Real world difference between auto and manual turbos

Discussion in 'Technical' started by J3bba, Aug 23, 2017.

  1. J3bba

    J3bba He Who Struggles

    Hey all,

    So I've been looking around for some manual turbos to replace the auto ones currently on my engine for a small performance boost to help justify my pulling the engine out to replace the worn wastegates. I thought I'd be able to find a set for a couple of hundred which would get me through for a year or two until I do a full built/turbo upgrade.

    No one seems to have any, thought I'd be able to find a pair for sure from one of you fellows doing a turbo upgrade :p

    Anyway, only set I've been able to find are a set from a wrecker for $500. It doesn't really seem worth it for that much, it wouldn't be that much of a performance boost. Especially considering that in a couple of years I'll just pull them out again anyway.

    What's the real world difference between the two? Thoughts?
     
  2. MikeZ32

    MikeZ32 das Über member

    Real world difference is you come on boost a little bit sooner say 500rpm with auto turbos but they peak 500rpm earlier in the rev range. Stock heads also differ, without manual heads the difference is even smaller than the 20HP Nissan claimed. @ $500 I'd pass, not a big enough upgrade to justify that cost.
     
  3. East Coast Z

    East Coast Z Well-Known Member

    Re: "Anyway, only set I've been able to find are a set from a wrecker for $500."

    How do you know the turbo's the wrecker has will deliver more boost than the one's you already have?
    It's possible you can part with your $500.00 & you may be worse off.
     
  4. Shane001

    Shane001 Well-Known Member

    I'd have a close look at them you might get lucky and find they're high flows.

    Otherwise agree not worth spending $500 on.
     
    MickW likes this.
  5. J3bba

    J3bba He Who Struggles

    My thinking was the larger exhaust turbines would give me a bit better flow and a few extra kws, not so much higher boost levels. I was actually planning on just taking the exhaust housing off the wrecker ones and throwing them on the turbos I already have. The whole "devil I know" thing.
     
  6. MickW

    MickW Carntry member...

    J3bba, you're asking about fitting used manual turbos to your auto Zed yeah? As in, auto transmission and camshafts?
     
  7. J3bba

    J3bba He Who Struggles

    I've got a manual trans, the guy who owned it before me did a conversion. The auto cams didn't even occur to me.

    Is there much difference between the cams? Way too much effort to do anything about, just curious.
     
  8. CHILI

    CHILI Indestructable Target

    Absolutely NO Offence intended, but, the reality is that you will probably find it difficult to discern ANY real increase in everyday drivability and/or performance(compared to all the stuffing-around required to make the swap). The cold hard truth is that the majority of Performance Car owners DO NOT possess the driving prowess to 'push the limits' of a Stock example of their chosen vehicle(myself included). LOL.
     
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  9. J3bba

    J3bba He Who Struggles

    Yeah, pretty much what I needed to hear. Good to have it said to my face :p
     
  10. stumagoo

    stumagoo Active Member

    my old engine was a manual engine (cams and turbos) on an auto transmission running 14psi on 235 50 16's at 100 kph if I floored it the car would loose traction (due to boost and auto kick down I imagine) the engine ran 150 or so psi across all 6 cylinders. but was an old bunky one. I bought a freshly built engine from a local perth guy that has manual cams but is very low kms. this engine with almost perfect 170psi across all cylinders and same turbos/tyres etc would not quite loose traction at 100kph and WOT. but is right on the edge of doing so. the sort of edge that just takes a white line - slick bit of tarmac to do so. So to me there is a noticable difference in cams but when I swapped from the old auto turbos to the manuals I cant say I noticed anything (on the old manual engine).

    I guess I am saying the cams made more impact than the turbos in real road driving
     
  11. J3bba

    J3bba He Who Struggles

    Well that's good to know for the future.

    Does anyone know why the cams on the autos were different?
     
  12. MikeZ32

    MikeZ32 das Über member

    It was for better low end spool and take off. To compensate for the lazy torque converter I suppose.
     
  13. ZYTRAM

    ZYTRAM Formerly known as martini_Z

    Also if you plan on running more boost, the auto exhaust housings become a bottleneck. I went from high flowed auto turbos to high flowed manuals and the difference was night and day.
     
  14. J3bba

    J3bba He Who Struggles

    That was my thinking for switching to a pair of manual turbos. Think I'll hold off though and get some larger ones in a year or two.
     
  15. stumagoo

    stumagoo Active Member

    I made a mistake in the post above. The new W engine has the manual turbos etc but has auto cams .... this is pretty much the only variation n between engines
     
  16. CHILI

    CHILI Indestructable Target

    In the "Real World", 99.9% of us DO NOT POSSESS the Driving Prowess to push the limits of our chosen vehicle(admitting this is akin to admitting "Homo-sexuality")and is NEVER spoken about in Polite Society.
    Go out and enjoy your chosen vehicle(and stop trying to impress 'All & Sundry')... YOU WILL FIND IT IS MUCH MORE FULFILLING!
     
  17. Madcow

    Madcow Active Member

    Effort vs Reward = Low.

    Get a new set of turbos that are actually bigger. Gains will be huge, effort will be the same.

    In my experience, unless you know 100% the turbo are good, second hand ones are never a good idea. If you are planning on rebuilding them, work out the cost then look again at new units.
     
    stumagoo likes this.
  18. stumagoo

    stumagoo Active Member


    Great suggestion here
     

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