Im getting ready to rebuild a turbo for my TD rabbit and Ive got both the turbo off an 84 jetta (Garrett) and the turbo off of an 83 Quantum (Aireasearch). Any one more desireable or are they about the same?
Hmm, I have an '85 Quantum with a KKK-24 turbo. I don't know about the Airesearch, but I've read that the K is better than the Garrett. If it was me, I'd go by which ever one is cheapest to rebuild... :?
theyre the same to rebuild.
Garrett and AiResearch are the same company. I found an abbreviated company history here:
http://www.shanaberger.com/engines/garrett.htmDon't know if there are really 2 different versions of Garrett/AiResearch turbo available on the 1.6lTD - have you verified there are some differences among them?
I know the 1.6lTD KKK turbo is different than the 1.6lTD Garrett/AiReserach models - but what the differences are exactly and how they perform compared to one another is not very well documented.
theyre the same to rebuild. 
Great! Then rebuild the one which appears to be in the better shape.
So thats wierd. I was under the impression that all Quantums got the KKK turbo. SO apparently they came with AiResearch turbo's too. Ill have to look a little closer at them to see if there is a differance...though right now it just seems one says GARRETT on the compressor housing and the other says AiResearch. :mrgreen: