OK guys, plan on finally upgrading the turbo soon. Now I have heard many things about both these turbos. I know they both spool very well with the stock D5 conveter. I know the TA-49 is the very stock appearing turbo while the 44 has a different housing I believe? Why the different housing. Also I would like to keep my turbo shield and my stock 90 degree elbow because that's what my downpipe connects to. Can I still get the TE-44 and keep everything in the stock location? Or is the 49 in my future instead. What is the power difference or is there. Thanks!
TE-44 or TA-49
- Thread starter d0n_3d
- Start date
The TA-49 turbo uses the stock inlet bell housing and the TE-44 does not. The 44 is the better choice IMO cause it flows about 50 more CFM and is capable of about 25-30 more horsepower. Either turbo will work great with the stock D5 so I say pick one and enjoy
I second 86 brick. The 44 is slightly bigger but the difference is negligible. I advise going with the one you get the best deal on. Either is more efficient than the stocker. All things equal, I'd go with the 44 although I'm highly pleased with my 49. Both are simple bolt-on replacements for the stocker. Good luck, Joel
BlackBeauty
Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2001
If my turbo goes bad, I want to upgrade to a TE-44 or TA-49 as well. Since I am looking at minimal track time, just want a quick daily driver. But how fast can those two turbos take someone? Low 11's? High 10's? I'm NOT looking for 10's, I just wanna know the limitations.
Both the 49 and 44 have been in the 10's. I've seen a TE-44 car that had ported heads and intake with the stock cam and all the other little bolt ons running 11.20's @118mph and the same car ran 10.78 @125mph with a 70 shot of laughing gas so it's definately possible to run mid to low 11's with both turbos, but to run high 10's it will take some high boost or a little bit of nitrous to get you there (if you really want to go 10's without having to run a lot of boost or nitrous a 63 or larger turbo is the best choice).
blackplague
Are you watching Phil?
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
Ta-49 took a club member to 11.20's
I've seen a ta-49 take one of my turbo buick club members to the 11.20's. It was done with a V2 front mount ,42lb inj's, race gas,houston DPand slicks. Can't remember what torque converter he was running though.
I've seen a ta-49 take one of my turbo buick club members to the 11.20's. It was done with a V2 front mount ,42lb inj's, race gas,houston DPand slicks. Can't remember what torque converter he was running though.
check out the following like that compares the PTE51 vs the TA49 it will show the difference in the inlet bell. The PTE51 has the same type of inlet bell as the te44.
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/pictureguides/turboguide/TA49vsPTE51.html
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/pictureguides/turboguide/TA49vsPTE51.html
Steve Wood
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2001
Performance-wise, I have not heard of more than a half a tenth between the two. Choosing based upon performance will not buy you anything. I prefer the look of the TE over the bolt on inlet bell of the TA series...others want to look completely stock.
The compressor housing is slightly larger on the TEs than on the TAs and the wastegate actuator holes are not spaced far enuf apart for both of the holes to line up When using a TA actuator on a TE. This never bothered me and I always just did a little modification to make mine fit. The heat shield will fit fine altho I may have notched a corner to clear a bolt head, I am not sure.
I thought most of the vendors enlarged the wastegate hole to help minimize creep but you can discuss that when you place an order and get it set up for the puck you are using, stock, TH, etc.
The compressor housing is slightly larger on the TEs than on the TAs and the wastegate actuator holes are not spaced far enuf apart for both of the holes to line up When using a TA actuator on a TE. This never bothered me and I always just did a little modification to make mine fit. The heat shield will fit fine altho I may have notched a corner to clear a bolt head, I am not sure.
I thought most of the vendors enlarged the wastegate hole to help minimize creep but you can discuss that when you place an order and get it set up for the puck you are using, stock, TH, etc.
so if i want to say run a te-44 turbo...i need to get a new elbow with a larger wastegate puck??? how the heck do i do that? i guess this means i have to switch to a THDP???
also can i still use my chrome turbo shield? if not it's no big deal
hmmmmm just read steve's response...ok sounds cool
also can i still use my chrome turbo shield? if not it's no big deal
hmmmmm just read steve's response...ok sounds cool
Steve Wood
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2001
I guess you have lost me. The exhaust elbows are the same. If you are running a stock elbow with a stock wastegate puck, tell the guy making the turbo to set the wastegate hole size to work with a stock puck.
The shield will fit...you may have to grind a small about off the the lip that faces the bolts in the compressor housing on one corner...this will not show...it only allows the shield to set more squarely.
The shield will fit...you may have to grind a small about off the the lip that faces the bolts in the compressor housing on one corner...this will not show...it only allows the shield to set more squarely.
