PT Turbo Cruiser Differences

[blhlfam]

I've searched all over the web and I am coming up dry. I understand their are several different versions of the PT Turbo Cruiser engine and different horsepower ratings can any one tell me the differences by year? I heard rumor of some 180hp how do you identify the different versions? Or is it strictly year only differences? Please help my friends has 6 PT turbos I'm working on for him and I'm trying to figure out how to tell the engines apart. And which are the high horsepower versions.

Thanks
Brett Lindsey

[SebringLX]

The lower HP turbo versions are the "Turbo Lite"... I don't know if there is an actual difference in the turbo or not... try over on ptcrew.com

[CoolV300C]

Some years they offered both turbos at the same time, as well as a base engine. There are several PT Cruiser websites to look at, ptcruiserlinks is one that will get you to everything you may want to know. The stronger one takes the high octane gas, and 'lite' can take mid-grade. I believe a base 2.4 does 150hp, the lite does 180, and the bigger one does 200 or 210. Those are all the facts I remember from looking at them years ago.

[blhlfam]

great I'll try some of those links, I notice the Mopar Performace upgrade computer and injectors works on all of the cars seemingly rather or not if its the 180 hp or the 215 hp version.
Brett

[c318cuin]

I have the 05 GT aka 225 or 235 horse PT (depends on who is telling you). It runs fine in winter on 87 and best in summer on 89. Though for flat out heat of summer running 90+ is better still. The "turbo light" is available in the Limited and a couple of other PTs it is a 180 hp lower boost version. Most if not all Touring PTs are N.A. 150 hp but are supposed to have stiffer suspension (I cannot tell the difference in it and the base other than wheels and tires). Of course the base PT N.A. I believe that most of the differences are computer and injectors.

[gtcvnt90]

I believe it is all computer related. The Turbo lite is calibrated to run on regular 87 octane gas with lower max boost. You can Stage 1 a Turbo lite and get equal or better GT performance.

Before my wife and I got our 05 PT GT, we test drove a limited with the Turbo lite and the suspension to me felt pretty floppy. The GT on the other hand felt really tied down and secure. That was the turning point to me. That and the standard big brakes, ABS, and bad azz 17 inch 5 spoke chrome wheels. Mileage with the heavy GT stinks though.....

[Turbozcs2003]

Engines, turbos intercoolers all the same.

03 Gt had smaller injectors. All 04+ had the larger injectors

the turbo Lites on the non GT's had 180 HP, limited by the computer. A stg 1 will up the HP to 225sh.

The 06+ got the plastic manifold which upped the HP a little, supposed about 10sh to 235. The ealry ones have the aluminum manifolds.

I have 03 with stg 1 which upgrades to the 04 injectors. dynoed 227WHP 254 WTQ.


Go to PTcrew.com and join, they have the diehards running 12's with them.

[blhlfam]

Thanks for all of your help so what I've concluded is the following
if the PT Vin is a Y78 its a GT with the HO motor for that year if it is a Y68 it is a limited and does not have the HO turbo. The vin #'s are consistent thru the years and the HP ratings vary a little in the HO turbos with 2003 being the lowest in the HO version and going up each year as I understand it.
Does that sound correct?


Thanks
Brett

[black86glhs]

I was under the impression that the turbo automatics were the 180 horse versions. The 5 speeds could be either. Are these correct assumptions?

[turboz523]

no, I had an '03 gt automatic and it was the 215hp motor, then put the stage 1 computer in, at the same time did a k&n filter and a full 3" catless exhaust. It was fun but a bit too much for the automatic to control, the tires would just start spinning and it would automatically shift into the next gear, very annoying. It would even do that with the autostick locked in first.

'04 was the first year for the 180hp turbo-lite, and it was an option for the non-GT pt cruisers, all the gt's got the HO motor. Also, the 180hp version could only be had with an automatic as far as I know...and no autostick option. The only difference between the turbo-lite and the HO engines was the programming in the computer. A stage 1 turbo-lite and a stage 1 HO motor make the exact same hp.

[black86glhs]

OK...I got it. The GT cruisers got the hot engine. The non GT got the 180 horse as an option.

[Turbozcs2003]

Basically the hardware is all the same for the motors other than the larger injectors for 04+ and the late 05 and 06+ got the plastic intakes.

The GT's made 215 -230 stock regardless of transmission.

THe 180 HP turbo lites cam in the non-GT cars. You can add a stage 1 computer to any of them and it will bring the HP up to the 230.

THe GT sticks will dyno almost 230 at the wheels and 250sh torque.

The auto trans is the week link, drive around in overdrive on highway and mash the pedal will eventually kill the trans since the OD cant handle it. Most now drop into 3rd or stay out of boost in 4th if you want the trans to live.

[blhlfam]

Engines, turbos intercoolers all the same.


The 06+ got the plastic manifold which upped the HP a little, supposed about 10sh to 235. The ealry ones have the aluminum manifolds.


Go to PTcrew.com and join, they have the diehards running 12's with them.


I have heard this before and I've also heard the plastic manifold is very cheap so its worth about 10hp with out any other alterations from what I understand, does anyone else know about this?

Thanks
Brett