Ok so I finally got around to making this thread. A little backstory first, around mid September the turbo on my Solstice decided to die. The car only had 13,xxx miles on it . So I did what any sane person would do, I started looking at bigger turbos . When I owned my Cobalt I was always intrigued by the ZFR. After doing some research, it seems only 2 people between CSS and SolsticeForum have attempted to put a ZFR on their Kappa. It requires some small modifications, that's for sure. So I contacted ZZP to find out if they would be interested in selling me a modified ZFR (things like the wastegate bracket have to be changed), and they told me no , unless I would be willing to bring the car to them so that they could make the necessary adjustments as they installed it.

I worked some magic, rented a u-haul trailer, and before I knew it I was dropping the car off at ZZP back on September 29th. Along with that, I gave them the car long enough that they should have fixtures and tooling made up to recreate this kit so now Kappas should be able to order ZFRs without worrying about what modifications they will need to do to it. I picked the car up October 3rd and couldn't be happier.

Tim had done the installation during the week, and Matt did the dyno tuning while I was there. My mods were only 3 bar map sensors, K&N intake, and a ZZP catless downpipe. On the dyno the car only made 360 wtq, and 320 whp with 10 degrees of timing on the top end at 24 psi. Well, we found out that the stock intercooler is not sized for this turbo , the iat2s were going from 80 to 140 degrees F in just one 4th gear pull. That and ZZP's little dyno fan left much to be desired. That was disappointing. On the street was a different story. The car was able to take 14 degrees of timing on top, and the iat2s were going from about 80 to 120 degrees F during a 2-3-4th gear pull. Much much better. I have the dyno chart, but I haven't scanned it in yet, as well as a dyno video. The turbo sound like sex, expecially when you are standing right next to it .

Now for the pictures :







Here it is on ZZP's dyno:


Inside ZZP:


When I dropped the Solstice off, ZZP's cars in the background:



The car lights them up in 1st (did that stock too though), but in 2nd gear it sticks on most road surfaces (I'm still on the 6 year old stock tires ), and it pulls like a freight train through 3rd and 4th. She is already building boost by 2,500 rpm, and is full boost by 3,000 rpm. Future plans for the car powerwise include an intercooler (probably happen when it's stored for the winter), and putting my phenolic IM spacer on it, then I'll get it retuned. I would love 380 wtq, and 400 whp.

 

Makes me wish I had RWD too

How much did you pay for that car if you don't mind me asking?

 

thats sick, glad your happy with it

 

Matt is an EXCELLENT tuner and it shows! Glad you're happy with it! I know I would be!

 

I picked it up back in July for only $16,300 with only 10k miles on it . I drove 4 hours to the middle of nowhere Illinois to buy it off this 70 year old couple who bought the car new and only drove it around on Sundays .


Thanks

 

For sure. It still blows me away when I drive the car that there's still more power left on the table because of the intercooler so I can't wait for this spring. She'll be quite the little sleeper

 

sweet!

off topic but gotta say, i saw that zzp ecotec engine on the stand in person and i gotta say that was super impressive! it was rotating, lit up and everything!

 

Wish mine was as easy to install as this probably was lol.

 

awesome man! Maybe I am missing something but cant you just put in a bigger intercooler?

 

Oh I can, and I will, it just happened that I haven't gotten to that mod yet. It'll proabably happen over winter before I pull it back out in spring.

 

Sick for sure!

 

am i missing somthing here? only 320whp with zfr and everyone likes this? should be doing alot more on 24psi even on stock intercooler no?

 

You are. Due to it being rwd it has drivetrain loss. They typically make a bit less whp than delta's do. On pump gas, not an aggressive tune, and in need of an intercooler....I'd say these numbers are good.

 

^This, tune is not aggressive as stated. I had a chance to ride in a 6758 Sky over at Pwerks, thing was awesome!

Aaron, you need to check out the Kappa parts Pwerks makes, their intercooler would be a nice upgrade for you!

 

Scythe is pretty spot on. Not to mention tomj77, that was only what it dyno'd at. On the street we were able to give it another 4 degrees of timing, but we were still 2 degrees or so short from where ZZP wanted to be, due to the undersized intercooler.

I have had my eye on them for a while, it's actually where I got my phenolic IM spacer from. I'll definitely be looking at their intercooler.

 

looks like I'll have some competition to keep up with in WI now.. damnit lol

 

Very nice, you should post on the solstice forum!! I love what ZZP did with the turbo output elbow. That gives it a very stock appearance. Now, this is just my two cents worth, I would move that oil line, and put the stock heat shield back on. From the pictures, it looks like the power steering reservoir did not have to be moved, am I wrong? Add an inter cooler, and maybe some pipping, a E47 tune, and you should be able to hit your goals. I have been at 380 wtq, and 400 whp for almost three years. I would especially watch the low end torque on these motors.

 

Haha, yeah I lurk over there but I haven't registered there yet. The elbow mates up with the stock charge piping pretty well. I was also going to look at putting the stock heat sheilds back on, just to make it even more stock looking . I think the power steering still had to be moved. They didn't modify the backet that used to hold the power steering like they initially thought, but the turbo sits very very close to it, so much that I've been checking it to make sure it isn't rubbing.

Does running 400 hp worth of E47 require a 5th injector? I know E47 has been in the back of my mind because then I could run 91 octane, which is much more available around here.

 

You can get 400 WHP on a conservative tune with out a 5th injector. I didn't like the injection window miss fires, high RPM popping, so I added the 5th injector. Check out my build thread EFR Garrett Build solstice forum, mods Engine 2.0 Turbo pg4.

 

God If i had that much clearance to get to my turbo I would try a new one every six months lol

Seriously though it looks so easy to get to compared to the Ss/TC

 

Run our cam with larger pump lobe and you can push 400whp on E85 with your turbo.

BTW: Ryan did the majority of the install as we put together the new wastegate configuration. Tim does the install scheduling, but Brandon and Brandon are the normal mechanics, with fab guys and designers getting involved on new products like this.

 

Haha, I knew you would say that.

Speaking of which, you guys should get this option listed on your website sometime soon

 

It's not as easy to swap the turbo as it looks. It's a tight squeeze just getting the O2 housing out.

 

I know I'm totally bringing a thread back from the dead, but What exactly was done to the wastegate rod to make this work on a kappa car? From what I've read, the wastegate is what is getting in the way and hitting the chassis of the engine bay.

 

I'm still wondering why it takes so much to get it to 400whp. Lots of drivetrain losses or what?