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Thread: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

  1. #1
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    I had a request to post up some of the info here about my current project. Its an 85 GLH turbo car that I ordered new in the fall of 1984. The car came into the dealership in December some 29 years ago. I remember it was a very long wait from August when I put in the order till it finally showed up, it was held up in production for over 3 months. Anyhow jumping ahead to 1990, I had to trade the Omni off to get a minivan since by that time I was married and had two boys. The minivan of course had the 2.5 turbo but that is another story altogether. The Omni was sold by the dealership and I kinda lost track of it over the years. In the spring of 2012 I was able to get the car back. Carfax showed the title changed 14 times over the years after I traded it off. The car was still in decent shape, excellent really considering all the owners and years that passed. Since I have already posted this info up over the last year on TD I will be copying alot of it here and probably just the more experimental stuff for those of you that are not on that site too. Here is the car as it was in the summer of 2012 when I got it back.

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  2. #2
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    One of the first things I did when I got the car back was build a good A413 transmission for it. I had converted the car to auto back in the late 80's since I destroyed every 525 that I put in it. Chrysler replaced it twice under warranty and rebuilt it twice and then said it would no longer be covered due to the mods that I had done to the car so I went to an automatic. I had a medium stall convertor built this time around since I new I was going for 300 wheel hp with nitrous. The motor was weak and of course didn't last long so out it came.

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    25 years of crud needed removed and I painted up the underhood with basecoat/clearcoat to make it easier to keep clean.

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    I found a good deal on a used 93 flex fuel 2.5. These motors are a good base to build a turbo motor from. The have cross drilled blocks and turbo valves and springs from the factory. I pulled the balance shafts and installed a set of full floating rods and pistons from a turbo 2.5 and did a few of the common mods to the block and head. I ported the oil passage in the block where the oil pump bolts up. I added a partial windage tray in the oil pan since the balance shafts were removed. I also did some minor port work on the head. The intake is a two piece and I did some port cleaning on it and the exhaust manifold as well.

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  3. #3
    turbo addict
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    Congrats on the reunion. Where in WV are you?

  4. #4
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    Near the center of the state. I live in Webster county and work in Nicholas county.

  5. #5
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    A few of the mods I tried were to make the engine more reliable. One that is commonly done to these motors in the 4th cylinder coolant mod. Every turbo motor I've blown up has had damage to the number 4 cylinder. As everyone knows this is because of the thermostat placement on these engines. Some of the mods I have seen done seem pointless but here is my take on it. I drilled a new freeze plug and put in a fitting with an elbow attached. I then ran a hose down to the water pump and drilled the back of the housing and added a fitting there. This way I have a steady flow out that hot end of the head. I have data logged my knock sensor with and without this mod. Before I added this number 4 always knocked first and by far the most. Now it shows knock at the same level as the other three cylinders. As a matter of fact the whole engine knocks less. I'm guessing this is because of the improved water circulation though the head overall.

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  6. #6
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor GLHS60's Avatar
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    Glad you finally made it over here!!

    Thanks
    Randy


    There is no logical reason to call an Engine a motor.

    Randy Hicks
    86 GLHS60
    86 GLHS 373 : SOLD, but never forgotten
    89 Turbo Minivan
    83 Turbo Rampage : SOLD
    Edmonton,Alberta,Canada

  7. #7
    Slugmobile & MeanMini Caretaker Turbo Mopar Contributor wheming's Avatar
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    Thanks for sharing this with us.
    I don't think you are the only one working on variable cam timing for our 8v's, but those are the first pics I've seen. It looks interesting!
    Wayne H.

    '91 Dodge Spirit ES 2.5L turbo 5spd
    '05 PT GT 2.4T HO autostick (RIP)
    '89 Plymouth Acclaim 2.5L turbo auto, "Slugmobile" yes, THE Slugmobile!
    '89 Dodge Caravan SE 2.5L turbo auto, "Mean Mini" yes, Gus' Mean Mini! (Current best 11.699 @ 114.43 mph! - Oct 15th, 2022 Cecil County Dragway, MD)
    MeanMini dragracing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...URZLB1RxGYF6vw
    and other cars, trucks and motorcycles
    https://www.youtube.com/user/SlugmobileMeanMini

  8. #8
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    Thanks for the #4 cooling mod info. I don't think I've seen a post of actual evidence of it doing anything before.

  9. #9
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    I have done a lot of reading and research on this site, tons of good info here. I guess its past time I try to give something back. Hopefully some of my crazy ideas and efforts might help someone else. Cordes the number 4 mod definitely works. My engine so far is a good solid 220 whp engine at 18 psi boost on 91 pump gas. With the custom BoostButton cal I have fine tuned for the max amount of timing advance number 4 would have been history a long time ago if not for this mod. I ran up to 26 psi boost and over 40 lbs of nitrous this summer through the engine and put 5000 miles on it with no apparent problems.

  10. #10
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    Not really a mod but something I found helpful. Use washer fluid to cc your heads. Nice and thin and easy to see and get all the air bubbles out. Used a piece of plexiglass with a hole drilled in the center and light grease around the edges to seal it.

