USMCFieldMP

iTrader: (1)

Booooo. I miiiiiight be interested in a stock turbo, but I'm not sure I want to shed that much horsepower. Do you have the manifold and O2 housing to go with it?

About what RPM does the Z54 really start boosting and when does it hit its spike?

slapbetcommissioner

iTrader: (3)

For me it starts feeling like it’s getting torque again by about 2k little laggy before. It takes off about 2900. I have mine ramped though. It potentially could come on a little lower.

ionRL_585

well the one off my LDK would just be the turbo, but I do have my old LNF I am picking up from my buddy shop hopefully sometime this week if nothing pops up which has turbo with manifold but that has about 110k on it..I could separate it so just lmk!

oh man tbh I would say low end it feels as if there is no turbo at all then around 2600 2700 it spools then full spool 2900ish then making boost boost mid 3k then pulls thru out the range if that makes sense. Sorry the old lady wass rushing me to leave lol.

I have no boost ramp, upper charge pipe, and full size zzp IC also and the lag IS noticeable but unless you are cutting and weaving a sweater thru traffic the lag is deff worth the top end power...it pulls and just wants to keep going...

I like it so far, deff recommend it. I only have about 350 miles on it so let me beat it up some more lol.

USMCFieldMP

iTrader: (1)

I'll think about the LDK, mani, O2 housing, etc. I might just need to grab a manifold, O2, and then a Z54 too.

Mine is also dead on the low end, first real torque around 3200-3400, but doesn't start blowing doors off (25 psi) until around 4000-4200. Slightly larger, more capable turbo though. Actually, I think they're sized similarly... I think the A/R of the Z54 turbine housing is muuuuch smaller than mine (T3 0.63 A/R).

I've become too accustomed to the many VW's (great low and mid range power), my old supercharged Audi, and my Viper. Lag feels like death these days.

ionRL_585

yeahh let's go with your numbers lol they make more sense then mine but I legit have no drive time to be able to get to know this turbo bc it has been raining for 2 weeks

slapbetcommissioner

iTrader: (3)

I concur.
mine feels “dead” till about 2000rpm it feels like it starts making torque there. Comfortable to cruise at that point thoigh. Not lugging anymore

USMCFieldMP

iTrader: (1)

My experience WILL be different. I'm an LSJ with a T3 log manifold, DBB Precision 5557, EWG, E85, etc.

ionRL_585

ahhh sorry I didn't know you were LSJ haha. I'll get you guys a full review in a week or 2. 🙌👍

ionRL_585

Ok so finally got close to putting 1k on it and I think I have given it enough bipping around to type a quick review.

Super solid turbo right out of the box but I developed a leak from the coolant plugs after install but otherwise I give it a 👍 for high quality product right out the box.

No real break in. I hopped in the car warmed her up then got on it. Turbo starts spooling at 2200ish give or take but there is no torque torque or anything so it feels as if you have a blown charge pipe until it builds boost boost [if that makes sense] then when 3800 to 3900 it's full boost and she will take off! My stock boost gauge shows 26 psi steady but my scan gauge shows spiking 26 then bleeding off to 22.6 so I'll go with 23 psi. I am LDK swap ,FBO, tuned by ZZP.

Everything is holding up and yes I have been beating the **** out of it and temps have been in the 90s up here in NY so it has been putting in work and still wanting more *knock on wood*

I'll do another update in a week or 2.

Tdubbs

I enjoyed mine, it is a decent turbo for the money. I also decided once I get it out I'm gonna have them rebuild it, save the cash and unfortunately they don't have any ready to go cartridges to ship me just that.

Most of my issues come into play over design threshold and running past intended limits. ZZP, while not stated on the product page, really only intends the Z54 to run 22-23lbs, anything past and the reliability of the cartridge starts to drop.

I never got to dyno it in it's current setup, but Dave at PWerks was the one who did my tuning. Mine hits 25lbs quick, and holds it to 6500(stock springs ) on both the gauge and scanner, with no real boost ramp.

I will say though there was a decent amount of variation in the first one vs the second. The first turbo had a bit of a struggle building boost it's whole life, and even Dave had commented it seemed a bit slow but built power so it was probably okay.

When I swapped the second one in, I was expecting to have to retune slightly, but the tune that struggled to make the first unit hit 24-25lbs pegged the second at 29 before I was off the throttle. I had not modified position of either turbos wastegate rods, that was just as shipped. The second turbo never had the issue building boost speed even running back to a 25lb tune.

AfterShok

big bump looking for more info ! still havent decided lol

things that have changed is Z57 is currently a journal bearing design (price also dropped) i heard that makes it spool slower so until they restock the ball bearing design I am patiently awaiting a 6758/7163 to restock

ionRL_585

hey man sorry been off the forums since the season ended lol but I like the Z54 man. My car will be out of storage in a week or so and it will get more R&R time but for the 1k miles I got on her which was a mix of cruising and racing back to back pulls at full boost, she still wants more! Boost is laggy compared to K04 but it isn't that bad at all..plus it is worth it nonetheless once you hit full boost lol.

My buddy just grabbed the Z57 a couple days ago, he loves it too and has no complaints yet either so I'd say get what your budget allows you to get. I'll be going 7163 next season if things work out so if you still haven't decided I'll see about selling you the Z54 if none of my other friends want buy it.

