# VR6 12V ebay turbo kits



## Ribulose16v (Oct 8, 2002)

Hi All, I want to do a turbo install and see the ebay turbo kits range between $600-$1000 which is in my budget.
I did a search for ebay on this forum and surprisingly didn't get anything.
My goal is to get 200whp from a stock vr6 12v. 
Can people who have successfully installed one of these kits please give me feedback if these kits will do what I want.
Please useful responses only. If you don't like the ebay kits please outline why exactly.
Thank you


----------



## nubVR (Apr 25, 2004)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Ribulose16v)*

You will need software to run your set up if you buy one of those.... and unless ur real good, your gonna spend another 1k just to make all that crap work... dont waste your time, Buy a real kit... C2 or Kinetic.... Cheap and turbo VR6 dont exist...


----------



## sp_golf (Nov 28, 2007)

*FV-QR*

For the most part, they are S H 1 T


----------



## Ribulose16v (Oct 8, 2002)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Ribulose16v)*

Has anyone experience with these ebay kits? (I have a tuner that will take care of the management.)


----------



## TBT-Syncro (Apr 28, 2001)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Ribulose16v)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Ribulose16v* »_Has anyone experience with these ebay kits? (I have a tuner that will take care of the management.)

'ebay' is a generic term, there are a lot of great products on that MASSIVE website, and there is a lot of s hit. 
post a link to something specific. so far you've just asked "are blue cars fast" no one can answer you accurately without specifics.


----------



## Ribulose16v (Oct 8, 2002)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (TBT-Syncro)*

TBT-Syncro, here is an example I found;
http://www.ebay.ca
Item number: 180370700062
Ideally I would like someone who has success with one of these ebay brand kits to give me a suggestion on what was a good kit for him/her.
My goal is 200whp which should be an extra 50hp on top of the stock 170hp.
Thanks


----------



## IwannaGTI (Jul 12, 2001)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Ribulose16v)*

dont buy these "kits". 
buy a used kit out of the classifieds here if you have a budget. $1000 is not enough to do it right.
Parts:
Turbo
Exhaust manifold
Wastegate
Oil feed line
Oil return line
Oil pan
DV Valve
Downpipe
Intake piping
Intercooler
Intercooler piping
larger injectors
chip (c2)
larger maf. (c2)
Those "kits" you speak of have a TON of fab work needed to make them work, plus the quality is terrible. spend the extra money or be prepared to hurt your motor.


----------



## Ribulose16v (Oct 8, 2002)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (IwannaGTI)*

Thanks for the input IwannaGTI, I'm really hoping for someone who's used one of these kits to give me their input.
Again, my goal is 50hp, I thought the stock injectors can support that fueling. Also I have my friend with the dyno who will take care of the maps.


_Modified by Ribulose16v at 10:27 AM 7-17-2009_


----------



## tdubbin (Mar 19, 2002)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Ribulose16v)*

I am guessing you are not getting any responses to those who have used the ebay kits simply becasue not many have purchased them. This should be a red flag. Like previously stated, they are cheap for a reason, and it is guaranteed you will run into problems (parts not fitting right, poor quality, and all the essentials not there). Even though it may sound like a great deal, it will end up just hurting your bank account. If your budget is a $1000, I would recommend saving more $ for a new kinetic kit, or look for a complete used kit on here. It is not worth the headache trying to do it the cheap way, you will spend more money in the long run. Do it right the first time, and you will not have any problems










_Modified by tdubbin at 11:24 AM 7-17-2009_


----------



## Ribulose16v (Oct 8, 2002)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (tdubbin)*

Thanks for the input tdubbin.
It seems these kits were designed for the Honda market becasue most honda people find they work well and are a decent budget setup. I'll wait to see if anyone here chimes in with their install or a link. 
Again my goal is 50hp, I beleive I should be able to do this for $1000 in todays market.


