It's Decided. 2.5 Turbo. Winter 2019

There is someone on this forum that put a turbo on his 2.5 I think he said he paid just over 7-8K USD. Its somewhere on here. Plus MLUE1 didnt flow from Quebec turbo his 2.5, I know he did the 6 speed tranny swap.

Page 28 of the "what did you do to your 2.5"
username mjb8482

He has the 2.5L turbo golf

Wascally Wabbit said:

Not trying to change the subject but you were talking IM's. What's your thoughts on the IE Intake Manifold? I believe I read somewhere you (MLue1) thought it made power too far up the rpm range to be usefull for a daily driver. I thought that sounded like a good assessment. I will likely have to be happy with the stage 1 + CAI as I live in California and have to deal with the smog check every 2 years. I would be willing to do the intake and Stage 2 if it were worth it. Exhaust is where I have to draw the line as I can't be swapping exhausts every 2 years. I could swap out intakes no problem though. Turbo would be an impossibility for me here. Just a whiny pipe dream. I will have to live vicariously through you. Good luck with the build. I would love to drive a turbo'd 2.5L.

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tbh I don't know much about it. I've been so focused on researching the turbo side of things I.didnt think to look into that. Imo it's fine if it's only useful at high rpm (ie highways). I usually don't fly around town or residential areas

Any ideas how I can tap into the oil?

OrangeSpy said:

Any ideas how I can tap into the oil?

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Sorry to be off topic but I noticed in your signature you have the FK streetline coilovers. Do your springs bind when you turn your wheel at slow speeds? Did you install new mounts and strut bearing when you did the install? I only ask because I have the same coilovers and they sound like a jack in the box when i turn the wheel. I didnt put new strut bearing (only top mounts were new) so im thinking that could be causing the issue.

Wascally Wabbit said:

Not trying to change the subject but you were talking IM's. What's your thoughts on the IE Intake Manifold? I believe I read somewhere you (MLue1) thought it made power too far up the rpm range to be usefull for a daily driver. I thought that sounded like a good assessment. I will likely have to be happy with the stage 1 + CAI as I live in California and have to deal with the smog check every 2 years. I would be willing to do the intake and Stage 2 if it were worth it. Exhaust is where I have to draw the line as I can't be swapping exhausts every 2 years. I could swap out intakes no problem though. Turbo would be an impossibility for me here. Just a whiny pipe dream. I will have to live vicariously through you. Good luck with the build. I would love to drive a turbo'd 2.5L.

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My thoughts.... hmmm after 6 tequila shots tonight ...I just woke up Lol.

The IE Manifold is commercially the only one available for the 2.5 and has all the features you could want or think you want. I don't have one of the IE Manifolds so had to do my own calculations and assumptions; the runners are way too short and over sized and favour high rpm power, the Tune is the icing on the cake to fill the gaps. To be fair we can't have everything we want, with manifolds everything is a compromise. IE is a great and very capable company and their attention to detail makes the IE Manifold work well for the normally aspirated 2.5. Business wise they have to give the market what they want, IE have the resources and should have made available two or more manifolds like Skunk2 and or provided the high compression kits to allow the 2.5 to shine. A street manifold which would allow the 2.5 torque to pull really harder above 4k to red line; but they did create the high rpm HP manifold for people who want to rev really high. The market wanted to crack the 200 HP mark so they produced the high rpm HP manifold; which sounds good but you have the wind the engine to get the HP, who drives like that everyday. The torque is extended but is simply not enough to even keep up with a stock GTI over 5k when the power of the 2.0 T with a K03 is falling off.

Nathan, Flow in Quebec, only replaced his Transmission, he is saving for the Turbo or will get bored and buy something else.

Orangespy, the K03 is undersized for the 2.0T, the boost is falls off just before 5k. For you basic calculations and assumptions, the 2.0 and the 2.5, the cylinder dimensions as well as the valves are essentially the same (except compression ratio); if K03 is under sized for the 2.0 it will be really under sized for the 2.5. Running an undersized turbo is wrong, you spin the turbo too fast and you kill it and whatever else. If you want to protect the engine get UM to custom tune the fueling, use a head spacer to reduce compression, use water meth injection and/or an Intercooler.

Sorry for the long banter, remember I just woke up.

As Nathan eluded to, check out this post and all the ones below it, quite interesting. I would do a search on AEM Water/ Meth Injection products if I were you, you may not have to add a head spacer.
http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2558469&postcount=389


Cheers !

