1.9 KKK turbo vs. 1.8t K03s

[vdubspeed]

My daily driver is a 1.6L IDI with a 1.9tdi KKK turbo, 20psi, fuel mods, and no intercooler. She runs PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!! I can't express that enough. I tow, drive spiritedly, and just love the car. It will "pour coals" under load in the lower gears but generally just smokes the old clutch.

I'm about to pull the motor to reseal a water pump gasket that is leaking and I want to experiment with serpentine belts. I'm thinking about tossing in a k03s but I dont' know if that is even beneficial.

I love the instant boost from the current turbo and the engine truly doesn't need more boost...just lower egts.

Should I consider the swap or just stick with the current setup and perhaps add an intercooler?

Respectfully,

Jason

[RabbitJockey]

Ur probably best off adding an inter cooler but the 1.8t ko3s are worth trying, they're a good turbo and I wouldn't be surprised if they work really well but u might need a td pump to see the real benefit of it.

[CrazyAndy]

x2.  Just add an inter cooler, which frankly you should have done after you started pushing over 12 lbs.  I'd hate to see your EGTs!

[8v-of-fury]

20psi on a K03?! Jeepers mister, I'm surprised you haven't gone BOOM yet lol.

1. for heat and 2. for the amount of boost. I have read K03's only being able to safely support just under 18.. and an inter cooler would be extremely necessary at this point as well.

I'd add a huge intercooler, but would not use huge pipes. Keep the pipes small, like the 2" of the intake and stuff. To aid in velocity the smaller pipes will keep it groovy and you shouldn't loose to much instant boost.

[RabbitJockey]

i think ko3s is good for 250-300hp but from the maps i've seen they're not that efficient at high boost like above 20 which ud need to make that much power anyway.  theyd be worth trying to see how theyd run tho even at 20psi

[8v-of-fury]

You don't need extreme high boost to run that power level, crank or wheel? A super cool intake air (BIG IC) at 20 psi would be way better than a hot 30 could ever be.

What do the maps say?? That they should support 250?

[RabbitJockey]

You don't need extreme high boost to run that power level, crank or wheel? A super cool intake air (BIG IC) at 20 psi would be way better than a hot 30 could ever be.

What do the maps say?? That they should support 250?

not a tdi ko3 ill elaborate in a bit

[sprstu]

arnt the K03s' water-cooled as well as oil?
Maybe you would have better luck/more power by making a hybrid K03/04 with your current K03. I too run the K03 on my 1.6 and do love the insta-boost. At 12-15psi with a small FMIC I rarely see EGTs over 800 and can get wheel chirp through 3rd gear.

[R.O.R-2.0]

arnt the K03s' water-cooled as well as oil?
Maybe you would have better luck/more power by making a hybrid K03/04 with your current K03. I too run the K03 on my 1.6 and do love the insta-boost. At 12-15psi with a small FMIC I rarely see EGTs over 800 and can get wheel chirp through 3rd gear.

or get away from a junk K03/04 all together...

[RabbitJockey]

You don't need extreme high boost to run that power level, crank or wheel? A super cool intake air (BIG IC) at 20 psi would be way better than a hot 30 could ever be.

What do the maps say?? That they should support 250?

yeah maps say ko3 from a 1.8t should support that much, but there are 3 things that can make a turbo not work well on an engine, its either too big and will surge, its too small so it simply can't flow enough air, or it simply doesn't support higher boost numbers that u would need in order to achieve the higher flow.  the ko3 and most of the kkk borg warner stuff just isn't efficient at higher boost numbers, yet they are capable of flowing 250hp worth of air.

but yeah super cold 20 psi would be way better than a hot 30.

[vdubspeed]

I have read K03's only being able to safely support just under 18.. and an inter cooler would be extremely necessary at this point as well.

I haven't read...I have done. And to the point...I have towed also. As for extremely necessary. Well...it's been like this for a while so I would remove the extremely.

Now it would be nice so my EGT's would lower but then again..if I add any more fuel she will rev-hang.

I'd add a huge intercooler, but would not use huge pipes. Keep the pipes small, like the 2" of the intake and stuff. To aid in velocity the smaller pipes will keep it groovy and you shouldn't loose to much instant boost.

It's in the works. My 20vT rabbit runs a badass AWIC setup so I'm all to familiar with intercooling. I think air to air is pretty inefficient but much easier to plumb and definitely better than nothing.

I'll stick with my little TDI turbo seeing as how it's running perfect and I already have the entire car worked around it.(ie. downpipe is welded as not to interfere with the steering linkage)

Back to the bathroom remodel...

Jason

[8v-of-fury]

I've seen a lot of your stuff here, on the Honda ATV forum, and on the tex. You're a good guy, so don't take anything I say as offensive.. it is not meant to be, text comes off with a bite to most for some reason haha.

I haven't read...I have done. And to the point...I have towed also. As for extremely necessary. Well...it's been like this for a while so I would remove the extremely.

Well time really means nothing lol How many km's and how often do you rip the little sucker up to 20 psi is the question. It is probably still extremely necessary, as you are boosting that thing to twice as high as stock. Not only that but that turbo making 20 psi would be intensely hot. This you would know being a boost guy

I'll stick with my little TDI turbo

Now this I dig, What kind of RPMS do you actually run this turbo up to? I have the same turbo, but actually on my TDI.. I drive it pretty damn hard too, so I just wanna know what you have done personally. I was thinking of adding an overkill inter cooler to mine so that I can run an extremely cool 20psi as well. However, you have just re-spiked my interest on the AWIC.. got any good links to good kits or literature handy?

[vdubspeed]

I don't see 20 psi much. Daily is 12-15. When I'm towing...I try to keep the EGTs in the high 600/low 700 area.(No idea why...the motor seems fine here though). Pulls to 1000 happen sometimes but are not the norm. Norm egts on the way to work never exceed 500/600 and speed never exceeds 60.

I LOVE the turbo. Insane response. If I change to an intercooler setup I'll have to ditch my spearco intake and that kinda bums me out cause the old school setup has done me good.