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Old 04-28-2021, 07:08 PM   #1
K3rm1tth3fr0g
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Default VF34 Vs ????

Hey folks,

Wanted to get some feedback from you knowledgeable individuals in order make sure I'm not missing any options in my search before I pull the trigger on a new VF34.

Its a fairly basic FBO build: EJ205, rails, ID 1050X, dampers, fpr, Killer B header, 17 STI TMIC, 4.44 final drive JDM trans, turbo inlet, AOS, etc.

I have been in extensive talks with my tuner about converting my EJ205 ID1050X setup to flex-fuel on a Link ECU (along with an AiM dash ) as well as upgrading my VF39 (tuner said it was a bit tired last time on the dyno). After asking him specifically about the 16G through the 20G and all of the VF variants, he suggested the VF34 overall for my setup and I tend to agree. He did admit he was biased from running a VF34 specifically on his 2 of his cars

So I guess I was curious if you guy's think the 16G makes more sense than the VF34? I see the VF turbos get hated on a lot and 75% of the time people say just get a 16G haha. But the VF34 seems like the cream of the crop of the VFs. And $1000 for OEM Ball bearing seems pretty appealing even though I heard the ball bearing tech inside is a bit underwhelming compared to what Garrett uses. But all the dyno sheets I have compared seem pretty similar between the 16G and VF34.

And I don't really have a horsepower goal because even a VF turbo on E85 will be enough to put my 1050Xs up to around ~90% duty cycle at 7200rpm so that seems big enough to me. Especially considering my 205s rod bearing are from 2002 lol. So spool should be prioritized as much as topend, so an 18G is probably a bit bigger than I want.

It's worth noting that I will be going EWG with any turbo I buy.

Thanks all
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Last edited by K3rm1tth3fr0g; 05-11-2021 at 08:44 AM.
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Old 04-28-2021, 07:11 PM   #2
murrdogg24
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VF34 is one of the best oem turbos, I had one on my EJ205 04 WRX and it spooled really quickly on that engine and made great power.
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Old 04-28-2021, 07:14 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by murrdogg24 View Post
VF34 is one of the best oem turbos, I had one on my EJ205 04 WRX and it spooled really quickly on that engine and made great power.
+1 for VF34.

Noted.

Thanks
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Old 04-28-2021, 08:00 PM   #4
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I enjoyed it for daily driving. Probably the best fun street turbo for the 2.0 and does quite well up to 100mph on the track. Never auto x'd it but I bet it's a blast for that. 16g XTR will definitely give you more top end and very similar spool, but for the money the 34 is hard to beat. Would still have it if I still had a 205.
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Old 04-28-2021, 08:20 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snow_bound26 View Post
I enjoyed it for daily driving. Probably the best fun street turbo for the 2.0 and does quite well up to 100mph on the track. Never auto x'd it but I bet it's a blast for that. 16g XTR will definitely give you more top end and very similar spool, but for the money the 34 is hard to beat. Would still have it if I still had a 205.
Thank you for your input I agree with you completely.

I can't find a good E85 dyno chart for the 16GXT-R to compare
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Old 04-28-2021, 08:38 PM   #6
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I've got a 16G-XTR, 8cm2 pnp hotside, on 91 in my 04 WRX. It was pretty laggy with the stock 5MT 3.90 gearing, but seems perfect after doing an '06 6 speed swap. It might be okay with the 4.44s.

It pulls hard to the limiter (set at 7200). I think it would be a great match for a JDM 205, with the extra revs and AVCS.
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Old 04-28-2021, 08:49 PM   #7
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Get the VF...it has the lightest rotating assembly and all the power in the fun spot.

plus, these just came out!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17467390031...UAAOSwGm1gRyQv

Stainless P20 Housings...a match made in heaven on the VF34, especially if matched on a EJ207 or 257.
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Old 04-28-2021, 09:14 PM   #8
K3rm1tth3fr0g
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Originally Posted by chrisd87 View Post
Get the VF...it has the lightest rotating assembly and all the power in the fun spot.

plus, these just came out!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17467390031...UAAOSwGm1gRyQv

Stainless P20 Housings...a match made in heaven on the VF34, especially if matched on a EJ207 or 257.
Hmm very interesting

Anyone with a regular 16g wanna chime in?

That's the main other turbo I'm considering atm.

Last edited by K3rm1tth3fr0g; 04-28-2021 at 09:24 PM.
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Old 04-28-2021, 09:38 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisd87 View Post
Get the VF...it has the lightest rotating assembly and all the power in the fun spot.

plus, these just came out!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17467390031...UAAOSwGm1gRyQv

Stainless P20 Housings...a match made in heaven on the VF34, especially if matched on a EJ207 or 257.


I had actually tried to find a P20 housing when I had the 34. Would've loved that combo.