So what if there is a shortage of green agave, drink all the tequila patron before someone else does.:happyanim:

MLue1 said:

As Nathan eluded to, check out this post and all the ones below it, quite interesting. I would do a search on AEM Water/ Meth Injection products if I were you, you may not have to add a head spacer.
http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2558469&postcount=389


Cheers !

So what if there is a shortage of green agave, drink all the tequila patron before someone else does.:happyanim:

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I've looked at some meth injectors and I believe the head spacer would be a better option. From what I can gather the injectors are mostly used for high boost and are pretty pricy compared to the spacer.

Would a K04 be to small aswell?

Rickybobbi said:

Sorry to be off topic but I noticed in your signature you have the FK streetline coilovers. Do your springs bind when you turn your wheel at slow speeds? Did you install new mounts and strut bearing when you did the install? I only ask because I have the same coilovers and they sound like a jack in the box when i turn the wheel. I didnt put new strut bearing (only top mounts were new) so im thinking that could be causing the issue.

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Is that the "twang" sound?!?!? I only hear it once when I.cut my wheels all the way left or right

OrangeSpy said:

Is that the "twang" sound?!?!? I only hear it once when I.cut my wheels all the way left or right

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Wa twang sound? There shouldn’t be any sound, I had a metal pop sound when I installed my struts, I tightened the 3 bolts on the lower ball joint to 78 ft lb and the noise went away.

Wascally Wabbit said:

....I will likely have to be happy with the stage 1 + CAI as I live in California and have to deal with the smog check every 2 years. I would be willing to do the intake and Stage 2 if it were worth it. Exhaust is where I have to draw the line as I can't be swapping exhausts every 2 years. I could swap out intakes no problem though....

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Sorry WW, got too wrapped up in my tequila rant I forgot to address your concern.

Since you already have the EI Stage1 if it passes in California smog test, I believe the Stage 2 will pass as well. Stage2 removes the fuel cut off and is mostly an extension of the Stage1 maps to support the higher rpm, past that of the base maps.

Buy and install the IE manifold and go drive it like you stole it, you don't need to rev past 6800 RPM limit of your Stage1 tune to be at 200 HP. I think you will be pleasantly surprised to see how well the IE manifold works with the Stage1 Tune you already have. You don't have to spend the additional $100 to get the stage2 Tune if you don't want.

I hope that helps.

EDIT: I forgot to add, that you will need to add a vent to air catch can like this one. On my hack job intake manifold builds I have been using the stock plumbing but the high revs are causing too much oil build up in the manifold, so the new manifold will not have a port from the Air/Oil Separator but this Catch Can installed instead.
https://www.performancebyie.com/integrated-engineering-billet-catch-can

Man Im so lost hahah water\meth, head spacers..deff not going to do the turbo route with my 2.5 prob just drive it 1 more year and get a mk7 gti or wrx.

And orange spy: I think I read somewhere that the K04 is too small for our motors.

MLue1 said:

Sorry WW, got too wrapped up in my tequila rant I forgot to address your concern.

Since you already have the EI Stage1 if it passes in California smog test, I believe the Stage 2 will pass as well. Stage2 removes the fuel cut off and is mostly an extension of the Stage1 maps to support the higher rpm, past that of the base maps.

Buy and install the IE manifold and go drive it like you stole it, you don't need to rev past 6800 RPM limit of your Stage1 tune to be at 200 HP. I think you will be pleasantly surprised to see how well the IE manifold works with the Stage1 Tune you already have. You don't have to spend the additional $100 to get the stage2 Tune if you don't want.

I hope that helps.

EDIT: I forgot to add, that you will need to add a vent to air catch can like this one. On my hack job intake manifold builds I have been using the stock plumbing but the high revs are causing too much oil build up in the manifold, so the new manifold will not have a port from the Air/Oil Separator but this Catch Can installed instead.
https://www.performancebyie.com/integrated-engineering-billet-catch-can

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It's the visual smog inpection the intake manifold wont pass but I can always just put it back to stock every 2 years for the test. I did just end a job today and my last paycheck had an extra $2k from vacation time. Hmmm. And I already have a catch can.

Wascally Wabbit said:

It's the visual smog inpection the intake manifold wont pass but I can always just put it back to stock every 2 years for the test. I did just end a job today and my last paycheck had an extra $2k from vacation time. Hmmm. And I already have a catch can.

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Thats my kind of inspection, what they don't know won't hurt you !!!

