Garrets not watercooled, why?

[STARION]

I'm wondering why the Garret/ DSM bolt on turbos that places like AGP, slowboy, and numerous others sell are not watercooled standard. I was just looking at AGP's site and they mention that they are not watercooled, although if you really want a watercooled, they can arrange it. I simply don't understand why anyone would opt for a turbo with just oil going through it, I suppose the oil may have some cooling properties of its own, but nowhere near water. With a watercooled center section, won't the turbo last longer plain and simple (in identical conditions)? After all, if I'm going to spend money on one of these, you bet it's going on my daily driver and I wan't it to last and hold up as long as possible. It's absolutley no extra trouble for me to run 2 water lines to a turbo.

Looking at it from a different point of view, maybe those turbo retailers wan't to sell you one w/o coolant lines so that it fails sooner and you have to buy a new one, heh heh heh.

-Thanks in advance

 

[Ben K]

Originally posted by STARION



Looking at it from a different point of view, maybe those turbo retailers wan't to sell you one w/o coolant lines so that it fails sooner and you have to buy a new one, heh heh heh.

-Thanks in advance

You got it

In my experience, the newer style dry center housings from Garrett seem to hold up very well. I've never seen any benefit to a wet center housing on a standard journal bearing turbo.

A wet center housing does do a good job in heating up the cooling system, however.

 

[DCJ98GST]

Do the oil cooled turbos have more oil running through them and therefore the oil cools the turbo?

 

[NosLaser]

Yes. The passages in the bearing housing are enlarged to allow just that.

Regards,

 

[KRAZYKOREAN]

Water cooled...who needs it...not I

 

[JayHass]

Your turbo in a high performance application will most likely die from fatigue long before it dies from coked oil. Not to mention anyone with the brains to upgrade to a Garrett hybrid most likely has the same brains that tells them not to make a 1/4 mile pass and shut the car down right away.

Oil cooled center sections are fine. Watercooling is for the soccer mom Volvo/Saab crowd that wants to get 200,000 miles from their turbo without having to replace it.

 

[Defiant]

Originally posted by Ben K
I've never seen any benefit to a wet center housing on a standard journal bearing turbo.

Journal bearings? Aren't they full-floating sleeves?

 

[2-0turbo]

Originally posted by Defiant
Journal bearings? Aren't they full-floating sleeves?

Yes, Garretts are full-floating type, retained end-to-end with retaining clips.

 

[IPT]

I changed tires on semis for awhile and I was always looking at the turbos on those things. I never did see one that was water cooled. Those things go 500,000 before you would even think about having to change out a turbo.

Personal I like not having the water lines. It just looks like a cleaner install that way. Just my $.02 LAter

 

[jdmawd]

My turbo has a Garrett wet bearing housing. I agree the wet housing is a PITA to install.

 

[Slow99x]

I have only seen the wet center section on smaller turbos. From what I have been told is that it is because they have to spin much faster to create the same boost levels that a larger turbo can produce at lower rpms and therefore making more heat. It makes sense but I could be wrong.

 

[Groomz]

Since most upgrade turbos are oil only I would not see it as a problem. Get a turbo timer to be safe. Just take care of it by letting it cool off and/or having a cool off drive at slow engine speeds. Run Mobile, be smart about it and it should last just as long. Garrett is a reputable company , so I would think that if they say it doesn't need water cooling, then it doesn't. I have watercooled headlights though, don't want those babies coking on me when I'm at the drag strip!!!!