What's the most reliable turbo for DD

[carbonBLUE]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

There are loads of helpful posts here you just have to actually read through it all to find them.

most relevant reply is below

Originally Posted by NahumCC

Eh, don't let people say doom and gloom about running a turbo since there are so many ways to configure one. What it will really come down to is the turbo you choose, how your controlling the turbo's wastegate, how much your getting into the throttle and how much spare room you leave yourself with the injectors duty cycle to dump fuel into the cylinders when knock is detected to help cool them down.


You don't have to buy a brand new turbo as there are plenty of tried and true turbo's out there from factory cars sitting in junk yards. Two good solid turbo's to start a basic build from are a Garrett T25 or a Mitsubishi TD04-15T. The reason I recommend these for a beginning setup is for 2 reasons. The first, both are easily rebuilt and are rather easy to take apart. The second is both are also easy to upgrade the compressor wheel and housing to accept a slightly larger compressor wheel making a hybrid unit. The T25 can be made to accept a T28 compressor wheel and the TD04 can be modified to accept a 19T compressor wheel. Clipping of the compressor wheel is required in both cases...the clipping of the turbine wheel is optional but it helps with spool up time by removing mass while giving up top end flow capacity.


The T25 can be found on the following very easily:
1993-1998 Saab 9000 (CS and CSE trims)
1994-1998 Saab 900 (all turbo models)*
1999 Saab 9-3 (In 2000 they switched to the Garrett GT17 which were not the most reliable)*


The TD04-15T can be found on the following very easily
1993-1998 Saab 9000 (Aero with 5 spd manual, these have a slightly larger turbine housing [referred to as a 6cm2 by Mitsubishi] flowing better on the top end)
1999-2003 Saab 9-3 Viggen (Has a 5cm2 turbine housing which gives better spoolup down low but gives up some flow on the top end)*
2000-2003 Saab 9-3 SE (Has to be designated a high output model, has 5cm2 turbine housing)
2000-2010 Saab 9-5 Aero (Has 5cm2 turbine housing)*


All the asterisks mean is to alert you the compressor housing inlet was designed with a V-band attached inlet pipe. The T25 on the 900 and 99 9-3 had a set screw that held it on. Another reason I list these is they are easier to plumb since these were before the BPV were built into the compressor housing.


After this period the 2.0L saab motors moved to the TD04-14T and the specialty trim levels (Aero, TurboX) got a twin scroll TD04-15T. Both of these have the BPV electronically controlled and built into the compressor housing.


If I were in your shoes and for the time being to get your feet wet and a feel for what gets involved I would do a battery relocation to the truck and then use that newly gained space to mount the TD04HL-15T have it tuned for no more than 7 to 8 PSI but tailored for a shoot up to 10 PSI initially. Match that with a good bar and plate intercooler it should get you a good 230 Lb-FT of torque at the crank easily.

+1 for factory turbo from another car. Small, fast spool time, low end boost, minimal lag, least amount of stress on stock internals. as long as the adaptation is executed correctly, it should last quite a while without issue and finding a used replacement turbo(that isn't abused) when it goes out should be cheaper than going with an aftermarket brand.

[cdrazic93]

+1 for that TD04..

[NahumCC]

Yup, the TDO4 is a workhorse.

And in case anybody goes the route suggested above saab t25 and td04 use a standard t25 flange between the turbo and exhaust manifold. The outlet to the downpipe is a flared 3 bolt circular flange. You can get the flange from Genuinesaab.com to make your own 3 inch downpipe based on routing needs for 65 bucks.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[MisterSheep]

Came into this thread thinking




You guys did not dissapoint.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by MisterSheep

Came into this thread thinking




You guys did not dissapoint.

Actually pretty impressive it stayed out of shit storm range. The potential was there.

[NahumCC]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Actually pretty impressive it stayed out of shit storm range. The potential was there.

Well I can't stand it when people do shit like that instead of being helpful. Fortunately in my line of work I can just give a look and know it'll get fixed behind closed doors or I'll go ahead and "keel haul" them myself.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[MisterSheep]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Actually pretty impressive it stayed out of shit storm range. The potential was there.

Oh most definately. Started off pretty rough too.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by NahumCC

Well I can't stand it when people do shit like that instead of being helpful. Fortunately in my line of work I can just give a look and know it'll get fixed behind closed doors or I'll go ahead and "keel haul" them myself.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

Meh. It is the internet and we fight.
To tell you the truth I was pretty convince this was a simply a troll thread until the OP came back. Not just that they posted and disappeared but posted a highly controversial subject that usually ends up in a battle to the death and then disappeared.
I like to be gelpful but that usually involves pointing to the place where all the info exits already instead of starting from square one with each individual person asking the same question. An hour spent just reading through this place will answer most general questions so things like "what is the best XXXX" really don't need to be asked over and over.

[RichardsFRS]

Originally Posted by cdrazic93

Not the case at all. Very few actually know what theyre doing when they tune it, and most of the blown up cars (even cars with trouble-threads) show logs from tunes that are just absolute crap.

So your saying I could bump up to 300+ without even building up? Just a good tune? I don't even want 300 in this lil car lol. I'd be in a ditch somewhere or worse. I'd like a subtle 200 at the ground

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Actually pretty impressive it stayed out of shit storm range. The potential was there.

You need that third volley for it to migrate out of ordinary territory, OP -> internet response -> OP response. This guy took it all in weighed it and level headedly responded, the fun doesn't usually start until OP doubles down.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

You need that third volley for it to migrate out of ordinary territory, OP -> internet response -> OP response. This guy took it all in weighed it and level headedly responded, the fun doesn't usually start until OP doubles down.

Or somebody to take the stand for him by proxy.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by RichardsFRS

So your saying I could bump up to 300+ without even building up? Just a good tune? I don't even want 300 in this lil car lol. I'd be in a ditch somewhere or worse. I'd like a subtle 200 at the ground

Thats a header back exhaust, and in the case of some really nice headers, just a tune to 200whp.

[RichardsFRS]

That's my plan. Full exhaust, header,intake and tune but what tune. I saw the 85 brings your mpg way down to v8 level. If I can get the 200 and still get at least 27mpg I'd be pretty happy.

[cdq85]

Originally Posted by RichardsFRS

That's my plan. Full exhaust, header,intake and tune but what tune. I saw the 85 brings your mpg way down to v8 level. If I can get the 200 and still get at least 27mpg I'd be pretty happy.

Getting the 200 on gas is a bit trickier than just making the jump to e85 with only a header. ACE has a header that looks to make that power on 93 IIRC. Don't forget prices are usually a good bit cheaper for e85 (not sure if that still holds true with what gas prices are now) so you make up for the 20% loss of fuel efficiency with the price. If I had e85 within 15 miles of me, I'd be running it.