Non VW diesel turbo upgrades

D

Drunkaroos

Active member
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Location
Canada, eh?
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI (300K!)
The time has come to replace the stock turbo on my 06 Jetta with something better. BUT... the shop I was going to buy from increased the price of the turbo I wanted from 699 USD to 999 USD, which I cannot reasonably afford with my high school budget.
The solution I was thinking of was buying a diesel turbocharger from a similar VAG model or even something like a Cummins and slapping it on there. I know it will require some work and maybe some custom fab work + ARP head studs but the end result will still be cheaper than overpaying for a PD140 turbo (and hopefully more powerful).

My question is HOW MUCH work will it take to hook it up and make it work properly without blowing something important? I know I'll need at least some custom piping, maybe a different intercooler and some oil feed lines, but how will I attach to the head? Has anyone done something similar to this?
 
E

Enabled

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Manual, BMW 328d SW
You'll do all that work and gain nothing in terms of power.

Fuel is what will give you the extra energy for power. Slapping on a larger turbo will do nothing to fuel.

It will not be cheaper to rig a turbo and get it to run right, and get something meaningful out of it.
 
D

Drunkaroos

Active member
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Location
Canada, eh?
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI (300K!)
Enabled said:
You'll do all that work and gain nothing in terms of power.

Fuel is what will give you the extra energy for power. Slapping on a larger turbo will do nothing to fuel.

It will not be cheaper to rig a turbo and get it to run right, and get something meaningful out of it.
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So you're suggesting I put the money into nozzles instead? I have considered them in the past but haven't pulled the trigger yet since the "calibration" seems to cost about as much as a set of nozzles. Do you actually need to calibrate them or is it just a scam?
 
TDIMeister

TDIMeister

Phd of TDIClub Enthusiast, Moderator at Large
Joined
May 1, 1999
Location
Canada
TDI
TDI
Do you NEED to replace the turbo (blown, leaking oil or not making boost?) or is it just a WANT?

First step for performance enhancement for your 06 PD TDI is an ECU re-map on all-stock hardware. I've been out of the market for a number of years so I've lost touch as to how much they cost, but go with any one of the reputed tuners here and don't attempt to go cheap with eBay or dubious and obscure sources.
 
D

Drunkaroos

Active member
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Location
Canada, eh?
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI (300K!)
TDIMeister said:
Do you NEED to replace the turbo (blown, leaking oil or not making boost?) or is it just a WANT?

First step for performance enhancement for your 06 PD TDI is an ECU re-map on all-stock hardware. I've been out of the market for a number of years so I've lost touch as to how much they cost, but go with any one of the reputed tuners here and don't attempt to go cheap with eBay or dubious and obscure sources.
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Only reason I don't have it tuned right now is that I have it fully straight piped and I've heard that boost spikes can occur. The turbo is leaking a little oil but not enough to need replacement so its more of a "want" thing. I also kinda want something dumb but fun that I can work on with my father and trying to put a cummins turbo on it or something gets him all excited.
 
TDIMeister

TDIMeister

Phd of TDIClub Enthusiast, Moderator at Large
Joined
May 1, 1999
Location
Canada
TDI
TDI
Well, your 06 is going to look for a vane position sensor signal (the plug on the vacuum vane actuator can) that no Holset (Cummins) turbo has. Selecting a turbo is more involved than simply slapping one on that tickles your fancy - size does matter and too big almost always brings remorse and regret on a daily drive when you lose the responsiveness you enjoy with a stock-ish size.

There are good upgrade options but given your stated high-school budget, you'd best get a remap first and save up for good hardware upgrades in the near future. A good tuner is well aware of the BRM boost creep issue especially with a straight pipe and this can be programmed not to be an issue at all.

Probably before your time but Forrest Gump said, "stupid is as stupid does." There's fun and enlightenment to modding TDIs and there's the plain dumb approach. I lurked and first joined TDIClub in my early 20s all bright-eyed and idealistic. Now at 41, with 2 postgraduate engineering degrees (incidentally a masters with turbocharging as my thesis subject), I can say I've seen quite a bit on both sides of the smart and dumb spectrum.
 
