PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

I have a 1998 Bonneville SE. I was wondering if I could turbocharge that and how much it would cost if I could.

You absolutely can turbo it, there are kits out there you can get for $2,000 or less used that would work just fine. Your transmission would need some beefing up to handle it though. Also, throwing that much more power down it would be a good idea to upgrade your brakes as well.

Thanks! I've never turbocharged anything before. What all would I need?

you'll need a lot of time, patience, or quite a bit of money.

you'll be replacing basically all of your exhaust, modifying your intake and then you'll have to get your PCM tuned properly for it. ZZP makes kits for it, but you can piece together your own cheaper if you go with a cheaper turbo and a used exhaust system.
If you can find the parts cheap enough it's not that big of a deal. I think most people don't turbo because it's such a huge initial investment.

Even after you've got the turbo installed and working though, you'll also have to get your tranmission built to handle the extra power. The 4t65e can hardly handle 300 horsepower in stock form. You're looking at more than $1000 in parts alone to get your transmission built to handle the extra power. You'll probably be closer to $3000 for a built transmission if you have someone else do the work(most people will).

If you do go turbo you'll be happier in the long run though. Turbos are capable of producing way more power than the eaton m90 can, and are also much more efficient in doing so. Not to mention the coolness factor there is to hearing a blow off valve release.

Wow! I didn't know it would cost quite that much. I had assumed I would just need the turbo, valves, inter cooler, and adaptor. Thanks for the heads up. I was told I might have to replace my exhaust, but had no idea about the transmission. Thanks for the info. Sorry if I seem a bit clueless. I'm new to the whole "car" thing. I just got it after wrecking my Ranger. What is the best company to get turbo kits from? Should I look at racing companies like CX or somebody else?

No worries about being clueless, we have all been there at one time.

Have you thought about a top swap or complete L67 swap? That could be done much cheaper then a turbo and give you a decent boost in power with mostly stock parts. It is easier to work with then a turbo and probably a better place to start if you don't plan on going all out.

crash93ssei wrote:No worries about being clueless, we have all been there at one time.

Have you thought about a top swap or complete L67 swap? That could be done much cheaper then a turbo and give you a decent boost in power with mostly stock parts. It is easier to work with then a turbo and probably a better place to start if you don't plan on going all out.

This^ And your stock 4t65 will hold up a lot better than on a turbo application. As long as you're not doing burnouts all day or putting in hard track day time you should be fine for awhile. But after you do the top swap... SAVE SAVE SAVE for a transmission rebuild. Ask me how I know....

A turbo swap is not the first thing to do. Get familiar with the car, how engines work, and how mechanical things work. A turbo involves quite a bit of tuning, planning and custom work, as there are no off-the-shelf kits for these cars.

I'm not disputing the value of turbos here, I'm trying to be realistic with your skills and knowledge. These cars aren't grossly under-powered, start with more simple projects and repairs. Maybe even get a project car to learn more, and try things like this on. An old Miata, or something else, depending on your style and wants. Something that if it breaks, you get it back home, and hop in the Bonne to get to work on Monday.

00Beast wrote:as there are no off-the-shelf kits for these cars.

You what? http://www.cartuning.ca/products/produc ... engine=l36

Granted the kit is for a Grand Prix. Familiarize yourself with the basic operation of your car, and have a chat with Kevin at Cartuning. He's located in Canada but you could still buy the kit off him I'm sure.

Thanks all of you! I definitely need to get to know the car a little bit. A turbo probably isn't a good idea right now. Thanks for helping so much.

Cartuning kit fits a 2000+ providing you do not have the cutout. Which will hit the sway bar if you put the car on a lift. Not sure on 96-99. I know there was a red 96-99 SLE that was turbo. Saw a dyno of it on YouTube. All the exhaust stuff should be a perfect fit. But the intercooler piping, should you choose to run one, will definitely need modifications.

If you upgrade the trans, cam the motor, the intercooled Cartuning kit will kill just about anything on the road.

However, I agree with Ed. While a turbo install is not tough(I'd say it is easier than a topswap), you should get something to tinker with to learn about cars more. A Miata is an AWESOME car for that purpose. Super cheap, and SUPER fun.

There ya go, that looks like a deal considering the new kit cost in excess of 3 grand. Plus, they say its never been used, if that's the case, then everything should not have been tampered with.

I wish I could snag the turbo and the injectors from that sucker.

I feel like Miata prices are going up. Seems more people are buying them for projects.
But have you seen the LS1 Miatas??

Miatas are so awesome. LS1 Miatas are just plain stupid fast.

Can we just talk about how awesome it is to hear a V8 sound coming out of these little buggers?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG7TUVjfcb0&t=1m18s

This 300 AWHP Evo looks like it's standing still. Plus to hear that downshift out of a Miata???? :O
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5EppwIWdMA

I know, I know....

But I had to.

Lot easier and a lot cheaper to just buy this one.

http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.asp?m ... =1&smode=1