Tdubbs

Wow, I never looked but they did silent update the page removing the note of it being ball bearing and aluminum housing. Besides cost I wonder what was the driving factor to ditch those upgrades to it.

ionRL_585

no **** that's wild..I didn't notice that either..let me see what design my buddy got. I wonder if it was supply issue or the fact that a bunch of them were burning oil..? 🤔🤷🏻‍♂️

AfterShok

I actually ended up getting a 6758 from an amazing member on the forums! It was in really good condition and has been an absolute blast. I am glad you've had no issues with the z54


40-125mph I rolled into WOT as I am wanting the stock f35 to last as long as possible and has a boost ramp to 27psi

Yes it was actually done for black friday. I contacted Tyler and he said it was always their plan to sell both versions (1 being ball bearing and the other as a journal bearing) for a cheaper cost as an option.

They haven't restocked the ball bearing due to supplies if im not mistaken but their plan is to offer both eventually.

ionRL_585

niceee bro! I am currently haggling with someone for a BNIB ZFR 7163. How many miles were on the 6758 before they took it off?

AfterShok

Was around 20k they said

ionRL_585

she pulls hard man 👌👌

Tdubbs

Glad you got a deal on the turbo. The Z54 was really fun while I had it, but the Z57 BB unit is brutally fun. I'm also waiting for the inevitable F35 bomb now, I may follow other members down the F23 path once that happens. I didn't realize or pay attention enough to see they were going to sell both bearing versions of it, kind of makes me happy I got mine when I did.

ionRL_585

yeah I'm already bored of the Z54 already but that should be taken with a grain of salt bc I have an issue with not being able to leave things alone when they don't need changing lol.

I found a GOOD deal on a BNIB, never installed 7163 which I am currently hustling my girl into letting me buy it hah.

AfterShok

Buy then convince

ionRL_585

well I convinced her haha. Told her I'll wait a year ti install it and put it up for sale for the time being and make a couple bucks. If it sells it sells, if it doesn't the HHR is gonna be 7163 and Z54 or the K04 might be for sale.

slapbetcommissioner

iTrader: (3)

Figured I may has well post an update. Car has been puffing a little bit of smoke coming off boost since beginning of last season. Never really had any major concerns as my oil wasn’t disappearing and my coolant was good. Just figured valve seals were getting coked up.
anyway car has felt good otherwise so I didn’t put too much concern into it. Last week finally got some dyno time with some friends and was looking foreword to confirming the numbers I already believe I’m making.

first pull ended with a pretty bad puff of smoke. And I only made 267whp. Wasn’t getting KR or anything so we did another pull. Made about 285whp. Let her cool down and did some inspecting becuse something was clearly wrong. Couldn’t find anything externally wrong. Decided to do another pull but watched boost pressure this time. Figured out why it was down on power. I was only making 16psi. (Tuned for 26spike and tapers to about 24) also it was get too g there slowly like 5500rpm before it hit peak. Did one last pull and it kissed 18 psi lethargically. I made 310whp with about 6-8 psi missing. I also had to top up my coolant first time in 15 years a couple weeks back so this just added to that concern.

At this point I figured it was 1 if three things. Hurt motor/ hurt turbo or my Cat collapsed in my downpipe abd was restricting the exhaust (seen it happen before)
buddy did a compression test for me later that day. Car was 150 across the board so that was at least some releaf.
got the downpipe off tonight and turns out it was mint. Took my intake off to check the turbo. At first it looked clean and mint. There was however a muddy oily substance in my intake kinda has a metallic look (looked like anti cease) no smell.
then I check the shaft play. There wasn’t any play up and down. But length of the shaft it will slide almost a quarter of an inch. And then coolant started dripping out of the o2 housing as I slid it back and forth.
She is toast. My warranty is obviously done since it’s been three years. Only put 15k km on it. That’s about overestimate its likely closer to 10. I don’t have an exact number. Either way quite disappoint for a turbo to fail even if I was a little over its rated pressure. I barely boost the car. It only seen the quarter one day.
is what it is. I’m scared to put the same turbo back on the car though. Unless there had been some reliability improvements. I may inquire about the z57 if they have gone back to ball bearing yet..
really don’t want to shell out the cash for zfr. Considering I was planning to put her up for sale in the spring.

Tdubbs

That's about what I got out of both my Z54's, somewhere between 10-13k each with the first spending 90% of it's life in cruise control on the interstate.

I thought I got it solved when I found I put my old shot PCV back instead of the new one, but recently I am back to having some oil burning again with the Z57-BB. She smokes a little after a hard pull, which I could live with, but I'm back to dealing with massive fogging only under very specific conditions easily reproducible in 4th/5th. Still rockets up to 25psi when asked. No idea on power currently, but it still pulls on cars I would expect it too.

Cruising with engine speed between 2000-2300rpm and getting boost guage to hang around -4-0psi causes it to smoke like no days end. If I avoid that specific scenario it's fine, whether engine braking/decel coasting/more throttle input/lower gear. Depending on how many times I end up in that scenario, I can either add no oil over weeks, or add 1/5th-2/5ths of a quart in a day. I do have 135k on it so I was leaning towards motor, but after going through compression/leakdown/inspection/etc again, I can really only point my finger at the Z57. There is a small amount of burnt oil on the bottom exterior flange of the turbo where the exhaust housing and center cartridge meet. There is zero play in the turbo in any direction, and you can hear it spool down smoothly after idling the car for a few then shutting it off.

ECaulk

iTrader: (6)

I really wonder if the issue is related to excess oil pressure at the turbo. I know the turbo has a restrictor, but it can only reduce the oil pressure/flow so much. I wonder if ZZP has a recommendation on the oil pressure the turbo should see as a max, and if adding a second restrictor would reduce/solve that issue.