T
tracer
Guest
TE 44. Spools great with the stock converter, almost too quick on my car which gives some part throttle knock. Go with a 3 inch DP and just trim the heat shield. Very little modification required to do this but +++power
If you order a new 44 or 49 with a stock puck sized wastegate hole, we can walk you through the steps to have it flow more air (to avoid boost creep) but still maintain the original hole diameter.
You just have to bellmouth the inside of the hole. Takes about 15 minutes with a dremel tool from start to finish.
As Steve said, there is maybe .05 difference between a TE44 and TA49 and this would be at boost levels somewhere over 24 psi.
The TE style housing will flow more air ultimately but most of us won't see those kinds of boost levels where that happens. The "25 hp" difference that supposedly exists between the two turbos is probably on a 9000 RPM racing 4 cylinder at 30 PSI of boost. Even then its hard to imagine it's that much.
The TA series turbos are designed so a throttle body could be bolted to them, which if you ask me is an idea who's time never should have come. But hey, it's stock, so what are you gonna do...
You just have to bellmouth the inside of the hole. Takes about 15 minutes with a dremel tool from start to finish.
As Steve said, there is maybe .05 difference between a TE44 and TA49 and this would be at boost levels somewhere over 24 psi.
The TE style housing will flow more air ultimately but most of us won't see those kinds of boost levels where that happens. The "25 hp" difference that supposedly exists between the two turbos is probably on a 9000 RPM racing 4 cylinder at 30 PSI of boost. Even then its hard to imagine it's that much.
The TA series turbos are designed so a throttle body could be bolted to them, which if you ask me is an idea who's time never should have come. But hey, it's stock, so what are you gonna do...
BlackBeauty
Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2001
At what boost level do the TE-44/Ta-49's show a performance improvement over stock?
How noticeable is the power gain going from stock to 44/49? I am worried about doing that and saying, "Hmm, no difference".
Has anyone gone a little further and gotten a 51-series turbo for use with stock converter? I wonder how that would feel when the turbo kicks in, and how much more power it would create compared to a 44/49.
How noticeable is the power gain going from stock to 44/49? I am worried about doing that and saying, "Hmm, no difference".
Has anyone gone a little further and gotten a 51-series turbo for use with stock converter? I wonder how that would feel when the turbo kicks in, and how much more power it would create compared to a 44/49.
That exact question has been discussed on this board about a zillion times and there are some fairly recent threads on both of your questions. But here is a brief answer:
You will not notice much differnce witha 44/49 vs stock turbo if you run less than 20psi. You may start to feel a slight difference around 18psi but it won't be much. Hit 22-24psi and you'll feel it for sure.
Regarding the 51, there is such thing as too much of a good thing, and at least 50% of the people that go with a 51 with a stock d5 are unhappy with the amount of lag it causes and end up having to buy a convertor when that's what they were trying to avoid in the first place. A 44/49 is the way to go with the stock D5, period.
Do a search if you need more info.
I recently installed a new John Craig TA49 to my 87GN. I can feel a seat of the pants difference, but haven't been to the track yet to get any hard numbers.
To further emphasize what UNGN said about the WG hole.....I went with a Mike Smith ported stock elbow w/ larger puck. I had John Craig port the WG hole in the Garrett .63 housing to match the larger puck. If you do this, be warned......you will have to put a LOT more turns on your WG actuator to get the boost back up to where it was with the stock turbo/WG hole. I ended up putting a bleeder valve on the solenoid line so I wouldn't have to pre-load the actuator spring so much.
Just a word of caution. It might have been better for me to use a heavy duty actuator with the larger hole....oh well...live and learn. The bleeder valve system is working fine for me.
The turbo runs GREAT btw. It whistles a lot louder than the stocker....really turns heads when you drive around town.
Good Luck,
John
To further emphasize what UNGN said about the WG hole.....I went with a Mike Smith ported stock elbow w/ larger puck. I had John Craig port the WG hole in the Garrett .63 housing to match the larger puck. If you do this, be warned......you will have to put a LOT more turns on your WG actuator to get the boost back up to where it was with the stock turbo/WG hole. I ended up putting a bleeder valve on the solenoid line so I wouldn't have to pre-load the actuator spring so much.
Just a word of caution. It might have been better for me to use a heavy duty actuator with the larger hole....oh well...live and learn. The bleeder valve system is working fine for me.
The turbo runs GREAT btw. It whistles a lot louder than the stocker....really turns heads when you drive around town.
Good Luck,
John
I used the same setup, TA49, MS ported elbow and larger puckalong with a MM 3"DP. I didn't have any problem making boost but that was probably because of the V4 IC. I found after adding the V4 that 19psi was the minimum boost I could get without using a bleeder type of setup. That was actually a great setup with the V4, 19psi on street with 94 octane pump gas and no knock
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