Any complete kits for stock - big turbo?

[james9120]

2018 GTI 6MT.

People love to use the words “suck the tit” of a specific manufacturer, but I see it as simplicity and compatibility.

I spent the last couple weeks doing countless research of the available hybrid turbos and kits available but haven’t found “the one” that pops out the most. Although I have been leaning towards EQT lately. Luckily UM is about an hour from me as well.

i was heavily considering the APR EFR kit, at 5k with tune and downpipe included, it’s a little more expensive but the quality shows. But now they tacked on an additional 1500 required fueling kit (but not included?) turned me off big time. Also might hold out for whatever hybrid system they’re testing.

Steering clear of IS38 upgrades as the cap of 380-400bhp is short of my goal and honestly so common I’m tired of seeing it everywhere.

Anyways, just looking to start (another) big turbo discussion to add to the hundreds of other threads.

My goal is 450ish daily

 

[Diggs24]

Just do the eqt and be done with it. 450whp will pretty much guarantee you need fueling too though.

 

[arob157]

I agree with Diggs.

The only other option I considered was Littco due to similar price range (either the L380X or L450) and durability. A lot of the other options do not spool as quick, and/or are more expensive for similar performance.

Plan on at least a LPFP & HPFP. I would honestly go MPI. While many others are correct in saying it isn't necessary for 450whp on 91/93, there are many advantages outside of a performance gain (you won't make more power with pump gas and MPI). Better control of the fueling is definitely a large factor and the fact that you will have cleaner valves vs. DI only.

The EQT Boost Weather sale is a month out (the deals last year were extremely good), and there are Black Friday deals as well for fueling from PR and a couple of others.

 

[james9120]

Yeah the EQT is definitely a very solid option, just to confirm, it acts as if a OEM is20/38 in terms of fitment, but obviously internally much bigger? So everything that fits the car stock.. will fit the EQT?
I probably will hold off a bit on fueling, past experiences gives me headaches when messing with fueling options. I’ll just keep the power lower until I feel like tackling it

 

[jimlloyd40]

Yeah the EQT is definitely a very solid option, just to confirm, it acts as if a OEM is20/38 in terms of fitment, but obviously internally much bigger? So everything that fits the car stock.. will fit the EQT?
I probably will hold off a bit on fueling, past experiences gives me headaches when messing with fueling options. I’ll just keep the power lower until I feel like tackling it

Yes the EQT is a direct fit. Keep in mind that if you want 450 HP you'll need the HPFP unless you are going to use ethanol. Then you'll need the LPFP instead.

 

[arob157]

Yeah the EQT is definitely a very solid option, just to confirm, it acts as if a OEM is20/38 in terms of fitment, but obviously internally much bigger? So everything that fits the car stock.. will fit the EQT?
I probably will hold off a bit on fueling, past experiences gives me headaches when messing with fueling options. I’ll just keep the power lower until I feel like tackling it

Yes to the IS20/IS38 convention. EQT bases their turbine and exhaust housings off of IS20 & IS38. The "standard" exhaust housing is based off of the IS20 while the XL is based off of the IS38.

Fueling has come a long ways on this platform. I have done brushless LPFP, MPI, and lines all in the last month. I have experienced zero issues or headaches with the setup. If you purchase a complete LPFP, you should not run into any issues. Same with MPI. Buy a Euro manifold to be safe and you will be good (although almost every MPI kit has changed to threaded inserts for the rail mounting).

But stock fueling is fine, especially with the standard housing. You will just be limited to pump gas and 24-25psi with low timing. Will still feel great and give you more than enough headroom to grow the setup.

 

[james9120]

Yes the EQT is a direct fit. Keep in mind that if you want 450 HP you'll need the HPFP unless you are going to use ethanol. Then you'll need the LPFP instead.

Thanks, HPFP isn’t a big deal, but when we start talking about MPI and separate controllers and stuff is when it gets complicated.
Unfortunately no E even remotely close in my area so good ol’ 93 it is!

 

[jimlloyd40]

Yes to the IS20/IS38 convention. EQT bases their turbine and exhaust housings off of IS20 & IS38. The "standard" exhaust housing is based off of the IS20 while the XL is based off of the IS38.

Fueling has come a long ways on this platform. I have done brushless LPFP, MPI, and lines all in the last month. I have experienced zero issues or headaches with the setup. If you purchase a complete LPFP, you should not run into any issues. Same with MPI. Buy a Euro manifold to be safe and you will be good (although almost every MPI kit has changed to threaded inserts for the rail mounting).

But stock fueling is fine, especially with the standard housing. You will just be limited to pump gas and 24-25psi with low timing. Will still feel great and give you more than enough headroom to grow the setup.

He won't reach his goal of 450 HP with that boost and low timing.

 

[arob157]

He won't reach his goal of 450 HP with that boost and low timing.

Nope. I can attest to that. I just wrapped up my super conservative 91oct tune. Hitting 26-27psi and 4-5degrees of timing, I was doing 4.5-4.6 60-100mph times consistently below a half of a tank. I have an SE, so leather and sunroof, and two kids seats. Definitely a chunkier chassis. Spare and tool kit removed.

I would guess the car is around 390-410whp, maybe a touch more. I am not driving to a dyno any time soon, so Draggy it is.

 

[billbadass]

I would just call EQT and buy what they tell you to, as that is what I did and built something very similar to what you are talking about. I instead went with Littco L380x Turbo , and regret it, I should have gotten a base EQT vortex turbo instead. My car made 458whp on a fairly happy dyno, and now makes 480whp on the same dyno on E55 fuel, through stock GTI catback exhaust. My car was built and tuned by EQT.

