Turbo Install: We Add 200+ HP to a 5th-Gen. Camaro SS with a Turbonetics Turbo

Plain, boring, unassuming, the stock 5th Gen Camaro SS engine compartment is like watching extreme knitting on PBS while listening to Kenny G and organizing your sock drawer.

To get started the front nose cover has to come off the car, along with the actual steel bumper behind it, and the driver’s side headlight assembly. It’s all held in with clips and simple bolts, not difficult to remove.

The factory airbox is also removed to make space for the actual turbo. The filter and intake are relocated to the other side of the car.

The main fuse/relay box is also unbolted to be relocated. It’s a good idea to disconnect the battery during this install. The actual relay block removes from its retainer box so you can get to the bolts holding it on the passenger inner fender.

This elbow changes the position of the A/C pressure switch and is part of the kit.

The fuel rail needs to be pulled so the included larger injectors can be installed. This ensures you’ll always have plenty of fuel even when full boost is applied, greatly reducing the risk of a lean situation that could lead to detonation and engine damage.

Part of the install is splicing into the engine’s oil and cooling system to feed the turbo a steady supply of both. All the necessary fittings are included, along with precise instructions on how to install them without harming anything.

Coolant and oil are fed to the turbocharger to keep the bearings properly lubed and also cool no matter how hot the body gets from the exhaust passing through it. This greatly extends turbo life and reduces maintenance. BUT, it also means keeping up with your oil changes and regular cooling system flushes, and using quality products for both.

Because of the A/C and power steering lines passing so close to the exhaust feed piping for the turbo, we installed some Heatshield Products Thermaflect Sleeve to protect these lines from ambient heat damage, and keep the fluids inside them cool so neither would be adversely affected.

The air-to-air intercooler installs in front of the core support but will be behind the bumper. Everything in this area is a snug fit, but it fits without having to cut or grind anything.

Time to install the purveyor of magic and powah! The kit uses a T76 Ceramic Ball Bearing turbocharger that is controlled by two 35mm wastegates. It installs where the factory airbox used to be located.

One of the keys to power is keeping the air being fed into the engine as cool as possible. Even with the main intercooler, because the intake piping passes close to the exhaust piping, the intake pipes can be heated and transfer that heat to the air. We used some Heatshield Products Heatshield Armor to insulate the intake piping from exhaust heat. You can also use a high temp exhaust wrap, but the Heatshield Armor is much easier to install.

The forward section of the exhaust system after the cats is cut away to make way for all the new turbocharger intake and exhaust piping. Everything is pre-cut and pre-bent for easy installation. The twin 35mm wastegates are located back here on each side of the car.

The more exhaust heat you have, the faster the exhaust gas velocity, and thereby faster the turbo spools up when it’s time for boost. That means keeping as much heat as possible on the hot side of the turbo housing is important. The kit comes with a standard turbo shield, but we upgraded to a Heatshield Products Lava Turbo Shield to keep even more heat in the system, and also cut ambient underhood heat even more. And, it adds some visual pop as well.

To protect the radiator hoses from the extra ambient heat of the turbo system and make sure that heat didn’t put extra strain on the cooling system, we installed some Heatshield Products HP Hose Sleeve to protect the radiator hoses.

The stock washer fluid reservoir and radiator expansion/fill tank are removed, replaced, and relocated onto the driver’s side shock tower using the included new tanks.

The kit also includes new NGK TR6 spark plugs to replace the factory platinum plugs. When a turbo is used plug gaps are tightened from factory specs to make sure when boost is applied the spark isn’t “blown out” by all the extra air being forced into the combustion chamber. These are non-platinum plugs because they have to be gapped. Using platinum plugs is NOT recommended here because of their small electrode.

We performed a fresh oil change to go with the install, and upgraded to Royal Purple’s HPS 10W-30 synthetic oil and oil filter. High quality oil and filtration are a must for any turbo equipped engine, and Royal Purple’s materials are some of the best on the market. (Image/Patrick Hill)

The last thing to do is plug in the included Diablosport tuner and reflash the ECU with the specially developed turbo tune optimized for this system. The unit stores a copy of the car’s factory/stock tune in case you ever need it as well.

Once everything is all buttoned up, here’s how the engine compartment will look. Much more lively than before, the kind of engine compartment that will strip the paint off your house and give any bystanders a permanent orange afro. And until you open the hood, no one will have any idea the Hulk-level punch you’re packing because of the nice and quiet turbo versus an instantly recognizable supercharger whine.