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is a water cooled turbo worth it??

Old Aug 20, 2008 | 04:32 AM
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Default is a water cooled turbo worth it??

i'm looking to bu a new turbo and when i do i was thinking of going water cooled. now from what i understand the only part that is cooled is the bearing housing. i tow and what not with the tahoe not a lot but enough. and currently my underhood temp are way hot in the summer. would this help keep them down any or just help bearing life?
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Old Aug 20, 2008 | 09:58 AM
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Im sure it couldn't make it any worse. Most all factory turbo cars have water cooled turbos. I think If I ever need to change mine out it will be water cooled.
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Old Aug 20, 2008 | 01:27 PM
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i think most of the heat comes off the exhaust housing and hot pipes. You won't have to idle it down after a hard run as long with the water-cooled.
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Old Aug 20, 2008 | 05:36 PM
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it didn't look like it cost anything to upgrade. i wonder if anybody make a water cooled turbine housing. now that would cool some stuff off i think.
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Old Aug 20, 2008 | 05:43 PM
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i dont think it is worth much. run good oil and let it cool down a little after a hard run and you will be fine.
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Old Aug 20, 2008 | 06:38 PM
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I don't have any technical knowledge about what it's worth, but think about it like this: you have 200 degree water flowing across 1300-1400 degree metal housing. That's a HUGE temperature differential, and it should transfer a great deal of heat out of the turbo.

I spoke with Bill Reid this past weekend, and he said that the heat from his non water-cooled Turbonetics turbo was causing either the bearings or seals (can't remember which) to fail. Turbonetics told him to swap to a water cooled housing, and all the problems went away. It's gotta be worth something.


If nothing else, plumb in inline with your heater core and your heater will work a lot better
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Old Aug 20, 2008 | 11:13 PM
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thats another question i have. if you plumb inline with the heater if the heater is off and you have the heat/cool setting to full cold, then don't it block the flow of water threw the core. therefore cutting flow of water threw the turbo? if not then how does it flow? maybe i'm off here.
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Old Aug 20, 2008 | 11:36 PM
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Originally Posted by 4.8T
thats another question i have. if you plumb inline with the heater if the heater is off and you have the heat/cool setting to full cold, then don't it block the flow of water threw the core. therefore cutting flow of water threw the turbo? if not then how does it flow? maybe i'm off here.
The water is always goin to flow through your HC, no matter what.
Some guys either loop the hoses together or put a valve on one of the lines to get a cooler AC in the summer time...
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Old Aug 21, 2008 | 01:00 AM
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ok maybe it was my car then. on it i know there is a valve cause you can see it and has cable going stright to the hot/cold slider.
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Old Aug 21, 2008 | 08:09 AM
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The water cooled housing help remove heat from the bearing area. The over all heat from the housing and the DP will be the same in my opinion. To decrease your under hood temps, a turbo blanket, coatings, and or wrapping the DP all will decrease temps.
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