To turbo or not to turbo, that is my question?? (Help!!))

[Dev4mo]

Hey Dubs,

I own a Vw Bora v6 4 motion and am located in south Sydney. I've wanted to do this car up for a long time, I love it!! I've read some of the threads on this site and others and the more I read the more disheartened I get. I come from a jap car backround that include minimal electronics. The bora seems to not have any or very rare suppliers for body kit alteration in Aus. The car seems to have no or minimal bolt on mods or turbo kits in Aus. And I'm still trying to work this out but once finished the mods do I have to send the ECU OVERSEAS to get tuned properly as there are no real time tunes available in Sydney?

Under the hood it's very tight and a lot of it is unknown to me, (think I saw a charcoal filter lol ) it looks like I'll have a lot of trouble fitting and mounting my intercooler in that very tight stock bumper and don't wana even think about where I'll fit my pipes yet. I've seen that 2 gurus did it and went through their threads but not sure I am at their mad skill level just yet so basically wana know if there is an easy way (bolt on stylz) to get this done or weather maybe I should take on an easier ride ( really don't want to )

thanks hope the gurus see this ha

[sambb]

Could get a belt driven vortech style centrifugal supercharger and run it with water/meth injection and no intercooler. Couldn't get more compact than that. That way its purely an inlet mod.

[Dev4mo]

Could get a belt driven vortech style centrifugal supercharger and run it with water/meth injection and no intercooler. Couldn't get more compact than that. That way its purely an inlet mod.

The supa would be physically difficult to fit as not sure where you'd put it, maybe move widow washer fluid bottle and some aircon pipes in the front left corner as where I was planning to put my intercooler out pipes but if I was going to go to the trouble of moving existing gear I would prefer to go the turbo as I've always had turbos and like the feel. Even with the supa, and exhaust and coilovers would need a tune and still have that problem. Not really keen to run a stand alone if I didn't have to.

[Back Door Shenanigans.]

Always worth scouring VWVortex forced induction forums for people selling kits. Usually comes with everything you need. Its also not too much of a drama to send your ecu out for tuning. Places like united Motorsport really look after you well.

[RubAVeeDubDub]

As much as I love my bora, I would never recommended turbo-ing it. Tight bay, almost no aftermarket parts, highly technical motor that very few people actually know much about and there's a very low return on investment. Mate of mine runs a tuning shop and he's had a turbo'd bora through his shop before - the guy fitted a Garret 38 turbo with a heavily worked motor and barely pulled 180kw at the wheels which is nothing compared to the work that was done.

I come from a background of simple jap and australian cars and my bora has been overwhelming for me. These engines are incredibly complex with more modules, pumps, sensors, and pipes than I've ever seen. Everything is far too complex for no good reason.

If you want to have a turbo'd bora - look into getting a 1.8T engine from a Golf. I've seen pictures of them being able to fit. I would basically shell a golf gti into a bora and find a custom bellhousing and a simpler or more common diff from a different car.

[Stanton]

1.8T is the way to go,use a 4wd transmission from an Audi TT or S3.All bolt up stuff.

[Back Door Shenanigans.]

That doesn't make a lot of sense when so many of the american guys are getting really good numbers and especially when i was told that under 600hp the engine doesn't need to be built. I've easily got 200kw atw with a basic tune and still have quite a way to go before anything (else) craps out. Plenty of 400hp plus builds over there.

As much as I love my bora, I would never recommended turbo-ing it. Tight bay, almost no aftermarket parts, highly technical motor that very few people actually know much about and there's a very low return on investment. Mate of mine runs a tuning shop and he's had a turbo'd bora through his shop before - the guy fitted a Garret 38 turbo with a heavily worked motor and barely pulled 180kw at the wheels which is nothing compared to the work that was done.

I come from a background of simple jap and australian cars and my bora has been overwhelming for me. These engines are incredibly complex with more modules, pumps, sensors, and pipes than I've ever seen. Everything is far too complex for no good reason.

If you want to have a turbo'd bora - look into getting a 1.8T engine from a Golf. I've seen pictures of them being able to fit. I would basically shell a golf gti into a bora and find a custom bellhousing and a simpler or more common diff from a different car.