OP, shop that tuned my 34 had talked me out of the 16g. He said the 18g isn't that much slower to spool and has better top end. The 34 will spool faster and have better transient response compared to the 16g. 16g XTR spools a tad slower than the 16g, but not by much. Transient response is very similar to the 34. Tuner was very impressed by the 34 over all. He liked it much better than the 39 on his hybrid 257/207 track car. I opted for the 34 because at the time I wasn't looking for 18g power and didn't want to spend the extra money on an XTR. Do all the proper stuff to contain heat in the exhaust system and it will spool fast and have a nice wide power band. Mine was a little over 3000rpm wide. That P20 housing will slow spool at tad but widen the power band further.
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Old 04-28-2021, 10:42 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snow_bound26 View Post
I had actually tried to find a P20 housing when I had the 34. Would've loved that combo.

OP, shop that tuned my 34 had talked me out of the 16g. He said the 18g isn't that much slower to spool and has better top end. The 34 will spool faster and have better transient response compared to the 16g. 16g XTR spools a tad slower than the 16g, but not by much. Transient response is very similar to the 34. Tuner was very impressed by the 34 over all. He liked it much better than the 39 on his hybrid 257/207 track car. I opted for the 34 because at the time I wasn't looking for 18g power and didn't want to spend the extra money on an XTR. Do all the proper stuff to contain heat in the exhaust system and it will spool fast and have a nice wide power band. Mine was a little over 3000rpm wide. That P20 housing will slow spool at tad but widen the power band further.
Good info.

Thank you

My headers and up pipe are Swaintech coated and I'm running the PTP lava turbo blanket and Cobb heat shield and when I install the new turbo and wastegate I plan to install a PTP wastegate blanket and wrap the downpipe so as much heat as possible should be going through the turbo.
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Old 04-28-2021, 11:53 PM   #11
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After running the 18Gxtr in 8cm (not comparable to the 16Gxtr, but similar as it's the same rotating assembly) I was more than happy with the response of the vf34. The 18gxtr made great power but it didn't match the ratios of the 04 6 speed transmission and the power was too much too late. peak torque at 5000rpm, making 352 whp on a stock ej207 at 20psi.
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Old 04-29-2021, 12:13 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisd87 View Post
After running the 18Gxtr in 8cm (not comparable to the 16Gxtr, but similar as it's the same rotating assembly) I was more than happy with the response of the vf34. The 18gxtr made great power but it didn't match the ratios of the 04 6 speed transmission and the power was too much too late. peak torque at 5000rpm, making 352 whp on a stock ej207 at 20psi.
Good input
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Old 04-29-2021, 01:45 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisd87 View Post
After running the 18Gxtr in 8cm (not comparable to the 16Gxtr, but similar as it's the same rotating assembly) I was more than happy with the response of the vf34. The 18gxtr made great power but it didn't match the ratios of the 04 6 speed transmission and the power was too much too late. peak torque at 5000rpm, making 352 whp on a stock ej207 at 20psi.


Not exactly true. All the XTR turbos use Garrett ball bearing CHRAs, but the wheel size of the 18g XTR is the same as the 20g XTR. The 16g XTR uses smaller compressor and turbine wheels. 18g XTR for reason seems to spool slower than the 20g XTR even. Not sure why, but when I talked with Blouch on the phone before ordering my turbo they talked me into the 20g XTR for this reason. Which I'm seeing 19psi by 3800 and then the tuner played with the last 2psi to hold a flatter torque curve higher into the rev range so I don't hit full 21psi until 4900 but I'm holding 270ft/lbs from 3900-6900 and 330whp at 7400. He said we could've gotten more a bit sooner but I wanted a more linear feel to the power band for track days and auto x.
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Old 04-29-2021, 01:50 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by K3rm1tth3fr0g View Post
Good info.

Thank you

My headers and up pipe are Swaintech coated and I'm running the PTP lava turbo blanket and Cobb heat shield and when I install the new turbo and wastegate I plan to install a PTP wastegate blanket and wrap the downpipe so as much heat as possible should be going through the turbo.


Take a look at a down pipe blanket. I've come to prefer this over wrapping it as it reduces moisture build up and your dp will last longer. I have my ceramic coated and use a thermal zero blanket on top of that and it's held up great for years. When I wrapped the dp on my S14 the metal was starting to pit after one year.
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Old 04-29-2021, 07:20 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by snow_bound26 View Post
Take a look at a down pipe blanket. I've come to prefer this over wrapping it as it reduces moisture build up and your dp will last longer. I have my ceramic coated and use a thermal zero blanket on top of that and it's held up great for years. When I wrapped the dp on my S14 the metal was starting to pit after one year.
Good idea. My tuner told me about Thermal Zero so I've looked into their stuff before. I am switching to a v-band Killer B Spoolinator downpipe when I go big turbo, so the wide bell mouth style section on the blanket may not fit perfectly up to the more narrow KB downpipe when I upgrade without it being cranked down super tight with wire so I had just planned to wrap my current Cobb DP + my Killer B DP when the time comes but a blanket certainly is a good bit easier to install and doesn't require pulling the DP...

