Turbo rebuild shop? or Rebuild yourself and send out for balancing? (K-turbo)

[crc364]

What shop would you go through to rebuild your k04's?

I am contemplating getting a rebuild kit from Gpop and sending them to a secondary shop for balancing.
(cost $110/each rebuild kit and $70+ to balance each turbo = $360+ ) < balancing can go up if turbos need more attention

or

Just letting Durabilt rebuild the turbos.
(cost $495/each-1 year unlimited mile warranty = $990).

I did some searching and know that the rebuilding process can be tedious, and I am completely capable under the hood. Just want to know what you guys think or if you know a good shop that will do the work for less with good results.

Thanks in advance.

[hibiscusS4]

i say go for it.
if you are a do it your self type why not.

[rdcyclist]

Here's another option: www.vargasturbo.com

They'll sell you complete center sections (CHRA's) for 380 bucks each and you bolt your turbine housings to them. The CHRA's are balanced and direct replacements for the BW units.

[Racin2redline]

Project b5 sells new BW chra I believe for somwhere in the neighborhood of 900

I think the G pop rebuild with the 360 thrust bearings might be the best bet. Then have a shop balence them. Its just finding someoje qualified to do so.

Edit: although I have a friend with a mk4 with a garage rebuild g pop shop turbo (beats the piss out of it) with no issues. With these cars the difficulty of pulling a motor, I have to say Oem parts is the ONLY way to go...

[rdcyclist]

Project b5 sells new BW chra I believe for somwhere in the neighborhood of 900

I think the G pop rebuild with the 360 thrust bearings might be the best bet. Then have a shop balence them. Its just finding someoje qualified to do so.

Is that B5 price each or a pair?

[hibiscusS4]

it pair rd

[crc364]

Gpop recommended a place called Durabilt outside Chicago.

They will balance a turbo but would rather rebuild it themselves ( understandable). Balancing starts at $70 each and goes up depending on how much work is required in balancing.

[zdriver]

I went down the new BW CHRA path in the past and had excellent results

[nine9six]

What mileage is everyone rebuilding their turbos at?

[naudlee]

Replace them with CHRA's from Borg Warner and Borg Warner ONLY!

Gpopshop/durabilt/cheetah turbo/etc = fail, do your research.

I say it everytime... there is a reason why all of the competent turbo builders/rebuilders will not touch these turbos.

Bolt in the BW CHRA's and be done with it, in your own garage on your own time with OEM parts that come as a balanced assy.

[Racin2redline]

Replace them with CHRA's from Borg Warner and Borg Warner ONLY!

Gpopshop/durabilt/cheetah turbo/etc = fail, do your research.

I say it everytime... there is a reason why all of the competent turbo builders/rebuilders will not touch these turbos.

Bolt in the BW CHRA's and be done with it, in your own garage on your own time with OEM parts that come as a balanced assy.

This ^

What mileage is everyone rebuilding their turbos at?

Curious as well

[crc364]

^ Gpopshop will no longer rebuild turbos themselves, but they offer 2 different rebuild kits for the K03/K04 turbo.

There is a standard (oe borg warner) kit and an upgraded ( in there words "Better than Borg Warner dreamed of using in these turbos") kit.


I think the best option for me is rebuild with the upgraded kit (keeping stock CHRA) and sending to someone for balancing.

[zdriver]

^ Gpopshop will no longer rebuild turbos themselves, but they offer 2 different rebuild kits for the K03/K04 turbo.

There is a standard (oe borg warner) kit and an upgraded ( in there words "Better than Borg Warner dreamed of using in these turbos") kit.


I think the best option for me is rebuild with the upgraded kit (keeping stock CHRA) and sending to someone for balancing.

Keep us updated, I know for me my car was a daily at the time so I couldn't afford the risk of excessive downtime so I went OEM but it would be cool to find a cheap solution now that Gpop an the rest are scared of them due to so many post-rebuild failures

[crc364]

I talked to Gpop and Durabilt for a while yesterday.

Gpop will never touch one again - they say they were burned too many times and that it is due to the bad design of the oil cooling in the turbos.
Durabilt stated the same thing and added how the oil flash cooks in the turbo due to so much heat being generated.

Both said that they will eventually fail prematurely but keeping up proper maintenance (oil changes/ 60-90 second cool downs after pulls) will help prolong this.
Insulating the oil feed and return lines help as well.
Both also added about how this smaller turbo spins 170,000 rpm and takes a lot of abuse compared to a larger turbo that spins at slower speeds and doesn't have the same issues.

[redline380]

Anyone tried getting turbos from this place? I cant imagine these prices are real. They work out to about $350 a piece. 2.7 k03's aren't listed, but might be worth an email to save some cash.


http://www.turbodirect.co.za/site/in...d=14&Itemid=27

[rdcyclist]

Anyone tried getting turbos from this place? I cant imagine these prices are real. They work out to about $350 a piece. 2.7 k03's aren't listed, but might be worth an email to save some cash.

Without clicking on the link I can tell you those are junk China turbos. They've been beat to death on AZ and every other Audi forum. Do a search and you'll see. There is no shortcut around BW K03 replacement turbos other than replacing the CHRA's with BW CHRA's. Sometimes you'll find low mileage ones that haven't been abused (C5 A6's are a good bet) but with the amount of work an engine R&R is, you're probably better off biting the bullet and getting the right goods.

[redline380]

Without clicking on the link I can tell you those are junk China turbos. They've been beat to death on AZ and every other Audi forum. Do a search and you'll see. There is no shortcut around BW K03 replacement turbos other than replacing the CHRA's with BW CHRA's. Sometimes you'll find low mileage ones that haven't been abused (C5 A6's are a good bet) but with the amount of work an engine R&R is, you're probably better off biting the bullet and getting the right goods.

ignorant post is ignorant. Click the link before you pass judgment.





Sent from my windows phone on Tapatalk since iPhone blows

[rdcyclist]

ignorant post is ignorant. Click the link before you pass judgment.

On one level you're right. They are selling BW turbos there. I don't see any K04 or K03's for the B5 S4 there for 350 bucks though. Since BW sells the center sections for 500 bucks each, it stands to reason you're unlikely to score a complete assembly for 350 bucks. The China PoS's sell for 350 so when someone starts talkin' 'bout turbos for around the much I just dismiss it. Same thing in this case.

Remember: If it's too good to be true, it probably is.

[redline380]

On one level you're right. They are selling BW turbos there. I don't see any K04 or K03's for the B5 S4 there for 350 bucks though. Since BW sells the center sections for 500 bucks each, it stands to reason you're unlikely to score a complete assembly for 350 bucks. The China PoS's sell for 350 so when someone starts talkin' 'bout turbos for around the much I just dismiss it. Same thing in this case.

Remember: If it's too good to be true, it probably is.

I'd be a little worried too. Not like I would trust everything at that price, but it might be worth looking into. If everything seems kosher, maybe try it out.

I agree: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is, but that site swears up and down that they only offer genuine stuff. And depending on South African tax and how it works, you might save an extra few bucks if they don't include their VAT.

[ilyafil]

Just get a set of Franks. You can buy mine in the classifieds.

[mike82caddy]

Got my ko4s from classifieds they were beat to shit so I took them to a local turbo shop (apex turbo) in oxnard 900 all bw parts and upgraded compressor wheel now all I need is the rest of my stage 3 parts and I feel like it was worth paying that and save the head ache but then again I've never taken a turbo apart