----------



## IwannaGTI (Jul 12, 2001)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Ribulose16v)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Ribulose16v* »_
Again my goal is 50hp, I beleive I should be able to do this for $1000 in todays market.

and all that have experience with turbos say you're wrong








A: 50 hp in a vr is a low goal, and if you're doing any kit look for 225 whp min.
B. You will need to do maintenance to the car to make sure it's ready for it if it has not been kept up. 
C. The continued maintenance is more expensive then normal.
Save your money til you can afford it.


----------



## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Ribulose16v)*

When I worked at another shop, I installed one of these kits for a customer, and we basically replaced 80% of the supplied parts with better / good parts. The aluminum piping was so thin, the couplers were garbage rubber, the t-bolt clamps would twist and break as soon as you tried to tie them down, most parts either didn't fit or blew within a few weeks. 
I would seriously stay away from those kits, they exist because all they care about is making their quick $1000 with absolutely no regard for quality. There's no way you're going to have a reliable setup with parts like that.


----------



## [email protected] (Jul 1, 2009)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Agtronic)*

Questions of quality aside, it seems as though your hp goals are modest enough to be achieved through a much simpler upgrade. Have you investigated a simple bolt-on swap of an uprated turbo? That and electronic tuning should get you a very good result.


----------



## Ribulose16v (Oct 8, 2002)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Agtronic)*

Thanks for the input agtronic, I will start piecing together a second hand kit.
I have to do further research, again to make the setup cost effective I want to work with the existing management and injectors. I'm guessing the stock setup can fuel for an extra 50hp.
Bolt-ons don't seem to be as cost effective to get 50hp.


----------



## The Popemobile (May 3, 2006)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Ribulose16v)*

you can get 200whp from a 12V with:
exhaust
cams
chip
there is no need for a turbo with such a modest goal


----------



## TBT-Syncro (Apr 28, 2001)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (The Popemobile)*


_Quote, originally posted by *The Popemobile* »_you can get 200whp from a 12V with:
exhaust
cams
chip
there is no need for a turbo with such a modest goal

doubtful and rare. CHP yes, WHP no.
200Whp NA will require headwork, and lots of other tweaks.


----------



## Weiss (Jun 21, 2004)

Love the haters here.








Honestly the majority of it are just physical, non-moving parts which have no regard towards integrity due to not having to endure any stresses. Such as, FMIC, pipes, couplers, catch can, etc. Granted the clamps, fan, manifold, oil cooler, and especially the turbo should be from a reputable company or manufactured with quality parts.
IMO, it will atleast get you in the general direction.


----------



## rjones1214 (Apr 24, 2009)

shop around on here and u will b able to piece together a kit close to your goal.
i'm currently doing a very slow and budget turbo build for my 8v 2.0L mk4 jetta. 
right now i have:
turbo manifold
Garrett turbo
Oil feed and return lines
turbo gasket kit
so far i've spent $310 =D
you can find a set of injectors as low as $150 for 6 42# injectors (440cc) 
software you might have to spend the money and straight up buy it from C2


----------



## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

It's not about being a hater. It's about avoiding future heart ache, when all you wanted was a quick VR6, and got a bunch of headaches and regret instead. You can't skimp out anywhere, 'cause it will always come to bite you in the ass somewhere down the line. You need good hardware, be it nuts and bolts, silicone couplers, t-bolt clamps, turbos, lines etc ... 
There are much better quality kits available, yes they are more expensive, but all of the included parts are of good quality.