[VW Convert]

That doesn't make a lot of sense when so many of the american guys are getting really good numbers and especially when i was told that under 600hp the engine doesn't need to be built. I've easily got 200kw atw with a basic tune and still have quite a way to go before anything (else) craps out. Plenty of 400hp plus builds over there.

I agree, "the guy fitted a Garret 38 turbo with a heavily worked motor and barely pulled 180kw at the wheels" just doesn't ring true. Having said that, it's a costly exercise to turbo this engine and you have to question is it worth putting so much money into this car. I'd sooner put the money towards something newer like a Golf R.



Cheers

George

[Dev4mo]

Tuning

Always worth scouring VWVortex forced induction forums for people selling kits. Usually comes with everything you need. Its also not too much of a drama to send your ecu out for tuning. Places like united Motorsport really look after you well.

Yeh, it's defiantly not an easy exercise or an ideal one, specially with the costs involved in getting an overseas tune done. All these little extras are pushing the budget from do able to not. I did read 2 threads on this site and one ( Simon I think ) got screwed over from a company doing his tune in California I think. Far from ideal but do able. I'll check out vw vortex. Havnt been to that site before. Thanks!!

[Dev4mo]

$$$

I agree, "the guy fitted a Garret 38 turbo with a heavily worked motor and barely pulled 180kw at the wheels" just doesn't ring true. Having said that, it's a costly exercise to turbo this engine and you have to question is it worth putting so much money into this car. I'd sooner put the money towards something newer like a Golf R.



Cheers

George

Very valid point. The more I do research and get numbers on how much things are looking at costing the more my heart saddens haha. When I finish doing my final coating that will determine wether I do this build or what you said, swap out to a more common model like the R or R32. If This goes ahead this will be the most $$$ build I have ever done haha go hard or go home

[Back Door Shenanigans.]

Yeh, it's defiantly not an easy exercise or an ideal one, specially with the costs involved in getting an overseas tune done. All these little extras are pushing the budget from do able to not. I did read 2 threads on this site and one ( Simon I think ) got screwed over from a company doing his tune in California I think. Far from ideal but do able. I'll check out vw vortex. Havnt been to that site before. Thanks!!

There are other options. I'm having mine done buy stealth racing in the Uk. Cost 250 pounds. The Tunes will cost around $1000 all up to get sent over, or you can buy a pretuned ecu on ebay with a immo delete. As long as you use reputable brands its not so bad.

Very valid point. The more I do research and get numbers on how much things are looking at costing the more my heart saddens haha. When I finish doing my final coating that will determine wether I do this build or what you said, swap out to a more common model like the R or R32. If This goes ahead this will be the most $$$ build I have ever done haha go hard or go home

I laughed at someone who told me to budget twice what i thought it would cost....and now im eating my words. Seriously there are a lot of little parts that add up to some decent extra costs. If you want i can make a quick budget of what mine roughly cost if i can remember it all. Its not cheap but if you want cheap go a LS motor or jap tuning which has been done before. At least this way you'll have something that should be ridiculously quick and you get the added bonus of people having no idea what it is, something unique.... except the other guys who have done it......

[Dev4mo]

Looked into the tune and while there are still no real time tunes there a few cheaper options ( thanks back door ).
Car went in for a new exhaust system today, coming out dual shotgun so excited for the new look new feel. Now to start sourcing for the turbo build and to do a few power maps and choose a turbo!!

Anyone know where I can source a good manifold from or did all the boosted boras get them custom built??

[BOR444]

As your thread had sparked a bit of curiosity for me to go down this path I have just attained a quote in the last few days from a very reputable tuning company here in Aus to do the job, that's a stage 2 kit with everything supplied including labour costs, dyno tuning and diagnostics. I won't get much change out of 20k to turn key. The expected increase in power (but not confirmed) is 65-70% taking it to roughly 250kw- 255kw. This does not include brake or driveline upgrades and I have also been warned that over time internals and other associated parts could fail. My decision is made lol ....

Dev.

[HaydEn]

Can be done for well under 5k

[Bug_racer]

Can be done for well under 5k

Not reliably .

I suggest just buying an R32 engine and doing a swap . Easy , simple and decent gains .