OK, so my dirty little secret is that I don't know squat about turbos. I've never owned a turbo car until now.

 

Aside from a specific shape to the mounting points, what makes one turbo different from another? Size of the rotor or impeller or squirl-cage or whatever is in the "snail"?

 

Can two turbos of similar size be interchanged if you provide for the difference in mounts?

 

The TDI motor I have I don't think has it's turbo included. I've been looking into them and they are expensive buggers so I thought about adapting the turbo from the ea82t I just pulled out of the GL-10.

 

If it turns out that I really should be using the VW turbo, what would one look for if they were to go JY turbo shopping? Anything besides the obvious loose/noisy/grinding bearings and miles on the car?

 

Thanks!!!

 

Will-

Check out this web site, very informative and better relates to your TDI.

http://europeancar.automotive.com/95784/epcp-0803-turbo-modifications/index.html

Thanks for the link, I had given this post up for dead.

 

Will-

A/R

 

here's the link for 102, 101 and 103 also available http://www.turbobygarrett.com/turbobygarrett/tech_center/turbo_tech102.html

I haven't read through all of the links, but all have an oil line going to them. Make sure you can either reroute and adapt the oil line if it isn't a VW. Also, some use engine coolant in addition to engine oil to cool the turbo. That would also have to be addressed. Inlet and outlet diameters can be different, Wastegate placement and control may be different, and as you already said, how they mount to the engine and exhaust might be a fun challenge. Good luck!

The biggest difference between gasoline and diesel turbo's is the RPM they work on. The ea turbo spools up at about 2500-3000 rpm on a 1800cc, if you put this on your diesel (which has almost the same cc I guess) it would spool way to late to be of any use.

 

If you were to use a turbo from lets say a kei car (600cc) it would spool very quickly, but wouldn't be able to support the air flow at higher RPMs.

 

Turbo diesel engines also operate at higher boost levels, but if you're adding a turbo to a non turbo diesel the lower boost wouldn't be a bad idea