Thread: Treadstone Turbo Kit Installation Instructions

Written By: Treadstone Performance

Thank you for choosing Treadstone Performance for your turbo charging needs. These instructions are only a guide and assume you have basic automotive service knowledge and appropriate tools. Compliance with local, state and federal emissions laws are the responsibility of the owner, some parts may not be legal for use on vehicles on public roadways.


To simplify the installation process it will be broken into several categories or installation steps. **An assumption is made that basic principles concerning safety and automotive service are followed: no smoking around fuel, disconnecting battery while servicing electrical systems, etc.

Hot parts:



Installation of the hot parts assembly is fairly straight forward. The center section and compressor housing will have to be rotated or clocked to an appropriate position. An absolute vertical orientation of the oil inlet and drain would be ideal, however this in most circumstances impossible to achieve, so typically a range between of 0 +/- 15* is more than acceptable. To rotate either and/or both the center section and/or compressor housing the retaining bolts must be loosened slightly to allow the sections to rotate.

The 2” to 2.5” silicone reducer is a tight fit, so installing with the hot parts off the car is highly recommended. The oil fittings that bolt to the center section of the turbocharger will be discussed in the “oil system” section of this guide and should be completed before final installation of the hot parts assembly on to the vehicle. The retaining bolts should also be left loose until the hot parts undergo a final installation.

If you have installed a header on your car previously this next part will be basically the same process.

1. Disconnect negative battery cable followed by positive
2. Remove drive belt from alternator using 14mm wrench on the tensioner center bolt, this is actually easier from underneath the car.
3. Unbolt the alternator top and bottom bolt, loosen any wires as necessary to set alternator aside. Removing the top mounting bracket will make this easier.



4. Loosen and remove 14mm spring bolts at bottom of header/manifold and set aside, also remove manifold to block bracket if present.
5. Unplug and/or remove o2 sensor(s) from header/manifold. Set these aside, do not drop or damage. If unable to remove while on car leave in place until header/manifold assembly is removed from car. Occasionally sensor threads may be stripped or damaged, damaged threads must be repaired or sensor replaced or damage to turbo downpipe might occur.
6. Remove 14mm nuts securing manifold/header to block. There is no need to remove the fans to get the stock manifold out, it’ll be a tight squeeze but it’ll come out. You can unbolt the top supports for the radiator to allow for more room to work. Remove header/manifold assembly and set aside.
7. You will need to bend the oil dipstick tube and AC line forward to make room for the hot parts assembly. Remove the dipstick before bending tube. The AC line is soft aluminum and will bend easily. Compare picture above to the one below.



8. Temporarily install hot parts assembly and hold in place with 1 or 2 nuts. You can now preliminary rotate the compressor and center sections tighten one retaining bolt on each to hold clocked position for now. Check that oil dip stick and AC line clear.
9. Look over fitment
10. Unbolt and remove hot parts assembly


Details needing still needing attention on the hot parts assembly are as follows:

1. Oil feed and drain
2. Retaining bolts and clocking orientation
3. Wastegate fittings and optionally the wastegate spring.
4. Check over of all bolts and retightening as needed

Oil system

The oil system consists of the high pressure feed side, the turbo center section containing the bearings, and the oil drain side. We will start on the oil feed side and progress to the end of the oil drain.

Oil feed:

The oil for the turbo is sourced from the oil galley feeding the main bearings of the crankshaft at the point where the factory oil pressure sensor/switch is. The oil sensor is located on the back of the block towards the passenger side.



1. BSPT to NPT adaptor
2. NPT tee fitting, 2 female 1 male
3. NPT to AN
4. Oil line
5. (Not pictured) 90* NPT to AN for turbo oil inlet.



Remember to use Teflon tape or paste on all BSPT and NPT threads, DO NOT USE TEFLON on AN fitting side of any NPT to AN adaptor. Screw BSPT to NPT adaptor into block where oil sending unit was removed. Screw NPT tee into BSPT adaptor, after screwing NPT tee in screw NPT to AN adaptor into tee. Tee will not screw into block if NPT to AN adaptor is screwed in first. Attach oil feed line. Lastly, screw sending unit into tee. Install in numerical order as shown in the picture above.



90* NPT to AN fitting screwed into turbo, note Teflon tape. Route oil feed line up and over or around the motor to the top of the valve cover. Do not attach to turbo now.



Teflon tapes job is not to provide the primary seal for NPT fittings, it is firmly screwing in the NPT fittings that seals them. Don’t go overboard, but don’t limp wrist it either.




