Thinking of upgrading my turbo to a custom billet wheel vf46. This is the propaganda.

There's a fella on legacygt who rebuilds turbos with custom billet wheels. There is nothing wrong with my vf40 but when I go stage 2 in November I want the most I can get out of it.

For half the cost of a brand new vf52 he can sell me a vf46 with a custom wheel. This is what he has said about it.

"I make them completely reconditioned to factory specs with modified and improved journal bearings and thrust plates. I install a very aggressive extended tip custom 20+ p.s.i. billet compressor wheel, internal compressor housing polishing, and dual plane balanced new exhaust turbine/shaft assembly.

As far as the turbo itself, it has an aggressive extended tip custom billet compressor wheel on it that is capable of 20+ p.s.i. if you tune it to the ragged edge but the best thing to do with it is when you tune, set it at about 17-18 p.s.i. and it will pull very nicely. The advantage is that the billet wheel is about half of the weight of the stock cast wheel, so it will spool quicker and then pull harder when it does spool and the combination is very nice and works great with stock fuel system.

In regards to your question about 16G or VF52, my custom VF40/46's are not as much as either of those but if you install either one without larger fuel injectors, you're running on the razors edge to get them to work well and what you gain in top end, you lose in spool quickness. You can definitely get a higher dyno number with either of those (as well as a higher fuel bill every day you drive it...LOL) but you'll lose at least 200-300 rpm on spool quickness. Sooner rather than later, your fuel injectors will begin to lose their efficiency from being run on such high duty cycles to try to keep up with the turbo and your fuel pump will be working much harder to keep up, which will shorten the life and require replacement sooner too.

The custom VF40/46 (either will fit as they are almost identical stock for stock in all aspects) will allow you to use your existing fuel injector system to it's potential without stressing it much, and give you quicker spool and more top end than a stock VF40/46 allows. As you know, when these are in good operating shape, even stock, they are pretty darn quick and fun to drive. The custom will enhance that a lot, especially if you're going to Stage 2 with it and you won't be disappointed. "

Another person who has used this turbo had this to say.

"The real kick is definitely down low. Spools up at about 23-2500, boost is on before 3k, sometimes sooner depending on what gear the trans is in. My tires, though they are good, can slip mid-corner when suddenly on-boost before the 5EAT "Nannys" me back into traction. A 0-50mph pull can pin me (and a passenger) to the seats every time, and that's what makes it all worth it. On stiffer suspension, I expect this effect will be a bit more dramatic. I'll keep you posted. It has an 11-blade billet wheel that will push 20+psi if I ask it to. Do I want that? Not really. Seriously, on a good day, this car can scare me on an open on-ramp as-is, and I'm probably barely over 12psi on a Stage 2 tune. (I haven't looked at the boost levels lately, lol.) "

All of this sounds very nice. It sounds like a great upgrade for me since it will spool faster than a 16g, or vf40 for that matter, and can handle more boost then the vf40 (I assume). I will be bulletproofing my TMIC which I know none of you think is worth anything, but doing so will keep it happy up to 20psi from what I've read of people who are actually using this mod. I don't plan to upgrade the fuel system. I just want a peppy stage 2 daily driver. This sounds like a good ticket.

BUT... I am ignorant of the performance of the vf40. Is this an upgrade or more a sidestep?

 

It all sounds greatt in theory, have you talked to anyone who has one?

*edit: and what kind of warranty comes with it?

 

Interested to hear more about this too.

 

The guy who sells it will provide support through the Break in period. He didn't say so explicitly but my guess is he'll give me 90 days. He's given lots of praise on the legacy forums, my instincts are telling me that the reliability of this turbo is not really what I need to be concerned about. what I'm more concerned about is how much benefit the upgraded turbo will give me aside from the reliability improvements.

I have been messaging another user who is using his turbo and he has been answering some of my questions as well. Nothing but great things to say but he spent a year almost between using The vf 40 and the new rebuilt one.

I think I'm a go ahead and do it.

 

I think I'm going to get it unless anyone has red flags that I should look out for or can debunk the claims. I'll report back and give you guys my opinion. If everything turns out I'll put contact information up for people who want to contact him for rebuilt turbo.

 

Inconel?

 

It is iconel he said

 

What is the underlying issue?

 

Well, I keep hearing the vf40 is the bottleneck at stage 2 with stock fueling. This guy's turbo supposedly closes that gap and balances well with the stock system at stage 2. I'm going to take a risk and do it. I dont believe it will be any worse then the turbo I have in there, and I think it will improve reliability, and more importantly give some more ponies.

 

I saw the word "custom" way to many times in the first few sentences. Then I stopped reading.

 

How much will all that run me?

Upgraded tmic + 16g = $1500+
VF 52= $1200

This custom vf46 is half as much or more and gets the power where I want it without having to spend too much.

I am not interested in upgrading all the things. Just want a bit more kick that balances with whats already in the car.

Now if you have solutions that are under $700 I'm all ears.

 

http://mnsubaru.com/threads/2014-wrx-vf52.47766/

 

alot.