----------



## Fast_Jetta_97 (Sep 28, 2005)

HEY HEY HEY.....
let me be the first to actually give some real advise seeing as i guess im the only person the bought one of these kits....

i got my ebay kit for 900 shipped knowing i was gonna replace bits and pieces but hoped most would be good....
the only things in the kit that sucked where
-Piping clamps (replaced them with real nice ones for like 30 bucks)
-BOV it did alright but seemed to leak a bit at high Rpms)
-lastly the boost controller was WEAK... got one from a local race shop for 40 bucks that works GREAT...
The turbo has held up amazingly.... just took it of today to replace it with a MUCH LARGE ONE and it still has ZERO shaft play and no oil leaks....
things i had to buy in addition to the ebay kit....
ECU tunning software obviously ( i used C2 number 42 chip )
Walbro 255 fuel pump (think it was about 100 bucks)
Injectors (42lbs)
Made my own downpipe and did all the boost piping myself to save money

anyways your HP goals are way low.... with the ebay kit and the fuel stuff i added it did on a measly 4.5 psi at altitude in colorado on that ebay leaking BOV 
275 WHP.....

So in conclusion NO.... the ebay kit is not junk..... YES it is failry generic and takes some tinkering with....

IF I HAD IT ALL TO DO OVER AGAIN.... as good as it did i prolly would have just peaced it together..... BUTTTTTT.....
i am 100% that for under 2000 prolly aroudn 1500 you can custom build a tailored to your needs turbo kit with a good sized turbo, good ecu software, and the fuel to back your setup.....

everyone can resume there hating now....


----------



## Weiss (Jun 21, 2004)

*Re: (Fast_Jetta_97)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Fast_Jetta_97* »_HEY HEY HEY.....
let me be the first to actually give some real advise seeing as i guess im the only person the bought one of these kits....

i got my ebay kit for 900 shipped knowing i was gonna replace bits and pieces but hoped most would be good....
the only things in the kit that sucked where
-Piping clamps (replaced them with real nice ones for like 30 bucks)
-BOV it did alright but seemed to leak a bit at high Rpms)
-lastly the boost controller was WEAK... got one from a local race shop for 40 bucks that works GREAT...
The turbo has held up amazingly.... just took it of today to replace it with a MUCH LARGE ONE and it still has ZERO shaft play and no oil leaks....
things i had to buy in addition to the ebay kit....
ECU tunning software obviously ( i used C2 number 42 chip )
Walbro 255 fuel pump (think it was about 100 bucks)
Injectors (42lbs)
Made my own downpipe and did all the boost piping myself to save money

anyways your HP goals are way low.... with the ebay kit and the fuel stuff i added it did on a measly 4.5 psi at altitude in colorado on that ebay leaking BOV 
275 WHP.....

So in conclusion NO.... the ebay kit is not junk..... YES it is failry generic and takes some tinkering with....

IF I HAD IT ALL TO DO OVER AGAIN.... as good as it did i prolly would have just peaced it together..... BUTTTTTT.....
i am 100% that for under 2000 prolly aroudn 1500 you can custom build a tailored to your needs turbo kit with a good sized turbo, good ecu software, and the fuel to back your setup.....

everyone can resume there hating now....

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif And there it is! I knew someone on here made a post for the Ebay turbo kits. Good to see all is working well!


----------



## stealthmk3 (Nov 30, 2007)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (slappy_dunbar)*


_Quote, originally posted by *slappy_dunbar* »_Questions of quality aside, it seems as though your hp goals are modest enough to be achieved through a much simpler upgrade. Have you investigated a simple bolt-on swap of an uprated turbo? That and electronic tuning should get you a very good result.

How did this get passed over??? So wait, a more simple upgrade then putting a turbo on your car... is to put a turbo on your car








P.s. VR6s dont have a turbo, and this "electronic tuning" you speak of.. you must be a pro at, can you tune my car please?


----------



## Fast_Jetta_97 (Sep 28, 2005)

/\/\/\/\/\/\
LOL.... i read that and just dismissed it as he wasn't saying what he meant or something....
maybe we will find out what he is talking about....