Oil drain:

The fitting below bolts to the bottom for the center section. Use Teflon tape or paste on the NPT side of the NPT to AN adaptor.



Remove tape from one end of drain hose and slide one end of the stainless braided hose into the red fitting. It’ll take a little force and a twisting motion; slide it in until it bottoms out on the internal shoulder. Then screw the red fitting onto the barbed end of the straight AN fitting. Attach the hose assembly to the oil drain fitting on the center section of the hot parts assembly, and set aside for the time being.



Now turn your attention to the oil pan. You can remove the oil pan to tap it or you can leave the in place. It is considerably easier to tap in place. Go ahead and drain the oil and remove the lower stamped steel pan.

To locate the area where the pan needs to be tapped you will need to use the nut/lug end of one of the AN fitting to center and mark the location to tap the pan. Use a marker and a circular motion to mark. Make sure you leave about 1/16 of an inch along the top and right side of the fitting to allow the fitting to turn.



Once you have marked the area you will need to mark the center of the circle you traced.



You’ll need a suitable drill bit. A #3 Unibit works well or any bit that goes to ¾”, and a ½ NPT tap. Locating to tap might be difficult depending on the area you live, you can find one online. Using a Unibit gives you the room to tap the pan in the car with a standard drill.



Use a center punch to start a pilot dimple on the pan, and then drill the pan. You’ll need to drill the hole to ¾”; the last step on a #3 Unibit is ¾”. You will then need to tap the pan. Don’t rush this step, take your time, frequently back the tap out and clean the threads, make sure to use lubrication. You need to test fit the NPT to AN adaptor, you want it to screw in almost completely, but don’t go too deep, it’s the interference fit of the tapered threads that seals the NPT fitting. Keep taping until the fitting is close to bottoming out, the fitting must be in deep to clear the downpipe.

YOU MUST RINSE THE METAL SHAVINGS OUT OF THE OIL PAN. You can do this using a solvent like brake cleaner and compressed air.



You will now need to measure the other end of the braided line to cut it to length. You will do this by installing the 45* fitting onto the NPT to AN adaptor in the pan and putting the hot parts assembly in place w/ the oil drain line installed. Mark drain line, remove the hot parts assembly, remove oil drain line from center section and cut. Test fit again, it’s better to cut it long and have to cut it again than to cut it too short.



To cut braided line you must firmly wrap the area to be cut with tape of some sort and use a cut off wheel; otherwise it will fray and be almost impossible to insert the hose end into AN fitting nut/lug. The line should look like this when assembled. Note the tape on the cut end, tape must be removed before inserting the hose end into lug.



The oil system is now finished, remove the hot parts assembly and set aside.





Fuel system:

First step in upgrading the fuel system is removing the upper intake manifold.







1. While the upper manifold is off you will be removing the “butterfly valves” from the intake manifold. Take care not to drop the screws into the intake; you can retrieve them in most cases with a magnet if you do manage to drop one.



2. Remove fuel rain retaining bolts. Disconnect fuel injector harness connection at passenger side rear of cylinder head.

3. It is not necessary to remove the fuel rail to change the injectors if you do not have the fuel line disconnect tool. If you do, remove the fuel rail, injectors, and harness as one unit.



4. Note how retaining clips are installed when removing stock injectors from fuel rail.
5. Install new injectors in fuel rail with a firm downward slightly twisting motion, lubing the o-rings with light oil may help.
6. Reinstall retaining clips, take care to reinstall correctly



Modifying the harness

1. Cut OEM connectors from harness close to connector.
2. Note that all injectors have a common color wire (pink), this is the 12 volt power feed, the signal wires are colored differently for each injector, and those wires are the signal wires and are switched to ground by the ECU.



The pin closest to the connector latch is the signal, or black wire on the new connectors. The side farthest from the latch is positive and goes to the white wire on the new connectors



The white wire of the new connectors goes to the common color power feed wires for the injectors; the black wire goes to the signal wires. It is best to use soldered connections and heat shrink, although you can use other methods to splice the wires.



Assembled and completed fuel rail injector harness assembly.



When reinstalling the rail it will be necessary to add spacers between the rail and intake manifold due to the replacement injectors being a little longer. Stacking 5/16 or 8mm washers will work.



Follow the above torque sequence when reinstalling the upper manifold. Specs are 13-15 ft/lbs. It is not entirely necessary to use a TQ wrench if you do not have one available, but it is recommended.



Mounting the intercooler:

For reference the bottom of each picture is oriented as the front of the car.

