So I can get a used vf-34 and pink injectors for $500 cash (is this a good deal??) and maybe a sti tmic for $200 shipped is there anything else that I would need to upgrade besides a walbro 255lph fuel pump? I'd like to do this for under $700 total so I'm trying to keep the cost low. Is it worth upgrading to this turbo over my stock td-04 that is on my 2003 wrx that is already stage 2? My inlet install revealed that a few of the compressor blades were bent/missing the edges which scared me, is this a really bad thing it drives ok.
FYI: he has a bugeye. Dont forget a tune. Costs money for either off the shelf map or custom, unless you have a hook up. Sounds like an alright deal to me.
the deal sounds ok. if you are missing blades of your current turbo... you better monitor your engine and oil carefully because lets be honest those blades didnt fall out of the intake. you should also check why your blades are damage the way they are.. do you have pretty severe shaft play? how is debris if any getting through your filter? if everything seems to check out ok then go ahead and upgrade. you wont be able to keep it under 700 though. injectors, turbo = 500 upgraded TMIC = 200 walbro 255 = 90 tune = 125 per hour possible misc. = 50+ i mean you could be hitting a thousand real fast.
I am close behind you in an similar upgrade on my 04 WRX. Pretty sure an intake and inlet hose are NOT required. The STi TMIC is nice but if you do that you'll need a new scoop and bellows/splitter to cool it effectively. Also that $200 STi TMIC probably doesn't include the y pipe which you will need since the WRX one doesn't work. I plan on modifying my aftermarket Samco hose to make it work rather than use the STI intercooler hose. Damaged blades sounds bad. At best your turbo is not working at peak efficiency. Intake to turbo to intake manifold to valves would be the path for metal bits? $500 is a good deal.
Pinks will be on the small side for a vf34. A vf34 is the same cold side as a vf39 and a larger hotside with a BB center section. So you will get a bit quicker spool and more topend. The biggest drawbacks to the ihi vf turbo's is the small hot side. Usually that will choke out the whole system long before the cold side can't produce. You will want to get a sti IC at a minimum. The stocker will not be able to handle the flow of the vf34. Definitely do not need a intake, and a inlet hose would be a smart upgrade since you will have everything off on both side of it anyways. Then when you pull the GBoD and injectors, you will open up a bunch of room to make a inlet hose install that much easier. Russ
I'm running a VF-34 on my '03 WRX. I'm sure you could run the pink injectors, a lot of people do, but they will hold you back. If you have the money I would go with bigger ones. I am running modded stock injectors @ 860cc and when RS Motors tuned it they told me the IDC's were at 80% which is more than the pinks can flow. I decided to skip the STI intercooler and go with an e-bay special since it was bigger and cheaper. Found mine for $200, but had to buy some new OEM gaskets for the y-pipe since the ones included with it were crap. I also installed a catless up-pipe, GM boost solenoid, and a GMS inlet hose. This turbo is definitely a nice upgrade from stage 2, my car put down 282 whp and 244wtq on the Mustang dyno.
^^^ You got lied too, or you have problems. 80% idc's with a vf34 is TONS of gas. Like wash down the cylinder walls, tons of gas. I am running a 18g at 22-23psi and with 630cc injectors my idc's are only 90%. 860cc injectors on the little vf34 your idc's should be down in the 60% or lower. I tuned some sti's with 820's and their idc's were down in the mid 60 area. But either way, pinks will hold back the potential of the vf34. I should have some modded stockers up for sale soon. they are usually around the 700cc area and I keep the lower screen to help with the spray pattern. Russ
Really? Well they must have been mistaken then, either they told me the wrong injector size or they told me the wrong IDC. But yeah, either way the pinks aren't quite big enough.
I don't know if XPT has any ots maps for the vf34? I know they have vf39 maps for wrx's. Go check. www.xpttuning.com
the 34 can run on the 39's map, just keep eye on timing, wastegate might have to be adjusted. this is only if both mods are the same on both vehicle
I actually already installed the inlet yesterday and the y pipe for my wrx ic came today, its a samco unit so I could mod it to fit the sti ic. I already have a k&n intake and gimmick inlet and a clark turner stage 2 map. I can email him and get a vf34 map for $150, kinda like a xtp map but better. edit: So pinks would be undersized for this application? I'm not going to be pushing any crazy psi or power goal, just a fun daily driver. hows the drivabliltiy of the vf34 compared to the td-04?
I Had pinks with my 18g. a little small. but i was running at 93%idc if I remember right. wich was at 293hp and 256 tq at the wheels on rs motors dyno, mustang dyno. which is really really good for what i was working with.
So you were VERY far from pushing that turbo. Must only be running 17-18psi?? I am pushing 22+psi and my idc's are 90% and that is with 630cc injectors and a afr around 11.1-11.3. Pinks will "work" with a vf34. If you want to be able to use the the vf34 can put on the table you should go bigger. That is like saying that the stock injector will work with a td04, but if you put bigger injectors, you get get a lot more out of it. But then again, I wouldn't even waste my time with a vf series turbo anymore unless I needed to stay cheap. then all you can say is you get what you pay for. Russ
My plan is to spend the money on the supporting mods for the bigger turbo and switch the VF-39 out for a 16gEvo or something later on. I went with modded stock injectors flowing 800cc. Just to get to this stage is $1000. I just don't have the resources at this point to take the full plunge. Then again I may get to this point and decide that is enough turbo, I doubt it though. Hella_sti, to your point "hows the drivabliltiy of the vf34 compared to the td-04? " I'll bet it is a fun upgrade. Who is going to do the upgrade? I will be interested in your Samco mod experience.
