HT60 Turbo Blankets

[Mike@Predator]

We are building a twin turbo big block corvette to compete at Bonneville this October.  As you can imagine the turbos are not going to fit in the engine compartment, in fact there in the passenger seat!  They are HT60's custom made by bell turbo but they are based off the ones found on Cummins big rigs.  We need to locate turbo blankets for them to try and cut down on heat in the drivers compartment.  Anybody know where to get them? Has some there no longer using?

[SWENT]

HI-= THE BLANKETS ARE USED IN BOTH THE MARINE INDUSTRIES AND THE TRANSPORTATION MARKETS WHERE THEY ARE USED IN BUSSES AND MOTOR HOMES . GOGGLE "TURBO BLANKETS" YOU WILL FIND LOTS OF VENDORS . HOPE THIS HELPS! _STEVE

[Glen]

Sure hope you dont spit out a turbine wheel, I don't think a blanket will hold them, Not even sure they are allowed in the seat area. Check with the rules committee on the SCTA web site.

[Blue]

Sure hope you dont spit out a turbine wheel, I don't think a blanket will hold them, Not even sure they are allowed in the seat area. Check with the rules committee on the SCTA web site.

Allowed or not, I'd want some armor and a firewall between me and a turbo or any exhaust component.  Turbo failure, turbo fire, exhaust breakage, etc. would all get MUCH more exciting when they're in the right seat.

[John Romero]

I would research the firewall requirements. It may be required that it be between you and those suckers!

[38Chevy454]

I was thinking the same as these guys, I believe you will need to have a fully enclosed box around the turbos.  One that is sealed and not open to the passenger compartment.  I think there is a requirement that there is no exhaust entry into the pass compartment.  So in effect you would be making a really strange shaped firewall.

Since turbo lag is not a major issue with LSR, how about mounting the turbos back by the rearend, there is an aftermarket company doing that now on street cars.  Sure you lose some of the heat energy, and plumbing may be a bit more work.  But it may be a better alternative than what you are proposing?

Since I am not an expert, you really need to discuss your idea with the SCTA technical group.  Also read the rule book as many times as required until you are sure you understand it.  I am still learning........

[McRat]

I would worry regardless of what the rulebook says.  After you watch a few turbos pop, you get gunshy. 

IIRC, a HT60 is about the size of GT4202R but with backwards snail on it.

[Mike@Predator]

Thanks everyone for the replies, I found the blankets at a diesel shop in Pittsburgh.  We have been on the phone and talked with the people with the SCTA and they said as long as the turbos were fully covered that it would be ok.  The box we made around there also has a trans blanket type shield riveted to it.  we were going to mount the turbos in the very rear of the car for weight reasons but when they showed up they were much to big to be to stuff anywhere behind the IRS of a corvette.  Thank you all for replies and concerns and we will see you on the SALT!

[jimmy six]

I believe the current (or the one before him)  A/GT record holder is a Corvette with the turbos at the backend of the car behind the bumper. It was  a kit. Sorry I don't remeber what was over them but I could see the turbos.....JD

[Dean Los Angeles]

I'm going to chime in with everybody else. You need to put this behind a firewall.

Sitting next to a huge bomb is exactly what you are considering.

The mere possibility of a massive fire, huge explosion, or an impeller grenading on the huge scale of an HT60 should make it mandatory.

[McRat]

STS makes a universal kit and a C5 kit, do not know if they make a C4 rear-mount kit.

It puts weight on the rear to boot.

[SPARKY]

Since this thread is a close to my question---lets keep the info in one thread--

I am also going to remote mount my turbo---I am aware of the tremendous amout of expansion due to heat---hense I am planning slip joints and bellows---but how to actually mount the turbo---do you mount it by the flange that bolts to it and the exhaust goes through?  I am aware of the  need to properly mount the waste gate on a "stick" to protect it from the heat.

Where is the best place and technique to mount the exhaust pressure guage and the air fuel mixture bung?

 Ideas, experince, and best practices  most welcome!

 

Ideas and

[JustaRacer]

Make sure the turbo drain is higher than the sump level, or you will coke the bearing.

Shields are wise for fire resistance.

[JustaRacer]

I used a piece of aluminum tube 18" long to isolate the drive pressure sending unit, and used a Honeywell pressure sensor from www.mouser.com.  It feeds close to the turbine inlet.

Technically, you can put the EGT sensor in the turbo exit and add 200F to the reading.  But I like to mount it before the turbo.  I use a GM thermistor from an LMM diesel (2008+).  This is bulletproof.  EGT probes from race shops are cheezy and react way too slow for my taste.

I mount remote turbos to the turbine inlet flange, and make it STOUT.   

[Dynoroom]

Bill, on 2 of these engines we had mounts off the pad for the oil inlet (you can use oil out too) and the small block had a sandwiched motorplate that worked well in our Firebird back in the 90's. All of these engines still hold records at Bonneville in their classes.

Have fun.