I wonder what a 6x6 billet wheel and a p20 housing would look like on E85 probably similar numbers to a 16GXT up top I would guess.

Last edited by K3rm1tth3fr0g; 04-29-2021 at 08:25 AM.
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Old 04-29-2021, 09:10 AM   #16
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I bet they make a blanket that would work. Maybe look for a Nissan style blanket.

I had a 6x6 wheel on my 34 but I can't compare it to OEM. I bought the 34 from someone who had just put a new CHRA in with that wheel. I just had it balanced to make sure everything g was good before installing. I do think the P18 held the potential back though as it still fell off quickly.
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Old 04-29-2021, 09:19 AM   #17
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I bet they make a blanket that would work. Maybe look for a Nissan style blanket.

I had a 6x6 wheel on my 34 but I can't compare it to OEM. I bought the 34 from someone who had just put a new CHRA in with that wheel. I just had it balanced to make sure everything g was good before installing. I do think the P18 held the potential back though as it still fell off quickly.
Yeah I'm going back and fourth on the billet wheel + P20 upgrade because at that point ive spent ~$100 on the wheel, $1K on the turbo, ~$300 on the P20 housing and I still need to get it balanced. So I might as well get a 16GXT-R if I were to do that potentially.

Maybe sticking with the cast wheel and going P20 housing could be a nice combo.

As for blanket I think I will probably just get the Subaru specific DP model because all of their other ones aren't even close. And when the time comes to go Killer B I will either ceramic coat the V-band downpipe or just use twice as much wire and get creative with my wrapping solution. Or both

I don't think the Killer B downpipe is THAT narrow.

Last edited by K3rm1tth3fr0g; 04-29-2021 at 09:45 AM.
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Old 05-08-2021, 02:48 AM   #18
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Just got a freshly rebuilt 20G-XTR 10CM generously donated from Dave D.

My 205 on E85 with a ball bearing 20G should be interesting...

I hope my 1050Xs are up to the task.

Last edited by K3rm1tth3fr0g; 05-08-2021 at 09:16 PM.
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Old 05-08-2021, 10:23 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by K3rm1tth3fr0g View Post
It's worth noting that I will be going EWG with any turbo I buy.

Thanks all
If going EWG in the future go with something with a bigger hotside, will allow it to hold boost longer and better up top and less timing from freeing up moving exhaust
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Old 05-08-2021, 11:47 PM   #20
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If going EWG in the future go with something with a bigger hotside, will allow it to hold boost longer and better up top and less timing from freeing up moving exhaust
As mentioned above I got a rebuilt 20G-XTR 10cm hotside for free from a buddy.

Should be fun
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Old 05-10-2021, 03:20 PM   #21
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Nice wish we had e85 here
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Old 05-10-2021, 03:43 PM   #22
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If you go ewg you should consider having Infront plumb it back in downstream. Jan suggested that to me if I ever wanted ewg. I've ridden in ewg cars, and i would tire of the noise very quickly.
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Old 05-11-2021, 08:37 AM   #23
K3rm1tth3fr0g
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If you go ewg you should consider having Infront plumb it back in downstream. Jan suggested that to me if I ever wanted ewg. I've ridden in ewg cars, and i would tire of the noise very quickly.
Plumbing back is definitely another option I have to evaluate. I had been somewhat ignoring that idea and planning to go full dump tube for a few reasons.

But I have been considering it. Part of me wants my car to just generally be louder because of my quiet Cobb catback and I somewhat like the flutter of the EBCS in the wastegate but you are right, it sure is loud.

I wonder if I had them plumb the dumb tube behind my cat if it would get a little throatier when the WG opens.

The main reason I am likely to avoid extra plumbing into my DP is because I will be using this same EWG setup on the 3576 built motor setup down the line and fabbing onto my Cobb DP would affect its resale value, not to mention I would have to weld it on the downpipe again when switching to the Killer B setup.

And Jan is a definite lover of sleepers so an EWG without being plumbed back certainly doesn't seem like his style of setup. Hes an, "I have a stock intake but will still gap you kind of guy" lol.

Also Clover Turbo just sold out of the VF34, (looks like the few people I convinced on here to buy the 34 ate up their entire supply hah) so I'm SUPER glad I have a turbo to use. Thanks again Dave!

Last edited by K3rm1tth3fr0g; 07-13-2021 at 04:40 PM.
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Old 05-11-2021, 08:50 AM   #24
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Nice wish we had e85 here

Yeah I'm glad the closest station is 30 miles and not 300 miles from me like some folks. At least with it only 1 county away, I can fill up my 6 VP race jugs and cart them home without feeling like I am transporting a bomb across state lines. An extended road trip with 100lbs+ of ethanol loosely secured in my Impreza does not sound safe nor fun.

Last edited by K3rm1tth3fr0g; 05-11-2021 at 12:54 PM.
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Old 05-11-2021, 09:37 AM   #25
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vf34 ftw, spools fairly quickly and perfect for daily driving
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