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  • JeepLab Prodigy Install LIVE

    Ok, So the install went pretty much off without a hitch.

    The plan was for us, JL guys, who had never seen a turbo before, install it with the Prodigy guys watching for issues as we went. Our ace, Carolina Pete lead the charge, as usual. Like any true mechanic, it was hard for Wes from Prodigy to watch from the side lines and not get dirty with the rest of us.

    Wes was a master mechanic before he was 21. He owns 2 garages in FL. The guys knows cars, and he knows forced induction.

    Jessee is one of our guys, who offered to put his jeep on the operating table in the name of science. LOL. Jess was an excellent sport and was just as busy with the install as the other guys.

    Here's a shot of Jessee as he opened the Turbo.





    This article was originally published in forum thread: JeepLab Prodigy Install LIVE started by JeepLab View original post
    Comments 253 Comments
    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      Yes a sound byte is on the way.
    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      Here's the first vid!

      Overview and SoundByte

    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      my first review of the turbo driving is next.
    1. jeepsking's Avatar
      jeepsking -
      I am in a process of ordering one. Already had a talk with Dan Mara VP prodigy , hope everything goes well.

      There's a new kit with a ball bearing turbo water cooled coming soon.

      Thanks Ross and Jeff for the info's.

      Hope to get a technical supports internationally once needed
    1. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      When do we get to hear that blow-off valve? I'm interested to hear how it sounds compared to my stage 1 kit (which has not blow-off valve) when shifting gears.
    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      Quote Originally Posted by UselessPickles View Post
      When do we get to hear that blow-off valve? I'm interested to hear how it sounds compared to my stage 1 kit (which has not blow-off valve) when shifting gears.
      Its a hard sound to capture, as you have to be shifting on the throttle. Making the noise is easy, its getting a camera to pick it up that's hard.

      We'll see if there is a way to get a mic close enough. The sound is plain as day when you drive. Total pressurized air sound. ShPSSSSSSSST!!!
    1. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      You could try the technique I used in my video: record a video with your phone, holding the phone in your left hand against the steering wheel.

      Turn the volume up and listen closely when I shift to 2nd during the acceleration that starts around 1:25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cyAZSDR_m8#t=1m25s

      There's the "ssshhhHHHHHH" sound of the wastegate as I accelerate, then a "PUuuhhh" sound when I lift off the throttle to change gears. I expect the BOV will replace my "PUuuhhh" with a much more distinct "PSSHHhhh".
    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      Quote Originally Posted by UselessPickles View Post
      You could try the technique I used in my video: record a video with your phone, holding the phone in your left hand against the steering wheel.

      Turn the volume up and listen closely when I shift to 2nd during the acceleration that starts around 1:25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cyAZSDR_m8#t=1m25s

      There's the "ssshhhHHHHHH" sound of the wastegate as I accelerate, then a "PUuuhhh" sound when I lift off the throttle to change gears. I expect the BOV will replace my "PUuuhhh" with a much more distinct "PSSHHhhh".
      great sound effects pickles. I understand your meaning completely.
    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      More pics!

      We are stripping out the old down, and y pipes from Jessee's JK
      Attachment 895

      Modding the fan shroud to make room in the front of the engine bay... just a tiny trim

      Attachment 896

      Here we are feeding the new pipes down to the main exhaust.

      Attachment 897
    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      High Flow Prodigy CAT
      Attachment 898

      This is the place where the turbo will eventually sit
      Attachment 899

      Here's Carolina Pete putting it in. Fit is easy and perfect.
      Attachment 900
    1. Snarf77's Avatar
      Snarf77 -
      Quote Originally Posted by UselessPickles View Post

      There's the "ssshhhHHHHHH" sound of the wastegate as I accelerate, then a "PUuuhhh" sound when I lift off the throttle to change gears. I expect the BOV will replace my "PUuuhhh" with a much more distinct "PSSHHhhh".
      I love the sound effects in quotations. I can only describe my acceleration sound as the noise an airplane engine makes when starting up, a higher pitched whir, not quite a whistle, but a whir! The release of throttle for a gear shift definitely has a satisfying "pluhhh--whoooshhh".

