Who makes custom VNT turbos?

vwmikel · Dec 19, 2007

Can anyone recommend a place that makes custom VNT turbos? I would want to specifically pick the wheels and housings used. There are plenty of turbo rebuilders out there but I don't know if many of them do VNT's. As I understand it you really need a fancier VSR balancer to work well with the high speed turbos and I'm not certain that your average rebuilder would have dumped their money into that. If anyone suggests Turbonetics I have an e-punch waiting for you.

shortysclimbin · Dec 19, 2007

Post up what you find... I to would be interested for sng...

Passenger Performance · Dec 19, 2007

Rebuilding a vnt isn't really more difficult in the custom spectrum, a competent turbo machinist and rebuilder can put one together for you. It is slightly more involved but its not like its an injection pump or anything.

Passenger Performance · Dec 19, 2007

Oh and most turbo shops will be able to balance the shafts, I've never even heard of a turbo shop without one. Every shop I've done work for has had 5 or more balancing machines.

leon10tagg · Dec 19, 2007

Turbodynamics in the UK have a lot of experience building hybrid VNTs

vwmikel · Dec 19, 2007

leon10tagg said:
Turbodynamics in the UK have a lot of experience building hybrid VNTs

With the weak dollar that's probably not the place for me to be looking

Sooch · Dec 19, 2007

I visited these guys once when I lived in Houston. They are rebuilders, and there is a performance shop next door that does custom turbo systems. Both the turbo shop and the performance shop do a lot with diesel trucks, so I would assume they are familar with VNT turbos. It might be worth a call.

http://www.turbochargers.com/

oldpoopie · Dec 19, 2007

why not give kerma a shot?

vwmikel · Dec 19, 2007

oldpoopie said:
why not give kerma a shot?

I didn't think Kerma really made custom turbos per se. I thought he had a menu of sorts you could choose from but his IM says otherwise.

jsrmonster · Dec 19, 2007

A turbo is a consumable, why waste money on custom when you can run oem twins. Low inertia, high mass air flow, and instant response can be had with twins. Look at what the engineers are building, not the mom & pop shops.

Passenger Performance · Dec 19, 2007

vwmikel said:
I didn't think Kerma really made custom turbos per se. I thought he had a menu of sorts you could choose from but his IM says otherwise.

Lookout dude.

Theres no reason for a turbo to be a consumable, not anymore than pistons or rods.

oldpoopie · Dec 19, 2007

If you look at it that way, really, arent engines consumables too?....
Not saying twins arent the way to go, just that I dont think anything that costs a minimum of $750 is disposable.

vwmikel · Dec 19, 2007

jsrmonster said:
A turbo is a consumable, why waste money on custom when you can run oem twins. Low inertia, high mass air flow, and instant response can be had with twins. Look at what the engineers are building, not the mom & pop shops.

Why would I want to go through the trouble to sync up two turbos when I can acheive my power goals with only one?

pdxgrease · Dec 20, 2007

isnt kerma in the custom turbo biz now?

jsrmonster · Dec 20, 2007

I guess I don't understand your design objectives. Is this car an offroad racer or daily driver. Don't tell me both, it was purpose built for something in mind. Got a roll cage and big brakes?

Just look what the truck guys are doing today, and see what the tdi guys will do tomorrow -

Dave, thats funny. I consider all active bolt on parts consumables; starter, alternator, injection pump, turbo, etc. Engine is not consumable unless its built/tuned wrong.

Jeff

TdiRacing · Dec 20, 2007

Why not run a non-vnt turbo? You may loose a bit at the bottom end, but with all the housings and wheels available nowadays, they should work. Yeah what is your main purpose with the car? Racing or street? If racing, it is a no brainer to run a single BB turbo. In fact most if not all TDI being run in professional motorsports are using the single non-VNT set-up. Big teams are using the T30R Garrett($6-10K). The VNT turbos are great, but not sure why you want to customize one. There are many varieties available in stock form in europe that could fit your needs.

mrchill · Dec 20, 2007

I think a custom vnt would be cool, and it has that bling factor(LOok! I am the only guy with this turbo!) but as mentioned, it may be pricey, perhaps more pricey than an oem option or twins. I have not done the research on the custom, but I am willing to bet its pricey. Look at Alllard. They do customs, then they menu them. But they are big money(to me anyway). Hope you get your custom Mike. I'd like to see something like this as well.

TdiRacing · Dec 20, 2007

Have you seen any of the Allard stuff Chill. Much of it is a real joke. They use the old log style manifolds and just bolt on a lot of different turbos to it. And, that recent article with the twin turbos? Haha had to laugh at that. Made good power, but look at the graph, all the power was way up high in the rpm range. You do that with a simple single BB turbo without all the extra crap associated with dual turbos.

I have seen a lot of their stuff and it is not that good in my opinion. They may be limited by European standards, so not sure why they use what they use. I have been working with a race team that used their stuff in the past, and they are going to a single T30R now. Those turbos are all custom built and weigh about 8lbs I think. Pricey but way cool. Bling factor? Hell yeah.

clove911 · Dec 20, 2007

I've seen a lot of log style manifolds with turbo's bolted to them create a lot more HP on a lot of different cars, than anything we've seen here. Is it as cool as tubular, no, but depending on power output, can easily flow what you need it to. I wouldn't completely knock the idea of having one standard manifold to be able to swap turbo's onto for a kit purpose. I don't think that anyone on here has tried to put more power than a log manifold can deliver for you.

Also, Mike I would look at that turbocharger.com site. Seemed neat. Would at least be worth talking to them. If my turbo on my project doesn't hold up, A custom is what I am going for next. So either way, def let me know what you end up doing. VNT ballbearing, or custom, either way.

