After a few requests I have been looking into Kinugawa’s range of Turbos and the high flow kits they offer for the CT26
First off looking at these kits, they do seem reasonably priced for upgrading your stock CT26 to hold a bit more boost, although they don’t mention the fact that you will need to have your cartridge machined out to support the larger wheel, at the same time it would also be wise to have a rebuild and balance, after all there is no point in running 16psi on a high flow if your going to be pissing oil out of your seals.
Kinugawa mainly sell though eBay retailers and the title mentions a Garrett 60-1 wheel. Further looking into the kit, the supplied wheel is only listed as 60-1 wheel, and inspect the wheel closer you can see they have removed portions off the side of the wheel for balancing, which may I add high end manufactures have never been know to do, maybe a stock turbo but never with a quality after-market wheel have I seen these techniques used, all the big names such as KKK, Garrett & Holset machine small amounts off the bottom of the wheel so it will no affect its circumference. If you compare their photo of a stock wheel and Kinugawa wheel own you can tell that there wheel is cast not forged or billet. Adding together a cast wheel with what appears to be poor balancing techniques I would not trust this turbo spinning at 200,000rpm, if their wheel were to shatter you’re pretty much pointing a shotgun into your intake system.
The initial price of the kit is $200 for a compressor wheel and housing, a rebuild and balance will set you back around $450 and the machining will also cost around $100 odd dollars bring the grand total to $750~$800. I personally would not recommend this option, it does not seem worth the risk. If you want to High Flow a CT26 do it right and spend an extra $200 to have a Proper wheel fitted and I would also use a 57 trim wheel as EMS have done there own research proving it to be the best option of a high flow, or just upgrade the whole turbo depending on your power goals.
July 23rd, 2012 at 9:27 am
Hey, just wanted to correct a few typos… corrections in brackets.
“I would not trust this turbo spinning at 200,000rpm, if there (their) wheel were to shatter your (you’re) pretty much pointing a shotgun into your intake system.”
“KKK, Garrett & Holset machine small amounts off the bottom of the wheel so it will no affect its circumference. If you compare there (their) photo of a stock wheel”
I appreciate the article, was looking into this and now i have an idea what to look for. Thanks.
January 18th, 2013 at 11:40 am
just writing to say ive been running one of these upgraded cartridges, compressor wheels and covers. and aafter the first 5,000kms i had smoke issues, went back to be repaired and ive been running it for the last 15,000 without issue, spools up almost instantly on my 2jz and power right to the end of my rpm range.
February 15th, 2013 at 12:33 am
Hi Peter,
Smoke issues are usually from poor clearance issues in the cartridges, good to hear you have had luck with the Kinugawa unit.