Bignasty85

Ok guys so I got a Volvo hx52 turbo from a guy that I swapped a set of my stock lt1 heads and intake for I wanna rebuild it to make sure it's right before I go putting it on the car ! This is my first time dealing with forced induction so I just want some tips and guidelines to go by about what I'll need to pipe it up and where to get the oil feed and return and how to run everything I've been researching and I know I have a lot to learn but just want a little advice or help

97WS6SCharged

Bit of a small turbo for an LT1 but it should spool up quick enough to be fun. No idea how much actual power it will make but I figure it will choke around 5000 rpm.

Most guys will build a cross over and merge pipe with 2.25 or 2.5" mandrel pipe bends. Just have to cut & weld until you get it where you want it. Generally in front of the water pump.

Oil feed and drain fittings can be bought from numerous places and aren't very expensive. A -4 feed line and the biggest drain line you can fit (-10 or -12). You can run the feed from the port above the filter. The pan will need to be tapped for the return. Probably in the front left corner. Lines you can make easily enough with AN fittings and line.

Bignasty85

Yeah it seems like a huge turbo to me it's like 50lbs but on the mounting I will have to move my radiator forward to be able to fit the turbo right ? And for rebuilding the turbo what do I need to look for as in is. It worth rebuilding or buying a new one

97WS6SCharged

It's a turbo from a diesel engine so it's going to be pretty big and heavy.

Mounting will depend on the physical size of the turbo and how sneaky you can be with your merge pipe, oil return, etc... You can probably make it fit with the stock fans. You should definitely be able to make it fit with slimmer aftermarket fans or pusher fans.

You can pull the compressor cover and the exhaust housing and make sure none of the blades are chipped or have contacted either hosuing as a first step. That would also enable you to see if the seals are leaking into either area as well. As far as actually rebuilding the turbo you really should look into having it serviced by someone with the proper tools in the event anything needs to be balanced. Holset is a subsidiary of Cummins Diesel so you can check with the local Cummins service department to see who they recommend to rebuild one.

Is it worth rebuilding the HX52 or buying a new turbo? Hard to say as it really depends on your budget and goals. Personally I would look at a Turbonetics TC78 or something similar for a stock displacement LT1. You can pick them up for around $800 new.