It likes to shit the turbine out the exhaust when pushed hard.
Yeah, which is messy & can take very expensive parts with it as well.
From what I understand the thrust bearings are the issue.
Yeah, the idea I guess is that ~360hp is the 'sweet spot' for the IS38, and that beyond that things start to fall apart.
360whp is absolutely safe, and every 10hp you go up from there you’re just trading reliability for HP.
Sure you “can” make 400 on a is38, but it’s an unnecessarily dangerous way to do it with so many better options out there to fit that bill safely.
I watched your video discussing turbo options and how the IS38 isn't really viable above mid-300hp levels. Can you elaborate on it at all? Is it a fault of the stock IS38 that can be overcome with a 'new & improved brand XYZ is38+', or with supporting mods? Or is it just a factor of the dimensions of the turbo and it's efficiency range*?
*if I'm way off base with this it's because I have zero idea what I'm talking about/the forces at work and just want to go zoom
I won’t go on record saying EQT or anyone else’s is38+ is “better” than OEM.
If I had to guess 12-15 different companies have thrown their hat in that ring & almost all of them discontinued or folded their business entirely in the last seven years chasing that “new, bigger, better, BEST is38”.
EQT may have it sorted, but I’m in the who cares camp because if you want more than 360whp just buy a Vortex and feed it as much fuel as the power level you’d like to hit requires (in short, they’re “fixing” a issue or void in the market that doesn’t exist, because they already sell a better solution).
I’ve said it several times here, but I’ll say it again. A few hundred dollars more for the turbo you actually want to hit the numbers you actually desire is always cheaper as a buy once cry once endeavor.