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Turbo removal without engine swap: VG30DETT

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Old 04-17-2010, 01:24 PM
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Turbo removal without engine swap: VG30DETT

Long story short: Dont have my own garage. Dont have place to throw engine parts all over. No engine hoist.

Therefore to avoid 2k worth of labor at a shop I decided to take the path less traveled and fight the masses of people who say this cannot be done without an engine pull.

So far:

Took brake cylinder off.
Removed steering knuckle from beneath turbo.
Removed intake and inlet pipe.
Disconnected o2 sensor.
Disconnected oil and water lines
Unbolted exhaust from downpipe.
Unbolted exhaust manifold from engine block.
Removed exhaust manifold with turbo and downpipe still attached out the bottom of the engine bay.

Total time was about 5hrs.

Gonna try to post pics if it lets me.
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Old 04-17-2010, 01:28 PM
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Pics are of:

Engine; Empty hole from which I removed brake cylinder and did all of the work from the top side (the rest was from any which way I could manage underneath); Car shot; Turbo/ex mani/ down pipe all in a box for inspection.
Attached Thumbnails Turbo removal without engine swap: VG30DETT-sspx0089.jpg   Turbo removal without engine swap: VG30DETT-sspx0087.jpg   Turbo removal without engine swap: VG30DETT-sspx0086.jpg   Turbo removal without engine swap: VG30DETT-sspx0085.jpg  
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Old 04-17-2010, 01:32 PM
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Ill keep you guys posted as soon as I get my replacement turbo delivered. Hopefully it will be a matter of reversing these steps to put it all back together.
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Old 04-17-2010, 04:07 PM
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cool deal....
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Old 04-17-2010, 04:34 PM
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Hey can anyone tell me if a sport 500 is the same size housing as the T25 (I have T28s but its still the T25 housing)? I know it bolts on directly but if its any larger it wont fit into the tiny hole I squeezed it out of That will be the only reason not to upgrade turbos at this point. Im saving a ton doing the labor myself so I just go the bright Idea of upgrading turbos while Im at it!
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Old 04-17-2010, 09:45 PM
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For reference, the stock turbos are TB02/22. And Sport 500s are basically stock turbos with T25 wheels and modified stock housings (a Sport 500 is a true T25).
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Old 04-18-2010, 05:16 PM
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Thanks Zlover. Whats the best turbo thats the same size? I have old school Garrett T25s with "t28" internals. They're old and rebuilt and obviously not reliable. Whats the best bolt on turbo in that housing?

Im assuming sport 500s am I right?

BTW car has 430rwhp so consider that.
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Old 04-18-2010, 05:17 PM
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What kind of hp can I sustain/build with sport 500s?
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Old 04-18-2010, 09:55 PM
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They're called "Sport 500s" because JWT designated them to be reliable for 500hp. Given that people have done 430rwhp on stock turbos (I think that's the current record, at least), you can get close to 500rwhp with Sport 500s if you support the hell out of them (3" exhaust, manifolds, dual pop with Selin translator, etc).

And just so you know, the "T28 stuffed into a stock housing" design is HORRIBLY inefficient. Sport 500s will be an upgrade in both output and response. If you want to go bigger and ball bearing, while still probably fitting into any opening you've created for the stock turbos, check out the Sport 530s.

Last edited by ZLover4Life; 04-18-2010 at 10:03 PM.
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Old 04-18-2010, 10:33 PM
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Cool thanks man. Ive upgraded everything you could upgrade so far so only thing left is larger turbos and a good tune and I should be around the 500 mark. Im running super rich (10:1) so a tune should set me right after a turbo upgrade. I have the JW chip so thats why its lean.

I just ordered some sport 500s so I post up when I get them!
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Old 04-18-2010, 10:35 PM
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Heres my cruizer runnin 11s at Mapelgrove raceway in PA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUZi4C9gOY4
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Old 04-18-2010, 10:44 PM
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Might want to consider Stillen or Ash side mount intercoolers, as well... less pressure drop, probably more volume and flow (depending on which FMIC that is), etc.
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Old 04-19-2010, 07:43 AM
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I have a twin turbo front mount intercooler. Dont recall name brand. Here's pic of it:

http://www.cxracing.com/mm5/merchant...=KIT001-IC0020

Last edited by Stronginchrist; 04-19-2010 at 07:49 AM.
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Old 04-19-2010, 10:26 AM
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lol, yeah, I consider that to be a cut corner. CXRacing parts are garbage and lack research and development. Point in case, an intercooler longer than 9" will result in an increase in pressure drop, which is why good FMICs for the Z32 (HKS and TDM Works) don't allow the air to cross the entire front surface - they're essentially two SMICs welded together. Furthermore, the VG30DETT has a cross-flow intake manifold, which means the driver's side turbo feeds the passenger's side cylinders and vice-verse. This is done for efficiency. Your FMIC negates the natural design (if CXRacing had done any R&D, they would've seen that... and probably not cared, since they sell their parts on eBay, where ricers shop).

