Twin Turbo ZR-1 musing

[Schrade]

Does the aerodynamic create slight vacuum at the side grilles, at speed / stock configuration?

[Ben@DIYAutoTune]

I love E-85 as far as power per dollar is concerned. If you're interested, check out Grassroots Motorsports Magazine's December 2012 issue for a fuel test we conducted for them. We compared E-85 vs standard pump gas (10% ethanol), non-ethanol fuel, methanol, and a couple flavors of VP high octane. The car we used for the test (not a Corvette, a Miata--a potential race car in reach by the average guy) picked up 5% on E-85 compared to pump 93. The effect can be much greater on a turbo car, especially one that is det-limited before MBT is found.

There are tradeoffs however, such as fuel consumption on E-85 is much greater (around 160%) compared to pump gas.

[Ben@DIYAutoTune]

Originally Posted by RHanselman

E85 is an option with the new ECM.

E-85 is definitely an option. A quick twist of the power select switch on the dash can allow you to switch between 2 different calibrations, so you could set up for pump gas on one and E-85 on the other (or any other type of fuel, high octane, leaded, meth, whatever you want to run).

The table switch feature is prepared to handle 2 different fuel requests and allows to swap fuel table, ignition advance table, air/fuel target table, stoichometric point, boost table and overboost shut off, and startup and warmup characteristics. Each feature can be turned on or off individually. It's also able to run 2 different banks of injectors so if one were inclined to keep the primaries fed by gasoline and the secondaries fed by E-85 or methanol, it can handle that as well.

I'm comfortable enough with the project to speak about it more openly, if you're also comfortable Ron. The a/c controls have been tested, and your car is on the dyno. Our superstar tuner had to run home today due to a family emergency (his 1-year old came down with something). Hopefully he's back in tomorrow so we can get back to testing everything out and setting a base calibration.

[rkreigh]

eagerly awaiting updates! I've been lusting after the TT ZR-1 and doing TT packages on a variety of cars but the big cost of the aftermarket computers and "plumbing" has always been an issue

the megasquirt, e85, lower cost turbos, and the raptor system make this approach more affordable than doing a stroker which is really saying something

thanks so much for your help on the project and sharing progress. it's been a lifelong dream. the other one is "retaking" the endurance record.

a twin turbo zr-1 could do it. and the e85 might just make it easier.

just gonna need a really big fuel tank!

[RHanselman]

Originally Posted by Ben@DIYAutoTune

I'm comfortable enough with the project to speak about it more openly, if you're also comfortable Ron.

Ben,

Yes I am... so "Cleared Hot"...

Cheers,
Ron

[rkreigh]

so as dwight reminded me

boost a muv

wanted to keep this up top to get more ideas flowing

anyone else interested in doing a TT ZR-1??? I see the 93-95 stock manifolds are at a really good price on ebay right now.

and with so many folks upgrading to headers, probably quite a few more sets stashed with the ZR-1 owners

the 90-92 headers could be adapted too, but it would be more work.

the ultimate would be to fab up some turbo headers to "do it right"

but I don't have the mad skills required to weld them up.

it would be cool to mock them up with the new plastic pipe sets they sell now (or PVC) to get them to fit just right and then make them up with some nice stainless steel.

wonder if Aaron's Scott fabrication man is still around. Aaron doesn't post on the forums, but he would be great to get on here too.

Hey Wayne H. you out there?? that's one of the other "few" TT ZR-1s out there.

love to see more info on the callaway TT ZR-1s too. they had a very unique way of routing the pipes and intercoolers. much more work, but very nicely engineered.

[rkreigh]

been hanging out on LS1tech alot lately and they are doing some amazing things with the LSX engines and turbos using truck manifolds and "stub pipes" to do single and twin turbo setups.

anyone have some good shots of underneath the LPE and Callaway turbo cars? I have a few but they aren't all that clear.

the stock 93-95 manifolds are getting cheap and this would be a great setup if it can be fabbed up and work

Huron is a new turbo vendor selling a pair of turbonetics turbos for 1400 which is a pretty solid price

with the tuning being the biggest "stumbling block" I'd love to get another TT setup similar to LPE, SGC, and Callaway. those setups were mega expensive. I believe LPE TT cars went for about 54K and there wasn't much profit in that for LPE due to the amount of research and devel involved and fabrication. the callaway setups were I'm sure much more

last time I talked to Reeves Callaway he was north of 6 figures to do another TT ZR-1. chuck mallett was also interested but wanted to use iconel manifolds which would be mega expensive

the material in the stock manifolds is solid and while they aren't all that efficient, they would likely work out pretty well with some solidly welded stub pipes added to them with a matching flange for the turbos.

I may have to get off my duff and learn to weld. based on my soldering skills which are NOT good, it would take quite a bit of practicing before I could develop the skills.

a TT ZR-1 running e85 has some VERY strong appeal and would open up adding the turbo kit to even a stock block engine and running some pretty big numbers with the right fuel system.

still not cheap, but I believe it could be done for 20k which is right in the ball park of a 368 build. and the TT would be much more powerful.

turbo torque is a beautiful thing. even my lowly turbo buick can spank out 500 ft lbs at the tire with a buzzin half duzzin. the TT Z06 will put donwn 800 rwtrq which is "sufficient"