tuning for 92 lq1 turbo

[noisy]

looking into putting a turbo on a 1992 grand prix with lq1. on the tuning side im not finding any answers. i cant write a tune myself, and im too cheap to pay someone to, so im trying to find out if there is a chip already made for an lq1 with a turbo

[Psych0matt]

I haven’t ever come across one, also a bucket list thing for me, but I’m not in any hurry

[GTP091]

I’ve seen this done on the LQ1 many years ago with a vortech FMU.  It’s fine for 6-8psi but no more. Most people would call it hack but it will work.  You might be good for 350-375hp there.  I think the guy ran 6 psi and was afraid to go up anymore.  Anything higher and you need to go with a standalone system and that’s the big bucks and no support for you either being the car is OBD1. A tune shop will ask you why you didn’t start with a newer OBD2 car.  I’d like to se you try but you're probably better off to buy an import that’s has all kinds of bolt on support and keep the GP for cruising.

[pwmin]

You should be able to OBD2 swap if you want to go that route, but I'm not sure how possible tuning is with the current options besides what GTP091 mentioned.  DHP can still be obtained, but support isn't what it used to be. redzmonte had a turbo 3.4 95 Monte that he swapped the OBD1.5 to OBD2 and tuned.  I had tuned my 96 3.4 GP with DHP years ago.  I believe you can run a 97 PCM and use HPT, who supports 97+ 3.4 Montes, so I'm not sure how that would work. 

edit:  after some research, looks like you can buy the DHP interface from the original manufacturer (AVT) and it SHOULD work.  Setting up DHP on a Windows 10 laptop is a bit of a chore.  

http://www.avt-hq.com/852_hw.htm 

http://www.avt-hq.com/price.htm

Edited January 28, 2021 by pwmin

[55trucker]

If you want to stay with OBD1 then you're looking at a Megasquirt system. Megasquirt 1 will more than likely do what you want. It's a complete system that piggybacks alongside the oem ECM, one has to completely tune it, it is involved but practice makes perfect, alongside the kit hardware you'll also need a wideband to monitor the boost & A/F ratios. If you're thinking of more than 7lbs boost then an intercooler will be on your list of needed items as well.

Back when I was driving 80's -early 90's turbo Mopars megasquirt was a common item to piggyback alongside the orignal SMEC. 275whp was not uncommon out of a 2.2/2.5L Turbo 1 engine.

If you really want to do this then you need to *build* the engine for a turbo. The as installed pistons are hypereutectic, they will not stand up to repeated exposure to boost, so one needs to build the engine with a set of regular eutectic slugs.

Edited January 28, 2021 by 55trucker