrade necessary parts to do a small boosted daily driver (maybe 300hp range) OR use the truck as a dd and really start building a motor from the block up. I really do saved hundreds of dollars a month not driving the G37S or a truck right now, the Cavy is just so much better for commuting! I've heard even boosted, when driven correctly you can actually increase the MPG...is this true? BTW, the G37S is mine to drive anytime I want, my parents left it when they left the country. But its only got 15k miles, is in mint condition, and the way i drive it it gets about 16 MPG if I'm lucky So I dont drive it.


04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.