Close

  • 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. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      Quote Originally Posted by AGOM View Post
      any compromise on performance?
      No one knows. Someone would have to do dyno comparisons of different exhaust systems on a turbo jeep (same jeep, same dyno).
    1. Yoinkers's Avatar
      Yoinkers -
      Quote Originally Posted by NOLAjeeper View Post
      That was the plan, but the shop had issues with the CPU. They couldnt get the jeep into dyno mode and once on the dyno the jeep would not shift out of 1st gear. They couldnt figure it out. Diablo and Prodigy had no answers to the issue.. Yeah was a bummer.
      heartbroken!
    1. Yoinkers's Avatar
      Yoinkers -
      Quote Originally Posted by UselessPickles View Post
      No one knows. Someone would have to do dyno comparisons of different exhaust systems on a turbo jeep (same jeep, same dyno).
      JL did a piece years ago on the AFE setup. before and after intake install, before and after exhaust install.

      If i remember right, there was only a nominal change.
    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      Quote Originally Posted by Yoinkers View Post
      JL did a piece years ago on the AFE setup. before and after intake install, before and after exhaust install.

      If i remember right, there was only a nominal change.
      The sound changed a lot, there was not a real power increase. The AFE intake was fantastic. The exhaust, and all exhausts Ive seen and driven have been more noise than power.

      BB wears her stock exhaust currently. I've had other exhausts on, but i like the stock unit's tone. I want to hear the SC whistle and the Pentastar sing. Thats music, putting an exhaust on drowns that out. Are there good ones out there? I'm sure there are.
    1. AGOM's Avatar
      AGOM -
      I like the idea of keeping it stock, because i am not one for drown or more noise.
      So if its not making a noticeable gain in performance than the sound of the turbo to me is more tempting.
    1. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      Turbo sounds are cool

      The turbo itself is quiet. Don't expect to hear the turbo spool up and whistle like a turbo diesel truck or bus. It's the sounds of exhaust flowing through the wastegate and pressurized air exiting through the BOV that you will hear.

      The sound of the BOV is causing me to shift gears later than usual just so I can hear it. I'm not sure I'll ever get tired of hearing it. I hope I thoroughly confuse someone at some point that hears the BOV as I drive by and looks around trying to find the turbo car that made the sound.
    1. AGOM's Avatar
      AGOM -
      Your killing me U.P....lol
      Come on prodigy ship ship ship.
    1. JeepLab's Avatar
      JeepLab -
      Quote Originally Posted by AGOM View Post
      Your killing me U.P....lol
      Come on prodigy ship ship ship.
      X2 on turbo sounds. It begs you to drop the hammer and shift.

      You'll be serenading yourself right into prison.
    1. AGOM's Avatar
      AGOM -
      😂😂
      Lucky german's !!!
    1. AGOM's Avatar
      AGOM -
      So i got news my kit is shipping today . Yeeeaahhhh
      Im already suffereing sleep deficiency, a lot of day dreaming, no work efficiency.
      Is that normal ..... Lol
    1. Snarf77's Avatar
      Snarf77 -
      Quote Originally Posted by AGOM View Post
      So i got news my kit is shipping today . Yeeeaahhhh
      Im already suffereing sleep deficiency, a lot of day dreaming, no work efficiency.
      Is that normal ..... Lol
      I understand. Will you be doing the installation or working with a shop to do the installation? Make sure to take some pictures before and after installation!
    1. AGOM's Avatar
      AGOM -
      Actually i will be doing the installation, i have a freind who is an expert that will try and get time out of his shop to check-up on me.
      I will do my best to get as many pictures posted, thats if i don't get too deep into the zone!!
      Will keep you posted
    1. jeepsking's Avatar
      jeepsking -
    1. AGOM's Avatar
      AGOM -
      anyone installed the Turbo stage 2 on an automatic trans 2012+ jk ?
      any pics or instructions on whats going on with the trans cooler and intercooler?
    1. Rob's Avatar
      Rob -
      I have to ask guys, how do you like the turbo better than the SC's I know with the SC it takes power to make power and not the case when it comes to turbo's. Really just looking for your personal opinion's since there isn't anyone around here running them. In addition, when it comes to the turbo I seen your dyno numbers, but I am just curious if you have gained any lower end power or is it all in the mid to upper. Thanks for your time and I have to say that what all of you are doing is really going the extra mile and I just want to say thanks.
      Rob
    1. jeepsking's Avatar
      jeepsking -
      Cant answer you cuz i didn't install mine yet. I have a question anyone knows if we can fit a turbo timer plug and play
    1. NOLAjeeper's Avatar
      NOLAjeeper -
      Quote Originally Posted by AGOM View Post
      anyone installed the Turbo stage 2 on an automatic trans 2012+ jk ?
      any pics or instructions on whats going on with the trans cooler and intercooler?
      i have an automatic, a shop did my install and it was a challenge for them to get the intercooler and transmission cooler to fit and to function. I posted some pics of the final install some threads back.. look for them on here and let me know if you need more pics. Hope the install goes well.. Keep us updated!
    1. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      Quote Originally Posted by Rob View Post
      how do you like the turbo better than the SC's
      I'm still waiting for JeepLab to get the Prodigy, RIPP and Magnuson Jeeps together for a compare/contrast driving session. You guys need to take turns driving each other's Jeeps then each write up your thoughts on how they compare subjectively (driveability, throttle response, "fun factor", etc).