----------



## Ribulose16v (Oct 8, 2002)

*Re: (Fast_Jetta_97)*

Thank you for the helpful response Fast_Jetta_97 and Wiess. I figured it would be a mater of time before someone answered.
I see the cost would be in fabricating the boost piping as the ebay kits probably isn’t designed to a vw engine bay. However like Wiess said a lot of the parts get you going into the right direction.
I have an Accord that reliably gets me around, so I'm not concerned with running into problems, that’s the entertainment I’m looking for.
277Whp at 4.5psi, that’s a lot of hp. I never would have guessed that. I can see why you need the injectors and the chip. I guess I’ll have limit the system to 2psi.
Are there any posts where someone has monitored their injector pulse widths; at what psi they are they full open. I need to do some learning now.
It would be great if someone could post a link to a full ebay turbo install to complete this thread.


----------



## stealthmk3 (Nov 30, 2007)

*Re: (Ribulose16v)*

/\ In all honesty, if your going to run 2 psi on a turbo kit... You can pay me to ride with you and i'll blow into your intake


----------



## Weiss (Jun 21, 2004)

*Re: (stealthmk3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *stealthmk3* »_ i'll blow into your intake








Will you blow into mine too?


----------



## stealthmk3 (Nov 30, 2007)

*Re: (Weiss)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Weiss* »_







Will you blow into mine too?









I see what you did there!


----------



## Fast_Jetta_97 (Sep 28, 2005)

HAHAHHAHAHA......
that was a good one....
and no man, the only reason i did the fuel pump and injectors was to support later upgrades such as the bigger turbo im doing now....

i think you could run 4 psi on factory fuel.... OBVIOUSLY you will want to monitor A/F ratios to make sure your good but put the turbo on and start turning boost up till it starts to get lean.....


----------



## Boost112 (May 8, 2002)

*Re: (Ribulose16v)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Ribulose16v* »_Thank you for the helpful response Fast_Jetta_97 and Wiess. I figured it would be a mater of time before someone answered.
I see the cost would be in fabricating the boost piping as the ebay kits probably isn’t designed to a vw engine bay. However like Wiess said a lot of the parts get you going into the right direction.
I have an Accord that reliably gets me around, so I'm not concerned with running into problems, that’s the entertainment I’m looking for.
277Whp at 4.5psi, that’s a lot of hp. I never would have guessed that. I can see why you need the injectors and the chip. I guess I’ll have limit the system to 2psi.
Are there any posts where someone has monitored their injector pulse widths; at what psi they are they full open. I need to do some learning now.
It would be great if someone could post a link to a full ebay turbo install to complete this thread.










i think you are getting in over your head here... for some reason you are dead set at using the stock ecu and injectors..why?... i have no idea... second it really sounds like you havent even scratched the surface of the research that you need to do? who in the hell is going to invest anymoney into a turbo kit and then run it at 2psi... what so you can say you have aturbo kit? or get walked by a 1.8t or even an n/a vr6... i think it would be better for you to go with a supercharger than a turbo kit in all honesty... you can make exactly the kind of power you want to and might actually get the full kit used... here in the classifieds... for around that kind of money maybe alittle more... but it would put you in the right direction and make safe reliable power... and you wouldnt be wasting your time or money...



_Modified by Boost112 at 3:41 PM 7-20-2009_


----------



## Weiss (Jun 21, 2004)

*Re: (Boost112)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Boost112* »_
i think you are getting in over your head here... for some reason you are dead set at using the stock ecu and injectors..why?... i have no idea... second it really sounds like you havent even scratched the surface of the research that you need to do? who in the hell is going to invest anymoney into a turbo kit and then run it at 2psi... what so you can say you have aturbo kit? or get walked by a 1.8t or even an n/a vr6... i think it would be better for you to go with a supercharger than a turbo kit in all honesty... you can make exactly the kind of power you want to and might actually get the full kit used... here in the classifieds... for around that kind of money maybe alittle more... but it would put you in the right direction and make safe reliable power... and you wouldnt be wasting your time or money...
_Modified by Boost112 at 3:41 PM 7-20-2009_

