Aaron gets blown (or, the Top Secret Turbo Kit thread)

[aaronjb]

Forgive the title  s;) s;)

So the Top Secret turbo kit turned up today - and while I still have a few parts left to get (chargecooler barrel, datalogit, wideband), I thought I'd post pictures of the kits constituent parts:

Well packaged box - the exhaust was equally well packaged (took forever to get into it!):


Sexy manifold:


All nicely knife-edged inside:


MAF pipe:


Main boost pipe - this will get cut'n'shut to accept the chargecooler barrel:


Hose clips:


Oil return pipe - ready heat wrapped:


Miscellaneous fittings, wires, oil feed tube etc:


Mushroom air filter:


Drop-pipe from turbo to exhaust:


Also nicely ground down inside:


Gaskets, oil return fittings, bits 'n bobs:


Greddy Trust T517Z turbo:




Stainless exhaust:


Downpipe:







There's really only one thing I wish were different about this kit, and that's that the turbo was a Garrett unit - the Trust T517Z is a good turbo, but it's also an oil-cooled plain bearing unit (as opposed to the Garrett which is ball-bearing water cooled) so it's a little old-tech..

It'll be interesting to see what lag is like, I think..

(For high-res versions of the pics go to  m http://zion.mind-design.co.uk/roadster/turbo_kit m  )


I'll continue to update this as I amass the rest of the parts and start fitting it all  s;) s;)

[scottish_turbo]

That is a very sexy manifold.   s:D s:D  

Looks like a very nice kit. I've never seen pictures of this installed but I can imagine it looks awesome!

Good luck with the install.

[Wabbitkilla]

Verrry nice Aaron - you can see that paying all that dosh gets some high quality kit  s8) s8)  

Beautiful welding  s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

[T17LUN]

Some nice equipment there

did it cost you an arm and a leg?  s:) s:)

interesting to see the power and torque outputs once completed

Tee

[aaronjb]

Let's just say it wasn't cheap  s;) s;)  In fact probably the most expensive turbo kit around, considering it doesn't come with intercooler, ECU or injectors..


Incidentally - I just checked and the Trust turbo uses a T25 inlet and five-bolt outlet flange, so it should be plug 'n play to swap to a GT28R/RS/2871 in the future - which is good news  s:) s:)

[Wabbitkilla]

Just out of interest, is the GT25R the same flanges?

[aaronjb]

Nic - that depends which exact model the GT25R is, but I think the GT2550 and GT2545 both use the T25 flange.. There are some smaller GT25's that use the T2 flange, I think - I'd check, but the Garrett website appears to be down..


I couldn't resist mocking some of it up in the bedroom:


At least I think that's how it's meant to look - the instructions are in Japanese, so.. I could be wrong!  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Anonymous]

Looks a well made kit. I'm looking at a turbo kit soon and was thinking of the Silverstone Performance conversion as it's hassle free fitting etc.  For someone who knows next to nothing about this subject (yet) I'm intrigued as to why you went for the Top Secret kit.

[loadswine]

Nice stuff indeed Aaron, you'll have some fun with that.  s:) s:)

[uktotty]

nice flange Aaron!

[Anonymous]

Very excited for you!

Did you have to be so explicit with your title ? - you've got Russ all excited!

[aaronjb]

For someone who knows next to nothing about this subject (yet) I'm intrigued as to why you went for the Top Secret kit.

Basically it came down to build quality and the fact that I absolutely adore the manifold & downpipe design.  I love the fact that it comes out in the right location to mate up with the stock exhaust (and, thus, CAT for MOT time).

The PE kit does the same thing but I'm not a fan of the tiny PE1512S turbo, nor the design of the manifold on that kit (it's nice, I just think the downpipe is too convoluted).


I discounted the TTE kit long ago - despite the fact that I'll probably end up paying close to (if not more than) the price of the TTE kit, I strongly dislike the fact that the TTE gives you no way of monitoring it's health.  It's truly meant to be "fit and forget", and I really don't like that idea in an aftermarket turbo system - how do you know if the boost pressure isn't right without a boost guage, for a start?