      Quote Originally Posted by Rob View Post
      I am just curious if you have gained any lower end power or is it all in the mid to upper.
      The gains are definitely concentrated in the mid to upper rpm range. The lower RPM range is tough to comment on right now because I'm still working with Prodigy to resolve some annoyances in the 1500-2500 rpm range. If this RPM range can be fully refined with tuning, then I should theoretical have *some* gains as low as about 1800 rpm, because thats where the turbo starts creating positive boost at full throttle.

      There's about 1 psi boost at 2500. Soon after 2500, the boost climbs sharply to full boost around 4000 rpm, then full boost is maintained from 4000-6500 rpm. The kick-in-the-pants power starts around 3000-3500 rpm.
    1. UselessPickles's Avatar
      UselessPickles -
      BTW - I finally found a straight answer to "how much boost?": https://www.prodigyperformance.com/3...ler-turbo-kit/

      According to that page, stage 1 produces 6.8 psi and stage 2 produces 8.2 psi.

      There's some confusion about the waste gate spring ratings, because they are rated for a certain amount of boost with an assumption of a 1:1 relationship between exhaust pressure and boost pressure. The waste gate is a simple mechanical valve that involves the exhaust pressure trying to crack the valve open, while both the spring AND the boost pressure fight to keep the valve closed. Different combinations of turbo turbine and compressor housings and wheels result in different amounts of "leverage" that the exhaust has on the turbo against the intake air pressure, so different turbo systems on different vehicles can all have different relationships between exhaust pressure and the resulting boost pressure. To over-simplify it, the turbo is almost like a set of gears through which the exhaust "drives" the intake pressure, and different turbo setups have different "gear ratios".

      So TiAL's wastegate springs are rated for how much boost they will allow, assuming a 1:1 exhaust:boost pressure ratio, with a note that a +/-2 psi difference in actual boost pressure is not uncommon.



      Stage 1 includes the red spring, rated for 0.4 bar (5.8 psi), but Prodigy states 6.8 psi in the page above, and calls it a 7 psi system (small amount of rounding; fair enough).

      Stage 2 includes the white spring, rated for 0.5 bar (7.25 psi), but Prodigy states 8.2 psi and calls it a 9 psi system (that's quite a bit of rounding; I think 8 psi would be more fair).

      So this means the Prodigy turbo has *less* than 1:1 exhaust:boost pressure ratio (more boost from less exhaust pressure), and produces more than the spring's rated boost. Looks like the pattern is that we could assume that the Prodigy turbo system will make about 1 psi more boost than the waste gate spring's rating.

      I was seeing 8 psi with stage 1, so I must have had something wrong with my install (perhaps a small leak in the connection of the boost sensing line to the waste gate?). This explains why stage 2 didn't really feel obviously more powerful than stage 1 to me, because I was getting extra power from stage 1 that I shouldn't have had

      I'm seeing about 8.0-8.1 psi max with stage 2, so I'm much closer to "normal" now. I'm either within a normal amount of small variation of boost pressure, or I have a tiny boost leak somewhere bleeding off 0.1-0.2 psi.
    1. Snarf77's Avatar
      Snarf77 -
      Jeff - can I send you some logs later? I'm curious if we're making the same amount of boost at the same points.
    Untitled Document