I've built two systems using the Early Buick turbo in a draw through configuration.
A manual trans 225 MOPAR using propane for fuel. Standing on the throttle @ just above idle in 1st gear, it would be on the wastegate by 2000rpm @7.5lbs, and stay there through the gears. If you hit the throttle in high gear, 1600rpm, it would go into boost almost as fast as you pushed the throttle. We did a before and after dyno test on an old Clayton chassis dyno. Both using propane for fuel. 96 rwhp NA, and 156rwhp @ 7.5lbs. We tried increasing the boost but the propane system was maxed out and couldn'd keep up. At 7.5 lbs boost it was leaning out above 3500rpm.
I also used the same system on a 250. The boost was instant with it. The carb was a Carter YH unit. Installed in an early Nova it was real strong and pulled to 4500rpm. We played with the wastegate and got pretty bad detonation. Installed a vacumm advance/pressure retard system from Dale Interprises made for the Corvair. It helped some. We later used a windshield washer bottle with built in pump and fashioned water injection. With the wastegate disabled the engine would hit 12-13 lbs boost in low and 16 lbs in 2nd gear and then pull back a little as the little carb was probably not helping @ higher rpm. We never had this one on a dyno.
I'm sure you can find and engine too small for this turbo, but it was quite small for it's intended application, and a 250 would have pushed it abit but for the lack of RPM.
If you'd like a look at what they can look like, I've got pics on my computor and would be glad to e-mail them.
mantle@fmtcblue.com
Mike
Last edited by Greybeard; 11/20/08 03:15 PM.
