Rebuild: Turbo Minivan, Part 1

[Dave]

After 6 years of being down, Ruby (our 1989 Dodge Caravan ES) is finally getting put back together. For those who don't know the story, here's a quick summary.

Back in 2000 my parents decided to buy this van that they saw sitting at the end of some person's lawn. It had, from what I remember, a broken front windshield from a plow truck. Other than that they were able to drive it back home. After a quick fix up (CAI, exhaust, and a MBC set to 12psi) it was off to the track. In 2003 I was 15 and I was able to finally race something. This was my first car ever to go down the 1/4 mile in...well at the time I was only allowed 1/8mile. I think back then it was going high 9's in the 1/8th. Not bad for a first race.

Over the winter of 2004 my parent's rebuilt it to what most remember...

2.5 bored .020 over with Mahle pistons
TII Garrett turbo with braided steel lines
TII intercooler
Type H BOV
Ram air with K&N filter
Ported G-head
Ported exhaust manifold
2.5" exhaust with manual cut out directly after downpipe
+20% injectors, Accufab AFPR, and Walbro 255 L/hr fuel pump
HP Performance manual boost controller (set to 18psi)
FWD Performance Stage III calibration
MSD coil and 8mm Taylor plug wires
All polyurethane mounts
Phantom Grip posi unit, and reverse manual valve body


What it was in 2004.


Surprisingly it still looks the same...


Over the summer it went 13.96 at 98mph on 110/93 mix uncapped exhaust, at 18psi on drag radials.

In the fall of 04 they took it to Turbopalooza and there they blew it up. Should've known not to try and tune off a narrow band A/F gauge. Melted cylinder 1 pretty well. So there it sat in our garage for 6 full years.

Here's a few more of what it looked like in 04.





So that's the past... here it is today...



For the rebuild I tried to stay close to how it was before, almost as if I were to restore it, however, I will upgrading a few things. Here's what it will be now for Part 1.

.030" over JE pistons
Sealed Power rings
ARP Main studs
ARP rod bolts
ARP head studs
Melling HV pump
Fel Pro HG (just for this year)
Custom made oil and coolant feed lines
The same T03 Garrett TII Turbo
Big can WG
HP Perf. MBC
Stock rail and injectors
Stock ECU
DSM 2 core FMIC
2.25" charge pipes
3" ram air intake
Same 2.5" exhaust with a cutout
Poly Trans mount
Same Poly side and front motor mount
Billet dist. hold down clamp
Billet TU water neck
All new fasteners for the manifolds from TU
NGK BPR7ES spark plugs
Magnacore 10mm wires
MSD Blaster 2 Coil
Summit Racing 16" electric fan
RMVB
Modified stock Torque Converter with an added torrington bearing, increased to stall to approximately 3,500.
Stock trans other than those 2 pieces for now


The first of the parts collection.


The donor engine.


Thanks to Christian (Bubba) for the deal on the short block!


Back at home.

More....

[turbovanman²]

About time you got it going again,

[Dave]

More parts.


Putting the wife-in-training to work.


Freshly milled 782 head.




Dont mind the valve cover. If you know us, that's just temporary to keep dirt out.


More mockup.


Turbo


The dog really doesnt contribute much... just kind of lays there and runs away when the compressor kicks on. lol


Minivan action.


It's gettin there...




Still not real sure which color intake and valve cover I want to go with?

[Dave]

I went ahead and made my own coolant feed, I didn't like how it always goes over the CHRA, too much clutter and it's a pita sometimes to mess with all the hoses and WG.


More.

That's about where we are as of today. I'm taking a break tonight. We have to get up early to get our marriage license on Saturday then head out to Pinks to give some much needed support to Rob and Reeves.

More on Tuesday or Wednesday.

-Bryan

[BIG PSI]

My Son, you memory is starting to fade a little.

We bought Ruby on 12-27-00.

The passenger sliding door glass got busted out by a plow truck.

I had to get the mini towed to work as the owner's son tried to steal the mini and broke the ignition cylinder.

I could not get the key to turn.

You were racing RUBY in TCR: Teen Championship Racing back in 2001, when you turned 13. (that was the age you had to be to race at Dragway 42).

The cars had to run 11.00 or slower and we had a hard time keeping RUBY under the 11.00 mark.

