turbo upgrade advice

Much discussed topic but looking for some current feedback on best approach for a small turbo upgrade. 204k Mi 90 740. All stock - cat delete, chipped, 38# injector, adj. Fpr. 13c @ 15psi. Car is a high mileage DD so - I don't think it will last long above 15 psi or 250hp. I don't want to drill oil drain so my options seem a bit limited.

I have a worn out 15g. I can refurbish it for around 400, refurb. + billet wheel for another ~130 or convert 15g to 19t with billet wheel for a little under 700. Also open to other options within these criteria. Money is not critical but I don't want to throw it away.

Nothing? Anyone with experience with both 15 and 19? Worth the extra $300 to go with the 19t?

you can rebuild the 15g yourself for $45

from what I understand unless you have a good tune 19t will invite the koolaid man to visit

Hi

19t is really nice.

Its standard to put the 19t on 8V turbos over here. (Sweden)

jack said:

you can rebuild the 15g yourself for $45

from what I understand unless you have a good tune 19t will invite the koolaid man to visit

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Rebuilding any turbo and not properly checking parts is asking for issues. Some work just fine with a general cleaning and parts replacememnt but most and especially high mileage turbos need properly checked. Like inside and outside bearing play. The most important aspect to check is the piston rings (or seals) and have the appropaite clearance. What happens is if you have excees thrust play (in and out) the grooves can wear and replacing them will be futile at best since they will have to much play.

Typically if you get the turbine and compressor cleaned really good and then aligned properly you will get by without having it balanced. Any upgrade will require balancing though.

Sounds like a 15g/16t will fit your criteria pretty well. 19t might be a bit more than you need.

Not that buying a little more turbo than you need is a bad idea, necessarily. Sometimes we have 'creeping goals'.

JohnMc said:

Sometimes we have 'creeping goals'.

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This is what I am worried about - I have a nice running DD that shows no signs of not lasting several tens of thousands more miles. My head says one thing but my foot is in control - so being limited isn't necessarily a bad thing. I need to finish the ls swap on my 242 so I can stop taking it out on my daily.

From reading TB, I get a wide range of opinions on the 19t - everything from "devastating top end" to "negligible over 15g" to "detonation machine". The main thing that concerns me with the 19 are the "detonation machine" comments combined with the persistent LH lean spike on my car. Nothing I have done so far except e85 (chips,38#,NPR) has had any real impact on this spike which looks something like this:

On 91 it results in a single knock >12psi. On e85 it does not knock @15psi on the stock 13c. I am concerned that rapid onset of CFM from the 19 may not be a good fit for me. e85 is summer only though for where I live so I will have to switch back to 91 and reduced boost in the winter.

What intercooler are you running?

My other car which is an Audi A4 has this exact same issue BUT it has 2 seperate knock sensors. f you are bothered by this look at the J&S safe guard. I am guessing you have a knock light but those really don't have the resolution of a good knock setup like the J&S. The safe guard actually controls timing to each cylinder and will pull timing to each specific cylinder whenever it senses knock and it actually adds timing back in if it does not knock for several rtations.

Basically it will give you ample security in a situation where your IAT are to hot or your AFR are to lean.

W+M injection can also help.

Running 27 row npr intercooler. No knock light - so just referring to stuff I can hear in the car. I will check out j&s.

Your running stock exhaust? That's the problem there.....run it open down pipe and you won't have that problem....and you'll love the way the car hauls ass after