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  11. #11
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    That's a great idea. I would have tried to use water with a little soap to reduce surface tension. Looks like you have the best of both worlds with alcohol. No bubbles, and a lot thinner. Nice idea for sure.

  12. #12
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    If you want a nice cheap exhaust cutout (for race use only lol) you can use an old throttle body. I added a piece of 2.5 inch pipe out the side of my down pipe and welded a three hole flange to it. Made a nice fit for an old 4.7 Dodge throttle body. I used a throttle cable from a minivan and ran it up through the floor as you can see in the pic.

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    Inside I made a spring loaded lever to keep the cable tight and got the leverage right. You can pull it back with one finger to open it and it locks there then you can just flip it to the side and the spring on the throttlebody snaps it back shut. I used an old 78 Ramcharger headlight switch for the lever.

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    I cut up and old armrest from a crown vic police car and made a cover for the lever. The grain pattern looked really close to the Omni interior.

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    I used some SEM 15273 Napa Red which is a good match for our red interiors. Mounted it to the side of the console and added a black cap with the end cut out to make it look more like the little brother to the shifter. Ford and Chevy drivers think it came from the factory that way.

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    The little knob on the end of the shift console is my manual boost controller.

  13. #13
    Hybrid booster
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    You.. are.. AWESOME!!

  14. #14
    turbo addict
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    Pretty darn cool! How well does the throttle body withstand exhaust heat? I don't know if there are plastic bushings for the throttle blade shaft, but if there are, that would be my main concern.

  15. #15
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    The 4.7 tb I used didnt have any plastic on it. I was worried about the heat also. I do know its been on there 5000 miles and several times at night with it open I can see the ground out the drivers side window lit up brightly. I've been told on more than one occasion that when I make a pass with the nitrous on there is a pure white fire ball hitting the road from the dump so I think its been stress tested pretty good!

  16. #16
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    Another thing I added to make the car more durable is a true 4th motor mount. I always hated how much the engine torqued back on my car. Even with a bobble strut added to the differential of the automatic it still moved around alot. I tried solid poly mounts and couldn't hardly stand the vibration so this time around I built a cheap crossmember from an old leaf spring and mounted an engine mount to that. I made it so it could be removed easily. Under full boost power braking the engine only moves a quarter of what it did before. The mount came off an old suv import engine. You will notice that most of my projects make use of stuff from the scrap pile or ebay lol. I integrated the upper part of the mount into the rear bellhousing support for the transmission. I read once in a mopar book that the position of the factory bobble strut on the differential was not optimal, it really needed to be on the back of the engine so thats about where mine ended up.


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    Not only does it hold the motor nice and steady it also provides some protection to the 2.5 oil pan. When I jack the car up now I just do it on the leaf spring. If I were to accidentally run up on a concrete parking stop it would just lift the car up instead of ripping off the bottom of the oil pan, at least in theory that is. Also it braces the front motor mount and is good to hook a tow rope to when you blow the top radiator hose off and it drowns your distributer and you need a pull back to the house, not in theory but in fact.

    [IMG][/IMG]

  17. #17
    Hybrid booster
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    I assume by fact you mean thats happened before

  18. #18
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    And you would be correct!

  19. #19
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    Of all the completed mods done to my car the a/c cooled water to air intercooler setup is my favorite. It turned out much better than I had hoped. I've wanted to do a wta intercooler for a long time and considering how limited I was on space with the Omni it looked like the right time to try it. I used easy to get items that were cheap to build it with so anyone could do it if they wanted. I bought the intercooler, bov, clear hose and heat exchanger off ebay. The oxygen tank I bought from a local salvage yard for nearly nothing as they sell scrap aluminum by weight. The water pump runs about 80 to 100 dollars from ebay but I got one from a wrecked 02 or 03 Dodge Durango with a rear heater. On that vehicle the pump only runs at low engine rpms to help circulate the water through the rear heater.



    Intercooler with blow off valve. I have no intercooler piping to speak of so everything gets mounted to the top of the intercooler.


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    Water lines, heat exchanger plumbed into the low pressure a/c hose, pump and oxygen tank for a reservoir.

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    Intercooler mounted on the top of the transmission bellhousing.

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    Final resting place of the resurrected oxygen tank. A cozy little coffin when the hood shuts.

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    Finished system with red toyota antifreeze added for effect.

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  20. #20
    Hybrid booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
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    Re: 85 GLH Turbo experimental testbed build

    When I was building this system I was wondering how well it might work. All of us have seen a/c low pressure lines and accumulators frost over at times so that gave me the idea to use a heat exchanger in the suction line before the compressor. I converted the system to R134 and charged it up to 90 percent or so of the recommended R12 charge. It was about 65 or so that day at the end of May and had been raining. The rain froze instantly when it hit the exchanger. I knew then I was on to something that would work. Of course with no water running through it the unit got colder than would be possible when it was absorbing heat but it gave me confidence that I was on the right track.

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    In less than three minutes of running I recorded this temp -3.5 degrees fahrenheit. Thats another reason to run a mix of antifreeze in the wta coolant.

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