[dlbrooks18]

Congrats!!

[JamesM3M5]

Originally Posted by JBax

so we are talking about $3500 for the turbos and about $700 - $800 for install ?

Count on 12-14 hours of labor charged at your shop's labor rate. Most in my area are $100-140 an hour. Also add in about $100-150 in o-rings, gaskets, seals, new copper nuts, etc. Then add coolant (and distilled water) and an oil change, shop supplies charges, hazardous waste disposal charges, and it is more than double what you're thinking just for install. Sorry, gotta pay to play or DIY.

[JBax]

Originally Posted by JamesM3M5

Count on 12-14 hours of labor charged at your shop's labor rate. Most in my area are $100-140 an hour. Also add in about $100-150 in o-rings, gaskets, seals, new copper nuts, etc. Then add coolant (and distilled water) and an oil change, shop supplies charges, hazardous waste disposal charges, and it is more than double what you're thinking just for install. Sorry, gotta pay to play or DIY.

no need to apologize man I was just asking.

[ttbmer]

So is it safe to say that 5G will get the RBs up and running after install?

[JamesM3M5]

Yeah, $5k ought to cover parts and labor at a reputable shop in an expensive area of the country (DC, NY, SoCal, etc). Less if you're outside an expensive metro area.

[ttbmer]

Originally Posted by JamesM3M5

Yeah, $5k ought to cover parts and labor at a reputable shop in an expensive area of the country (DC, NY, SoCal, etc). Less if you're outside an expensive metro area.

Cool! Very nice. This is not that bad. Good power gain, solid turbos, reliability is there, I think RBs r the way to go.

[Brey335i]

I believe syndicategt said it was a $5,000 mod.

[Rob@RBTurbo]

Turbos themselves are currently $2,999 plus core (if applicable) plus shipping.

JamesM3M5 above is right on from the install perspective. $800-$1000 installs I have heard of but that is a steal. $1200-1300 or so is probably a good all around price.

[scottp999]

I agree with rob on the "good" price area. A reputable independent shop wanted to charge book hours and they quoted about $2150 for install, I passed. The price Rob mentioned is reasonable to pay someone with good experience with the right tools and environment to do the job.

The 5k number with shipping, parts (especially if you do new oil lines - I did), fluids, and if you don't get the core refund, is right in the ballpark. A fair price for a moderate upgrade.

[scottp999]

Got to load up the right map and go for a spin. It took forever for the oil temps to get up in this weather. Not much to report because traction in the low 40's is bad. All I can say is the power is there. I noticed it mostly in 3rd when I was able to find a piece of road with no traffic, which was hard to do around 5:30PM.

Looking forward to better traction and getting my meth nozzle up-sized. Car runs like stock when not driven hard. Gotta run.

[335iSSA]

Are you still planning on doing the PWM meth kit?

[scottp999]

Originally Posted by 335iSSA

Are you still planning on doing the PWM meth kit?

Not positive. I want to see what advancements are made in time for spring. Cobb should be getting their RB turbos this week, so I will be watching that closely and make a determination when the weather is better. If anything I may just up my current single nozzle to hold me over.

Since I purchased the PWM kit, there have been 4 improvements done, and also the additional nozzle option (so five), so I feel like I'm behind with what I have in the box now.

[dj_335i]

Any updates?

[eyim1988]

Hmm install would be more IMO

Originally Posted by JBax

so we are talking about $3500 for the turbos and about $700 - $800 for install ?

[scottp999]

Originally Posted by dj_335i

Any updates?

No real updates. Car is running great. Went from a size 7 meth nozzle to a 10 and the car seems to love it. The power is there. No dyno plans yet, and I most likely won't take the car to the track. Its a fun weekend driver.

[ttbmer]

So much silence from all the people runing RB turbos. They never Dyno, never log their car, nothing. Before people was having issues after the install, like white smoke, oil consumption, but now is impossible go know as no one actually takes the time to write a review

[335xi Kevo]

Nice!

