Where to buy a good ceramic ball bearing turbo.
 

I am looking to buy a high quality ceramic ball bearing T3. Any suggestions on where to get one?

T3 predates ball bearing and ceramic... you can get a hybrid with those things though.

hmmmmm

so where would a good place be to start looking?

I can't afford ceramic. Not for a miata. It's so much easier to use a lower cost turbo such as a $200 used T3 or in the high end a $650 GT3271 journal bearing turbo. Hell even ball bearing is out of my cash flow range.

Why ceramic?

hmm i need to revise. I think both features were around, but the T3 was never ceramic or bb.

pretty sure I've seen a bb T3-60... and it was crazy $$$

ATP sells them, and they are crazy $$$

whoops no, all t4 wheels, still 935, no turbine or compressor housing.

It does seem odd to spend all that money to get BB and not throw in a few cents more for GT series wheels.

why do you need ceramic ball bearings? if you want a bb turbo get the garret GT series turbos, otherwise a T3 journal bearing would do just fine as well.

i have always heard that the performance advantage from journal to bb's is minimal. i heard with the same turbo in different bearing configurations you may be only looking at 300 rpm faster spool rate and you loose alot of the turbo's life. this true?

The fact that a journal bearing turbo can be rebuilt and a BB one cannot easily be rebuilt is reason enough for me to sarifice that 300 rpm willingly. I like the idea of being able to rebuild my turbo if something gets into the oil passages and screws it over or some ridiculous reason.

BB spool is nuts. They spin so freely that on all my buddies cars that run them, you can hear the turbo spin for about 30 seconds after the car is shut off. GT30's and 35's spinning at idle.

Subie STi turbos (vf22, vf23) are mostly bb , flow heaps and go pretty cheap. The VF38 even cheaper (bb, titanium, twin scroll) ...

i'll vouch for my 2876R spinning for a long time after shutting the car off. even from idle.

Turbonetics GT-K series.. Prepare to open wallet wide. ;)

http://www.turbochargers.com/store/p...roducts_id=455

I can probably get you a little bit better price on that.

hmm, i was thinking in the $1000 range. I guess my real question then is what is the best turbo to get for around $1000 that will run 14-18 psi and spool quickly. My goal is 250rwhp.

With a 1.6 or 1.8? If only looking for 250rwhp with best spool go with a GT2560R I'd guess.

1st get a manifold...
if it is a t2 footprint anything between a t25 and a gt3271r will do it...

What do you want? Spent 1000 dollar on a turbo or just buy a good matched setup.

t3 setups , i think all t3 are capable off 250hp

But why the hp goals?? Just bragging rights?? I think the most fun are the smaller turbo's, just because off their ease off driving... (gt2554r gt2560r)
GTxxxxR means ball bearring
A simple nissan t28 could take you there too...

Everyone's goal is 250rwhp and a hundred bajillion PSI. 200rwhp will walk away from STIs. Start there so you don't kill yourself. I love my GT2554R; you can always start on that, get your setup all worked out and running nicely, and then step up to a 2860 or a T28 to make more power later if you want.

t3 50 will probably not hut 250 at least not nicely

Why almost everyone who wants under 275 whp doesn't just buy a T3 60 trim is beyond me. Its only $575 for a nice Garrett one.

Well, to tell you the truth, real goal is to be able to run in the low 13's in the quarter and do decent on the track. And from what i have heard, 250hp will do that. Im from a small hillbilly town and everyone is into their muscle cars and whatnot. I'd like to be able to spank some mustangs and corvette's

T3 is would be a great weapon of choice.

I have been saying that for years... everyone who gets the T3 seems to love it or want something even bigger. LOL, they become size queens!!! Seriously for $500 bucks you can't beat the T3S60. My $200 chinese knock-off put me in the 12's, not bad, and would humble most stock mustangs pretty well.

Mark

a friend of mine has a t3 off of a 84 300zx that i can get a deal on. It has no shaft play but im still worried about using a 23 year old turbo. Is there anything to be concerned with?

Hmm 275 ain't gonna be enough for me.

Is there something cheap in a T3 that you'd recommend for 325 from a mild BP w/ 4W head at stock rev limit?

put a T04E 46 trim wheel on it

hmm what do you do, machine out the housing?
this might be knockin' on the door of a gt turbo, price wise

what about a T3/TO4E 57Trim .63
too big?

Dont forget spool, for an extra 250 over the new price you can get a GT2560

What's a "4W head"?

BP-4W is the engine code for 99-00
I have a 00 head, the 99-00 heads are easily identifiable by a 4W stamp in the back

:bigtu:

the chinese knock off 57trim .50/.63 are cheap and once again its a hit or miss about the quality...so far so good from what i've seen...but is that turbo a good match for the miata?...im curious to know if this turbo would be a good choice for me in my 94 1.8...or a t3s60?