I'm still torn between the RAD and the x turbo. I am definitely leaning toward the RAD just because of how simple the swap is & because it puts out X turbo #'s just as promised.
I would REALLY like to see how the RAD does on E85...

 

Airflow would still be maxed out, it's a matter of being able to add ~4 more degrees. Combine that with some mild cams, ported everything, sounds sick

 

. But, yeah, that's actually what I was saying. If, at all, you will ever want more than the extra 40-50 the RAD or a stock x has to give over the stock RA turbo, then you should skip the RAD altogether, that way you're ready for a bbx or other EVO frame turbo when the time comes.

Like Chad said, the RAD is a much simpler upgrade than an x swap for those just looking to get that little extra oompf and be satisfied with that.

 

Can you really a expect a 50 WHP increase like it says on your website even if you keep the stock Cat. My gut tells me that installing a RAD while still using the stock Cat will drastically limit the gains, but maybe I'm wrong....

 

Any and all supporting mods will have an effect on the overall outcome of the swap. The site says that the turbo is capable of 50-60 hp increase. A product's "capabilities" are usually rated as their maximum potential, which would mean that you'd need to be able to take full advantage of the upgrade.

While a 50 hp increase is very possible with the turbocharger upgrade, you'd need the supporting modifications installed to allow it to see it's full potential. The less supporting upgrades you have, the lower the overall increase in output.




Disclaimer: What you are about to read after this point is all conjecture, so correct me if I'm wrong: Numbers are nice, but they can only tell a fraction of the story. Easiest way to estimate (educated guess, not entirely accurate) your personal upgrade potential is to use flow rate comparison. Take the percentage increase in flow-rate from the stock turbo to the RAD, multiply by your current power levels, and that should give you an estimate of peak power increase. Obviously the entire powerband will change, and it would take much more complicated calculations to figure that out, but overall, this is a very basic way of guesstimating your overall improvement

 

Alright, so here is my thing with the RAD. I loved the RAD. The turbocharger made me happy the second that I opened the box. HOWEVER, I was constantly plagued by things that were unrelated to the turbocharger. Most of it was the fuel system, which you DO NOT NEED TO UPGRADE. If you do plan to upgrade it, buy something other than the MAP kit. I realize that MAP is a vendor here, so I will make this short and sweet: There are many, many people who have had issues with the MAP RA/EVO X fuel pump kit. It doesn't work right.

The RAD is good for PROBABLY 330/330. If that is your goal, then this is the way to go. Chad is a great guy. He makes great products. However, as I have discovered, my car is a completely different animal than the RA was. My turbocharger doesn't fall on its face. I had it tuned properly, and my car goes like stink. Knowing what I know now, I prefer the Evolution X setup. I have had both (probably the only one).

Now, the other side of that coin is that I have a GSR with a proper manual gearbox. I am confident that I could go buck-wild with the power on this car and not have transmission issues (part of the reason that I switched). If you are at all concerned with the TC-SST, this is not a bad way to go. It won't kill your transmission or your motor. Plus, it is by far the most cost-effective option. It requires NOTHING.

I want more power. My opinion is biased, and I was the original proponent of this turbocharger. Funny how things have changed.

 

My stock cat KILLED the power. If you can get away with it, run a TP. If not, run a HFC. It makes a HUGE difference.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking, so thanks for confirming my assumption. I'm not sure if I want a HFC due to the increased noise levels, and I DEFINITELY don't want a test pipe. Uprgrading the turbo to the RAD(or any other turbo for that matter) probably is NOT the way to go for me.

 

i love the RAD turbo! it is how the RA should have come out from factory spools pretty much like stock with an increase in the top end - it really transformed the RA to something that finally had some zip. i toyed with the idea (and even bought an x turbs) but what swayed me was the stock like spool with the bonus power without having to swap everything over. by the time you add in a new intake, small battery blah etc, and mainly being a DD, the choice was simple

the main consideration for the for x swap was to look at a green, bbx etc down the track for more fun times on the track, but the time you add all those up and the sst supporting mods etc, might as well save up for a track only jzx100 or evo 6.5 instead

can't recommend the turbs highly enough - the final development would be an e85 tune and see how that responds, but at this stage am really happy with this turbo

 

I think you've convinced me billyboy... might just get the RAD instead of the evo x. This is killing me... EFFFF

 

Then what are you doing in this thread? (Seriously)

 

Lol.

As for not wanting a testpipe or HFC because of the sound.... go for it. It doesn't get much louder than stock if you just replace the DP and cat and leave the stock catback.

 

good discussion guys-

thanks for the feedback and input!

cb

 

HFC is a bit deeper (really sexy at slow speeds), but no louder if you keep the stock cat-back (I still have the stock cat-back, everything else is 3"). The DP gets a bit louder, but still not the sound level of even a 3" cat-back by itself.

 

I have the loudest car here (I am positive). I have a straight through Agency Power exhaust. My neighbors hate me. They hated me before my exhaust. I have a total of 7 complaints from my neighbors to the main office. Screw those guys. I don't know where I was going with that, but screw my neighbors. Srsly.