Lets talk about turbo vans...

[turbo84voyager]

It can be done but it seems some people have had much better luck than others with the same setups. Below is what I have found over the years. Unfortuately I did not run these at the track so I dont have slips with exact numbers. Im comparing them to other vehicles I have owned, tuned / driven that have been run at the track. One thing to remember is a stripped down van is not that much heavier than the FWD cars.
I have both auto and stick turbo vans the 84 is a 5-spd (A520) 2.5, probe intercooler with a garrett, backcut valves, no balance shafts, 244 pump, 20+ injectors, AFPR and 16 psi. The van is tons of fun around town. Comparing it to other vehicles and what times they ran I would say 15 flat. The problem I found is with the garrett it spools up fast but it makes the van feel like it runs out of breath very fast. It is still a much better turbo than the small mitsu.

My 89 had a 2.5 with a 46 trim, G-Head TU header, no balance shafts, wiseco's, Custom tune 18 PSI. Volvo cooler, 255 pump Auto ( with wrong converter -- not a high enough stall). This just plain sucks..... "NO G-Head "
Same van with mild ported swirl, 340 pump, and wrong converter. It definately more power than the 84. I know for sure it was quicker than my Pontiac GTP which stock runs 15 flat so im guessing mid 14's. But Paul smith ran a 12.65 on the same basic setup...

Same van above with a 2.4 DOHC, 46 trim, 1mm os valves, eagel rods, CP dished pistons, all balanced, 40+ injectors, 1st gen DOHC neon intake, NPR intercooler, Very conservative timing, 31th trans with high stall converter, @10 psi it runs better than all of the above. This is the first combo I actuially have a feeling has the potential of mid 12's. It is also the most responsive outsde of boost as well.

If your looking for a van at the strip I would say auto would be best but there is nothign wrong with a stick at the track. Just make sure cables are good and or go with heim joint cables. To me the shifters in the vans seem sloppy..

[Vango]

Its great to see all the love for the vans going strong. My last van was a 90 2.5/568 with a t3/t4. It went 13.24 @106 at SDAC 13 at cecil county 12 years ago. has no one gone faster with a 5 speed 8 valve van since then?

I picked up another one a few months back and it should run circles around the old one... stay tuned... 3bar tuned.

Seth

[ShadowFromHell]

Ohh they have. The new record is 11.7@115!

[Vango]

Ohh they have. The new record is 11.7@115!

I saw the updated times for vans in general and have seen the vidoes etc. All the current and past fast passes are with auto transes. cant find anyone in the 12s with a 8valve and a stick. fastest one on the list linked above was 13.4?. I was just wondering if my 13.24 was one of if not the fastest with a 5 speed.

Thanks for the add to the group by the way.
Seth

[2.216VTurbo]

Seth P?

Gotta love the van's, I'm taking Woody today to a clients kid's Birthday party today with a fully stocked bar for the dads that need a break from balloon animals and pin the tail. Ineveitably, they will tease me about driving a 25 year old soccer mom van but aftert a coup-le hourts, they will be chilling inside and gushing about how cool it is. They're not haters, just uninitiated to how cool Turbo Mini's are

[Vigo]

has no one gone faster with a 5 speed 8 valve van since then?

Somebody had a 2.2 8v/5spd in a stripped out 2g van and ran high 12s with it on TD. It was a long time ago but not 12 years ago so I think it counts. I don't remember the username or how to search for it.

[Vango]

Somebody had a 2.2 8v/5spd in a stripped out 2g van and ran high 12s with it on TD. It was a long time ago but not 12 years ago so I think it counts. I don't remember the username or how to search for it.

cool, I searched as well but came up empty. I hope more fast stick vans start working their way out of the woodwork.

[Vigo]

Found it: http://www.turbododge.com/forums/f4/...ld-lots-o.html

[jefo]

I will hopefully start getting my 89 5 speed turbo van in the mid 13's. Best of 14.0 at 99.7mph. If I tried a hard launch with the pepboys organic clutch it would just slip.

T2 turbo, a523. stock longblock minus the pt lifters.