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IS38 - Any Regrets or Unresolved Issues?

ACE2

Ready to race!
Location
texas
So does anyone have a is38 on a gti and ran into any of these problems that wolf listed?

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TheGreekFreak

Go Kart Champion
Location
MA
So does anyone have a is38 on a gti and ran into any of these problems that wolf listed?

I'm sure many have, hence the blown IS38s lol I bet most if not all of those guys have no real idea why it happened. The only thing I've heard from others is "off balance from the factory" but people have blown theirs after getting it balanced so that theory is shaky.

Wolf seems to be the one whose presented the most probable explanation.
 

ACE2

Ready to race!
Location
texas
There is no proof that any of is38 was blown. Few of my friends running H version of is38 with 0 issues.
This kinda relieves me lol I had mine balanced from littco but was just unsure

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WOLF

Ready to race!
Location
San Antonio
Car(s)
MkV GTI
There is no proof that any of is38 was blown. Few of my friends running H version of is38 with 0 issues.

We have plenty of proof of IS38's failing and its surprising for you to say that after all these people reported failures. Nobody here is lying about their turbo blowing up. I even posted pictures of multiple failed IS38 shafts showing clear oil starvation signs. Some of those pics are from turbos we installed and we always check oil pressure with ODIS (VW dealer tool) and oil levels after install.
 

TheGreekFreak

Go Kart Champion
Location
MA
There is no proof that any of is38 was blown. Few of my friends running H version of is38 with 0 issues.

You sure? Didn't wolf blow two or three of them (maybe 1 himself + 2 from people he knew)? I remember him mentioning something like that in the other thread. Another tuner on some other site claimed a 1 in 20 failure rate (tuned something like 80 golf Rs). If true, that's significant enough to raise concern.

I doubt its a problem on stock Rs but I wouldn't say there is "no proof any IS38 has blown".
 

WOLF

Ready to race!
Location
San Antonio
Car(s)
MkV GTI
You sure? Didn't wolf blow two or three of them (maybe 1 himself + 2 from people he knew)? I remember him mentioning something like that in the other thread. Another tuner on some other site claimed a 1 in 20 failure rate (tuned something like 80 golf Rs). If true, that's significant enough to raise concern.

I doubt its a problem on stock Rs but I wouldn't say there is "no proof any IS38 has blown".

We have hundreds of thousands of clicks on this thread with countless weekly reports on the MQB page so clearly this is a regular issue.
I thought some people would be over and past questioning this being an isolated issue.
Flashing your car increases boost, thus heat and stress on all the components including the bearings, resulting in more lubrication required which clearly as seen in pictures posted by me is not always achievable reliably in these units.
 

Motorhead8478

New member
Location
Titusville FL
No regrets, rictus grin now all the time. ECS tuning kit is one I used. Dyno results came in at 368 at wheels on mine. Very much worth it to have a sub $30k 11.5 second car.
 

gregsju29

Go Kart Champion
Location
philly
Another tuner on some other site claimed a 1 in 20 failure rate (tuned something like 80 golf Rs).

haha, maybe he should give up tuning?! If I were a tuner and making mistakes, I'd definitely blame the turbo hahaha. My point is, so many variables to all of this. I get your concern, but I would still wager that an insane amount of R's that have been tuned or GTI's that have upgraded to IS38's. All of these "blown turbo's" get heightened on the forums when a few people have issues. With latest revisions, it seems like this has died out, no?
 

billbadass

Drag Racing Champion
Location
your moms house
given how much stronger AND Cheaper the littco L380 or is38x turbos are, not to mention the EQT turbo only a few hundred more than oem is38, i just don't see why anyone would ever buy a normal OEM is38.

I just got L380 cheaper from UK with actuator and all that stuff, already calibrated, and shipped for <$1400 with all the stronger internals and balancing.
 

normcaldwell

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Denver, Colorado
haha, maybe he should give up tuning?! If I were a tuner and making mistakes, I'd definitely blame the turbo hahaha. My point is, so many variables to all of this. I get your concern, but I would still wager that an insane amount of R's that have been tuned or GTI's that have upgraded to IS38's. All of these "blown turbo's" get heightened on the forums when a few people have issues. With latest revisions, it seems like this has died out, no?

Pretty much died out. Revisions have solved most of the issues.

given how much stronger AND Cheaper the littco L380 or is38x turbos are, not to mention the EQT turbo only a few hundred more than oem is38, i just don't see why anyone would ever buy a normal OEM is38.

I just got L380 cheaper from UK with actuator and all that stuff, already calibrated, and shipped for <$1400 with all the stronger internals and balancing.

This thread is about 2 years old.
A number of hybrid options have come to market since I started this thread.
I agree; today, if I was looking to upgrade, I'd look into DVB2, Littco, EQT, etc.
 
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