[carl_evs]

With all the talk about getting 'blown' and 'flanges' i really was half expecting to see some semi-nudity at least!!  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

Only kidding.....in fact, please - no!!

Looks like a good bit of kit - keep toying with the idea myself.

Brain, wallet and pay cheque say no, however that doesnt stop me thinking about it. Guessing its all self install then?!
If i did end up going down the FI route I would want to do it myself...after all thats part of the fun isnt it?! (in my opinion anyway!)

[spit]

Some nicely turned out gear there matey. I guess you'll be in the bedroom for a while  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  

That is a gorgeously simple routing to the cat position.

Are you leaving it all shiny? or wrapping? or coating?

And is there bracing to consider?

[Peter Wright]

The whole set up looks really nice Aaron, hope the install goes as planed, and I remember not long ago you could hardly afford to put petrol in your car   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  how times change
Pete   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  (Jealous mode on)

[Anonymous]

Hi Aaron nice bit of kit. I see you have you have the TTE twin on your car,when you fit the new kit are you going to sell it?If so i might well be intrested in it.

[aaronjb]

Ste - I'll either get it coated or coat it myself the el-cheapo way with spray ceramic in a can.. One or t'other.

Bracing is an issue - or could be - there's no attachment points on the bottom flange of the downpipe for the stock bracing, so I may see if I can get some welded on so I can use the standard manifold braces.


Sean - I haven't decided what'll happen to the TTE just yet, but if it comes up I'll bear you in mind  s:) s:)  I'll need to keep something that I can throw back on with the stock CAT for MOTs, though.

[Anonymous]

Ok Aaron Let me no if you do want to sell thanks

[Wabbitkilla]

Ste's got a nice standard JDM exhaust handy Aaron, I'm sure he'd be happy to part with it   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

Looks a quality piece of kit mate, very nice indeedy.  s:D s:D

[spynish]

I'm really impressed on the overall quality.
Congrats!   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Anonymous]

Mind you a better title would have been,

Top secret, the story of Aaron getting blown!  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[ninjinski]

I strongly dislike the fact that the TTE gives you no way of monitoring it's health.  It's truly meant to be "fit and forget", and I really don't like that idea in an aftermarket turbo system - how do you know if the boost pressure isn't right without a boost guage, for a start?

Firstly mate Im so glad you are going turbo - cant wait to hear the updates, but on the point above - fitting a boost gauge (I have one) was a 30 minute job, splicing a tube t-piecing a hose and away I went. Not a big job at all.

BOT

J

[Tem]

It'll be interesting to see what lag is like, I think..

Let me know if you find the lag, I haven't found it on mine.  s;) s;)

Incidentally - I just checked and the Trust turbo uses a T25 inlet and five-bolt outlet flange, so it should be plug 'n play to swap to a GT28R/RS/2871 in the future - which is good news  s:) s:)

There are a zillion turbos that with the exhaust side, but only a few that are also identical on the intake side. Trust/Greddy T518Z is one. Garrett has few models, like you already said. HKS also has few, but forgot the models, they are modified Garretts anyway. Apexi had one or two as well, made by IHI.

But just try the T517Z first, you might like it a lot.  s;) s;)  I'm not sure if it's the turbo or other hardware (probably both), but you can get boost just below 2000rpm, have practically no lag and it's good for +400hp.  s;) s;)

[aaronjb]

But just try the T517Z first, you might like it a lot.  s;) s;)  I'm not sure if it's the turbo or other hardware (probably both), but you can get boost just below 2000rpm, have practically no lag and it's good for +400hp.  s;) s;)

 s;) s;)  Don't worry - you're the reason I'm not worried about bolting this all up with the Trust in place..  s:) s:)

Plain bearings don't scare me - I'm used to those on past cars, and I still remember back to the days when oil-cooled only was the way to go for aftermarket turbos, so that's no issue either.. but I did wonder if there'd be more lag from the plain bearing.

Apparently not though  s;) s;)


Somehow I don't think I'll be shooting for 400bhp just yet though - I suspect I'd be shooting bits of engine internals all over the road if I turned the boost up that far  s;) s;)   s:lol: :lol: s:lol: