Mods Stage 3… Hello Turbo Upgrade.. Dyno Added..

[AdamW]

It was just a matter of time before (out of the blue) my mechanic made the call.. "We finally have a worthy Turbo"……

But first a re-cap..

"lets go back… backkkkkk….." (Harp music plays in background)…

Stock as a Rock MY08 Liberty tb STi 6 speed Manual - 130kW ATW
A bit soft around the edges really.. It feels fast because of the soft suspension..

Stage 1 - (+25kW) 155kW ATW
EcuTek Tune

Stage 2 - (+50kW) 180kW ATW
MRT Front Dump Pipe and Centre Section (Retains Rear STi Mufflers)
MRT / Hyperflow TMIC (new Cross Flow Design)
Hyperflow Cold Air Intake with k&N Pod Air Filter
EcuTek Re-Tune

Re-tune a few months later - 188kW ATW

Miscellaneous -
EBC Turbo Grooved Disc Rotors
TEIN Coilovers
Whiteline Front & Rear Adjustable Heavy Duty Sway Bars
Some other suspension work.. Something to do with realigning the horizontal geometry of the suspension once lowered..
Kahn 19’s Wheels

STAGE 3 - …………………………………
Turbo GTPS02TM (TD05 20G)
High Flow Fuel Pump
GT Spec Headers
Fuel Pressure Regulator
EcuTek Re-Tune


So total Mods to date..

Miscellaneous -
Breaks - EBC Turbo Grooved Disc Rotors
Suspension - TEIN Coilovers
Suspension - Whiteline Front & Rear Adjustable Heavy Duty Sway Bars
Suspension - Some other suspension work.. Something to do with realigning the horizontal geometry of the suspension once lowered..
Wheels - Kahn 19’s Wheels

Power Mods -
Exhaust - MRT Front Dump Pipe and Centre Section (Retains Rear STi Mufflers)
Intercooler - MRT / Hyperflow TMIC (new Cross Flow Design)
CAI - Hyperflow Cold Air Intake with k&N Pod Air Filter
Turbo - GTPS02TM (TD05 20G)
Headers - GT Spec Headers
EcuTek Tune
= (+85kW) 215KW ATW!...

Coming..
Fuel Pressure Regulator
Fuel Pump - High Flow Fuel Pump
Expected 240kW ATW..


First impressions I was a bit let down.. I could tell that the turbo was lagging about 500 RPM, it felt a bit soft down low.. I was on the HWY doing about 100kmh in sixth gear and it felt like it had nothing at all, there was no noise of the turbo spooling up and not much acceleration.. But as I was about 2/3 the way home (about 260 km trip), it started to feel a bit more responsive down low, you could hear the turbo start to spool up at about 2500 RPM, maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.. When I was a bit closer to home I decided to get off the HWY and go the back roads (no traffic and nice windy mountainous roads)… Wholly crap!!!!.. Above 3000 RPM this thing was loose and out of control!!.. I couldn’t believe the acceleration this thing now had.. In second gear on full stick you could now feel the torque through the steering wheel.. I was in awe of all this new found power and acceleration, it was incredible.. And due to a faulty aftermarket high flow fuel pump they had to stick the original fuel pump back on, so I am running less than 14 PSI and power is only 215kW ATW.. So I have to head back up in a couple of weeks to get new fuel pump and fuel pressure regulator.. With the faulty pump the tuner was easy getting 227kW at the wheels, and he is expecting around 240kW ATW with one that works properly..

The car is still completely drivable around town and has more than enough power / torque down low to navigate through traffic but when you hit the +3000 RPM it goes like a cut snake..

Another unforseen bonus.. Most of my driving is HWY.. In sixth gear at 110-115KMH it sits at about 2700 RPM, so with standard turbo its well and truly working (and chewing the fuel), but now with bigger turbo, it hasn’t quite kicked in yet so my fuel economy on the HWY has greatly improved.. It was reading 9L /100km (average) when I arrived home.. And that included a fair bit of spirited driving.. Its like now I have the option to keep the RPM's under 3000 and get awesome fuel economy or push it over 3000 RPM and get stupid amounts of acceleration.. Peak power is at 6520 RPM, previously peaked at 5000 RPM..