 

I haven't kept up, have you done a downpipe/exhaust and tune yet? If not start there. Otherwise do the fuel pump/injectors and run e85 during the "warm" months and have a map for gas during the winter. My .02.

 

I haven't kept up, have you done a downpipe/exhaust and tune yet? If not start there. Otherwise do the fuel pump/injectors and run e85 during the "warm" months and have a map for gas during the winter. My .02.

 

This is interesting. Doesn't the vf52 require I upgrade injectors + fuel pump also? Also without mods won't it spool a little slower?

I rarely go above 4000rpm driving. I'm looking for most of the power below that.

 

I'm doing all that on the 11th. Fuel pump, injectors and e85 can happen next year.

 

You could always buy that turbo and hold it until next year when you do the injectors and fuel pump. Then you aren't risking money on the Kustom turboz that guy sells. I can personally vouch that that vf52 is about 95% highway mileage.

 

It is an interesting option. I honestly feel more confident in Kustim tUrBOZ then a used turbo. But the fact that he's local is good. I'm honestly more interested in what will get me more zoom zoom in the low end for as little money as possible. I sent your boy a message to see if he has a pending sale and I'm going to think a little more about this.

 

BNR Supercars. 16g is 750 bucks. brand new. 1 year warranty.
18g and 20g is 775.

 

As everyone else has tried to tell you, that "upgrade" wheel that guy is selling is stupid.

But it seems like you've already made up your mind, and you'll end up buying it. Just like all the other threads where you ask for advice.

 

Update:

I went with the questionable decision of using the custom turbo. I just got the car back from NF, and they also put on a used Cobb Catted DP, used Grimmspeed UP and put in a new clutch at the same time. Right now I'm on a "new clutch" tune to break it in for the next 200 miles or so at wastegate psi, so probably around 8-9 psi. Previously I was on a stage 1 tune with a catless wrx UP.

My only metric is the butt dyno unfortunately.

My first impression was the car feels lighter and more nimble, though that doesn't make any sense. The spool up is fast, it definitely jumps into boost quicker than the stage 1 tune I had and it pulls harder than the stage 1 tune (14-15 psi) I had. It seems to hold constant power also for an extra 500 rpms or so. I find this interesting because I'm on such a conservative tune. Once I'm out of break in I'm going to have Nuke push it up to 18 psi or so. Its hard to say how much of what I'm feeling is related to the DP or if its imaginary. Could be imaginary.

This was a very hard process to go through. Every day I doubted my decision because of the feedback I got here. I went with the turbo because I wanted more power in the 2000-4000 rpm range. I rarely drive beyond that. I also liked the idea of taking a chance to see if I could get something unique. From the research I could do before installing this it seems like this turbo beats out a vf52 in the 2000-3000 range and is comparable to the 52 till about 4000 where the differences start to become more apparent. So far I'm impressed with its performance at wastegate psi. Depending on the outcome of the final tune I think I am going to be satisfied overall with the upgrade. I'll update again once I'm out of break in.

 

Here's a pic of the wheel in the housing.

 

Congrats on going Stage 2 the most expensive way possible. Haha.

I've only been there once and generally have no idea what I'm doing....

 

The stage 2 part was pretty cheap. $200 for the cobb downpipe. Actually with cost of install it came out a wash. The turbo I consider an extra step beyond stage 2 and so far I'm happy I went with it over a used 52.

 

It's just a joke.

 

why would you even bother asking for advice if you have zero intent to take it into consideration?

OP: "hay guise, i got a deal on a discounted vacation to Liberia, should I go???"

entire forum: "EBOLA. NO."

OP: "lol guise I'm going to Liberia on vacation."

 

I don't know. A couple people seemed interested. The rest of you hardend criminals seemed to caution me because you weren't familar with the turbo or didn't seem to understand my goals.

So far no Ebola. So why is every one upset?

The advice I took here I also compared to advice I got from other sources. I will say the other sources that swayed me spoke at greater length, and in more detail then the responses here. So that in a way qualified or added weight to the answers for me. Also speaking to owners of this turbo provided a lot of insight that I did not get here. I know the route I took might not meet everyone's goals and I sort of feel that was part of disparity. Believe it or not there was critical thinking on my end about what my intentions, goals, and cost to benefit was. I spent hours staring at dyno charts. I was doubtful even after purchase though but so far the initial doubt I had is all but gone.

Also I figured I'd update because some might find it interesting even though the old soldiers think it's silly.

 

Who is a couple people?

The rest of us hardened criminals? I hope you're joking when saying that. Many of us on MNsubaru tend to give out genuine advice, and don't intend to troll you or proceed to give you a hard time.

Don't bite the hand that feeds.

 

I just don't understand never driving over 4000 rpms, or trying to stay under. Engines like to be run harder than that

 

So, because they talked more, their advice was worth more? You're a special kind of brilliant.

 

OP's understanding of car mechanics:

 

Well, good job on sticking it out now that you're content with the decision.

Perhaps an alternative to more power will be a transmission swap/ gearing if you're looking for power under that 4k threshold.

Myself, I love pitching that needle around.

 

Is this what they teach you in Turkmenistan?