Overview
In late 2018 I started a project to install a Hellion Turbo Kit on our 2016 Shelby GT350. This was my first turbo build since a DSM nearly 15 years ago (story for another day). As a part time weekend project it ended up taking most of the winter months. Last week I wrapped up the install including a street tune from Palm Beach Dyno. On 93 octane and 8 psi it should make a touch over 700 hp at the wheels. Let’s dive in.
Project Cost: $12000
Time to Complete: 40-60 hours
Difficulty: Moderate Swearing
Parts and Vendors
Hellion Top Mount GT350 Twin Turbo Kit ($11,500) - I opted for the complete system including the e-boost2, AEM Wideband, and the 95lb injector upgrades. In retrospect I would have definitely opted for the ceramic coated piping - wrapping is a pain in the ass and makes some tight clearances even tighter.
Palm Beach Dyno Tune (included in Hellion Kit price) - Hellion includes a remote tune from PBD as part of their package. I was initially hesitant to do a remote tune but Rob Shoemaker at PBD really made the process easy. At no point did it feel like the engine was in danger and it resulted in a smoothly running street machine.
Factory Repair Manual ($130) - Getting the service manual is always step 1 for any projects. For Fords you have the option to pay for access to the Motorcraft Service website ($22 for 72 hour pass or ~$2700/year). After my 72 hour pass expired I stumbled upon this website - it seems a little shady but it’s legit. They essentially log into Motorcraft on your behalf and pull down a copy of the manual. BE SURE TO BUY THE DELUXE EDITION - I cannot stress this enough!!! The links in the manual do not function in the cheaper editions.
High Temp RTV Gasket Maker ($6) - You’ll need this to seal up the joint between the headers and wastegate manifold.
Extra Exhaust Clamps ($20) - I decided to eliminate my resonator and found the Hellion Kit didn’t include enough clamps. Grabbing two of these 3” ahead of time will prevent delays.
Turbo Blankets ($68) - I didn’t opt for the turbo blanket option when I ordered the Hellion Kit. After seeing how close the turbos sit near some plastics/electronics I decided to snag a pair. These little bastards were surprisingly difficult to install - they are itchy material and you have very little room to maneuver the springs that fasten them. However I’m quite satisfied with the end product and they've held up well.
Wideband to SCT Cable ($12) - If you snagged a wideband you’ll want to log its output along with everything else. This is the cable you’ll need to connect it to your SCT X4 tuner.
Hose Clamps ($8) - The kit includes quite a few spring clamps for the boost controller and wastegate hoses but I prefer to use these worm gear clamps. I find them easier to position and work with.
Wires ($17) - If you opted for the boost controller you’ll need some extra wire to connect everything up. This wire is easy to work with and includes enough for this job and several others.
Extra Heat Shielding ($22) - I was paranoid about heat during this install and wrapped a few extra wires/hoses beyond what the install called for. Better safe than melted…
The Greatest Oil on Earth ($63) - I’ve been using Rotella T6 in my cars and motorcycles for years with great results. It’s a good match for the extra heat of this turbo application.
Misc - A few extra things you’ll want to have a abundant supply of
Heavy Duty Zip ties (Plastic and Metal)
Loctite (Red and Blue)
Tools/Equipment Needed
In addition to the equipment we identify in our Mad Lab - Mark I post you’ll need a few special items for this project.
7mm Ratchet Wrench - Ensure your ratchet wrenches set include a 7mm size. This will ensure you don’t pull your hair out when you’re trying to take off the front aero.
Boost Leak Tester - Unless you’re as good as me (jk) you’ll probably have at least one leak in your system. This leak tester doesn’t have a ton of reviews but it worked fine for me. Don’t forget to grab a cap for the other turbo inlet.
Hose Clamp Pliers - This install has you messing with A LOT of hoses. These will save you time and frustration - I used pliers for far too long before I opted to snag a set of these…
Right Angle Dri.ll Adapter - Anyone whose taken the nose off a 6g Mustang knows about the hell spawn screws located up near the headlight. These fuckers are nearly impossible to get to without some type of right angle adapter like this.
Long Socket Extension - The passenger header to exhaust bolts are a nightmare to get to. Do yourself a favor and go in from the top of the engine bay with one of these.
Misc - A few other common tools you’ll want to have handy
Utility Knife
Lots of rags
Painters Tape (for covering holes)
Containers for draining oil and coolant
Procedure
Hellion provides an extensive set of instructions for this install (~80 pages complete with pictures). Before starting I recommend laying out the components in an organized manner (it’s a lot of stuff!!!) and reading the entire install instructions twice. Once you’re ready grab a friend and proceed carefully using both the Hellion instructions and your service manual.
