Hey all, I figured I’d post a brief comparison between my turbo and another local S2000 turbo. This isn’t a promotional post though it kinda reads that way at the end, but a comparison of a kit that’s been pieced together using all used 2nd or 3rd hand parts vs a ‘best in class’ kit.

The dyno is very professionally overlaid with MSPaint since we had different dyno days, but it was the same Mustang dyno and same tuner just 4 weeks apart. We’re in the DFW, Texas area. Ambient temp for him was around 85F, mine was around 100F.

I’ve posted a couple times but made some small changes and went back for a tune up in the hunt to hit 450whp on pump gas. Relevant mods for my 2005 include an original F22C shortblock w/ 152k miles. Headwork is <5k miles, new OEM valves, Supertech TI springs and retainers and bronze exhaust guides. No port work, OEM manifold and TB. Compression is over 215 in all four cylinders.

Kings Performance gen 1 sidewinder manifold w/ T3 connection into an AGP Z2 6262S Journal Bearing turbo, which is a 62mm turbo. I’ve got the OCDWorks T51R Mod on the compressor housing because I grew up in the glory days of the big (back then anyways) single turbo supras and skylines, so the whistle is nostalgic and awesome. Precision 750HP universal intercooler w/ 2.75” piping. Straight 3” downpipe/midpipe (no cat) to a Ballade 76mm catback. EDIT: I had a 4" AEM intake filter for the dyno run.

AEM v2 ECU w/ 3port boost control solenoid. Held steady 18psig. TX 93 octane.

His is a healthy but stock F22C with a PTuning kit and GTX3076R Gen 2 turbo, which is a 58mm turbo. He had a light wastegate spring so had some boost control issues higher in the rev range with his 3port. Peaked at 22psig but bled down to 17psig by the end. He’s on an AEM v2 ECU as well running E85 from a pump, which in the area is typically around E70-E75.



We're more concerned with the smoothed curve in red/blue vs the 'absolute high' from the unsmoothed Mustang user interface since any kind of noise or spike isn't indicative of true power.

Despite my less-than-stellar artistic skills, the differences are incredible. A lot of people get hung up on ‘peak power’ which you can see mine at 453whp isn’t all that different from his at 485whp. It seems impressive at face value, especially since I’m on pump gas, but the differences in torque and power delivery are absolutely night and day, not to mention his issue in holding boost through the high rev range. Granted, I only spent $2800 on the full kit which included the v2 and fuel injectors, but I spent nearly another thousand and easily 40+hours of my own labor getting it cleaned up, installed and running well.

The PTuning kit costs more for sure, but the fitment and quality are worlds apart. Improvements in turbo technology and balanced manifold design (short equal length on the PTuning vs long unequal length of the Gen 1 KP sidewinder) underscore just how much better ‘best in class’ systems can be as compared to someone like me who just bought whatever parts I could find that were a good deal. Overall I'm still thrilled. My car is a blast to drive because it has the classic 'punch you in the face' kind of turbo ramp, but it's super inefficient and doesn't drive like an S2000. I might swap out my CHRA for a ball bearing setup but that won't really change the boost threshold requirements of my turbo so if push comes to shove I'd probably just swap the turbo (but again that's money to spend and I'm not big on swapping something that works fine in its own way).

Tl/DR: you get what you pay for.

Mine's yellow, his is silver.

KP Manifold, AGP Z2 6262S. EDIT: I had a 4" AEM intake filter for the dyno run.



PTuning GTX3076R Gen 2

 

as a ptunning gtx3076r owner myself, Its not fair to compare a turbo kit thats tuned on e85 with a 58mm turbo thats maxed out to another turbo kit thats tuned and octane limited on 91/93 octane with a much larger 62mm turbo. Assuming the 62mm turbo was tuned and also maxed out on e85 it will have was less low end and mid range power but top end should be close to 700whp with at least 100whp more top end power over a 58mm turbo.

 

Yeah, no question they're different setups but both turbos are rated at the same approx max at ~750hp. AGP doesn't have compressor maps readily available like Garrett does. Considering the GTX3076R Gen 2 dropped 5psig from peak boost to redline means there's gobs more power to be made top end when he figures out his boost control. Even if I swapped the CHRA to ball bearing and went E85, I still wouldn't see near the area under the curve that he's got.