JWT Twin Turbo kit - best yet?

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Jan 21, 2005 | 01:38 PM
  #1  
So I just read a little blurb in the new Sport Compact Car
magazine about the Jim Wolf Technology Twin Turbo kit
coming out for the 350Z/G35.

Apparently, it will not be released until CARB certification
has been obtained. The best parts are:
1. Engine and radiator do not need to be removed for install
2. No modifications to the front bumper neccessary for install

This is great, because it sucks to cut up your stock bumper
to install the front mount intercoolers. Also, the intercooler
placement is much better than the Greddy Twin Turbo kit.

The pictures look amazing:
http://www.jimwolftechnology.com/TTINFO/ttindex.htm

Unfortunately, the MSRP is $6999! WTF.
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Jan 21, 2005 | 01:58 PM
  #2  
If I'm not mistaken, I think it's only rated at 400bhp too. That's around 340rwhp which isn't that much output for the money. SSR and APS would what I'd be looking into if I had the resources to get heavy into the FI scene with this vehicle.
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Jan 21, 2005 | 01:58 PM
  #3  
ooh! JWT TT, side-by-side FMIC's, DAMN! imagine that in your rear view mirror! would look sick.
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Jan 21, 2005 | 02:00 PM
  #4  
i dont think it'll make any more power than any of the other kits out, it looks like its built more for reliability.

one think i dont like is the manifold, the runners are extremely uneven and its cast iron log style, yuck
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Jan 21, 2005 | 02:19 PM
  #5  
Jwt
Yeah they did say the kit will be shooting for 400bhp which is around 330 to the wheels, but that's because they don't want to blow any engines. Like someone else said, they are looking for reliability. It doesn't mean the turbos can't push past that, they absolutely can. They said they are built for 530hp but not unless you build the motor up first. Then they said you can get a new ecu flash for more power and turn up the boost.
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Jan 21, 2005 | 05:14 PM
  #6  
Exactly. As with any turbo kit, you can achieve more horsepower simply
by adding race gas and turning up the boost. When buying a turbo kit
for a naturally aspirated car, you should not be looking at advertised
hp. You should be more concerned with reliability, ease of install and
driveability.

The JWT design of the FMIC's is better than Greddy because of the
placement. They do not block air to the radiator, and they are not
centered behind your stock bumper (thus cutting all airflow to the
FMIC). The Greddy kit was designed for use with the Greddy front
bumper kit. Installing it on the stock bumper will no doubt require
a lot of cutting of stock bumper pieces.
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Jan 21, 2005 | 07:26 PM
  #7  
Quote: Exactly. As with any turbo kit, you can achieve more horsepower simply
by adding race gas and turning up the boost.
i wish it was that easy, but there is alot more than just turning up the boost and puting race gas, otherwise people wouldn't be spending 50 hours on a dyno tuning their cars
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Jan 21, 2005 | 08:12 PM
  #8  
on a turbo setup, exhaust manifold design is not nearly as critical as it is on a n/a engine. runner length doesn't have to be even, or even close. shorter is better as velocity and temperature are the most important aspects for the pre-turbo side of the exhaust. also, cast iron is much more durable when exposed to the heat cycling that a turbo exhaust manifold is subjected to, that's why the actual turbine housings are typically made of cast iron.

as stated earlier, peak hp is not what to shop for on a turbocharger kit designed for a n/a motor. reliablity, driveability, and completeness are far more important. peak power means absolutely nothing if it's only available for a few hundred rpm.

that kit looks good, and the price really isn't bad. a comprehensive upgrade package for a factory turbocharged car usually runs in the $4k to $6k range.
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Jan 21, 2005 | 08:31 PM
  #9  
Quote: on a turbo setup, exhaust manifold design is not nearly as critical as it is on a n/a engine. runner length doesn't have to be even, or even close. shorter is better as velocity and temperature are the most important aspects for the pre-turbo side of the exhaust. also, cast iron is much more durable when exposed to the heat cycling that a turbo exhaust manifold is subjected to, that's why the actual turbine housings are typically made of cast iron.

http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthre...=&fpart=1&vc=1

there is a 60hp difference between a log manifold and the full race equal length manifold and you're telling me it doesnt matter?

and the problem with the cast iron manifold is the fact that it has alot of weight on it, its supporting the weight of the turbo, the downpipe pulling down on it, and the heat cycles that cause expansion and contraction, sure it may be more ductile but i rarely see a quality built stainless tubular manifold crack
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Jan 21, 2005 | 09:17 PM
  #10  
Wait a tic.... what system requires you to remove the engine???
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Jan 21, 2005 | 09:26 PM
  #11  
correct me if Im wrong but isnt BHP just about the same as WHP?
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Jan 21, 2005 | 09:49 PM
  #12  
BHP is "brake horsepower" which is closer to the crank rating
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Jan 21, 2005 | 10:35 PM
  #13  
Quote: and the problem with the cast iron manifold is the fact that it has alot of weight on it, its supporting the weight of the turbo, the downpipe pulling down on it, and the heat cycles that cause expansion and contraction, sure it may be more ductile but i rarely see a quality built stainless tubular manifold crack
Any manifold you use has those same problems to deal with. For all intensive purposes strength is not the issue provided any manifold is designed well and with materials that can withstand the heat(Cast Iron, mild steel, or stainless steel). Cast Iron is cheap and easy to mass produce. But it generally has more imperfections and looser tolerances. And they can just as easily be prone to cracking. Cast iron tends to be rather thick though so it absorbs more heat from the exhaust stream. Stainless steel can be made with fairly thin walls, but their biggest downside is that they expand a lot with heat. It's more prone to wathing to shear off the studs that attach it to the heads and crack if used with a 1 piece flange to the head. All manifolds will tend towards this to some extent, but moreso with stainless steel. These problems are generally easily solved by cutting the flange so that each port has it's own flange(where possible as some motors use common studs for more than one port, i.e. Honda). Also using wider holes on the head flange especially the further out you go from the center allows some room for expansion without sheering the studs off.

As far as the weight of the turbo and perhaps the exhaust system, I don't think the weight of the turbo is much of an issue. Any decent manifold should have no problem supporting that. As far as the exhaust system, well placed exhaust hangers that help carry the weight and allow some flex as the drivetrain shifts is generally enough. If iot becomes that much of an issue a flex pipe or maybe a swage joint might help.
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Jan 21, 2005 | 10:40 PM
  #14  
Jim Wolf has a good history with Nissan, so I'm interested in their kit. Particularly if it's shown to be reliable with stock internals (I'm not looking for more than ~330 whp for my daily driver). Maybe a group buy can get the price closer to $5k...
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Jan 22, 2005 | 03:49 AM
  #15  
Quote: http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthre...=&fpart=1&vc=1

there is a 60hp difference between a log manifold and the full race equal length manifold and you're telling me it doesnt matter?

and the problem with the cast iron manifold is the fact that it has alot of weight on it, its supporting the weight of the turbo, the downpipe pulling down on it, and the heat cycles that cause expansion and contraction, sure it may be more ductile but i rarely see a quality built stainless tubular manifold crack
that 60hp difference was not on a G35 if i read that correctly, and there was some additional tuning done.

also, it is more expensive to design and build a cast exhaust component vs. tubular steel, especially on relatively low production runs. I would assume that JWT had a compelling reason to include a more expensive item in their kit.
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