TdiRacing · Dec 20, 2007

clove911 said:
I've seen a lot of log style manifolds with turbo's bolted to them create a lot more HP on a lot of different cars, than anything we've seen here. Is it as cool as tubular, no, but depending on power output, can easily flow what you need it to. I wouldn't completely knock the idea of having one standard manifold to be able to swap turbo's onto for a kit purpose. I don't think that anyone on here has tried to put more power than a log manifold can deliver for you.

Also, Mike I would look at that turbocharger.com site. Seemed neat. Would at least be worth talking to them. If my turbo on my project doesn't hold up, A custom is what I am going for next. So either way, def let me know what you end up doing. VNT ballbearing, or custom, either way.

Wasn't saying that a log manifold is not good. They used to use the PD130 two piece cast manifold and use the 3 bolt turbos on them. There are much better options available. That manifold has its drawbacks for high performance. It all goes back to the purpose of the car.

No use talking about options if nobody knows what the goal is.

mrchill · Dec 20, 2007

No, I havent seen Allard products in person, only pix. It seems that they at least have some options available. I will say that you are correct, that the end use of the car should be considered when selecting the turbo.

vwmikel · Dec 20, 2007

jsrmonster said:
I guess I don't understand your design objectives. Is this car an offroad racer or daily driver. Don't tell me both, it was purpose built for something in mind. Got a roll cage and big brakes?

Just look what the truck guys are doing today, and see what the tdi guys will do tomorrow -

Dave, thats funny. I consider all active bolt on parts consumables; starter, alternator, injection pump, turbo, etc. Engine is not consumable unless its built/tuned wrong.

Jeff

It's just a street car. I built the car to drive it. It does have relatively big brakes (11" with dual piston calipers) but no roll cage. I'd rather not deal with the added complication of a second turbo because I'm fairly certain I can send the block and connecting rods all over the pavement with just one turbo.

Passenger Performance · Dec 20, 2007

I'd recommend wastegated turbo's as well.

Rub87 · Dec 20, 2007

By middle next year I will use a custom also..

I was thinking of a new gen gt22v hotside as found on the 240hp version of the 3.0L with some compressor on it.. I'd wish TDIMeister had some of those "C226" compressors lying around

TheoSweden · Dec 20, 2007

-->Mikel, what did you miss with your 2260V? Im not so sure you used all of it´s capacity.

Well, I hope you can find/build something better.

Theo

vwmikel · Dec 20, 2007

TheoSweden said:
-->Mikel, what did you miss with your 2260V? Im not so sure you used all of it´s capacity.

Well, I hope you can find/build something better.

Theo

The 2260 worked fairly well but it doesn't seem to be up to the task with regards to the pressure ratio. I'd also like to refine the exhaust routing a bit more with a proper manifold and maybe a larger turbine.

Rub87 · Dec 20, 2007

Problem is we need high PR low flow compressor to give enough flow for 300hp.. Problem with all the oem vnt22 and vnt25's is that there compressors are not made for low flow and high PR's, so you get low comp efficiency, so higher EMP and EGT, and so less power..

Look at the map on the forum of the "C226" compressor it has a very good efficiency up to PR's of 3.5 at 25lb/min airflow, at that PR and ported head and cam.., I just love it.. this combined with a nice turbine from the 3.0L audi (Garrett), wich flows 300hp on the 3.0L V6 in the Audi A5..

Again you could also use the audi unit as it comes but then again you have the issue that the compressor is designed for max efficiency at PR's 2-2.5 max with to much flow for a 1.9L 8v head..

TheoSweden · Dec 20, 2007

vwmikel said:
The 2260 worked fairly well but it doesn't seem to be up to the task with regards to the pressure ratio. I'd also like to refine the exhaust routing a bit more with a proper manifold and maybe a larger turbine.

I understand. What you and Rub says is probably very true.
Now I have to run my 2260, everything around it is ready. We'll see how it works for me

Good luck in your search -Theo

StingrayRT · Dec 20, 2007

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LOOK...ryZ33742QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2007...ryZ33742QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

vwmikel · Dec 20, 2007

StingrayRT said:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LOOK-Variable-Nozzle-Performance-NOS-Turbo-NICE-ONE_W0QQitemZ160190808330QQihZ006QQcategoryZ33742QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That is one of those old T25 based Chrysler VNT's....not a GT series turbo.

StingrayRT said:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2007-Hino-Garrett-GT3571-GT35-VNT-turbocharger-turbo_W0QQitemZ180197557442QQihZ008QQcategoryZ33742QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I'm not sure we really have the flow for that one.....

http://www.squirrelpf.com/turbocalc/graph.php?version=4&info=yes&product_id=41

Who makes custom VNT turbos?

Vendor , w/Business number

Veteran Member

Vendor , w/Business number

Vendor , w/Business number

Veteran Member

Vendor , w/Business number

Veteran Member

Vendor

Vendor , w/Business number

Veteran Member - TDIClub Enthusiast

Vendor , w/Business number

Vendor

Vendor , w/Business number

Veteran Member

Veteran Member - TDIClub Enthusiast

Vendor

TDIClub Enthusiast, Super Secret Diesel Ninja Vend

Vendor

Veteran Member

Vendor

TDIClub Enthusiast, Super Secret Diesel Ninja Vend

Vendor , w/Business number

Vendor , w/Business number

Top Post Dawg

Veteran Member

Vendor , w/Business number

Top Post Dawg

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Vendor , w/Business number