IHI VF34 Vs Owen

[BenS1]

My Ibiza currently has an IHI VF34 .20 on it and is producing around 360bhp at 1.6 bar (According to Jabbas rolling road). As this is a bit much for the standard internals I'm planning on fitting new rods and pistons... and whilst I'm there I might as well get the engine bored out to 1.9 litres (And maybe even get a 2.0 litre crank).

So, once I have a stronger engine I might as well use its potential and get a bit more power out of it.... I'm looking for around 425bhp.

The Owen Developments turbo looks interesting. I asked Jabba about it and they said it would give more power but it would also be more laggy.... no surprise that a bigger turbo has more lag/higher boost threshold. However I was surprised to hear that it runs peak boost of 2.1bar!

So is the Owens turbo really a bigger turbo than the IHI, or does it just get its extra power from being able to run much higher boost? I mean, if an IHI VF34 could be made reliable at 2.1 bar then wouldn't that produce over 400bhp?

Whats the general feeling of the reliability of the Owen turbos at this level of boost?

And doesn't 2.1 bar mean massive amounts of heat? I'm wondering if it might be better to run a slightly larger turbo at lower boost to avoid the heat issues... but obviously that means even more lag.

Anyone got some rolling road graphs showing the Owen Turbo on an Ibiza so that I can compare the power delivery and boost thresholds/lag with my IHI (I know a lot depends on the mapping but it'll give me a rough idea).

Finally, has anyone got details of the various Owen Turbo options available? I believe there are 3 versions?

Thanks
Ben

 

[ibizacupra]

which version of owens hybrid ben? I think there are 3

speak direct to Ian @ Owens for what they are rated to

 

[BenS1]

which version of owens hybrid ben? I think there are 3

speak direct to Ian @ Owens for what they are rated to

That was my last question... what versions are there?

Will Ian @ Owens be familiar with running these on a 1.8T, as I thought Owens developed them for Scoobs and its Jabba that fits them to 1.8Ts?

I guess I can call and ask.

Thanks
Ben

 

[ryan_s3]

A turbo is a turbo no matter what it's on. Bigger wheels/housing produce alot less heat at higher boost levels.

 

[BenS1]

Ok, here's another question... the smaller Owens turbo produces around 400bhp at 2.1 bar.

So what would you expect it to produce at 1.6 bar, given that the IHI produces 360bhp at 1.6bar?

I can't imagine the Owens turbo would produce much more... so doesn't that mean they are similar sized turbos and the main difference being that the Owens turbo is reliable at higher boost levels?

If is they are similar sized then wouldn't you expect the boost thesholds to be similar too?

Thanks
Ben

 

[ibizacupra]

internally they are garrett, so are as good/bad as a garrett in those terms.
GT30R type spec units so far as I know, in IHI type fitment.

Kev in his Leon runs the biggest Owens unit on a modified jabba manifold which has external wastegate now, and is >500bhp

 

[ryan_s3]

I was not involved with tuning the largish owens hybrid but i bet it makes the same power at 1.8bar as it does at 2+ bar of boost.On a heartbreaker you won't see more than 450 imo. I think at 1.6bar held you would see 400+ and it would be nice and reliable all that midrange boost produces loads of torque but alot of heat aswell.

 

[BenS1]

If it makes the same power at 1.8bar as it does at 2.1bar then why run it at 2.1bar?

Really I'm looking for about 425bhp. The smaller Owens says 400+bhp and the larger one says 475bhp. So if I put the smaller one on in the engines current state and achieved say 400bhp, then would doing extra stuff such as going 2 litre (bore and crank), largeport head flowed, and SEM inlet manifold allow me to get up to the 425bhp mark?

Bill I think you said that the SEM alone gave you an extra 32bhp on your setup.

I guess I need to speak with Jabba and Owens.

 

[ryan_s3]

As i stated before you get loads more torque with higher midrange boost,so therefore more midrange power but you also get alot of heat produced.The large owens hybrid was run at 1.8bar and ran 420bhp or something on a 2l scooby.A 2l will not improve the headline figure but will improve midrange and driveabilty.