GT32, TE44 or TA49?

[PigGuy]

I'm planning on upgrading my turbo, but I don't know exactly what I want should do.
I'm planning on 12's with alcohol injection on pump gas. It seems everyone else at the local track with a GN is using a TA49.
I currently ran a best of 13.0@105 and 18psi on race gas and slicks.
stock turbo, I/C, injectors and torque converter (seems to stall at 2900ish)
I plan on installing my alcohol injection when I upgrade the turbo, injectors and cam.

I've searched the forums for as much information on the GT series turbos as I could find, but I still don't know if it's what I want to buy.
People are saying that the GT32 or GT3255E (Same thing, right?) is about the equivalent of a TE44 or TA49, but as I look at the catalog from Garrett's website, it lists displacement between 2.0-2.7L and 200-420HP. That makes me think the exhaust turbine would be smaller than a TE44 or TA49. Why isn't that true?
I haven't really seen anything about the GT35 or GT37, is anyone running one?

There definitely are not as many people out there running a GT32 as there are running a TE44 or TA49. Are there downsides to the GT32, or is it just unpopular because it's relatively new?
I noticed one person complain about lots of endplay in his GT32 after only 1000 miles, is this something common, or is that rare?

Would I be nuts to jump from my stock turbo directly to a TE60 or TA60? What would be the GT equivalent or slightly smaller of a TE60?

 

[Pronto]

You should be able to run 12s with the stock turbo at 20-21lb on 100 or so octain. I think I'ld do the alcohol first and tune more.

 

[V6POWER]

Is there a reason you are changing cams? Stock one is good into the low 11's-high tens.

 

[Taffy]

Any of the first 3 turbos will be great with the stock converter.

If you want to go with the 60 or larger, you need more converter to be happy.

 

[PigGuy]

I'm not so much planning on changing cams as I am considering it. I've been told by a few people that a cam change is a good way to gain HP without turning up the boost.

I considered installing the alcohol injection and upgrading the turbo in the future, but then I'd have to tune it again for the new turbo and I kinda prefer to do things in one big step rather than one by one.

My goal is 12's on pump gas and somewhere along the line, I got the impression that it wasn't very reasonable of a goal still using the stock turbo. Is my thinking flawed?

I'm really looking for information on the GT turbos, but it just seems like nobody is using them.

 

[V6POWER]

Look here for some info on GT turbo:
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=127669&highlight=gt32

 

[BLACK6PACK]

Throw on the alky injection, forget about the cam and get a good alky/100 octane chip and forget about all the other stuff.

My car ran 12.7s at 105 with the stock turbo, intercooler, injectors etc with a 108 chip 21 lbs of boost and alky.

There is no reason to change the cam on a mild combo. Some guys are running high 10s on a stock longblock with just boltons.

Don't listend to your V8 buddies when it comes to tuning, these cars are completely different. If you want advice on what to do, come here and ask questions. A lot of guys have on here have been playing with these cars for 15+ years. They've already made all the dumb mistakes, and we get to learn from them!

 

[Bens87tr]

Don't mess with the cam. A 44 would be a good choice, it's what I'm running now. Like me however, once you go 11's you'll want an even bigger turbo to go faster. I'll be upgrading mine next season.

 

[Wicked]

My car runs 12.5s easily at 108 mph with dr tires. I have a stock turbo, intercooler, injectors and use a late 90's street lethal chip with 20#s of boost. I run 112 octane race gas. My car is apart right now, installing alky so I don't have to use expensive fuel.
Put the alky kit on and turn up the boost

 

[MARINES185]

I installed a GT40 turbo on my car and I love it. I only have a
2800rpm stall converter and the turbo still spools good.
I did have a serious endplay issue after 500miles but it was
due do my lack of turbo knowledge. This is not a bolt on turbo
though. It requires an external wastegate and modified
downpipe.

 

[murphster]

Originally posted by PigGuy
My goal is 12's on pump gas and somewhere along the line, I got the impression that it wasn't very reasonable of a goal still using the stock turbo. Is my thinking flawed?

Just upgrading the turbo and injectors isn't going to help you too much if all you are running is pump gas. To see big gains on pump gas you would need engine work such as ported heads, etc. You can run low 12's on stock turbo and intercooler once everything is tuned. You'll probably need bigger injectors and of course a good chip and boost set to 21-22lbs. To maximize the performance you'll need slicks or street slicks on a spare set of rims.

Its much better to maximize your current combo first and then upgrade the turbo down the road. No sense having a bigger turbo with a poor tune. If you can run low to mid 12's on the stock turbo, after you upgrade the turbo you'll be in the 11's.

 

[Slow91z]

I went from running 13.0x@104 with a stock turbo, intercooler @ 20 PSI, a race chip and 110 Octane

to 13.0x@105 on 93 Octane, with a PTE-53 @ 17 PSI, with a street chip.

All runs made on the same street radials with identical short times (1.9x)...With no stall.

After I get my stall installed on stickies I should go easy 12's, expecially when I add Octane and turn it up.

 

[2QUIK6]

I've ran 12.40 with the stock turbo, and since then I've ran an even faster 1/8th than when I ran the 12.40, just haven't made it back out to a 1/4 mile track in while, but could probably run a 12.2-12.3 now with a few passes tuning. 1/8th time was 7.83.