      This is like those commercials where a person is explaining to their mechanic the noise their suspect car is making!
    1. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      Has a date with the dyno been scheduled yet?
    1. Snarf77's Avatar
      Snarf77 -
      Quote Originally Posted by UselessPickles View Post
      Has a date with the dyno been scheduled yet?
      Not yet. Still coordinating with local dyno shops to ensure we're a good fit. A couple options have been identified..but no firm date as of yet.
    1. DukeofJeep's Avatar
      DukeofJeep -
      Looks like Prodigy ran their Jeep, Jesse's Girl should run REAL well!

      Attachment 904
    1. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      I still don't trust Prodigy's stock dyno run. Torque is too high, and peak power is too low and reached at too low of an RPM. The Pentastar has a nearly flat torque curve from 1800 rpm to redline, and all other stock dyno results agree that peak power happens at redline (6400 RPM), and that the peak power number is higher than the peak torque number.

      Look at JeepLab's stock dyno results for comparison:





      JeepLab shows torque at 175 ft-lbs vs Prodigy at 203 ft-lbs. JeeLab shows power at 189 hp @ 6400 rpm vs Prodigy at 170 hp @ ~5000 rpm.

      Also, according to their dyno charts, stage 2 turbo (and therefore also stage 1) has a LOSS of torque/power below 2800 RPM. My but dyno does not agree with this. It feels similar to stock around 2000 rpm to me, with noticeable gains before 2500 RPM.

      I wonder what causes that sudden drop in torque at 6200 rpm on the stage 2 dyno...


      Can't wait to see JeepLab's stage 2 dyno results compared to JeepLab's stock dyno results for a second opinion.
    1. DukeofJeep's Avatar
      DukeofJeep -
      I haven't studied the dyno graph too well but I have always been of the mindset that as long as you test the before and after on the same dyno and similar conditions that is what really matters and should give you the actual gains. I understand what you are saying but every jeep is different, how corrections are applied to the dyno and such. Regarding the sudden drop at 6200rpm, I thought I heard it mentioned that the speed limiter was hit?

      I am very excited to read the full review, with driving impression video!
    1. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      Variations between jeeps (or dyno calibrations, or local atmospheric conditions) will not cause a major difference in the shape of the torque/power curves. With a stock jeep, peak power should always come at/near redline, and should have a higher value than the peak torque value.

      The sudden drop at 6200 I'm referring to is on the stage 2 dyno. The speed limiter is not an issue with the turbo tune installed (stock speed limit is lifted by the tune).
    1. Yoinkers's Avatar
      Yoinkers -
      Quote Originally Posted by DukeofJeep View Post
      Looks like Prodigy ran their Jeep, Jesse's Girl should run REAL well!

      Attachment 904
      This chart confuses me. Does the turbo hurt power under 2700 RPM?

      Why is the prodigy line lower than stock? Am i reading that right?
    1. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      Quote Originally Posted by Yoinkers View Post
      This chart confuses me. Does the turbo hurt power under 2700 RPM?

      Why is the prodigy line lower than stock? Am i reading that right?
      You are reading that right. It doesn't seem right to me, and their entire stock torque/power curve doesn't make sense to me either, as I mentioned here:

      http://jeeplab.com/showthread.php?14...ull=1#post2228

      And here:

      http://jeeplab.com/showthread.php?33...=1260#post1260


      The stage 2's sudden dropoff at 6200 rpm also doesn't make sense. The stage 1 turbo makes more tq/power than what is shown in that chart above 6200. I suspect the dyno operator may have prematurely lifted the throttle near redline. I'm waiting for a response from Prodigy about both of these points of confusion.
    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      Quote Originally Posted by UselessPickles View Post
      You are reading that right. It doesn't seem right to me, and their entire stock torque/power curve doesn't make sense to me either, as I mentioned here:

      http://jeeplab.com/showthread.php?14...ull=1#post2228

      And here:

      http://jeeplab.com/showthread.php?33...=1260#post1260


      The stage 2's sudden dropoff at 6200 rpm also doesn't make sense. The stage 1 turbo makes more tq/power than what is shown in that chart above 6200. I suspect the dyno operator may have prematurely lifted the throttle near redline. I'm waiting for a response from Prodigy about both of these points of confusion.
      Snarf is scheduled to roll on the dyno early August.

      That will be an independent stage 2 test.
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