Here at MaXpeedingRods we are often asked “what turbocharger should I run on my car?” We understand that this can be a daunting purchase as there are many factors to picking the right turbocharger for your application. Not all turbos are the same, quite the contrary actually.
Two different turbochargers may act completely different and give a car a different feel. The exhaust side of a turbocharger is arguably the most important part of the turbo yet it is consistently overlooked by buyers. This is where we at MaXpeedingRods come in to help and where this article will hopefully help make the choice between the GT2871 and GT2860 easier.
To assist in explaining the differences and characteristics of these two turbos, two videos will be reviewed. Both are from ChrisSadowski, a YouTuber who has been making automotive-related content revolving around budget, fun cars. He has published two videos in particular that will be used for reference.
The first video is our MaXpeedingRods GT2871 on a Honda B20 Vtec Motor. For the majority of the video, Chris explains how reliable the turbo has been for his build. He drives roughly 70 miles (120.6 km) round trip for work and has had no issues with the turbo.
This has been going on for months now which commends the durability and build quality of these turbos. As of the video, Chris is not pushing the turbo nor motor hard as he is only making around 250 horsepower at the tires.
In the second video, Chris installs a GT2860 turbo on his Miata. He then takes it around and gives his take on the difference between the MaXpeedingRods GT2860 and the previous turbo he had on there. He concluded that the new MXR turbo was spooling quicker and had a smoother power band than the turbo prior.
There are two measurements to the impellers of a turbo: inducer and exducer. Inducer refers to the intake of the compressor side and the intake of the turbine side while the exducer refers to the output of the compressor side and output of the exhaust side.
The GT2860 has a 47mm inducer and 60mm exducer wheel on the compressor while the GT2871 has a 53mm inducer and 71mm exducer. The exhaust sides are the same on these turbos with a 54mm inducer and 47mm exducer.
These two turbos are incredibly similar and the characteristics will be similar as well due to the identical exhaust sides.
The driving pressure on the turbine is what dictates the majority of the turbos spool characteristics. The larger wheel on the GT2871 has more mass which can cause it to take a little longer to get up to speed but the added inertia will keep the turbo spinning longer. This is advantageous between shifts as there will be less delay in the turbo getting back up to the desired shaft speed. Now in practice, these effects are very minimal and most likely not noticeable by the user.
Between these two turbos, it comes down to two factors to determine which is best for you: spool and power. If the user desires the best spool characteristics possible then the GT2860 is the turbo to go with. If the user wants the capability of more power then the GT2871 is the turbo for them.