I too I'm looking for a new turbo, was set on TE44 until the GT turbos came out, that why you can't find many people running them as they are fairly new, less than a year or so since becoming popular. Several folks in the Dallas area have the GT, and one with the GT3255 is very happy with it. Just not sure I want to get a turbo thats actually less rated hp than the TE44, or should I get the next larger size, GT35 but I can't find anyone that has used it, I've got a 2800 stall convertor that I hope could handle spooling a slightly bigger one very easily, especially since the thing about the GT's is that they spool so much better than the TE or TA series...supposedly.

 

[Realspool]

I have a PTE-44 Turbo which I like but it had some lag.Big Turbo's really suck on the street thats why i went down to the most popular Turbo the TE-44.TA-49 is close as well.These smaller turbo's give you Big Block bottom end power like a 454 Chevy.With bigger Turbo's you have to use a real high boost and their harder to tune.Precision makes the PTE-44 turbo i bought and the .63 exhaust housing.In my opinion The PTE .63 housing sucks for the street and is more for racing.Its really not an opinion more of a fact!!!Since then I have taken off the turbo and put a used Garrett .63 Housing on my TE-44.Man what a difference in the way the car pulled and responded,alot faster!!The problem is They don't make the Garrett .63 housing's for the Te-44 turbo's anymore.I don't know what kind of housing you get with a TA-49 turbo?I have a stock modified 3000 stall converter also.If all you care about is racing then get the PTE-44 turbo but if you want great street manners you can get a Turbonetics TE-44 I think with their .63 housing which spools alot better or find a used Garrett Housing.I would rather get the used Garrett housing, although I have not tried the Turbonetics .63 Housing.

 

[Taffy]

Originally posted by Realspool
I have a PTE-44 Turbo which I like but it had some lag.Big Turbo's really suck on the street thats why i went down to the most popular Turbo the TE-44.TA-49 is close as well.These smaller turbo's give you Big Block bottom end power like a 454 Chevy.With bigger Turbo's you have to use a real high boost and their harder to tune.Precision makes the PTE-44 turbo i bought and the .63 exhaust housing.In my opinion The PTE .63 housing sucks for the street and is more for racing.Its really not an opinion more of a fact!!!Since then I have taken off the turbo and put a used Garrett .63 Housing on my TE-44.Man what a difference in the way the car pulled and responded,alot faster!!The problem is They don't make the Garrett .63 housing's for the Te-44 turbo's anymore.I don't know what kind of housing you get with a TA-49 turbo?I have a stock modified 3000 stall converter also.If all you care about is racing then get the PTE-44 turbo but if you want great street manners you can get a Turbonetics TE-44 I think with their .63 housing which spools alot better or find a used Garrett Housing.I would rather get the used Garrett housing, although I have not tried the Turbonetics .63 Housing.

From what I understand, you can still get the Garrett exhaust housing. The reason that the Garrett spools better is because it does not flow very well. The extra backpressure gets the turbo spooled up really quickly.

The Precision housing will not spool as fast, due to less backpressure, but will make more power on top.

 

[Realspool]

Originally posted by Taffy
From what I understand, you can still get the Garrett exhaust housing. The reason that the Garrett spools better is because it does not flow very well. The extra backpressure gets the turbo spooled up really quickly.

The Precision housing will not spool as fast, due to less backpressure, but will make more power on top.

Well if all your going to do is race the car then the Precision Housing should run better but alot of guys have run better times with the Garret.First of all they don't make the Garrett Housings anymore.Maybe for bigger turbo's but not for a Te-44 or TA-49.If it does not flow well why are guys going 11.80's on it with a stock motor.Its just alot more fun to drive on the street.Maybe if I went to a 3200 9.5 Vigilante converter the PTE .63 would be less annoying trying to pass someone in traffic but if your racing go with the Precision .63.One other thing the Precision are made alot better!!!Both are really different pieces.Most if not all Garrett .63 crack inside but it does not affect the way it spools.Spools like a Big Block car.

 

[INTERCOOLED]

If a 12 second car is all that you are after, (12.99 or faster), than there is no need to spend big bucks on your car.

The cool part about having a Turbo Buick is the fact that they can get into the 12s without too much money spent.

Your best bet is to look at better ways that will help your stock turbo (the ol' cold-air package or K&N filter)

Then you should do your homework and find the best chip available for your application. That is, whether you are going to be running pump gas, race fuel, or a mixture.

Then sit back, adjust the boost and fuel pressure (you do have a good fuel pump and regulator, don't you) and watch your car haul butt.

In stock trim, the right chip will completely wake your car up!

 

[2QUIK6]

Originally posted by INTERCOOLED
If a 12 second car is all that you are after, (12.99 or faster), than there is no need to spend big bucks on your car.

The cool part about having a Turbo Buick is the fact that they can get into the 12s without too much money spent.

Exactly, out of the mods I have...with stock turbo, the biggest improvement was the THDP, upgraded fuel system (walbro and inj, HW kit), and the larger IC which lets me run a little higher boost without KR. ...and a scan tool of course and it consistantly goes mid to low 12s with sticky tires.