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Which Turbos Bolt in? VF-8 VF-12 VF-10?
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:43 pm
by smh0101
So, I got kinda curious as to which turbos can just be swapped in place of the VF-11...
I know that the VF-8 has the 90* inlet, but what about the VF-12?
I heard that the VF-12 was a larger turbo? True? Or What?
I was wondering the same about the VF-10...
I do know that a deadbolt 90* inlet td05-16g bolts in fairly easy... But thats a helluvalota money...
Anybody had experience with the VF-12? hows spool compared to the VF-11? How much boost can they run to redline? A worthy upgrade from a VF-11?
And right now I have a 3" Turbo Back... Soon to have an IC etc.
Thanks everybody... Right now I'm just making a "build list"... You know, so I have an idea of what I might want to do at some point.
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:58 pm
by vrg3
No turbos can just be swapped in place of the VF11. The compressor outlet is the big deal.
The VF11's compressor outlet is pointed about 45 degrees above the horizontal, pointing towards the driver's side of the car. It has an outer diameter of about 45mm.
The closest-fitting turbos (which include all turbos that came stock on overseas Subaru turbos up through around 1996) to the VF11 have their compressor outlets pointed approximately horizontally, pointing towards the driver's side of the car. The outer diameter is closer to 50mm.
Here's a diagram of the VF11:
http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~v/pics ... harger.png
And one of the VF12, for example:
http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~v/pics ... harger.png
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 5:04 pm
by smh0101
Oh, I know that the outlets are different... I'm planning on using a FXT TMIC... So I'm not worried about that.
Mainly, what inlet does it have and will it bolt to the uppipe, downpipe and intake.
Thanks Vikash!
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 5:29 pm
by vrg3
Ah, okay.
The VF12 does have the same compressor inlet as the others (VF10, VF8, TD05, early TD04).
There is a very slight difference between those turbos' compressor inlets and the VF11's. The little locating tabs are 90 degrees off. This means that you need to either file them off, or cut new notches into the rubber elbow that connects to it.
The exhaust stuff is all the same; they'll all bolt right up to the uppipe and downpipe.
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 5:35 pm
by smh0101
THANK YOU!! You rock!
Anyways...
How much of a power gain could potentially be seen with a VF-12?
Overall, it doesnt sound like too big of an undertaking... But is it truly worth it?
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:27 pm
by vrg3
I've never used a VF12, but...
If nothing else, the bigger exhaust housing will make things less restricted and the compressor housing will make intercooling a lot easier.
Whether it's worth it or not is up to you. To me decision to swap to a TD05-16G was a no-brainer.
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:36 pm
by smh0101
So youre running a td05?
How much boost are you running on it?
And thanks for the info... The reason I was thinking a VF-12 is because it seems like I could get one off RSLC shipped here for less than a deadbolt td05 and make enough power for me...
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:45 pm
by chochocho
vrg3 - did you get the porting and ceramic coating as well on your td05-16g?
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:07 pm
by vrg3
At the moment I'm only running about 10 psi on the TD05. I was running about 15 psi, but after popping and replacing the transmission I dialed it back down.
My turbo was used when I got it. In fact, mine's at least the third car it's been on. It was on boostjunkie's car before I bought it from him, and it was put on that car used. I didn't do anything to the turbo aside from putting it on my car.
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:45 pm
by smh0101
How is spool compared to stock on the td05?
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:05 pm
by vrg3
It spools a lot slower.
...which I kind of like sometimes.
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 1:52 am
by farfrumwork
I have a VF12 (along with a 3" CES TBE, custom AWIC as main mod's)
Install - The install is fairly straight forward... as straight forward as it could be replacing the oddball vf11. As Vikash mentioned the compressor outlet is angled a bit differently on any of your "bolt-in" choices - but it's not too hard to make it work with some plumbing.
Power - the VF12 will hold at least 15psi to redline (as high as I've run it) but I know it'll push more. The vf12 is
slightly smaller than the 16G a lot of people around here go with, but it also has a slightly lower boost threshhold and spool time - exactly why I went this route. I am at 5500ft above sea level so my spool times are different then the sea level folks, but I have full boost (14psi in my case ) by 3200rpm in 3rdgear - and it'll make 2psi as low as 2300rpm. It's a great turbo for around town as it makes boost early. Nice low end torque, but pulls MUCH better up top compared to the VF11 (still not the top end I'd "like", but some cams will change that a bit some day)
It will probably easier to find a 90* inlet 16G than a VF12 though... and the VF8 is basically the same size as the VF12 too but has a different bearing setup (I think the VF12 is better...) and might be a bit easier to source. I paid $400 for my VF12, which seems like a lot when you see what people are trading various wrx/sti turbos for, but I was happy to have the 90* inlet on a larger turbo that would "bolt-in"
Search Kleinkid on this board - he has a setup VF12 ('06 TMIC, CES), tuned with an Autronic that makes about 300ftlb at the wheels

He runs 17psi tappering to 14psi past 6000 or so (tapper due to restrictive heads/cams)
There are a few VF8 swapped leggy's around these parts too.
Do it!
-Chad
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:05 am
by 555BCTurbo
VF12 is a good turbo...very rare...
It is a trifle bigger than the VF8...and probably very comparable to the TD05...
Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:53 am
by Ej22TIM
what does the vf-12 come on stock? I know its jdm but what car is it from?
Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:02 am
by 555BCTurbo
Ej22TIM wrote:what does the vf-12 come on stock? I know its jdm but what car is it from?
Certain Manual Tranny RS Legacys...
I am pretty sure they were standard on the RS-RAs
Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:18 am
by smh0101
Dale said it was smaller than a VF-8... It bigger right?
Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:41 am
by 555BCTurbo
smh0101 wrote:Dale said it was smaller than a VF-8... It bigger right?
Yes...it is larger
Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:47 am
by smh0101
K... Thats what I thought... Thanks!
Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:11 am
by i_c_the_light
So what are the differences in the bearings between the VF-8 and the VF-12?
VF-12 have a quicker spool like a TD04?
Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:17 pm
by smh0101
well, Im not sure... From what I heard from Kelinkid... It spools faster than his vf11... But its bigger than the vf8... So I'm kinda lost...
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:38 am
by i_c_the_light
Gotta be roller bearing.
Shame that even those are hard to find in my neck of the woods!
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:14 am
by smh0101
i_c_the_light wrote:Gotta be roller bearing.
Shame that even those are hard to find in my neck of the woods!
Really??
I was on RSLC and saw to posted within like 3 days of each other.
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:46 am
by i_c_the_light
That's wonderful.
Now find one for sale in New Zealand. It wouldn't suprise me if some muppet took one off an RA thinking it was a VF-8 and put it up for sale as a VF-8...and some other muppet buys it thinking it's a VF-8.
Knowing my luck one will pop up on trademe as soon as I post this.
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:20 am
by Aerotech
So... should I go with the VF-12 that came on my RS-RA motor, (now with 2.5l) or the TD05-16G that I had on the car before the swap?
...no, I still don't have it back yet

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:24 am
by 555BCTurbo
Aerotech wrote:So... should I go with the VF-12 that came on my RS-RA motor, (now with 2.5l) or the TD05-16G that I had on the car before the swap?
...no, I still don't have it back yet

Both turbos are pretty much apples and apples from what I understand...
And Spencer...the VF12 is not going to spool faster than a VF11...it is considerably larger, and has the same cartridge design as the other RHB5 turbos. If you can score one, I would say go for it!