You are totally right on fueling also, my "upgraded" low pressure fuel pump setup created a lot of headaches, but High Pressure Fuel pump only is very reliable with EQT doing the tuning. On every platform I've ever built a car on, once start getting serious about fueling the headaches go way up.

the recipe is pretty simple, but here is what I would recommend and basically what I did and I feel like I did a lot of research:


EQT vortex turbo
APR intercooler
pick a downpipe, I would go with trackslag if i was doing it again
autotech HPFP
EQT tuned on COBB (eqt's cobb traction control is awesome)
EQT DSG tune also

EQT intercooler piping kit (optional, I made 458whp without it on E50 fuel)
pick a turbo inlet (also optional but i recommend MST)
pick a good intake (also optional but i recommend integrated engineering, i went with a custom setup with BPI velocity stack)
i think the intake stuff above at >400whp power level maybe pick up a combined 10-15whp so depends on if you think that is worth the cost of them.

this should for sure be >450hp at the motor, have great torque, great spool and be very reliable as long as the parts are installed by a good shop. I believe there was a GTI on here that was only EQT turbo/EQT tuning/intercooler/downpipe that did 400whp on 91 pump gas?


and get some good motor mounts and good brakes pads/fluids because 400whp in one of these cars will really surprise you with how fast they are! and the stock motor mounts will not survive that power level. I recommend BFI stage1.

I have stock rims and stock suspension and the car looks/sounds damn near stock, and yet will blow the doors off your average mustang/camaro/corvette. I just cracks me up everytime I drive it. 450+whp in a GTI with DSG is just fuggin hilarious how quick it can be, and can be very reliable.

I wouldn't focus too much on whatever the power number is on the dyno also, a vortex turbo from EQT on 93 octane will be plenty quick to scare you.

if you ever do a race gas or ethanol tune i bet you pick up 80whp too so that is a fun thing to think about for the future...

 

[james9120]

I would just call EQT and buy what they tell you to, as that is what I did and built something very similar to what you are talking about. I instead went with Littco L380x Turbo but had EQT did the work and the tuning, and regret it, I should have gotten a base EQT vortex turbo instead. My car made 458whp on a fairly happy dyno, and now makes 480whp on the same dyno on E55 fuel, through stock GTI catback exhaust

You are totally right on fueling also, my "upgraded" low pressure fuel pump setup created a lot of headaches, but High Pressure Fuel pump only is very reliable with EQT doing the tuning. On every platform I've ever built a car on, once start getting serious about fueling the headaches go way up.

the recipe is pretty simple, but here is what I would recommend and basically what I did and I feel like I did a lot of research:


EQT vortex turbo
APR intercooler
pick a downpipe, I would go with trackslag if i was doing it again
autotech HPFP
EQT tuned on COBB (eqt's cobb traction control is awesome)
EQT DSG tune also

EQT intercooler piping kit (optional, I made 458whp without it on E50 fuel)
pick a turbo inlet (also optional but i recommend MST)
pick a good intake (also optional but i recommend integrated engineering, i went with a custom setup with BPI velocity stack)
i think the intake stuff above at >400whp power level maybe pick up a combined 10-15whp so depends on if you think that is worth the cost of them.

this should for sure be >450hp at the motor, have great torque, great spool and be very reliable as long as the parts are installed by a good shop. I believe there was a GTI on here that was only EQT turbo/EQT tuning/intercooler/downpipe that did 400whp on 91 pump gas?


and get some good motor mounts and good brakes pads/fluids because 400whp in one of these cars will really surprise you with how fast they are! and the stock motor mounts will not survive that power level. I recommend BFI stage1.

I have stock rims and stock suspension and the car looks/sounds damn near stock, and yet will blow the doors off your average mustang/camaro/corvette. I just cracks me up everytime I drive it. 450+whp in a GTI with DSG is just fuggin hilarious how quick it can be, and can be very reliable.

I wouldn't focus too much on whatever the power number is on the dyno also, a vortex turbo from EQT on 93 octane will be plenty quick to scare you.

if you ever do a race gas or ethanol tune i bet you pick up 80whp too so that is a fun thing to think about for the future...

Thanks for the informative post!

How was your response from EQT with tuning? I tried the “E-tuner” deal before and it was a terrible experience, days without a revision needed to run correctly and etc.

 

[Diggs24]

Who was your previous etuner? EQT is pretty popular so custom tuning might not be immediate responses but your car will never be undriveable.

 

[Will_]

If you’re feeling impulsive there is killer sale thread on the APR kit at the moment:

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/inde...efr-71-63-twinscroll-kit.378362/#post-7506250

 

[bluekid99]

I'm going the route of DBV2 Turbo but EQT tuning with the HPFP and LPFP. Said I should easily be 450whp without e blend. Getting done next week so I'll find out for sure.

 

[billbadass]

Thanks for the informative post!

How was your response from EQT with tuning? I tried the “E-tuner” deal before and it was a terrible experience, days without a revision needed to run correctly and etc.

Ed and EQT are quite good, and your car will always run fine between revisions, the 1st revision tune he will send you will run the car fine around town and then just fine tuning and more power from there. EQT builds 1,000+ HP GTRs that cost $350k+ and do supras and lots of high dollar stuff, and their shop VW is a 650whp Golf R that is low low 10 second car on stock motor and trans, so they build serious stuff and i think the VW community is lucky to have them tuning our cars. I highly recommend EQT. Their customer service is outstanding too.

but if you just do vortex turbo, HPFP, intercooler, inlet and downpipe, I don't see how you're not at >400whp in a very reliable way that will smoke a pump gas is38 car by bus lengths and be tons of fun.