Could have been the billet wheel was out of balance or could have been something to do with the installation of the wheel. 38r is a good turbo and they can be found for 1249.00. to your door. If you don't already have a ebpv ******/high flow housing on your 38r and you plan on doing that the KC38r may be a better deal for you. If you want retain the Ebpv or already have a high flow outlet I'd roll another 38r. Also choice may depend on the cost to have a KC38R rebuilt once out of warranty, if that's a deciding factor for you.
GTP38r Crap turbo? Mine is Toast... other turbos???
- Thread starter mtsblaster
- Start date
ncollins64
Well-known member
Id lean towards the billet wheel maybe causing this. I sold ALOT of kc38r turbos and all had awesome feedback. Some was towing, some was racing etc and people raved about the durability, spool up, customer service etc. I'd def buy a kc38r before a regular 38r. Plus you can rebuild it in times like this.
The Brad
New member
How much is a KC38r rebuild? Can it be done by the customer?
ncollins64
Well-known member
It can be. Charlie sells the kits or you can have him do it. Totally up to the customer.
hucorey
Member
Anytime a billet wheel is installed on a ball bearing charger it really should be balanced. On a journal bearing charger you can get away with it.
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lincolnlocker
Well-known member
I thought 38r are component balanced from garret?
are you utilizing the waste gate also? that isn't horrible pressure but its a tad high if that is sustained boost psi for long pulls. back pressure will creep up and eventually wear it down.. 38r are stout turbos.... must be a flaw or the billet wheel but if it is the 6x6 wheel and not the 11 blade the it is an exact replica of the stock cast wheel with extended tip exducer.. in theory, its lighter and should put less stress on the shaft and spool faster then the stock cast wheel..
live life full throttle
god bless america and the farmer who feeds your fat ass
hucorey
Member
They are with the stock cast wheel.
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lincolnlocker
Well-known member
component means each individual part then assembled... diselsite balances their billet wheel so it would still be component balanced..
live life full throttle
god bless america and the farmer who feeds your fat ass
hucorey
Member
Needs to be balanced as in the whole CHRA with the billet wheel, is what I meant.
I know what component balancing is. I used to do this with fans that weighed 20T.
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I know what component balancing is. I used to do this with fans that weighed 20T.
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lincolnlocker
Well-known member
but if it is component balanced at garret, then why does it have to be balanced with the wheel? since it is component balanced, then it is still component balanced even with a diselsite billet wheel in there as it was from garret..
live life full throttle
god bless america and the farmer who feeds your fat ass
My wheel was balanced and as such garrett told me the assembly would be as well. They said they had no way to balance the turbo with my wheel and that they didnt do it with theirs either. A search should pull up my email from them. They flat out told me they dont build a turbo and then balance it. Everything is balanced then assembled.
If my billet wheel was an issue it would trash the charger in weeks if not days.
Edit: the noise we all associate with the 38r is directly related to the way its balanced. Anyone wanna take a stab at why?
lincolnlocker
Well-known member
I have flat out thrashed my truck with a 38r and billet 11 blade wheel.. still rocking strong..
live life full throttle
god bless america and the farmer who feeds your fat ass
hucorey
Member
Just saying it "should" be. I ran a GTP38R for 3yrs with 250/200's and never had an issue with a WW2. But because a handful of us that have been fine doesn't mean it's not best to have it VSR balanced as an assembly. When Garrett makes 20k turbos a day, it takes extra money to balance them as an assembly. At the end of the day, it cuts into profit margin.
I have seen alot of broken shaft 38R's soon after a billet wheel install.
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I have seen alot of broken shaft 38R's soon after a billet wheel install.
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opcorn: TyCorr why is that?Why is what?(Duh, nevermind, i read a few posts up)
The new(08+) 38rs are noisy because the tolerances were loosened and the result is more noise. Prior to that they were tighter and balanced better and they were also darn near quiet.
Take it fwiw but Garrett is saying there isnt a way for them to balance the charger as a whole. They asked me not to share some of what they shared in response. Should a need arise and a customer needs a replacement compressor wheel, a unit balanced charger cant be serviced by a turbo shop. So in effect they are saying if the wheel is machined and balanced its no different than the method they use to component balance their turbos.
The new(08+) 38rs are noisy because the tolerances were loosened and the result is more noise. Prior to that they were tighter and balanced better and they were also darn near quiet.
Take it fwiw but Garrett is saying there isnt a way for them to balance the charger as a whole. They asked me not to share some of what they shared in response. Should a need arise and a customer needs a replacement compressor wheel, a unit balanced charger cant be serviced by a turbo shop. So in effect they are saying if the wheel is machined and balanced its no different than the method they use to component balance their turbos.
Last edited:
lincolnlocker
Well-known member
how many of those wheels where over torqued? or used an impact on to tighten?
live life full throttle
god bless america and the farmer who feeds your fat ass
I do know balancing a 38r makes it quieter, I honestly don't know why though.
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Ty thanks. Now that you mention that I remember a lot of noise complaint threads (on psn) about the Garrett 38R in the years after 08. Someone did mention that Garrett retooled the 38r line & made some minor changes.
My opinion is alot of the failed "billet gtp38r" turbos are related to compressor wheel install. I think more than care to admit used an impact to remove and install the compressor wheels.
My opinion is alot of the failed "billet gtp38r" turbos are related to compressor wheel install. I think more than care to admit used an impact to remove and install the compressor wheels.
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