If $ is not an issue i'd say go buy that puppy and install it with the stage2 Tune. IE probably will run out of stock soon, I doubt they will make too many more manifolds for the 2.5, so you will be able to find a buyer later. Believe me, it is a nice piece the bell mouths are the key and a great feature for our normally aspirated engine, but for turbo application bell mouths is a wasted detail you only need a smooth path to the runners, as the turbo just basically ram air into the runners, runner tuning is really minor.

For the guys interested in turboing the 2.5.:happyanim:
If I was building a 2.5 turbo, I would simply save myself the expense of buying a manifold; open the bottom, use a dremel to cut out the molded curved runners inside where most of the air restriction happens, leaving just the manifold shell and runners, smooth out the entry to the runners with a sanding bit and JB Weld seal it back togeather. 4 out of the 5 runners will be straight to the flange, if you want to go the extra mile and open what's left of the restriction, go to harbor freight and but a stepped bit drill kit and ream out the runners from the flange side. Don't worry about runner for cylinder 5 with the curved molded section removed it is mostly inline with the throttle body so it would benefit a bit from the momentum of the air coming in. One huge benefit of going this way is you will have a plenum that is about 6 litres in size. For back ground info, Skunk2 sells spacers for their race manifolds to enlarge the plenums for the Hondas to make big HP; it has been said on this forum that the large UM United Motorsport manifold is the best for producing turbo HP; ....the original VW manifold already has the volume.

Maybe someone should do this.... ah wait I have! .... but for one of my earlier NA manifolds. The resulting four 5 inch runners and one 11 inch runner don't work for NA application but perfect for turbo application.

If this has helped you, please send donations to my PayPal :thumbup:

MLue1 said:

Thats my kind of inspection, what they don't know won't hurt you !!!

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No it sucks because ANY modification will fail. California figures the smog techs are to stupid to know the difference between a CARB legal mod and a Non-CARB legal mod. They may be right.

MLue1 said:

I forgot to add, that you will need to add a vent to air catch can like this one. On my hack job intake manifold builds I have been using the stock plumbing but the high revs are causing too much oil build up in the manifold, so the new manifold will not have a port from the Air/Oil Separator but this Catch Can installed instead.

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"Air/Oil Separator" = PCV I am guessing. Correct me if I am wrong. I know their CAI draws the PCV line directly to the intake but I want to use the USP intake as it is much simpler in design and a true cold air intake. I live in So. California so short of an act of God hydrolock will not be an issue. If I can get it to work without too much hassle I will pull the trigger. I am going to install the USP CAI next week and see if I will be able to move it enough to account for the change in location on the TB with the IE intake manifold. If so, black intake w/ stage 2 will be next. I figure once I have done the work it shouldn't be to hard to uninstall/re-install every 2 years for the smog test. And bonus, it was just smogged 2 months ago.

As others say, a K03 would be way too small for our engine, I would recommend a PrecisionTurbo 5858 or if you have the money, to look for a Xona Turbo.

I wouldn't recommend the hans turbo kit...

For the exhaust manifold, I would recommand one from BlueWater Performance, the quality / price ratio is good, but if you want the top quality, I would recommend the JDL top mount, it's not listed on their website anymore, but you can contact them and get one. If you are looking for a cheap option, I would recommend the SPATurbo exhaust manifold, I have a few setups using this one.

As for injectors, 550cc seems good to me and I would recommend an high-pressure fuel pump such as a Walbro (they are cheap and good quality) or a Bosch.

For the intercooler, Vibrant Performance have good price. For the tune, UnitedMotorsport seems to be the best on the market.

If you want to get the best from your turbo, I would get an IE intake manifold, for the mounts I would wait to see if they support the turbo setup well. If you do a turbo setup, you should upgrade your clutch, I know someone that didn't changed his clutch when going turbo and it slips and slips... Keep in mind that the differential is weak on the 5-speed and maybe you could look for a LSD or a 02Q swap.

Then, for the power pulley, the harmonic balancer sucks, the pulley is just lighter... I would recommend a TTRS pulley, the harmonic balance is better and I have been told that it would give about 13whp.

The rod isn't really the issue, our rods are like the 1.8T rod, they handle boost pretty well, our pistons are a bit weaker. At 10-12psi, I would't mind about upgrade pistons / rods, some people run 14psi with stock internal without having issues. The head spacer is good to reduce the compression, but I have been told our engine runs on low-compression already.

Good luck with this project, I also wanted to turbo mine in the past, but now I'm more interested in Quattro for the winter and also because all my friends have subaru and AWD is amazing ! Maybe a Audi URS4 ^^

Have fun !