Do not confuse "cheap" with "cheaply made" when it comes to turbos. There are lots and lots of OEM turbos out there that are great (like, 700+whp), and can be had for under $200 bucks. This is just in single turbo form too... the possibilities when running twin OEM turbos are nearly endless for street cars.

I dont know if you could ever question the reliability behind turbos that are proven in OEM applications for 300k+ miles.

 

Well cant speak for the turbo, but everyone was calling the ebay intercoolers, and stainless headers worthless. I had what was to be the best headers $900, and they would bend under heat, and wouldnt seal. So i got the ebay headers for $179, and all i had the do was a little porting, and get better V-band clamps, make a better gasket for the clamps(i had ported heads), and i got there FMIC for $135, and it work like a champ! I say if you dont mine doing a little work making it fit perfect, go for it!!

 

My ebay intercooler was junk, but for the money it worked.

I would never really try to make more than 450whp on ebay parts, other than possibly with twin 57 trim ebay turbos, and a super giant a/a intercooler.

 

I have an ebay turbo kit (ptk), It was fun getting everything to fit, also bought a mystery 70mm turbo from a guy on craigslist who got it off ebay. I made 485rwhp on a stingy mustang dyno thru a turbo400, for reference I got a TC72 and only made 30 more hp, the car went 10.9 @ 129. The ebay turbo is still in good working condition, if someone wants to buy it for $250.

 

Someone didnt know what they was doing,most cars today will make more power than that on that much boost. I love my cheap ebay turbos I know of no one @ here that had any problems. Main thing is be smart enough to put a oil restrictor in it. My cheap ebay turbo is bout to log 60k in 3 years on it has been beat to death, many track passes, hours on the interstate at 4k rpm's and had the hell 2stepped out of it a 6800 many times. In that time I have known people that have had replace TOP NAME ones. Turbos kinda a hit miss thing and all the cheap ones cam along way than what they were 10yrs ago that ruint there name. As for the spoken of kit run a ebay turbo kit search there was a guy deep in the 10's iirc. Alot people knocking the turbos have never even ran them just read about it. But if your friend can do a little fabbing let him go for it just tell him do his homework to make it work. Only other thing I have to say is, oil restrictor I cant preach that enough.

 

I got flamed really hard about using an ebay turbo for my twinscroll project here...
http://www.grandamgt.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77993

The funny thing is that I have been using the same turbo now for over 7 months with no failures and about 15000 + miles. I even drove around for
a few miles with the oil pump disengaged by accident. The turbo turned into a crop duster, but I found the problem and ran the pump for a few minutes.
The turbo works good as new. With the exception of having to find special brass fittings for the oil inlet and porting the tubine housing a little, this thing performs flawlessly. ZERO oil leaks!

I have had three Garrett rebuilds that have not lasted as long as my ebay turbo. I am using a Masterpower right now on my Firebird project. I hope it works as good.

 

Parish's turbo was actually a MP70...not the chinese knockoff.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/hot-rod-p...week-07-a.html

 

There are plenty of people running the ebay intercooler's BTW, myself included. It's air to air, it's only going to be so efficient.

 

X2 Master Power is from Brazil.

 

I just went by what HotRod reported, they said he got it free because nobody wanted it , they called it a chinese turbo.

 

And garrett is mad in mexico also, Dont know of any cast or probally made here.

 

I just picked up an ebay unit, looks solid built, not glued like some of the real cheap ebay units, and being new to turbos if i like how it runs I can always upgrade to a MP.

 

i would try to upgrade before the motor is forced to eat the turbo.

 

your last post stated that a garret failed and took out a motor, if its going to break its going to break, $200 or 600 everything can break. if this unit is good to 30 psi, 6-8 should be a easy on it.

 

ebay kit, ebay turbo, ebay intercooler here 550 rwhp on the stock motor. my mistake was running a cheap wastegate and boosting to 20 psi on the stock motor bye bye....

now i have a forged motor with all the same ebay stuff, but a NICE turbosmart 50mm wastegate. shooting for 600rwhp on 7psi

 

the garret unit failed because the turbo feed line was damaged

yes anything can break, but some things break more often then others

there is no way that turbo is good for 30 psi, do you have an idea of what rpm the turbo will need to spin to produce 30 psi ?

i am sure cheap Chinese parts will not live at that rpm

you do what you want, it is your car and your money, but i will not depend on a Chinese turbo to force air in to my 6000 dollar forged motor

 

Um there only 250$ shipped for free bran new off ebay. I have loved all the ebay turbos i have dealt with and owned. The IC of ebay also kick ***. Look at the ICs that epp sells for 300 Hmmm what do you think those are. Are they any better cause there not sold off "ebay" lol

 

in your case very true, if you spend 6000 on a motor then spending 600-1200 on a turbo would be fine, to replace my motor will cost $350, I consider it a learning experience.

 

What ebay turbo do you have that flows more than a T67?

 

I look at it as if you can pay to build your motor you can pay for a good turbo. As stated, even name brands can break but they are definitely less likely to break than a cheap Ebay/China turbo. Intercoolers and piping are one thing, but turbos and wastegates are another.