Is the AVO kit worth it?
 

Just wondering if any one has driven or has their own AVO turbo car, and if it's worth the cash?

@Suko , I currently have their Stage 1 kit with a 6 psi , 9 psi, and 10 psi maps by @DeliciousTuning . I have yet to have any issues with my setup. Currently using 91 octane with a catless AVO Front Pipe, AVO Overpipe, and a Non-Resonated 2.5" Milltek Exhaust. I am still using stock injectors, fuel pump, and intake. I have yet to see the need to use bigger injectors. I am currently making 244 whp on a dyno dynamics dyno that reads about 15%-18% lower. Although it is a smaller turbo compared to other turbo kits in the market, their kit does has a linear torque curve similar to some superchargers in the market that others don't have. I will be switching to E85 and increasing the boost to 13psi as soon as I switch my clutch. At about 2400 rpms I begin to build boost of course after 1st gear. At about 3300 rpms I am already at 10psi and holds it to redline. AVO will be releasing the stage 3 which is a bigger turbo and might be worth the while. Price wise I believe this kit is worth it.

What Are your goals with your 86?

Yeah it's a great kit. Keep in mind with the cable, license/basemap, blow off valve, catch can, and the kit itself it will be around 5k.

Very easy to install if you're not afraid to wrench on your own car. It just comes down to nuts and bolts. You don't need to weld or tap anything for the oil line which is cool. The power is pretty much everything you need for the street. They're coming out with stage 3 in case you want to upgrade later.

Was it worth it for me? Definitely.

I'm looking to add a decent amount of power, get rid of the awful torque dip, have a car I can use as my daily driver but have enough kick to enjoy it on the track and the Texas hill country. I'm not looking to build a 500 hp monster and won't ruin the fun this car has by making it stupid fast, just something fun that won't try to kill me every time I step on the gas

I expected to spend about 6k anyway seeing what some of the other kits go for but this one caught my eye because of it being mounted so low I figured it would mess less with the balance of the car. I have no problem getting under the hood about how long did your install take you? I won't have much need for a stage 3 kit honestly for what I want the stage 2 kit might be over kill

Install took myself and a friend about a day. Ran into some minor road blocks that took some time running around town. You can see it in my build thread. Also it was the first time working on this car so figuring out everything takes a lil longer than it should. I baked my headlights opened while it was taken apart as well.

Realistically if I were to do it over again I could probably knock it out in 5 hrs with a lift. Maybe 6hrs-7hrs with jack stands.

The good thing about the low mount is I haven't had any heat issues unlike other kits that require a bigger radiator/ oil cooler. I'll be going to the track later this month so I'll put it to the test even more. So far 4k miles with no issues. A few bugs I had to fix but nothing major.

just wondering, is it a external or internal wastegate?
if its internal, anyone experience any boost spike during cold weather?
and if external, does it bump back into the exhaust?

No.

Here's a few runs done while adjusting my maps, as you can see with shitty 91oct most of the torque dip is gone.

All depends on your goals. The AVO stage 1 kit is perfect for someone looking to daily drive and aim for around 225whp on presumably pretty low boost.

On the other hand, if you choose to stay NA, as of late there have been a few people on this forum getting closer to 225whp and unfortunately the 5k you've spent on your turbo kit becomes a bit overkill. With a header, full catless exhaust, filter, e85 and tune you're looking at around 200-205whp for a fraction of the cost (185-190whp on 93).

If you get the kit, inspect the manifold really good. There have been a few cases of exhaust leaks in the flanges and the whole turbo/manifold/turbo downpipe assembly not fitting properly and connecting with the Opverpipe.

Aside from that, really explore your goals and how high you want to go. Also keep in mind they are developing a larger turbo that might suit you better and have more options for higher power down the road.

I'm very happy with my AVO purchase. Like any mod make sure you have the right support: manufacturer/vendor warranty, reliable shop for the install, tune. I use the canned tune from AVO and I could not believe how good it is. Previous to this I always went with custom tunes.
It's true that NA e85 tuned cars can break past 200whp but the torque gain from the turbo is where the money goes.

This seems like the kit for me, but I'd like to see some dyno runs if any one has some. Another question is there chance for upgrades to this kit such as a bigger turbo?

Here's a dyno
Stage 1.5
Absolutely love it!