Best Turbo kit / kits to stay away from?

[Boss Paco]

Originally Posted by jflogerzi

These are good questions. Also can you afford to buy a new engine if god for bid something bad happens. Most people don't think about that. Granted if done right, the chances are low, but they are still there.

Inherent risk of modding cars and hopefully you're smart enough to know it. Don't mod your car if you can't afford to fix it if it breaks.

OP, are you gonna DIY or have a shop do your work?

[jflogerzi]

Originally Posted by Boss Paco

Inherent risk of modding cars and hopefully you're smart enough to know it. Don't mod your car if you can't afford to fix it if it breaks.

OP, are you gonna DIY or have a shop do your work?

Common sense yes, but you be surprised people just ignore that fact.

[Reaper]

fullbown, great quality, no cutting, very complete, lots of power potential. in my OPINION the best customer service.


jdl, GREAT quality, some cutting, good price, great power potential


SBD, best bang for buck, some cutting, requires more stuff to make big power


avo, cheapish, limited on power capability


fa20, you'll never get all your pieces.

[cdrazic93]

I think there's an old proverb when it comes to car modding big things like the engine...budget yourself to a set amount, then expect to spend 1.5x that much.

[xwd]

Originally Posted by AllDayJonRay

From what I understand the placement of the turbo on the AVO kit is still within the skid plate between the engine/radiator area, right? Still traps heat more than placing the turbo in the trans tunnel, but certainly doesn't create the same level of concern with soak in the engine bay (melting fans).

Also, while I do not have experience with any of these kits, A theme I have noticed is people who have not experienced the @ptuning kit critiquing the length of the I/C piping, while PTuning themselves have stood by the design and expressed that they have no concerns that the design extends the boost threshold or transient response with use of "long" I/C piping, and have also shared that, based on their experience with turbochargers and other platforms, the open and free-flowing entry and exit of gases to & from the system (intake air & exhaust gas) plays a larger role in performance than I/C piping length. I have also yet to see an owner of the kit complain or comment on any lack of proper response or seen any data that would confirm that the design delays/hinders turbo spool/response.

I understand if the aesthetics of longer I/C piping is a turn off, but it seems that many people write the design off as 'not-ideal' for performance reasons (spool/response) with no data or experience to back up the notion, and in turn share this view as if this is actually the case. At best, this is an appeal to probability, but really lacks any evidence or data. If find this misleading to those seeking impartial* opinions.

I'm not pointing a finger at you for this, I'm just sharing the observation, as I have seen this happen quite a few times.

*Obviously, almost everyone on this forum's opinion will be partial to some extent. We're all human.

I am only speaking from my experience on the WRX which has very short IC piping with a TMIC or really long piping with a FMIC, and I have used both. The size of turbo has way more to do with response than IC piping length, at 4K RPM it takes almost no time to pressurize the piping with a smaller turbo. With the same turbo on my WRX and a small FMIC and associated piping there was a measurable transient response difference of maybe 150-200RPM. but I was using the car for autocross which is kind of a worst case scenario. I went to an AWIC on top in the next iteration.

[AllDayJonRay]

Originally Posted by dwx

I am only speaking from my experience on the WRX which has very short IC piping with a TMIC or really long piping with a FMIC, and I have used both. The size of turbo has way more to do with response than IC piping length, at 4K RPM it takes almost no time to pressurize the piping with a smaller turbo. With the same turbo on my WRX and a small FMIC and associated piping there was a measurable transient response difference of maybe 150-200RPM. but I was using the car for autocross which is kind of a worst case scenario. I went to an AWIC on top in the next iteration.

I was speaking more in a sense of the size of the turbo as a constant. Given the same turbo, according to what PTuning has claimed from their experience (if I recall correctly from previous threads), how easily you allow gases to enter and exit the system (intake and exhaust routing) plays a greater role in boost performance than the length of the charge pipes.

[sprintamx]

This may be a silly / obvious questions, but: the discussion in response to the original question -- FI of all stripes -- seems to be focused on turbo only. Is that because most folks are dissatisfied with the relative lack of power increase potential on the available SC systems? Is daily / driving fun and excitement just "better" with the available turbo systems vs. the SC systems? I'm personally going back and forth between turbo and SC, trying to stay focused on my desires for retaining character, primarily a DD, reliability, best out-of-the-box package, heat management, scalability, etc., etc.


Anyway, not trying to turn this into an unwanted turbo vs. SC Q&A thread, just curious why the SCs don't seem to be getting much love at this point.

[Reaper]

my turbo can make 280whp on low boost 91 and be very tame or make 450whp/400tq on high boost e85. Options. That's why I didn't SC. But lets stay on topic.

[FAER]

Originally Posted by Reaper

my turbo can make 280whp on low boost 91 and be very tame or make 450whp/400tq on high boost e85. Options. That's why I didn't SC. But lets stay on topic.

I call BS, 450whp AND 400wtq... More like 350wtq

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by FAER

I call BS, 450whp AND 400wtq... More like 350wtq

sorry, 461whp/393wtq but this was also on a MBC

[AllDayJonRay]

Split the difference (350>393>450), and call it a day.

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by lexusb3

It's all good I forgot ppl are still hurt over some old news last year to be honest oh we'll. there still in business and another member purchased a kit so they must be doing something different. Thanks rick

And I thought Toni was stupid...jeezus

OP: If you want to avoid bs, stay far away from FA20...read up on some of the horror stories (there is a reason they are BANNED from this site), that is all I have to say

[woode]

If I could do it all over again I would go with PTuning or JDL or maybe even Innovate/Delicious Supercharger.

As far as stay away, stay away from FA20Club. You won't get everything, and what you do get will be wrong and fucked up. His tunes will probably blow your engine. They have lawsuits pending, banned from forums, multiple aliases, banned from facebook groups, etc. I am pretty sure that if it wasn't for the internet and most of the people that he has ripped off and fucked over (thousands of dollars) being so far away - he would probably be a dead man.

[bren5279]

Ok so lots of great info, thanks a bunch guys. Im now leaning toward JDL uel or twin scroll if I can find a tuner (and a build thread would be nice) or SPD. Definitely sounds like custom tune is a good idea now. Ill be doing probably 95% myself since I do have a fair amount of previous experience, but will probably get backup help from a shop if needed.

Anyone wana chime in on SPD vs JDL UEL vs JDL ts?