The instructions I received were version 1.1 - they were outstanding but are clearly written for someone with more expertise than me. I encountered a few inconsistencies and confusion points that I clarify below. Also keep in mind that some of the pictures in the instruction may be from a standard GT (don’t panic if they don’t match the GT350 exactly).
Step 7 - I suggest removing the underbody plastic engine cover along with the entire front nose (ensure you have the right angle drill adapter to make this easier). It’s worth also pulling the front wheels, and the wheel wells.
Step 35 - It wasn't clear which bolt to use with the adel clamp and none of the bolts in the hardware kit seemed to fit my A/C compressor hole. I ended up using another bolt I had laying around.
Step 37 - It wasn't immediately obvious which heat tube should be used here - I used the 12" x 1/2" one
Step 48/49 - There is no stud on the GT350
Step 55 - Pulling the wheel well back is challenging - just remove it. As mentioned above I would remove the entire nose as one of the first steps.
Step 69 - The supplied 5/16 bolt was slightly too big for the bracket hole. I had to file the hole a small amount to make it fit.
Step 83 - It’s not clear how to route the cooler lines. For the longer line - I came in by the radiator, route under the sway bar, then over the up-pipe into the adapter. For the shorter piece - I run along the inner wheel well and then take a straight path into the engine bay to the adapter plate. Hellion confirmed this routing is fine.
Step 98 - I suggest installing the MAF onto the intercooler before installing the intercooler in the car. I didn't have clearance to install it with the IC in place.
Step 108 - Once the oil fittings are installed they interfere with the clocking bolts. Be sure to clock the turbos to the approximate position before installing the oil fittings.
Step 140 - The "small" 3" v-bands t are the ones that say Clampco and have an 11mm nut on it and those are the ones that attach to the turbos. Not to be confused with the "big" 3" v-band which says "3.0" on it and has a larger 13mm nut.
Step 177 - The wastegate vacuum line instructions aren’t applicable if you were running a boost controller (rookie mistake). Be smarter than me!
Step 200 - Mentions a 90* fitting but my kit had a 45* - don’t be alarmed
Step 201 - The oil catch tank I received had an extra male fitting located at the top of it. I capped it with a bypass cap.
“GOD FUCKING DAMN IT” Moments
The Nose Screws - Some evil engineer in Ford placed a couple screws fastening the nose panel to the frame right below the front headlights. Getting to these requires you to bend or remove the wheel well. However, once you get a socket on them you have next to no room to pivot. Do yourself a favor and follow the lead of this video - be sure to remove the wheel wells and pick up a right angle drill adapter.
The Exhaust Bolt - As mentioned above the bolts connecting the header to the exhaust are nearly impossible to get to on the passenger side. This coupled with how tight they can be led to several GFDI moments. The only method I found that worked was to get a really long socket extension and snake it down along the headers, to the bolt, from the top passenger side of the engine bay. This will give you enough space to torque the bugger loose.
The Sticking BOV - During my early road tests I was having trouble making boost >2 lbs. My first suspicion was boost leaks (although in retrospect that would have been one hell of a leak). The leak test found nothing substantial… After some moderate frustration and a chat with Hellion I realized one of my BOVs was occasionally sticking open….WTF. It turns out the BOV housing is aluminum and easily susceptible to warping if you over-tighten the v-band clamp. After loosening the clamp the BOV issues disappeared.
The Boost Controller Wiring - After I resolved the BOV issues I was still having trouble making boost. My next suspicion was the boost control system. I initially suspected a solenoid but found that both seemed to click as expected when testing. Finally in an act of desperation I re-wired the system using solder instead of some slick wire connectors I used the first time. Like magic all issues were gone! I suspect it was user error on the connectors but from now on I’ll be soldering all connections.
The Road Test - In my excitement to get the car on the road I forgot that I had partially unbolted the front splitter before deciding to remove the ENTIRE nose (once again…highly recommended). During the first road test the splitter flew off - puncturing a rear tire and adding to the splitter scuff marks my mother-in-law had previously created.
Dyno Issues - During my first trip to the dyno the car greatly under performed. Only making 490 hp to the wheels. I still haven’t figured this out as it runs like a raped ape on the street. The current suspicion is a front wheel speed sensor needs to be disconnected to prevent some ABS fuckery from occurring. I’ll update this once I know for sure.
Wrap Up
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