Here is a link to TCR: http://www.greerdragway.com/driver%2...rivers/tcr.htm

Now for your memory, quite drinking any alcohol as it wipes out brain cells and start drinking more MILK

Love Dad
--------------------

[unluckyty]

Nice looking build for the mini. Glad to hear you got moved into your new place, Chuck. Can't wait to see it in action at the track.

Greg

[BIG PSI]

Nice looking build for the mini. Glad to hear you got moved into your new place, Chuck. Can't wait to see it in action at the track.

Greg

Greg,

We are still at our original house.
We are waiting on a move date.
Should be the 3rd week of Sept.
We have started to pack boxes and have about 1/5 of our stuff that way.
Once we get the date we will kick it up a notch.

Chuck

[Vigo]

Well, im glad to see it's going back together. When i stopped by last year i thought it was a shame for such a nice van to be sitting there with no motor!

I really like the coolant line you made. BTW, that's the return, not the feed. I think i might copy that idea myself

Share pics of the intercooler install when you get to it.

[Dave]

Well, im glad to see it's going back together. When i stopped by last year i thought it was a shame for such a nice van to be sitting there with no motor!

I really like the coolant line you made. BTW, that's the return, not the feed. I think i might copy that idea myself

Share pics of the intercooler install when you get to it.

Interesting... Guess Ive never really looked at our cooling system real close. Thanks though!

More pics tomorrow!

[turbovanman²]

Looking good but why the Felpro?

Get rid of the HV pump, add's unnecessary strain to the aux shaft and oil pump gears.

Yep, as RW said, the coolant comes in thru the back of the block, study the flow of coolant-the water comes IN thru the waterpump to the block, then goes up thru the head and out into the rad,

[Dave]

Looking good but why the Felpro?

Get rid of the HV pump, add's unnecessary strain to the aux shaft and oil pump gears.

Yep, as RW said, the coolant comes in thru the back of the block, study the flow of coolant-the water comes IN thru the waterpump to the block, then goes up thru the head and out into the rad,

I ordered a 005 from Chris but it got bent up in transit, so all we had laying around was a Fel Pro. No big deal, I'll use the 005 when I decide to pull it apart again in the winter.

The HV pump was already installed otherwise I would have never chosen that part, myself.

Good to know about the cooling lines.

Got a newish alternator and a Mopar HEP from Bubba, thanks again, Christian!


Also got the NGK BPR6ES in and the Magnacore 10mm wires on.


Dad's finishing the trans. tonight. It needs some love!


Here's the DSM 2 row FMIC I'll be using, along with the old ram air filter we'll be using.


Tomorrow I hope we'll get the RMVB in and bolt the engine and trans together. Should finish cleaning the lines and permanently mounting the fittings... I need to grab another starter, the old one got burnt up real bad... clean the k-member and I really hope to have it in tomorrow. Wish us luck!

-Bryan

[turbovanman²]

Where'd you get the red cap?

[BIG PSI]

Where'd you get the red cap?

I got that at Auto Zone a couple of years ago.
I don't believe that they still stock them.
So I had that one sitting for some time, just waiting.

Chuck

[gasketmaster]

Hey Boys

I'm in Batavia, Ohio right now

If I had a bit more time I'd drive up and visit

The van is coming along nicely!

[turbovanman²]

Hey Boys

I'm in Batavia, Ohio right now

If I had a bit more time I'd drive up and visit

The van is coming along nicely!

WTF are you doing there?

[Dave]

Hey Boys

I'm in Batavia, Ohio right now

If I had a bit more time I'd drive up and visit

The van is coming along nicely!

Aw, Terry c'mon!! It would be great to meet you in person. I think you'd like our collection of what we have in our garages.

[BIG PSI]

Terry,

If you can come up and see us I will even buy you supper.

Chuck

[gasketmaster]

WTF are you doing there?

I spent my teenage years about 60 miles from here in Cynthiana, Kentucky

My class of 78 is all turning 50 this year so we are having a Big 50 BBQ this Saturday

A good friend of mine lives here in Batavia so we're gettin' together tonight to get some grub and do a bit of bench racing

[gasketmaster]

Terry,

If you can come up and see us I will even buy you supper.

Chuck

Where exactly do you live and how far is it from Cinncinati?

[turbovanman²]

I spent my teenage years about 60 miles from here in Cynthiana, Kentucky

My class of 78 is all turning 50 this year so we are having a Big 50 BBQ this Saturday

A good friend of mine lives here in Batavia so we're gettin' together tonight to get some grub and do a bit of bench racing

Cool,