D

Drunkaroos

Active member
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Location
Canada, eh?
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI (300K!)
TDIMeister said:
Well, your 06 is going to look for a vane position sensor signal (the plug on the vacuum vane actuator can) that no Holset (Cummins) turbo has. Selecting a turbo is more involved than simply slapping one on that tickles your fancy - size does matter and too big almost always brings remorse and regret on a daily drive when you lose the responsiveness you enjoy with a stock-ish size.

There are good upgrade options but given your stated high-school budget, you'd best get a remap first and save up for good hardware upgrades in the near future. A good tuner is well aware of the BRM boost creep issue especially with a straight pipe and this can be programmed not to be an issue at all.

Probably before your time but Forrest Gump said, "stupid is as stupid does." There's fun and enlightenment to modding TDIs and there's the plain dumb approach. I lurked and first joined TDIClub in my early 20s all bright-eyed and idealistic. Now at 41, with 2 postgraduate engineering degrees (incidentally a masters with turbocharging as my thesis subject), I can say I've seen quite a bit on both sides of the smart and dumb spectrum.
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Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely look into a proper remap (most likely from Malone). I also enjoyed the Forrest Gump reference: I love movies from the 80's and 90's and kinda prefer them to most modern films :D
 
E

Enabled

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Manual, BMW 328d SW
The tune has heavy influence on how boost spikes happen, even if you don't have any exhaust. A copy paste tune will not usually account for your specific modifications, but may work "fine".
 
keaton

keaton

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2009
Location
Mesa AZ, 85202
TDI
TDI-less ATM
boost creep on a BRM happens when you remove the CAT. if you have a straight pipes with the CAT its not an issues. I ran my MK5 TDI that way for years without issue.
 
4

[486]

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Location
MN
TDI
02 golf ALH
Drunkaroos said:
I'll definitely look into a proper remap (most likely from Malone).
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Or you can dive right in, get the chinese MPPS cable and learn a whole bunch, smacking your head against every hard surface it'll reach the whole time!
I came out the other end of that one being mostly able to get the car to do what I want after only about a year of on and off rage inducing confusion. :p

To answer your initial question of slapping some other turbo on it, just about anything will work as a single with acceptable driveability. Little GT12s to relatively large HX35s. Making them actually fit does kind of mean you get into other expensive hobbies like metalworking in general. Lots of tools to buy.
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Drunkaroos said:
The time has come to replace the stock turbo on my 06 Jetta with something better. BUT... the shop I was going to buy from increased the price of the turbo I wanted from 699 USD to 999 USD, which I cannot reasonably afford with my high school budget.
The solution I was thinking of was buying a diesel turbocharger from a similar VAG model or even something like a Cummins and slapping it on there. I know it will require some work and maybe some custom fab work + ARP head studs but the end result will still be cheaper than overpaying for a PD140 turbo (and hopefully more powerful).
My question is HOW MUCH work will it take to hook it up and make it work properly without blowing something important? I know I'll need at least some custom piping, maybe a different intercooler and some oil feed lines, but how will I attach to the head? Has anyone done something similar to this?
Click to expand...
Since I wish I had someone besides my father tell me this when I was in your shoes: STOP WASTING MONEY ON CARS. If you are in high school, concentrate on that. Get educated and get a decent job, vocational, higher education, whatever. Learn a trade, do something that gets you into a comfortable position. THEN you'll be able to better decide what you want to play with... cars, girls, whatever...

Just keep your Jetta in good, stock, working order. Don't abuse it. Don't neglect it. You'll thank me later.:cool:
 
G

GoFaster

Moderator at Large
Joined
Jun 16, 1999
Location
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Yup. Spend the money on proper maintenance, and leave well enough alone in terms of hardware and software. You need "doesn't break" much more than you need "goes fast".
 
A

adamss24

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2005
Location
Great Britain
TDI
audi a4 2.5 tdi 98 quatrro 6speed
Guys, stop being mean to the poor chap ! We al were in his situation at some point ! That’s how one learns the hard way, you break it then you fix-it ! Not everyone likes a collar job and a stock company car !!!
 
Mongler98

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
get better turbo is pointless, spend money on nozzles, BUT YOU GET HIGHER EGTS, aAND SMOKE, so get a bigger turbo.
I hate yea'lls logic here.

OP, just upgrade to a drop in turbo seeing as you need one. in the future, you will be set for upgrade nozzles.
 
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