GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Is38 oem plus or vortex hybrid

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R

CaptainRatty

Autocross Champion
Location
Winston-Salem, NC
Car(s)
MK7 GTI
I've been contemplating the same dilemma for fun recently even though I'm at least a year or two out from swapping turbo's. I went a bit HAM on the modding in 2020 lol.

Assuming both on 93 oct...
is38 from FCP + EQT tune= $1,550 for 360ish WHP and.... a lifetime warranty
Vortex standard + Autotech HPFP+ EQT tune= $2,950 for 440ish WHP

The Vortex seems like a lot if I don't want to mess with the LPFP and other fueling mods. I think the sweet spot for me is the is38 on pump gas and then HPFP and E30 if I was feeling frosty. I have E in my area, but it's really just at a handful of Sheetz stations and I could see myself having to plan around it or constantly swapping between 93 map and E30 map.

Also, do those who purchase an is38 just swap over the WG actuator from the is20? I'd me more inclined to purchase a new actuator instead of one that's been running on a tuned is20 for what would be 75k+ miles at that point. I noticed with the Vortex, there's an option to include one installed and calibrated.
 
Last edited:

Daks

Autocross Champion
Location
Toronto
Car(s)
GTI PP
I've been contemplating the same dilemma for fun recently even though I'm at least a year out from swapping turbo's. I went a bit HAM on the modding in 2020 lol.

Assuming both on 93 oct...
is38 from FCP + EQT tune= $1,550 for 360ish WHP and.... a lifetime warranty
Vortex standard + Autotech HPFP+ EQT tune= $2,950 for 440ish WHP

The Vortex seems like a lot if I don't want to mess with the LPFP and other fueling mods. I think the sweet spot for me is the is38 on pump gas and then HPFP and E30 if I was feeling frosty. I have E in my area, but it's really just at a handful of Sheetz stations and I could see myself having to plan around it or constantly swapping between 93 map and E30 map.
Might be one of those things where you order a barrel and keep it in the garage.
 

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R
I've been contemplating the same dilemma for fun recently even though I'm at least a year or two out from swapping turbo's. I went a bit HAM on the modding in 2020 lol.

Assuming both on 93 oct...
is38 from FCP + EQT tune= $1,550 for 360ish WHP and.... a lifetime warranty
Vortex standard + Autotech HPFP+ EQT tune= $2,950 for 440ish WHP

The Vortex seems like a lot if I don't want to mess with the LPFP and other fueling mods. I think the sweet spot for me is the is38 on pump gas and then HPFP and E30 if I was feeling frosty. I have E in my area, but it's really just at a handful of Sheetz stations and I could see myself having to plan around it or constantly swapping between 93 map and E30 map.

Also, do those who purchase an is38 just swap over the WG actuator from the is20? I'd me more inclined to purchase a new actuator instead of one that's been running on a tuned is20 for what would be 75k+ miles at that point. I noticed with the Vortex, there's an option to include one installed and calibrated.


I'd assume it's not calibrated, but FCPs' IS38 comes with the actuator.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-is38-turbocharger-ihi-vw-06k145874f
 

Ridebjj

Autocross Champion
Location
lasVegas
I've been contemplating the same dilemma for fun recently even though I'm at least a year or two out from swapping turbo's. I went a bit HAM on the modding in 2020 lol.

Assuming both on 93 oct...
is38 from FCP + EQT tune= $1,550 for 360ish WHP and.... a lifetime warranty
Vortex standard + Autotech HPFP+ EQT tune= $2,950 for 440ish WHP

The Vortex seems like a lot if I don't want to mess with the LPFP and other fueling mods. I think the sweet spot for me is the is38 on pump gas and then HPFP and E30 if I was feeling frosty. I have E in my area, but it's really just at a handful of Sheetz stations and I could see myself having to plan around it or constantly swapping between 93 map and E30 map.

Also, do those who purchase an is38 just swap over the WG actuator from the is20? I'd me more inclined to purchase a new actuator instead of one that's been running on a tuned is20 for what would be 75k+ miles at that point. I noticed with the Vortex, there's an option to include one installed and calibrated.

Or you could do what I'm leaning towards.

FCP IS38 + hpfp + SneekyTuned E48 ots tune = $1600 for ~400whp (as stated to my by email). That seems like a good price for that much power, imo. I'm not sure I even want to go beyond that, even if it didn't cost more - for longevity reasons.

I'm on E30 now. have five 5 gallon gas cans that I drive to the station and fill to the absolute top, which gives me closer to 30 gals total.

Then when my range indicator gets to 0, I add ~8 gallons of 91 and when I get home, I pump in ~4 gals of E85. It takes 7+ weeks to run out of E85. I suppose if I go to E48 that will be cut down a bit.
 

Subliminal

Autocross Champion
Location
Vegas
Car(s)
Slow FWD VW Hatch
Or you could do what I'm leaning towards.

FCP IS38 + hpfp + SneekyTuned E48 ots tune = $1600 for ~400whp (as stated to my by email). That seems like a good price for that much power, imo. I'm not sure I even want to go beyond that, even if it didn't cost more - for longevity reasons.

I'm on E30 now. have five 5 gallon gas cans that I drive to the station and fill to the absolute top, which gives me closer to 30 gals total.

