Ok... So I have a 1975 El Camino, running a basically all stock 160 pumped 94 12 valve. I've tuned the pump, and hogged out the manifold all the way. Other than that completely stock.

A few months ago, I went through 4 turbos in a month.

The first two were due to a Oil pump failure that I did not realize...

The Original Oil pump had the cast iron backing plate crack in half, which then took out the turbo once there was no oil pressure. Original HX 35, 160,000 mi

Then I replaced the turbo, and the oil pump... Except Cummins sold me a Helical cut oil pump, and I, in a rush, did not notice. It even slid in smooth, but sheared the teeth off upon running. Turbo number 2.... (idiot me) Should have had cummins replace the turbo for selling me the wrong part too... Fresh built HX40/35 hybrid with a 12cm housing. 45 seconds.

Turbo 3... This one was really my fault.... Idiot marks... I was just getting tired of working on my car by this point. Upon putting in the CORRECT oil pump, and the previously mentioned hx40/35 rebuilt once more... I forgot to prime the new oil pump which had completely drained from 3 weeks of not driving. 2nd HX40/35 - .5 miles

Turbo 4... Same HX40/35... but I'm fairly sure this was the shops fault this time. I belive they did not balance the assembly, and were just trying to get me out of their hair. This one lasted two days but was progressively worse and worse with shaft play. Did not sound or run out like the others...


So finally I just bought a piece of **** chinese HX35 copy, and I've been running this for the last 6 months with no issues, However I have no boost gauge, and didn't check what the waste gate solonoid was set to... Think i've been overboosting, or just excessive throttle chop from driving as a car, and not a truck... but now this thing is starting to have excessive shaft play.



SO. Now comes the question. Time for a new turbo. Should I bring the pieces of this HX40/35 back in and have it built to be a super40? Or should I just try and find a Borg S300? I'm familiar with the Holset turbo sizes and whatnot but no idea about all the AR's and trims of the S300. What would be ideal? I plan to go to larger injectors of coarse after the turbo, but want this taken care of first.

As far as the S300 goes... what size housings should I be looking at? I know they are rated in AR...? I see a lot of .91 A/R's.. What blade size and series?

Are there a ton of Chinese S300 copys on ebay as is the case with the HX?

Or lastly... any other turbos I should consider in a decent price range? Not looking for something huge. Just something to spool fast, and have decent power output.

Sorry for the long post.

 

IMO, I'd go with a s300. By stock, is it all stock? No pump mods? Stock injectors? By excess play, is it hitting the housing? Does it have any in and out play?


And just for the record, I wanna know everything bout your install. Ive always wanted to do a el cumino swap

 

Yes it has excessive shaft play. The turbine has been ground down about 1mm. Not much in and out play though, no oil leakage that I have noticed.


I have


+AFC - Ground the barrel and flipped the washers
+3/16" or so washers in the Inner GSK springs
+3" straight through exhaust
+3" aluminum intercooler, not the wonky dodge unit.

(what should I bump timing to? I know many people say 20* is safe if I torque the stock head bolts down to 100 ft lbs or so)

Everything else is the stock 160 pump configuration as came out of the donor truck.

I want to keep this truck/car good with MPG. Right now I get between 27-20 on the highway and maybe 20-24 in town depending how harsh I drive. I have not found a long enough speedo cable to adapt in yet, so I'm not perfectly sure. As for injectors I was thinking of running the stock 215 sticks until I found something reasonable....

My friend gets Borg Warners at cost, so it basically makes the s300 series the same price as rebuilding my hx40/35...

Again... I drive this like a muscle car, not a hauling truck, so I want a relatively fast spool. My main thing is which S300 would I get to have a fast spool and Be the closest in mountability as the HX35... so I dont have to build another downpipe and minimal charge tubing change as possible...

 

Awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i have no other words for this...

 

Nobody?

 

Such a sick car.

On a side note is that a huge scratch down the side of the car?

 

Yea.... Apparently my car has a curse. Every time I go out someone hits it. 3 months ago, a drunk guy backed into the car and pushed the whole car a foot sideways in the parking lot.

last month someone dragged their white bumper against my rear quarter panel and left a little dent over the wheel well.

And last week someone keyed my car in a parking lot of a movie theater. I think it will buff out... its kinda light, and my paint is thick.


So i'm pretty sure next time I go out, I'm just going to sit in a lawn chair in my truck bed with a shotgun.

 

An s358 with. 68mm turbine wheel and a .83 exhaust housing. Be a decent stock replacement turbo, quick to spool.


B.E.D.S.
Big Ed's Diesel Service

 

will it push more air than a hx40/35 hybrid? If I can find a off the shelf borg warner part number that will be a great replacement, then I can get one super cheap... However I read a lot of people say OEM s3xx series are not that great until worked over....

 

i think that we have to take into consideration that your ElCamino is a very light application...

you can run a low A/R exhaust housing since EGTs will always be lower than on a 1ton truck...


S358 sounds perfect !!!