Spoolin you are right in that if you ALREADY have a Turbo there is no need to purchase another turbo just to get a faster spool for instance.

However it is a fact that a correctly maintained Ball Bearing Turbo will last 3-5x's longer that a non ball bearing turbo. Do they both make BIG power? YES Can they both be used on the same car? YES. Will a Ball Bearing Turbo maintained last much longer that a Non-ball bearing turbo. YES

Spool can be affected by the size of the exhaust wheel. So will some Non- Ball Bearing turbo spool faster than a Ball Bearing? YES However this can easily be changed by Going with a different exhaust housing again giving the Ball Bearing Turbo the advantage because of Longevity.

 

Below is a Dyno Sheet from my old setup
Precision 60-1 Turbo

 

What?!?

There is a huge difference between the Ultimate Racing 60-1 and the Precision SC-61 Turbo - humungous!

The SC61 is much larger and rated for approximately 680hp while the 60-1 can consistantly make 400hp, yet maxes at roughly 500hp. Spooling is much different between the two also. I considered an SC61 for my application, as it is capable of making huge power numbers, however if I'm not mistaken it doesn't spool until 5500 while the 60-1 spools at 4000ish. Personally I went with a GT35R, however my goals are much different than that of the original poster.

Again, my numbers could be off a bit here and there. I am by no means a 'turbo expert'.

 

Yes sorry mistake in how I laid the #'s out Precision 60-1 not 61

 

cost is not really a factor to me. If i go ahead and drop $1500 on a gt35r or sc61 than i wont ever have to upgrade. OR i could get a "ebay special" t3/t04e for about $500 and just upgrade later when i am looking to make more power. but then thats kind of like $500 wasted.

 

my garret was 575 shipped

 

I'd say just get what you want right away if possible. That way you don't have to worry about going back and dealing with new issues with the installation... Especially if you get a non-ball bearing turbo and then decide to upgrade to a ball bearing one... youre going to have to worry about the coolant lines at that point rather than just having it all done and ready from the get go

 

compared to larger turbos, T3 series turbos generally spool pretty quick for what they are. what gives the T-series turbos their "characteristics" are the exhaust/compressor wheel and trim variances.

for example, a .57 trim t3/t4 is great for a quick spool, smooth torque curve and a respectable top end. but this particular turbo combination is known for boost dying off at high rpm. the main culprit for the boost dying off is the trim.

a .60 trim 60-1 turbo will spool a bit slower than the .57 trim (due to the larger capacity flow rate of the wheel). however, a higher top end power level can be reached.

when choosing a T series turbo, the main thing to look into is the wheel. i'd say for your application, a .60 trim t series would suffice. it would start building a good amount of boost fairly early, and would probably hit full boost at @5000-6000rpm or so. you would notice very little if any boost dying off at 9k.

check out the garretts - theyve got a real popular t3/60-1 that many have had lots of success with. plus you can upgrade and get a bunch of add ons- like a stage three or five wheel, or an S-cover.

when it comes down to it- if i were to choose between a ball bearing or a standard turbo, i would go with a t-series. mainly because i wouldnt have to worry about running water lines and what not. t-series are more of a "bolt-on" affair when compared to a ball bearing gt.

. . .wish i had boost.

 

60-1's are old technology.....

gt30r is awesome but very pricey (compared to non BB/water cooled turbos)

gt32e......VERY good price, and is rated to 510 or 520 bhp.....i had one on my turbo gsr and i saw 10psi by 4500rpm's...not bad at all

 

If you plan on running only 7-8 pounds right now you should definitely look into the Garrett GT30R. You will have a nice low/mid range and spool up nicely... It will even be adequate later when you turn up the boost.