1987 Buick Turbo Turbocharger Install - Power Trip

With the ECU side free, Alex disconnects any remaining connections, then unclips the harness from the firewall and removes it entirely.

I was just as excited about the Casper's Electronics harness as I was for the power parts, and for good reason: this build is just as much about reliability as it is about speed, and I'd been concerned about the old harness for some time.

The custom harness that I ordered featured extended wires, high-quality Packard connectors, a firewall grommet and retaining clamps, and labels to ensure a trouble-free installation.

Junior arranges the new harness wires by driver and passenger side, then lifts it into the engine bay. On the custom harness, Casper's uses 16-gauge wire and 14-gauge injector wires to benefit low-impedance injectors (GM's harness used smaller 18-gauge throughout). Length is added to all connections for install ease and to avoid binding or rubbing. Because I got the custom harness (PN 109032, created for LC2 engine swaps), it is made to order-Casper's will move relays, move/delete sensor wires, relocate the ignition module, delete A/C connectors, etc. at your request. PN 109030 is the factory replacement harness for TRs-it still has extended wires but every connector is as-stock and all wires are 16 gauge.

The ECU connectors and firewall grommet are run through the inner fender and to the cabin.

Turning our attention back to the nearly complete Turbo V-6: Unlike with other hot rods, headers aren't the first mods with TRs. With decent flow afforded by the stock manifolds, and older header designs gaining the reputation as "slow spoolers," many guys skip them altogether and just weld up the stockers when they crack. However, the newest wave of Turbo V-6 headers promises great flow with good street manners-enter TA Performance.

These 1.5-inch-primary pieces feature thick tubing to combat the cracking problem, .5-inch laser-cut flanges, compatibility with 8- or 14-bolt heads, good spark plug and bolt access, dual O2 bungs, and either mild steel, mild steel with high-temp coating, or stainless construction. They're available in 3- or 4-bolt configurations. Junior bolts the driver- and passenger-side headers up using the included 12 bolts.

As I would be retaining the Auto Meter EGT previously installed with the GNX dash, I had the EGT bung TIG welded into the passenger-side TA header.