Stillen or Ash SMICs will outperform that in any circumstance. There's a reason they cost twice as much - they have far more development behind them.
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Old 04-19-2010, 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by ZLover4Life
lol, yeah, I consider that to be a cut corner. CXRacing parts are garbage and lack research and development. Point in case, an intercooler longer than 9" will result in an increase in pressure drop, which is why good FMICs for the Z32 (HKS and TDM Works) don't allow the air to cross the entire front surface - they're essentially two SMICs welded together. Furthermore, the VG30DETT has a cross-flow intake manifold, which means the driver's side turbo feeds the passenger's side cylinders and vice-verse. This is done for efficiency. Your FMIC negates the natural design (if CXRacing had done any R&D, they would've seen that... and probably not cared, since they sell their parts on eBay, where ricers shop).

Stillen or Ash SMICs will outperform that in any circumstance. There's a reason they cost twice as much - they have far more development behind them.
We really need to sticky info like that!
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Old 04-19-2010, 12:53 PM
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How terribly inefficient could it be if the car makes over 400rwhp? I mean we're talkin spending over a grand for another intercooler or set of intercoolers but what will be my difference in performance? This is a serious question. I have money to spend but I want to make sure every penny is going to the rear wheels.
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Old 04-19-2010, 01:00 PM
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^^^ Have you read this yet? INTERCOOLER WRITEUP
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Old 04-19-2010, 01:19 PM
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OMG no I have not! lol Thanks dude. Ima go learn ICs


Edit: Just back from IC thread. Excellent write up dude. Definitely gonna be on my list of things to do.

Last edited by Stronginchrist; 04-19-2010 at 01:29 PM.
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Old 04-19-2010, 03:17 PM
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Good choice. And if you consider the intake temperature chart at the bottom of the first part of the writeup, you'll see that the difference between a good intercooler and a poor intercooler can easily be more than 65 degrees in air temperature at the manifold.

Last edited by ZLover4Life; 04-19-2010 at 03:20 PM.
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Old 04-19-2010, 03:52 PM
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Yeah that was the seller. I was going to get a performance tune after turbos but I may hold off and try to complete this project with 2 new sport 500 turbos and the aforementioned Still SMICs. Then dyno tune.

We'll see how this turbo goes back on first
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Old 04-20-2010, 05:11 PM
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Decided to go with a used T25 that I had layin around. swapped all the oil/water lines. Mounted turbo to ex manifold and down pipe.

Squeezing the assembly back into place was quite the chore. Took about 30 minutes to wiggle it up into place.

Bolted manifold back into place.

Decided to call it quits for the day due to daylight. Tomorrow Ill hook all the water/oil lines back up and bolt down pipe to exhaust. Lastly, fit air piping back into place and install brake cylinder.

So far 7 hours into this project. Hopefully 2 more hours should do it.
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Old 04-20-2010, 05:11 PM
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Decided to go with a used T25 that I had layin around. swapped all the oil/water lines. Mounted turbo to ex manifold and down pipe.

Squeezing the assembly back into place was quite the chore. Took about 30 minutes to wiggle it up into place.

Bolted manifold back into place.

Decided to call it quits for the day due to daylight. Tomorrow Ill hook all the water/oil lines back up and bolt down pipe to exhaust. Lastly, fit air piping back into place and install brake cylinder.

So far 7 hours into this project. Hopefully 2 more hours should do it.
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Old 04-20-2010, 06:29 PM
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wait wait wait... are you trying to use mismatched turbos on your car? I truly hope not...
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Old 04-20-2010, 06:43 PM
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No its identical to the one thats on. Guy who sold me the car said they were T28s. After studying the different turbos I found out they were T25s. Only reason I had that one laying around was because I didnt think it was the same. Ive compared every inch of the housings and compressor wheels and they are in fact T25s.

I guess he could have told me they were GT60s and I wouldnt have known without jackin the car up (note to self...not a bad idea next time).
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Old 04-20-2010, 06:48 PM
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You measured the diameters of the inducer and exducer to be sure? Because without doing that, I doubt you'd be able to definitively say they're the same.

Most people think the stock turbos are T25s, because the exhaust flange and turbine housing are T25... I'd bet the previous owner thought they were T25s as well, and stuffed a T28 wheel in there, which was a common mod a decade ago, before people realized how inefficient the design was... and if the other turbo is still that arrangement, you will have problems with uneven airflow.
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