Then when my range indicator gets to 0, I add ~8 gallons of 91 and when I get home, I pump in ~4 gals of E85. It takes 7+ weeks to run out of E85. I suppose if I go to E48 that will be cut down a bit.
What's that look like on the fuel gauge? As soon as my car dips under a 1/4 tank I start getting worried about fueling issues and basically drive straight to a gas station. Probably mostly because I would drive my Chevy on empty and eventually melted a fuel pump but then again that car was pretty much all-around a POS
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
Then when my range indicator gets to 0, I add ~8 gallons of 91 and when I get home, I pump in ~4 gals of E85. It takes 7+ weeks to run out of E85. I suppose if I go to E48 that will be cut down a bit.
To hit e48/50 range especially using Murphy’s, you’ll be flipping your ratios. So more like 8 gallons of e85 per tank.


When I’m at 1/4 and the tanks at e50ish i always do 6-7 of e85 and 2-3 of 91 to keep it at the e50 range.

My last full e85 fill up was with the tank at e58 and under 1/4, so I added 8.5 to 9. Gallons and it had the tank at E71...
 

Ridebjj

Autocross Champion
Location
lasVegas
What's that look like on the fuel gauge? As soon as my car dips under a 1/4 tank I start getting worried about fueling issues and basically drive straight to a gas station. Probably mostly because I would drive my Chevy on empty and eventually melted a fuel pump but then again that car was pretty much all-around a POS
It means I'm almost completely out of gas. The range indicator is unlocked by vagcom. It just tells you how many miles you have left on your tank. I always go until it says 0 - which means the needle is sitting on the "E" pin. No issues at all doing this for 6+ months.

*Waits to be told engine will blow up at any time.
 

Ridebjj

Autocross Champion
Location
lasVegas
To hit e48/50 range especially using Murphy’s, you’ll be flipping your ratios. So more like 8 gallons of e85 per tank.


When I’m at 1/4 and the tanks at e50ish i always do 6-7 of e85 and 2-3 of 91 to keep it at the e50 range.

My last full e85 fill up was with the tank at e58 and under 1/4, so I added 8.5 to 9. Gallons and it had the tank at E71...

E85 from murphys makes E30 at 2:1 gas to eth every time, so I don't really see how E48 will need any more than the 1:1 any online calculator predicts

I guess we will see what we will see.
 

Subliminal

Autocross Champion
Location
Vegas
Car(s)
Slow FWD VW Hatch
It means I'm almost completely out of gas. The range indicator is unlocked by vagcom. It just tells you how many miles you have left on your tank. I always go until it says 0 - which means the needle is sitting on the "E" pin. No issues at all doing this for 6+ months.

*Waits to be told engine will blow up at any time.
What do you mean unlocked by vagcom? My 2017 came with a range indicator in the MFD as well as the 'CAR' screen on the infotainment display. I just hardly ever use it. Are you talking about something different?
 

GTI Jake

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
I get that Vortex would be leaving a lot on the table without E and HPFP, but if the Vortex Standard is able to get to about 430whp on 93 gas where the is38 maxes out at around 380whp on 93, then it is worth considering.

Just not sure if that is possible or safe without HPFP. Since I have no E available to me, and is38 does not require HPFP, I'm trying to gauge which makes more sense for my situation.

Ed from EQT would be able to answer with more confidence, but those numbers would be at the very high end of what’s safe with stock fueling.

I believe the HPFP is a good precaution even if you only wanted 430whp on 93. It’s better to have headroom and not need it.
 

El_bigote_AJ

Autocross Champion
Location
Las Vegas
Car(s)
2019 GTI bunny
E85 from murphys makes E30 at 2:1 gas to eth every time, so I don't really see how E48 will need any more than the 1:1 any online calculator predicts

I guess we will see what we will see.
Are you leaving your gauge plugged in or just when you test fuel when you fill it?

We are using the same stations and I fill up once a week at min, and even when I was on the jr e30 mix and using “online calculators” was never accurate unless I input the e85 more at e65-70. So someone’s sensor is reading wrong lol.


If your 91 is 10% and your ethanol is at the pump is 70% 1.1 is not achievable, you need pure 85% for that mix.

Murphy’s is NEVER 85%... on super good batch’s it’s only over 60% . even the best station in town that has a good min rating guarantee of %75 is always below 80.

I’ve had a case where the tank was at E61 and i was at 1/2 tank and was near the Murphy’s station so I decided to add 3-4 gallons of e85 and see where the gauge landed before I well and got shell it is dropped my content down to e57...
That’s why when you read the Murphy pump they only guarantee to not be below E50.

Have you tested any of the stick you store in the garage with one of the glass bottle testing kits? I never tried one at the pump cause I didn’t want to be that bill Nye looking person at the pump, lol. Maybe I will have to to make sure my sensor is right.
 

Ridebjj

Autocross Champion
Location
lasVegas
What do you mean unlocked by vagcom? My 2017 came with a range indicator in the MFD as well as the 'CAR' screen on the infotainment display. I just hardly ever use it. Are you talking about something different?
We're talking about the same thing. I think I'm thinking of the "gallons until empty" display that needs vagcom.
 
Top