Turbo Question...reliability

[SIMMER]

How many miles will a TURBO RX1 last before needing major repairs if any?

What I am really asking is if a TURBO will shorten the lifespan of an RX-1 motor by any percentage?

Totally Stock you should be able to ride without any work on the motor until....xxxxxx MILES?

Add a TURBO and you can ride without any work on the motor until xxxxxx MILES?

 

[jtssrx]

Well that's a loaded question.


If you take care of you machine you should be able to ride a naturally aspirated and a Turbo sled equal miles.

Now if you beat on your naturally aspirated sled and/or your turbo sled they might need pistons and rings in a season. A turbo charger running a reasonable amount of boost should actually be less of a load on a motor because the rods become unloaded under boost. Now if you pump that boost above 15 pounds you’re going to have a problem with stock rods and pistons. 15 pound is really the max anyone should run on a stock motor

So under the first senario I'd say 10000 plus miles or better.

Under the second I'd say 2000.

This is based on what I’ve seen with my stocker and our turbo sleds. Ya and I own one and put many trail miles on it. I’m not a dyno jockey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Al though the dyno is an excellent tool to learn about your sled. It’s not the best place however!!!!!!

 

[TurboVector]

Now when you say "beat on it" what exactly do you mean? Being out here in the West we run wide open for hours at a time with 12" of snow on the hood. Would you consider this beating on it?

Thanks in advance

 

[jtssrx]

No I would say overheating it, Not changing the oil regually, running more boost then you should, not running the proper fuel for the boost level your at, Not checking compression and or having a leak down down every couple thousand miles to make sure your compression is good, not inspecting and maintiaing the sled.

Riding a sled hard doesn't quailify. That's what there built for. But if you don't take care of it when you ride it hard you'll have no problems

 

[TurboVector]

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification.

 

[sledheadgeorge]

Best thing to do is post this question in a couple of years and get a real feal for it. I got 2700 mi on mine with no problems at all.

 

[Mountaintech]

In my opinion with proper care and maintenance life expectancy of a turbocharged engine should be fairly close to that of a naturally aspirated one. To answer your real question, JUST DO IT!!!!! RX FUN

 

[SIMMER]

Thanks Peter....Probably will be doing it for next season...I am leaning towards the MC-Express rear mount as well.

 

[Big Bad Blue]

Great News

So what you guy's are saying is that with the Mc-Xpress rear mount turbo with 10 lbs of boost and 94 octane, I should't have any problems for 3,000 - 5,000 miles? It seems that with 10lbs of boost is on the lower side of the risk scale.

 

[Mountaintech]

That is correct. I ran last year @ 10lbs. on 91 octane and had no problems. Just be sure to install the thicker head gasket they supply. It takes a couple of hours to do but is not rocket science. You have to tear the sled apart anyway to do the system install. RX FUN

 

[jtssrx]

You can add a head gasket to any of the kits. The correct way to do it is change the pistons.

I'm going to add a thinker head gasket just so I don't have to run anything higher then 105 octain fuel. however My sled is also only going to be a race sled.

 

[Buckeye]

So have you calculated the compression ratio with the 57/1000 gasket and the low comp pistons? I am also thinking of going this route.

 

[Bossman]

With 10 lbs of boost and the thicker head gasket what kind of power do you think it is making? :itchy:

 

[Mountaintech]

Bossman, MC-Xpress says 240 @ 10lbs. RX FUN