I had a bit of a scare tho.. I was heading down my road (in gold coast hinterland) so I gave it a bit of stick while keeping my eye on the RPM's.. I was in third gear and I hit about 5000 RPM and the engine pretty much cut out, the engine warning light came on and after that it was making a weird noise and I lost a lot of power, it dropped down to Sports mode (from Sport Sharp) and I could not get out of sports mode.. I turned car off and restarted. It spluttered a bit and the engine warning light was still on.. Lucky I was only a few hundred meters from home. So I nursed it home and called my mechanic (at 8:30pm on a Saturday night).. I checked all the hoses and finally I noticed that the waste gate actuator had a split pin (in stead of a washer clip as with standard turbo), I am guessing the end of the split pin was getting caught on my turbo heat cover (which had a metal gauze lining on the underside), thus preventing the waste gate from opening properly.. At high RPM this then caused the turbo to ramp the boost above the factory 18 PSI limit causing the engine to cut out.. I am also guessing the waste gate was then held slightly open as the split pin was stuck in the gauze.. I disconnected the battery and used some wire to tie up the turbo heat cover, so there was some clearance between it at the actuator and it has been good since..

So all in all, greatly impressed with new turbo & mods.. I can not wait until I head back up in a couple of weeks to get fuel pump and regulator fitted so I can get the extra 25kW out of the turbo..

Dyno before (at Stage 2) and after Turbo..

[moggy]

Big gains all round, lucky you've got Brembo brakes!

Bob.

[AdamW]

I am due some new pads in a couple of weeks also, I have previously been running the stock Brembo pads, They have been okay… but I am definitely going to get a decent set of high performance pads this time around.

[senator]

a you running an aftermarket up pipe aswell?

[AdamW]

Nope, standard up-pipe.. Maybe there will need to be a stage 4..

[Jimmy S]

Great work mate!!

This is definitely the perfect turbo for our engine setup... Very keen to see the numbers once the fuel system is up to scratch! will easily push over 300hp at all 4 IMO... with TMIC and stock headers!

Will definitely be doing this upgrade down the track!

[GTSPECB STI]

Very interesting read and well done Adam. I am interested in fitment issues if there were any and perhaps any thoughts on the manufactures work quality casting / assembly, etc of the actual turbo.

[AdamW]

I couldn’t tell the difference between the new and stock turbo (except the new one was a lot bigger).. It looked to be a solid build and a tidy package (no visible rough edges or anything like that).. Car (power delivery) is really smooth also.. I took a mate for a drive Sunday evening and even he made the comment on the smoothness of the acceleration..

The only minor issue was with bolting the turbo and Hyperflow TMIC together, but I guess it wasn’t too much of an issue in the end.. I had a good look around the engine Sunday and everything looks like it was there from the factory..

[GTSPECB STI]

excellent feedback and pretty much what I was hoping to hear.

[smythie]

Great work mate!!

This is definitely the perfect turbo for our engine setup... Very keen to see the numbers once the fuel system is up to scratch! will easily push over 300hp at all 4 IMO... with TMIC and stock headers!

he's already been there with the dodgy fuel pump (227kw is 304hp)

[Jimmy S]

Great work mate!!

This is definitely the perfect turbo for our engine setup... Very keen to see the numbers once the fuel system is up to scratch! will easily push over 300hp at all 4 IMO... with TMIC and stock headers!

he's already been there with the dodgy fuel pump (227kw is 304hp)

well over 300hp with the working fuel pump then!

My 2L WRX pushed just on 300hp with this same turbo + FMIC, Headers, Silicone intake and all the usual other stuff!

[WhiteGTB]

Adam nice result! Good feedback too Your not the only one who has recommended GT Pumps turbo.

Hmmm decisions, decisions, but you've made it ALOT easier for me.

Talking about the up pipe.... dude you are like reading my mind!!!!

[GTSPECB STI]

Alan correct me if I am wrong but aren't the 19" rims you are running a bit heavier than stock? If so that's even more impressive.

[coyote]

Adam correct me if I am wrong but aren't the 19" rims you are running a bit heavier than stock? If so that's even more impressive.

(you did say to correct you if you were wrong)

[AdamW]

Alan correct me if I am wrong but aren't the 19" rims you are running a bit heavier than stock? If so that's even more impressive.

Yes the 19's are slightly heavier than stock.. I am also running a slighter bigger tyre (40 series on a 19).. I will put my 35 series back on over the weekend and that should give me a little bit more punch..