I contacted turbo dynamics last week, to discuss modifying the oem turbo to overcome its weaknesses.
The loba in my opinion after running it for a while is a poor and expensive solution to the k03 turbo that we use. The standard oem unit is 1.1k and the loba is 1.7k. The only difference is an uprated bearing, larger turbine wheel and extended tips on compressor side. Although the flow charts from the turbo show around 270bhp at 1.7bar, it dosent take into account the engine its fitted to which struggles to run 1.7bar, thus your lucky to get 1.6bar limiting bhp output of the car to 250-255. Bearing in mind the car can achieve 235 from a good stage 2+ set-up on an oem turbo, 1.7k for 15-20bhp increase is ridiculous.(BTW a turbo company can create a imitation loba unit with your oem turbo for around £400......saving you £1300)
The problems that still exist are:
1. Very restrictive manifold(this and the ports in the block are responsible for the misfiring)
2. Compressor wheel which is too small to achieve good bhp figures less than 1.7 bar, which is down to the size, and also its not in the optimum efficiency range, resulting in too much heat which is a big catalyst to the misfiring.
3. The oil seal on the oem turbo is weak, and according to turbo dynamics, oil seals cannot be upgraded if the turbo remains the same(even if hybridized), obviously a concern if you want to run a decat or even a sports cat.
So after a helpful conversation with turbo dynamics, they are interested in doing some experimentation on my oem turbo to see what we can do to improve things. We were thinking along the lines of chopping the manifold off and seeing whats there, then fabricating a stainless steel manifold onto it via a v-band. then fitting a ko4 compressor housing and wheel(sticking to oem parts for cost and also availability). On the exhaust turbine side, we will see what we can do, how much we can bore out and if possible fit the ko4 turbine too. Target bhp goal at 1.6bar will be around 300bhp.
I was looking at a gtx2860r before this as it was the best solution for upgrading the turbo to a larger one, giving 320bhp potentially at around 1.6bar but it was considered to be a bit too laggy. If they released a gtx25 then that would be ideal but alas we are stuck with the old gt25 which spools at the same speed as the gtx28.
It will be getting sent in next week before I shoot off to Kenya for 6 weeks, ecu tuning is being done in that period and by the start of December, the car should be tuned and dynod and ready for battle.
Im sorry I couldn't get this down the strip this month but I will be first in the queue when the weather picks up next year. I'll update you all in December, laters............
The loba in my opinion after running it for a while is a poor and expensive solution to the k03 turbo that we use. The standard oem unit is 1.1k and the loba is 1.7k. The only difference is an uprated bearing, larger turbine wheel and extended tips on compressor side. Although the flow charts from the turbo show around 270bhp at 1.7bar, it dosent take into account the engine its fitted to which struggles to run 1.7bar, thus your lucky to get 1.6bar limiting bhp output of the car to 250-255. Bearing in mind the car can achieve 235 from a good stage 2+ set-up on an oem turbo, 1.7k for 15-20bhp increase is ridiculous.(BTW a turbo company can create a imitation loba unit with your oem turbo for around £400......saving you £1300)
The problems that still exist are:
1. Very restrictive manifold(this and the ports in the block are responsible for the misfiring)
2. Compressor wheel which is too small to achieve good bhp figures less than 1.7 bar, which is down to the size, and also its not in the optimum efficiency range, resulting in too much heat which is a big catalyst to the misfiring.
3. The oil seal on the oem turbo is weak, and according to turbo dynamics, oil seals cannot be upgraded if the turbo remains the same(even if hybridized), obviously a concern if you want to run a decat or even a sports cat.
So after a helpful conversation with turbo dynamics, they are interested in doing some experimentation on my oem turbo to see what we can do to improve things. We were thinking along the lines of chopping the manifold off and seeing whats there, then fabricating a stainless steel manifold onto it via a v-band. then fitting a ko4 compressor housing and wheel(sticking to oem parts for cost and also availability). On the exhaust turbine side, we will see what we can do, how much we can bore out and if possible fit the ko4 turbine too. Target bhp goal at 1.6bar will be around 300bhp.
I was looking at a gtx2860r before this as it was the best solution for upgrading the turbo to a larger one, giving 320bhp potentially at around 1.6bar but it was considered to be a bit too laggy. If they released a gtx25 then that would be ideal but alas we are stuck with the old gt25 which spools at the same speed as the gtx28.
It will be getting sent in next week before I shoot off to Kenya for 6 weeks, ecu tuning is being done in that period and by the start of December, the car should be tuned and dynod and ready for battle.
Im sorry I couldn't get this down the strip this month but I will be first in the queue when the weather picks up next year. I'll update you all in December, laters............
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