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Beretta (Grand Prix) McLaren project


jvj001

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As my old daily driver, a 1990 Chevy Beretta GT 3.1 auto, is getting quite

rusty I am seriously considering to prepare my spare part car to replace it.

 

My spare part car is a 1990 Chevy Beretta GT 3.1 5 speed manual. And why not "turbofy" it now that I need to overhaul the engine anyhow?

 

As the Beretta 3.1 and the Grand Prix 3.1 is the same engine, why not rebuild my Beretta engine as a Grand Prix turbo? Right?

 

Can someone in here answer me this?:

 

- Which parts in the engine are different from the standard engine in the turbo engine?

 

- Would you go for a T25 turbo or get a T3? Or maybe a T3/4?

 

CU,

Jakob V. Jensen

Denmark

Europe

Black 1990 Chevy Beretta GT

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I have plans on making one of my Pontiac 6000 STE AWDs a turbo, as well. But as I learned more about the differences, I elected to do an entire engine swap as opposed to making the stock motor turbo. Too many changes. The crossover pipes, 20% harder crankshaft, better injectors, some forged internal parts.....also, I believe the heads on the N/A 3.1 won't take the punishment of the turbo. Easiest thing to do is just got a complete TGP motor with computer to run it. I bought an entire donar TGP parts car for this sole purpose. But, I just recently bought a Turbo STE Grand Prix for keeps, too. It's going to consume most of my time for now. Now I can say I have 2 of the rarest STEs made :D . Being you're going with a 5-speed, you'll need some chip modifying, too. BIG project a head of you. But it's been done before to Berettas and a host of other cars.

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I know it won't be a small project, but it should be fun though. :)

 

I was thinking of using the standard crank and go for the STE/TGP's exhaust manifolds, forged pistons, HO oil pump, fuel injectors & fuel pump.

 

Anything else I need to change?

 

CU,

JJ

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Memcal in the computer, head work wouldn't be a bad idea, modify the oil pan for a turbo return line, custom bracket for the transmission....but none of that should be too hard.

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hey "hyeboy" whoever told you that crap is a lier...........the crank is pretty much the same and you don't need to swap it......the na 3.1 heads work just fine. And for forged internals the na 3.1 i believe has the same stuff. And for the person who wants to turbo the na 3.1 you don't need to mess with too much internal just get the turbo on there so it will work and your car will run just fine up too a pt where you run way to much boost!!

 

It is done to my na 3.1 and i am running 8 psi in z24 and it works just fine

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hey "hyeboy" whoever told you that crap is a lier...........the crank is pretty much the same and you don't need to swap it......the na 3.1 heads work just fine. And for forged internals the na 3.1 i believe has the same stuff. And for the person who wants to turbo the na 3.1 you don't need to mess with too much internal just get the turbo on there so it will work and your car will run just fine up too a pt where you run way to much boost!!

 

It is done to my na 3.1 and i am running 8 psi in z24 and it works just fine

 

Actually, some of the engine internals ARE different. The pistsons for example have an extra ring on them. And wether the crank IS or ISN'T different has yet to be proven! It is also a GOOD idea to do some headwork and tranny work. YES, your car will run fine on low amounts of boost. But how long it will run depends on what condition the engine is in when you start the project. It's a GOOD idea to do some work on it before throwing the turbo on there. It's called preventive maintenance :wink:

 

Also, I see nobody has mentioned the 2-bar MAP sensor yet. You will need one of those :wink: As for a turbo, I'm personally going with a hybrid from Turbonetics. :D

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Guest TurboSedan
I know it won't be a small project, but it should be fun though. :)

 

I was thinking of using the standard crank and go for the STE/TGP's exhaust manifolds, forged pistons, HO oil pump, fuel injectors & fuel pump.

 

Anything else I need to change?

 

CU,

JJ

 

the standard crank should work fine IMO. you might want to lower the compression to 8.2:1 or so if you're getting different pistons anyway (for more boost :) ). you'll need to drill & tap a hole in your plenum for the AIT sensor (boss is near the alternator), or get a TGP plenum if you can find one. btw, i have some spare TGP parts if you're lookin'. i have a complete TGP radiator/intercooler setup w/charge pipes, extra T25 turbo oil/coolant lines, an extra seperate intercooler, complete air box, a complete TGP tranny cooler, and a crossover pipe. PM me if you're interested in anything. good luck

joshua

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So, from your info and some other reading I have done, my plan right now is to:

 

- overhaul engine

- check tranny

- lower compression

- change pistons

- keep crank

- AIT?

- MAP sensor?

- oil to turbo

- (Grand Prix) exhaust

- T3 turbo

- intercooler

- new chip

 

My plan right now is to get a little over 200 Hp out of the engine... I have read that our V6 engine is a good and durable work horse, so I guess/hope this wouldn't be any problem.

 

Thanks Joshua for the offer of the parts... How used are they? And what is the price? I have to take into considderation that I live in Europe, and that shipping also has to be pay'd.

