TurboQuad4's 1995 Grand AM Build Up

[TurboQuad4]

I finally got my engine back from the machine shop last week and started putting it together this weekend. They bored the block to match the Ross forged pistons and balanced the rotating assembly. Here's a few pics to get this thread started (my camera's battery died after I put the crank in).

Block clean, pained and ready to be assembled


Pained the block black using Dupli-color 1200* engine paint


Titanium rods made by JET for GM's RocketParts program. These things are light as hell, and maybe slightly stronger than an Eagle rod


Comparision to a stock rod

[TurboQuad4]

Ross Racing 8.8:1 forged pistons with Total Seal rings and SwainTech coating on the top and skirts




Together at last


I tried standing a stock piston/rod up like that one and it fell right the hell over when I let go.


Forged crank made by Kellogg Crankshaft Company for GM's RocketParts program. It didn't orignally come with the oil pump drive gear, I had the shop put it on while they had it.

[TurboQuad4]

Here's the crank in the block with the ARP main studs.


After that my camera died, so I'll get some pics of the pistons/rods in there tomorrow or Thursday.

[KagA152]

sweetness. whered you find those rods and the crank at?

[WoR]

uhm dam, that crank must have cost an arm and a leg.

[22590456]

mmmmm... i can smell it... another boosted quad is on the way

hey chris, did your old motor take a dump? or are you just upgrading stuff for more power?

[gOoIe B]

I remember when you scored those rods on ebay. waaay outta my budget at the time . But all your schwag looks really good so far. I hope you plan on pushing over 400hp when all is said and done. 500+ sounds more like it, considering the hardware you've got. That stuff kicks ass.

[TurboQuad4]

Originally Posted by KagA152

sweetness. whered you find those rods and the crank at?

Mantapart had the rods on Ebay around a year and a half ago, some other guy had 3 of these forged cranks on there a while ago also. I got one, Mantapart and, I think, Phantom GTZ got the others. The crank was $250 and the rods were $750, not too bad when you consider what they originally went for.

Originally Posted by 22590456

mmmmm... i can smell it... another boosted quad is on the way

hey chris, did your old motor take a dump? or are you just upgrading stuff for more power?

Yep, finally after 2 years I'm getting it back together. I busted the Number 3 piston, it broke at the 2nd and 3rd ringlands. I'll take a pic tonight.

Originally Posted by gOoIe B

I remember when you scored those rods on ebay. waaay outta my budget at the time . But all your schwag looks really good so far. I hope you plan on pushing over 400hp when all is said and done. 500+ sounds more like it, considering the hardware you've got. That stuff kicks ass.

Thanks Goo! When it's all done and tuned it should be well over 500hp. Hopefully the lag from the big turbo will help the trans and axles live til I upgrade them next year. If not, oh well. It'll just kick my ass into doing it sooner. I just want to get the engine done right now.

[urweak]

Looks awsome.

Are you using the 95 oil setup or the older setup without the balance shafts?

[TurboQuad4]

Thanks! No, I'm not using the '95, the block I'm using is a '93 so I'm switching to the old style oil system and no balance shafts (woohoo!).

Here's the broken piston. Broke the 2nd and 3rd ringlands in one piece. Samething happened the last time only that one was the 1st and 2nd lands. Both times the ring held the broken piece in place and didn't make scrap of the head. The top ringland stayed intact on this one, it's not even cracked. These are stock replacement hyperuetectic pistons from Sealed Power. They probably would have lasted longer if they put some reinforcement under the oil control ring instead of having it cut open across the side (seen in last pic).

[MidniteXVZ]

that damage was due to boost correct?

[TurboQuad4]

Yeah, I was messing with the boost controller trying to get it to do the auto boost (you put in how many psi you want and it will figure the gain and duty cycle for best response). It kept overshooting the 12psi target trying to find the right settings, it kept going up to 15-16psi and the piston just had enough. At those boost levels it felt like it had to be around 340-350whp, it was a big difference.

[22590456]

EXACTLY what happened to mine.

i think we can be safe to say that 10 psi is the limit for stock pistons...

coincedence? that was from a wastegate spike to 16psi... not sure if the line popped off or whatnot... also 2nd and 3rd ringlands.... on HOLE 3... whoa...

[SpyhunteR]

Originally Posted by 22590456

EXACTLY what happened to mine.

i think we can be safe to say that 10 psi is the limit for stock pistons...

coincedence? that was from a wastegate spike to 16psi... not sure if the line popped off or whatnot... also 2nd and 3rd ringlands.... on HOLE 3... whoa...

yeah but you went to the junkyard for your pistons.

[22590456]

i know. glad that wont be happening anymore... took me a little while to learn that hp has a big price, like everything else these days... lol