Re-build the Garrett or just use the Chinacharger?
 

Spring is right around the corner so I need to make a decision soon. I've had the chinacharger sitting around since the beginning of last summer and when I finally got around to install it I broke my hand. In another couple weeks I should be able to get the car on a flatbed and down to the shop so I can get going on it.

I trust my Garrett and I know using the eBay one is taking a chance. Knowing how I am, if I put the chinacharger in and it flops I'll probably walk away from the car again. So I'm hesitant on even wasting my time with it. Instead I'm leaning toward sending the Garrett out for a re-build and just cleaning everything up and put it back in. Not to mention I was already happy with how it spooled and the numbers it made. I have no idea how the other one will do.

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What do you guys suggest? If you choose re-build, please share some places you'd recommend to send it to. Preferably if you have experience with them or know someone that did, not just hearsay. I know of gpopshop but I don't know if there's others that are better. I will stay away from the place I sent one turbo out to. I forget their name and just tried to google "turbo rebuild services" to find them and I cant. They are big with Subaru guys, but they were FUCKING TERRIBLE when I was dealing with them.

Re-build for sure. Send it to me :).

Seriously though, I would definitely rebuild the Garrett if you already have it. The price to rebuild it would be worth the advantage over the chinacharger. What size are they? Once you move past the 2560s they really start to go downhill in comparison with genuine units.

The chinachargers are nice, but why not sell it to pay for the rebuild? Sell it to pay for the rebuild and you have a basically new Garrett for the amount you would get for the chinacharger.

pull the internals out of the chinacharger and put in garrett?

Its funny you posted first. In searching on google I actually found your rebuild post on here.

What you said is almost exactly what I was thinking. Sell the chinacharger to cover the rebuild and some other little extras (desperate need of a new oil drain).

Either this^

or put a rivet in the chinacharger to restrict oil flow and run it. I was very pleased with mine until I sold the car. The new owner (who oddly lives about 2 minutes from where I moved recently) is absolutely thrilled with the car. No issues to date, and he drives the FUCK out of that thing, way harder than I ever did.

Swapping out a turbo is a negligible amount of labor, and I'm certain that the bigger chinacharger will put a grin on your face. The rebuild kit for the garrett is going to be between 90 and 110 bucks, and I'm willing to bet that you'd be able to put that amount of cash together before the chinacharger blew out (if it ever did). Just install the damn thing and keep the garrett around for an emergency.

Wait what are you talking about?

What happened to your garrett? Is it ball bearing? You know the cost for rebuild for your model (if it's ball bearing) is like $450 right? And they don't rebuild, they give you a "like-new" CHRA.

I should also mention that the eBay turbo wasn't exactly a "swap" job. I've taken the damn turbo off so many times now that its like a 15 min job, but the chinacharger is slightly bigger and it was just enough to give me hell.

The Garrett isn't a ball bearing unit. It has some shaft play and I assume it also blew the seal. It was smoking really bad just before I pulled it off the car. Figures that right after I dyno the car and install the ARTech parts the turbo failed. I had enough and walked away from the car. Other things happened that kept me from working on it and its just been sitting since.

This year I will get loose ends buttoned up and have it back on the road again, or I sell it. :vash:

Would this be a direct swap or will you have to get another DP?

Its going to be a tight fit but I should be able to use the same 3" dp.

A weekend bump to help me make a decision. :bigtu:

All this rain we're getting will have this fucking snow gone in no time, so I better start making moves now if I want to be driving the car before next winter. lol