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I have a COMPLETE turbo 3.1 from a 1990 ste w/79,000 original miles on it. It has been completely torn down, and is in crates in my storage building here in Orlando. I even have the intercooler, turbo "sock", ECM, and hood vents. Make me an offer.

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I have a COMPLETE turbo 3.1 from a 1990 ste w/79,000 original miles on it. It has been completely torn down, and is in crates in my storage building here in Orlando. I even have the intercooler, turbo "sock", ECM, and hood vents. Make me an offer.

 

I have a 1992 grand prix gtp with the twin dual cam 3.4 litre. Would a turbo from a 3.1 be able to mount on there and work? If it would work how much would just the turbo sell for? :) any help is appreciated.

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I have a COMPLETE turbo 3.1 from a 1990 ste w/79,000 original miles on it. It has been completely torn down, and is in crates in my storage building here in Orlando. I even have the intercooler, turbo "sock", ECM, and hood vents. Make me an offer.

 

Damn I wish I still had my Beretta GTU I would offer to Trade you that...

 

what do you want for it really? I need a new motor for a Rebuild for my STE...and do your vents have any Cracks in them?

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I have a COMPLETE turbo 3.1 from a 1990 ste w/79,000 original miles on it. It has been completely torn down, and is in crates in my storage building here in Orlando. I even have the intercooler, turbo "sock", ECM, and hood vents. Make me an offer.

 

I have a 1992 grand prix gtp with the twin dual cam 3.4 litre. Would a turbo from a 3.1 be able to mount on there and work? If it would work how much would just the turbo sell for? :) any help is appreciated.

 

 

the TGP turbo is to small for the DOHC

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I have a COMPLETE turbo 3.1 from a 1990 ste w/79,000 original miles on it. It has been completely torn down, and is in crates in my storage building here in Orlando. I even have the intercooler, turbo "sock", ECM, and hood vents. Make me an offer.

 

I have a 1992 grand prix gtp with the twin dual cam 3.4 litre. Would a turbo from a 3.1 be able to mount on there and work? If it would work how much would just the turbo sell for? :) any help is appreciated.

 

.....Why wouldn't you just get a different turbo? You don't need a TGP turbo if you're gonna turbo your 3.4. Besides....what you're talking about isn't a simple task. Check the general section. There is a person that did it.

 

Or you can check out this site: http://www.brian89gp.com/

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Cool, another Beretta turbo project..so maybe(not realy) we'll out number the 3.1 turbo cavis out there(fieros outnumber everyone).. I wonder who had the turbo first L or J...?

 

Any who..no one needs tgp parts,,,just the 2bar map, TGP based memcal and injectors of same ohms and flow. Everything esle is aftermaket, junkyard scores, ebay, swap meets, and Pedro the welder at your local welding shop to put it all together with pipes.

 

If you don't "mod" the engine with forged parts...then a t3 w/.60 a/r or similar flow would do.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you're interested in a turbo 3.4, search. I've posted a bunch of info on my setup here. The 3.1 turbo is WAY too small. I have a HUGE T04E and it still starts spooling at 2500 and has full boost by 3500.

 

Tim

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Well in reply to the turbo berettas...v6 right...well..one 3.8 TT, one GTU with the desighn one system, a 90 GT, and meself. There others that are "pending" but not realy sure.

 

Well I was thinking of getting a 3.4 for my car in the furture..but I don't know...I think its not a "perfect" engine. Well for the head flow for that displacement. Can she pull all the way to 6grand without diminish..? I have a video file of a camaro with a 3.4 turbo on a dyno run. 334hp or so with 350+tq or something like that.

I was more on the lines of a 3liter bowtie, or back down to a 2.8 with high boost. Big valve or multi valve headed engines react abnormaly well to boost, unlike small two valve heads.

 

Hell...my brother has a Thunderbird Turbo coupe pushing close to 20psi on a stock turbo 2.3l and only has about 230-250hp...We saw a turbo civic with 1.8l and the same psi with close to 500hp...what gives.....well 150cfm on the intake and exhaust for the 2.3l and twice as much for the 4valve headed civic..or mitsu for that matter...

 

Esilinger help....LOL..

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Guest TurboSedan

there is a rare Cars & Concepts '88 Corsica XT in a local yard that i would LOVE to turbocharge. not wrecked or anything but some of the gfx are missing. they want $200 but it has a clean title, very rare car, (i don't know production #'s) and needs a front clip and subframe & tranny (which they have there on other Corsica/Beretta's there). it was originally a 2.8/5-speed car, and the only model Corsica (or any L-body i believe) to get a leather interior. they are saving it for me (not crushing it) but i doubt i'll ever get around to it. 2 cars is enough! i can't even drive either one at the moment. i can't deliver pizza cuz my cars are broken. i can't make money cuz i can't deliver pizza with no car. crappy catch 22 situation :? on top of that it's getting pretty dang cold out here already and i lost my garage last month. it sux! i think i'll go BEG iTurbo to use his '89 Shadow ES Turbo - either that or we were going to swap the 2.5 turbo in the Shadow (now a parts car basically) into the GTS over a 2-3 day period.

well look who went off topic :)

joshua

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