7.3 powerstroke KC Balanced assembly 6 month review.

[@Sinister12v]

If you bought a used 38r that needs a new center section, then what did you actually pay for? Why anyone would spend $450 on a factory turbo is beyond me, I still can't figure that one out. You can get a billet 5+5 from Swag for $85 bucks and have just as much turbo.

[@cbr600rx7]

Dude. Just no. More to rebuilding a turbo than just throwing a cheap Chinese wheel in and calling it good. To start with as the trucks are now 20+ years old having fresh bearings and seals inside of what is a pretty good turbo is an advantage. The KC balanced assembly offers the advantage guys running stock injectors everything they claim (better spool up, slightly more boost, lower EGTs, a little more turbo whistle with out being annoying when towing like the WW) these are small gains and for some one on a budget with a highmilage GTP38 it makes sense. Now if you have a toy and your running big injectors then yeah something like a T4 or SXXX swap makes sense. But once again for the farmer with 350+K on his truck or a hot shot driver that pulls every day this isn’t a bad deal. Also the technology that is incorporated into the compressor and turbine wheel is far superior to what it was in the mid 90s basically when this turbo was being developed. Not to mention the advantage of the 360 degree bearing. Once again all small improvements but basically with no trade off. To many times have I seen cheap Chinese wheels on thrown together turbos cause massive damage. I am not trying to be stranded 300 miles from home with a 10,000lb load on the trailer. Now for the second question a new GTP38R BB is around $2100. I got one and the intake tube for $500. I have run the turbo and been pretty happy with it both for daily driving and towing. The in and out play is very very slight but it’s something I know I want to address. Now I could take the 1.00 AR exhaust housing, the ported cover, and the intake tube and add it to the GTP38 if I wanted to (consider the ATS ported housing is over $500 and fits like trash). But I decided to give KC new GTP38R center section a try. They make some bold claims so I am excited to see how it goes. And yes I have run wicked wheels personally and installed a few for customers. The only time I recommend it is if everything on the turbo is tight and you have something like saw blading on the fins from dust contamination or trash getting into the intake. And that’s only if it’s a “get me back on the road as cheaply as possible situation”. Your opinion may be different but I have been doing this a long time.

[@nick7.3]

@@cbr600rx7you are correct lol way more involved, id never run a “swag” wheel ether

[@dylanporras2655]

You clearly don't know the difference between a 38 and a 38r.