In a harsh way kind of true though man. Take advantage of the fruits that boost gives you. Once you start you'll want to keep turning it up... especially on a turbo, you know more boost is just a flick of the wrist away. 
In all honesty, the Ebay kits will get you in the general direction with most items, but the forums are a great source for cheap parts. I bought a SRI on here for just $300. It's hard to find parts like that at a cost of such.
If I had more money to through at such investments I would love to manufacture quality kits of the like at a little over the Ebay price. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 


_Modified by Weiss at 1:15 AM 7-21-2009_


----------



## 88vwFox (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: (Boost112)*

for 50 hp and the $$$ you want to spend just put a darn wet kit on it. 

yo dawg check out my NAWZZZZ!!!!!!!


----------



## Boost112 (May 8, 2002)

*Re: (88vwFox)*


_Quote, originally posted by *88vwFox* »_for 50 hp and the $$$ you want to spend just put a darn wet kit on it. 

yo dawg check out my NAWZZZZ!!!!!!!

and whats wrong with nitrous?


----------



## Fast_Jetta_97 (Sep 28, 2005)

if you do it right there is nothing wrong with a little spray....

easy quick and relatively cheap way to get the power you want..... you might think about it....


----------



## vdubobsessions (Nov 3, 2008)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (Ribulose16v)*

man i got a senior project to do wanted to buy a cheap turbo kit for my new vr ......... not gunna happen this crushed my dream!


----------



## KubotaPowered (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (stealthmk3)*

budget and VR6 turbo aren't synonomous. That being said, if you want 200hp either throw a 50 shot of nitrous on it or get a supercharger. Cheap turbo setups like the one you found aren't going to last long. The heart to any FI system is the tuning, good tuning costs about half of what that turbo kit costs. do yourself the favor, save more money and get a kinetic turbo kit or look for other alternatives


----------



## SoSlowVRT (Jun 7, 2009)

I just seen this thread, Ive posted in the big debate that was on the 12v 2.8 forum, and ill post here and back the ebay kits 100%, Ive been running a ebay kit for around 10k miles, Turbo still has 0% shaft play and spools great, I have less then $1500 into my turbo kit and thats with c2 42lb software and everything else that i needed, most people that hate on ebay kits have never tried them, and just go by what other people say, you dont have to spend 5k on a turbo kit just to be cool and say i have this, you can go the cheap route and still make good power and not mess your motor up, just dont cheap out on fueling, just remember i paid $680 shipped for my kit without exhaust,dp,and c2, injectors, add around another 500-800 for other said parts and thats alot less then a kinetic kit


_Modified by SoSlowVRT at 9:39 AM 10-3-2009_


----------



## stofficer2 (Mar 22, 2007)

*Re: (SoSlowVRT)*

I agree. My neighbor ran a pieced together kit. But he also did run c2 and turbonetics turbo. He had the ebay intercooler kit and it was just fine. I helped him put the piping in and yes it's thin but if you are making enough boost to blow through an aluminum pipe then what's going to happen to your cast aluminum intake manifold? Or your cast aluminum head? Anyways, the car ran perfect until his wiring harness caught on fire (unturbo related). He will gladly back these kits up. It's like buying snap-on vs. craftsman. A mechanic that uses his tools to put bread on his family's table should probably use snap-on because it's better qaulity. But for someone who just does the average repairs on their car can get away with craftsman. If it breaks, save up and replace. 3,200 dollars for a stage 1 kit from kentics is a bit crazy, don't you think? What makes their kit better than an ebay kit? I believe if your turbo is good and you're using quality tuning like c2, then you will be perfectly fine. Just keep an eye on the rest of the things. 
Do it. But don't get me wrong. If I had money to waste I would go with kentics kit just to save the headache of "hoping" that parts fit. If you are one of those people that can make things work without punching a dent in your fender then go with an ebay kit.