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

Originally Posted by ttbmer

So much silence from all the people runing RB turbos. They never Dyno, never log their car, nothing. Before people was having issues after the install, like white smoke, oil consumption, but now is impossible go know as no one actually takes the time to write a review

That is because a few of the most active contributors here - like Dzenno - have been banned from this forum. More info can be had on ***********. I believe in time you will also find some more info here, as over the next weeks and months more and more people are getting their RBs installed.

Alpina_B3_Lux

[scottp999]

Originally Posted by ttbmer

So much silence from all the people runing RB turbos. They never Dyno, never log their car, nothing. Before people was having issues after the install, like white smoke, oil consumption, but now is impossible go know as no one actually takes the time to write a review

Interesting comments. My car is running great. Feels the same +60 whp. No signs of any problems. It's winter here, in the 20's right now. No traction. I looked at the local place I first dyno'd the car when I went FBO (http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=331786) and it's now closed as I suspect it took a good hit from the economy.

Alpina_B3_LUX is right, that a large majority of us are not like Dzenno, who has put his car through lots of wear and tear for the community.

When I get some free time I will join in a local dyno day. Give people a break, its been the holidays, it's winter, and some of us have relentless employers that don't ever give us a break.

I could not be happier with the car and the RB upgrade. There is a dyno thread for upgraded turbo cars, it just isn't on e90.

Let me go datalog in this:

[Rob@RBTurbo]

About RB Turbo customers being quiet, that is a good thing because most are simply out enjoying the product So many customers have little interest in sharing their results with me, on the forums, or even posting in general, which may seem surprising to others who enjoy the involvement and the community spirit of these things. Some others are limited by more enhanced builds (long blocks, etc), weather, or work.

Another reason I think things have also been quiet (alternative to some banning) is that nothing revolutionary has been done as what has been done already by some of the pioneers. The power numbers are all similar since we are up against a TMAP limitation (~21psi) and what is thought to be some fuel limits as well before pushing them harder which could hopefully lead to some better results.

There was a recent large build thread through Rennzport (bmwfanatics), in South Africa, and they really loved them and what they did for their customers 135 car. I enjoyed bumping into that thread and reading it through, nearly a world away! A friend of a Russian customer also has just contacted me wanting a set as his buddy put down 495rwhp on RBs with meth, which really impressed his local enthusiasts. Many sets have been going out in the past few months, so there will be more to come I am sure. Cobb has also just procured a set, and I believe they are very excited to work with them as well.

It is not much to say, but I believe there is more data on RBs than any other upgrade out there. Much of the feedback is inline with one another- the power band transformation is awesome though the midrange and top end with very little change in the low end while comparison to the OEM units which makes them a great all around combo.

Originally Posted by ttbmer

So much silence from all the people runing RB turbos. They never Dyno, never log their car, nothing. Before people was having issues after the install, like white smoke, oil consumption, but now is impossible go know as no one actually takes the time to write a review

[Tzu]

Concur. Not too many (if any) issues i've seen reported specific to the RBs that aren't already happening on stockers. Mainly, exhaust smoking is already very evident on the stockers anyway. There were two (maybe 3?) guys here complaining about smoking, but using thinner oil. I know Dz switched back to OEM, and smoking halted. Seems like RBs are indeed a great replacement alternative.

[Rob@RBTurbo]

Dzenno did end up having a failure due to his rear turbo ingesting a broken piece of the rear plastic intake tube. He posted some pics up on another forum. Some customers may consider replacing that little gasket on each turbo compressor inlet as a cheap precaution. The compressor wheel was in horrible shape, and the intake tube was also broken showing further signs from where the debris came from. If that happened at time of installation or after some mileage we can not determine, but the front was still in great condition. To my knowledge he has no issue anymore, but he also is now running stock cat back (which he said was his best mod ever now having a quiet and fast car) and also is taking it easy on a new clutch. He did also say wayyy back when that switching back to the original oil he had always used (before RBs) helped tremendously, which is kind of amazing assuming the compressor was in fact damaged at the time.