Measure the intercooler and mark the center of the intercooler on the top of the core.



With the intercooler now marked, loosely attach the supplied brackets as shown.



Now we'll move to the car. This picture is of the power steering cooler



Unbolt the cooler and move to the side



You will need to remove both mounting brackets. You can do this by slipping the top of the loop off of the bracket.





You must cut the mounting studs off of the core support, try to cut as flush as possible. Touch up the area with spray paint to prevent rust.



Remove this bolt and reinstall 1 power steering cooler bracket as shown.





Open mounting hole up slightly.



Relocate cooler as shown



Mark center of bumper support using core support center bar as a reference



Slide intercooler in from underneath and support intercooler with a jack, jack stand, or a friend



Move brackets foreword check alignment, mark.





Now that you’ve marked the location, remove intercooler and drill pilot holes where market on bumper support. Attach intercooler via mounting brackets using ¼” x ¾” sheet metal screws.


Modifying upper radiator hose:

Start by draining coolant at radiator drain, you may also pull the drain plug on the block to totally drain the coolant from the motor and radiator .If you’ve never serviced the coolant in your car now would be a good time to do so.



The turbo inlet is blocked by the upper radiator hose. Note the orientation of ends marked A & B.
Remove upper radiator hose.



You will need to trim about 1 ½ “ from end B, and cut the hose in the middle of the straight section of the A end of the hose.

Insert stainless steel tubing into now sectioned hose, install clamps and leave loose.

Reinstall hose onto car and make adjustments as needed before tightening clamps.



It is highly recommended that the worm clamps on the tubing section be retightened 1-2 weeks after installation.

Intercooler piping 2004 and up models:



Turbo outlet 2” to 2.5” silicone reducer 2.5” and 2.75” T bolts

Connection A to B 2.5” silicone and (2) 2.75 T-bolts

Intercooler inlet 2.5” silicone and (2) 2.75” T-bolts

Intercooler outlet to outlet pipe 2.5” silicone and (2) 2.75” T-bolts

Connection C to D 2.5” to 2.75” reducer and 2.75” and 3” T-bolts

MAF sensor and adaptor:



PCV system.

The PCV system must be modified to maintain a smooth idle and prevent pressurizing the crankcase.



You can do this by plugging hose going to manifold, as shown above. A vacuum cap was inserted in to the hose. You can cap the PCV fitting on the manifold and running a breather filter (not shown). The other PCV vent on the valve cover can have a breather filter installed, or may be rerouted to the inlet pipe as shown below



Failure to modify the PCV system can result in the crank case becoming pressurized and possibly damaging seals and an unstable idle.

Vacuum lines:

You will need to supply a vacuum/boost signal to the bottom port of the wastegate (side closet to the valve). You can source this signal form the intake manifold or the turbo outlet. Sourcing the signal from the manifold provides better part throttle response, sourcing the signal from the turbo outlet will provide more linear response from the turbo. It is important this line be routed away from sharp edges and secured with zip-ties. If this line fails the motor will overboost. If sourcing the boost signal from the manifold it is ideal to use the fitting that used to supply vacuum to the “butterfly” system, as it is no longer needed, you will need to plug the turbo outlet. If you source the signal from the turbo outlet you’ll need to install a fitting. For the BOV you can cut the vacuum line running to the EVAP purge solenoid and install a tee. The EVAP solenoid is located on the rear of the manifold near the throttle body.

Wastegate springs and wastegate setting:

Typically the wastegate will stabilize 3 psi under what the wastegate is set for. Meaning if you run the 9 psi spring you will make 6 psi off the wastegate. If you run the 7 psi spring and 3 shims you will make 7 psi. 1 shim = 1 psi. It is up to you what you set the wastegate to. It is better to set it low, 5-6 psi and adjust w/ a boost controller, than to set it too high for your needs.

Final installation of the hot parts assembly:

The nut on the bottom of the manifold near the center of the manifold must be installed first and tightened gradually as the manifold is moved towards the head. Once manifold bolts are tightened, attach oil lines, both feed and drain. Install first and second intercooler pipe and if necessary re-clock compressor housing to adjust how the pipe sits, make sure it clears the radiator fan. Re-clock the center section to adjust how oil drain line lays as needed. Once you are happy with the routing of the pipe and drain tighten compressor and exhaust housing bolts.

Finish installing the IC piping. The BOV may be easier to install before the piping is installed on the car. There is should be an o-ring in the box and instruction for installing BOV to pipe

are the foglights a problem with the piping on the treadstone kit, like they are on turbonetics?

wow you made that look easy