----------



## blue98jettavr6 (Mar 19, 2001)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (KubotaPowered)*

The best advise I see in here is to up your budget and shop in the classified section. My set up was pieced together using the classified section and vw tuner specific parts supplier often used by most of the member on vwvortex.
My build is above 2500 and it doesn't cover clutch and exhaust. 
Your power goal will be exceeded easily. My car put down 238wps @6.61psi (i was in germany at the time when my car dynoed). and 328wps with the boost turned up via boost controller.
save up add another 1800 and get the kinetics stage 1 kit. everything you'll need will be in the box. Add a oil pan with return line already welded from ATP turbo.com and you'll be very happy.


----------



## SlammedGolfIII (Nov 18, 2003)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (blue98jettavr6)*

A friend of mine has been debating with me over this. I personally saved for a long time and bought the Kinetic stage 3 setup so he does'nt need all that, but he wanted to run a nice setup. He is insisting on doing the ebay kit, which we've all heard good and bad about.....but....Spending the extra dough and getting it from Kinetic was the best thing I could have done....Your getting a super complete kit to start off with and from which you can obviously upgrade down the road. Plus if anythings wrong with it, you have the backing of a company that really knows what their doing. If your ebay kit implodes I dont think you'd get the same tech support and warranty........Just me guys http://****************.com/smile/emgift.gif


----------



## stofficer2 (Mar 22, 2007)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (SlammedGolfIII)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SlammedGolfIII* »_A friend of mine has been debating with me over this. I personally saved for a long time and bought the Kinetic stage 3 setup so he does'nt need all that, but he wanted to run a nice setup. He is insisting on doing the ebay kit, which we've all heard good and bad about.....but....Spending the extra dough and getting it from Kinetic was the best thing I could have done....Your getting a super complete kit to start off with and from which you can obviously upgrade down the road. Plus if anythings wrong with it, you have the backing of a company that really knows what their doing. If your ebay kit implodes I dont think you'd get the same tech support and warranty........Just me guys http://****************.com/smile/emgift.gif









Kinetics is going to do everything possible to make sure you are responsible for something going wrong unless it was a part recieved broken. Ebay wont even answer the phone. So yes you do have a chance with Kinetics but how much of a chance? You are spending three times as much. You can easily buy an ebay turbo, buy garrett internals and have a shop rebuild the turbo for you. The housings on the turbo might not be as strong as a better known company. But it's still a cast housing. It will take a good beating. I have personally hit an ebay turbo hot side with a 16lbs sledge hammer and it didn't crack. 
If you arn't retarded or mechanically inclinded, you can piece together a kit or buy an ebay turbo kit and make it work. There is a lot of people here who have never had a drop of oil touch their hands but they think highly of their cars because of the money they have dropped in. Do what you think will work for you. If I had a money tree outside I would just buy a kinetics kit because I know everything will fit and work.


----------



## SlammedGolfIII (Nov 18, 2003)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (stofficer2)*

The way I look at it, I have worked on cars since long before I could drive them....I just enjoyed the ease of use with buying the Kinetic kit. Ofcourse they are gonna try to deny you if its possible that you may have broken the part, I was leaning more towards the tech support portion of the matter. Saying that someone who's not retarted can piece a turbo kit together is pretty vague, ehh? I've seen people that must have had an IQ way below 70 that could piece together a turbo....I've also spoken to people that could talk the pants off Nixon but could'nt change a spark plug. Has nothing to do with being a retard........I just recieved a head movie of you beating your poor turbo with a hammer and giggled. http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif


----------



## SlammedGolfIII (Nov 18, 2003)

*Re: VR6 12V ebay turbo kits (SlammedGolfIII)*

Oh yeah and buy the kit you want.....either way people here will hate you.....or...well....atleast someone will hate the guy that tried to help you which in turn means they hate you too.....so get your info elsewhere......

Edited for fun content....I believe Kinetics stage 1, non-intercooled setup is good for 240 wheel'ish.......










_Modified by SlammedGolfIII at 10:48 PM 10-4-2009_


----------

