Thinking T2 or T3 turbo?
Turbo Mini Forums

Well i've run a T3 for 7 or 8years and never broken a turbo then for the last 2years ive run a T2 and broken 2 so to be ready for Avon and in true last minute style i needed to change turbo, the only one i could chuck on in short notice was a T3 and what a difference

T3
wow is it slow to spool up, but once spining it keeps going, ideal during gear changes and the turbos not stressed. you need to kick the clutch initialy to build up boost in a hurry. smooth to drive and mild mannered.

T2
spins up much much faster, punch the pedal and bang your off, but turbo slows more in gear changes and they just dont seem to last long (Could be me running 15psi) also the car tends to run a bit off colour compaired.

My conclusion
the T2 seems a good idea due to the faster spool but is slower once on boost through the gears. the T3 is harder to launch from the lights but once going it seems better, so for Avon if you can launch it i would think the T3 is better but for round town response the T2 seems better. for cruising and driving like a granny the T3 seems good. the T3 just has so much lag compaired! i also think the T2 will limit the power potential of the engine

any one else tried both?
your comments?

i've gone for a halfway house, a bit larger T2. i'll see what it does on the rollers thursday then what i can make it do on the track at the weekend should it hold together.

i've had T3'd mini's before but nothing all that special.

I ran a T3 for years, but have run a T2 for the last couple. The T2 has transformed my car, it's so much more tractable, especially when running low compression and" biggish" cam. I can't see me going back to a T3 in a hurry.

Phil.

WWW.TURBO-MINI.COM

I'm never, ever going to go to a T3 again...
There are tons of decent small turbines and compressors out there from nissan, IHI, KKK and the like - a number of which are superior than the T2 series compressors

There is so much choice, I don't know why anyone would want to stick with the limited T3 range - aside from an easy life of course!

EDIT:
Good post - intersting to have the persective from T2 to T3 - as normally we only have it one way round!

Edited by turbodave16v on 10th Jul, 2006.

The R5 tuning guys modify the standard T2 with a 360 deg bearing if they go above 10 psi.

That's probably what you will need if you want a reliable T2 on 15 psi.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

i have another spare T2 that is a phase 1 hybrid thing with 360 bearing and interestingly a modified exhaust casting with a divider detween the turbine and the wastegate increasing strenth were they normaly crack.

first T2 from 5alive or something had bearing failure

second T2 smoked slightly and had some play but was removed for other reasons. on installing the T3 it was clear that the water cooled turbo was allowing water into the oil!!!

T2!
does your exaust hsg have a 0.41 a/r? you wrote it 's an hybrid , how do you know? what's you power range?
fab

The two T2 turbos i have used have been standard R5 ones

the T2 hybrid i have came off a friends R5 and the company he got it from said it was a phase/stage 1.

i have not looked at it properly (but will soon as i need to fit it) but it has a modified exhaust housing as there is a divider between the waste gate outlet and the turbine. ( this is were they always crack ) it also has a Forge racing actuator that has so much spring rate i can not pre-load the actuator even using pliers!

i understand it has a 360 bearing ( i think this meens thrust washer ) but as a stage/phase 1 has standard impellers etc

Edited by Turbo Shed on 21st Jul, 2006.

generally hybrids have a bigger comp wheel, so your should be a modified std T2 with 360°'s,but the divider is not commun on 0.35a/r , I think this hsg is a 0.41a/r one,it is communly used on volvo 1.7 turbo and used to make the turbine side of hybrids, it prevent the flow from the waste gate to clear the turbine one.I think you should look at this turbo seriously, it can be a nice one, have you got pics?
fab

Edited by fab on 22nd Jul, 2006.

if i remember i will look in the garden shed for it and take some pictures

If you intend on running Nos with a turbo, would the T3 be the best option in terms of power. I read in Vizards book that Nos greatly reduces the turbo lag.

Regards,
Chris.

Wooahh, 4 years, got to be a record?

WTF? 26 months late for a response?

At least it shows some of the newbies are using the search button :)

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Good one to resurrect.
My tuppenny says T3 but only cos it's what i got and is in very good condition.
Otherwise I'd be thingking about a GT17 or GT25.

But ya gotta admit,3 is better than 2

Warning:Stig in Training

Since the thread is revived :)
My T2 ran fine (it was hiflowed) up to 10psi
Ran it on 15psi for a few weeks, 2 dyno days (back to back) and now it has shat itself. Seals gone, oil leaking all over my clutch cover, smoking on boost out the exhaust AND heaps of smoke from the turbo iteself. Pretty cool sitting at the lights with my hood shut and smoke seeping out the edges (yes, fire extinguisher no passenger seat ready :) )

Now, I thought about rebuilding it, thhis and that, T3, T2, T25, etc etc and cost etc made me end up getting a brand new turbo. I
went for a GT2554R but then my turbo guy started thinking (which is always cool :) ) and said hang on, why dont I build you something.
Ended up with a GT2560 core, GTR rear housing a/r.48 turbine and a different front housing from Garrett with a/r.51
Wastegate has been opened up a bit too.
It will have a 12psi actuator.

That set me back $1200 aussie... and rated at 330hp so im happy.

Drags are on 15th so will see how she performs. Have only about 2 days to get used to the new clutch setup, new turbo and the quaife LSD.

I would (if $ allow it) go for a new turbo...
Turbo guy reckons spool up will be the same (if not earlier due to dual bb) and will flow much much better than the T2 and still pull through the revs I will not even see.

Cheers,
Pete

1132cc Turbo ~120 bananas ATW - Fun Fun Fun

gt25 on an 1132cc.....surely your pushing the limits of the surge line?

nah, with the front and rear AR I have, its perfect

1132cc Turbo ~120 bananas ATW - Fun Fun Fun

Reviving this post again it seems...

I'm not a car techie and am just starting out learning more about engines and turbos etc.

I'm about to build a 1275 A+ turbo and since reading this thread am happy to go with a T2 but where can I source one of these from and what cars did they come from? So far I know the R5GT had them and there's only a couple on ebay which have cracks and some "play" in the shaft.

Can I broaden my search and look for other specific cars that have a turbo I could use? Thanks.

A lot of t2s have cracked, they are still ok to use, or just rebuild one, but the t2s Re a little old now, the gt1752 are a better turbo to use, off the Saab 93/95

Edited by bennyy on 27th Feb, 2012.

Audi s4 b5 - 470bhp & 486ft lbs

On 30th Apr, 2012 Brett said:
yeah stick the bit in and give it a wobble

Think more modern. There are lots of better alternatives out there now.

GT15
GT1752
TD04

In the 13's at last!.. Just

Bollocks, I've bought a T3, now I'm thinking of getting something else after reading this ...

Edited by Brett on 22nd Apr, 2012.

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

If you have the t3 run it, it will fit straight on, and when you do swap to somthing later on you'll appriciate it more!