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Cyborg Turbo Review

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358
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128
Location
riverbank
#1
Hey everyone,

After having my Cyborg Turbo up and running for a few days I wanted to leave a review of the product and of SourSkittle himself. First of all I want to commend the awesome Customer service that SourSkittle provides. All of his responses are prompt and helpful, and not only that, he would do anything to help a customer out. All the vendors here are out to make some $, but what sets SourSkittle apart is that he does it in a way where he looks out for the best interest of his customers, i.e. sells certain parts at cost, doesn't upsell, and provides quality work.

I chose to go the Cyborg route as oppsed to DHM/Perrin/ATP is because I wanted to remain as "factory" as possible. Those that live in California would understand; come smog time, I didn't want to swap over the original turbo just for the sake of passing emissions and having to swap over the aftermarket turbo back on. I've been there, done that, and don't want to be in that situation anymore. It isn't worth the hassle.

I went with the Cybog turbo with the included heat wrap (more on that later) with the Tune+ TurboSmart Wastegate. It took SourSkittle about 4-5 weeks to fully assemble and port the setup and have it shipped to my house. Throughout that whole time I recieved videos, photos, and texts with all the updates of my future turbo, that I really liked. When I got the turbo, it was boxed and insulated very securely, everything was clean, ported, and basically ready to go. All that was needed was for me to pull off my old turbo and slap on this new one.

The install was very straight forward. For those that are not that mechanically inclined, it was not that bad. I would probably give it a 6-7/10 in mechanical difficulty. Most of the difficulty stems from the turbo being in an annoying space against the firewall, but once you get used to it isn't all that bad. I followed SourSkittle's guide on how to remove it, and it came out without a hitch. The hardest part was removing that factory heatshield, but once you've taken it off about half a dozen times, you get used to it and it isn't all that bad. All that is needed is to swap over the factory oil feed and drain tubes, attach the boost lines, coolant lines, and you're ready to enjoy 25 psi at 6500 rpm.

I did have some hiccups after my install, they were primarily oil leaks and smoke coming from the engine bay. I had two sources of oil leaking from the turbo. The first one was from the oil feed tube directly on top of the turbo. When I cranked down on the oil feed bolt to attach it to the top of the turbo, the copper washer caught some of the turbo blanket which didn't create a solid seal, which caused oil to leak EVERYWHERE during my first test run of the car. I went to the nearest autoparts store, purchased a copper o'ring set, replaced the o'rings on the pipe, cranked it down securely making sure that the turbo blanket was out of the way, and ta'da, leak fixed. The second oil leak was from the gasket that goes in between the oil drain tube and the turbo, I reused the original gasket and apparently they're only good for one application. I had to order another from Ford and slap that on to resolve the leak, easy $1.70 and two bolt fix. My second issue was my engine bay smoking. I'm sure SourSkittle got annoyed with all my text messages because I thought that there was a leak inside the turbo because after the oil leaks were fixed I would still see and smell this foul smoke billow over my engine bay, it was horrendous! Little did I know it was the heatwrap that was smoking the whole time. So notice to all of those that decide to go with the heatwrap option on your cyborg, IT WILL SMOKE FOR A FEW DAYS so don't freak out.

As far as impressions of the turbo, I LOVE IT. It should have come this way from the factory. Granted I am only on a 91 tune at the moment, (E30 is coming soon), the power delivery is solid. This turbo will not make your fiesta into a z06/Camaro/Ferrari eating machine. It basically transforms the Fiesta into a more traditional Turbo Car. This turbo eliminates almost ALL of the donkey kick torque that the stock turbo provided at around 2-3k rpm and replaces that with more top end power above 5k Rpm. The spool has significantly changed as well. I was used to the instant quick spooling action of the stock turbo with Adam's tune and now with this Cyborg, you have to wait for the boost to fully build. The wait is minimal. At low rpms, I have noticed that I have to wait 700-1000 rpms to get peak boost, but once that boost comes, it comes to STAY. Peak boost on my current tune on 91 octance (not final yet) is at 24-25 psi. I achieve this boost by 3000 rpms and it SUSTAINS all the way to redline. Instead of the initial donkey punch torque and have it die off at the end, I have a nice linear power band that builds and builds and sustains all the way to redline. Another benefit of this setup is that tooting around town is so much easier now, now that the donkey kick torque is gone, I don't seem like a hooligan trying to causally pass someone up in traffic at half or quarter throttle.

Last thoughts:
Anyone thinking about doing this turbo, just do it, definite bang for the buck
Purchase a new oil drain tube gasket when doing this setup
Make sure to have Colder Spark Plugs (See Adam for a set)

Obligatory Quick 2nd-3rd gear run with this setup.
[video=youtube;aA0XBhICh7Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA0XBhICh7Y[/video]

All in all I am happy with my Purchase and would Recommend everyone that is thinking about picking one up to do it now.

UPDATE 1/24/16

My final E30 Tune run. Rowed through 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears in this run
[video=youtube;LmRztbmjwPM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmRztbmjwPM[/video]
 


Siestarider

Senior Member
Messages
988
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295
Location
Stuart
#3
Great review, and tips too. I would have tried to re-use the oil drain gasket. Who knows about the wrap wrinkle, its not exactly roomy enough in there to see every detail, I use a lot of braille method.

One thing I cam across somewhere, if you wrap pipes/manifold, carry a FE on track handy to your use. If an oil line leaks and soaks the wrap, then catches fire, you do not have time to wait for a fire crew to show up before your car burns to total loss.
 


Messages
377
Likes
113
Location
Miami
#4
Awesome review, just what I wanted to hear. I am counting the days until I get my externally gated Cyborg upgraded turbo!
 


Sourskittle

4000 Post Club
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4,567
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861
Location
Lakeland
#5
Thanx for the review Jozer !!
Some other guys will hopefully be doing reviews of some kind soon as well.
The guys I've been working will lately have been really good to me as well. Badhelp with his external gate, Jozer with his smoking issue. 2 of the setups I'm pretty excited about have been delayed by parts delays with the intakes, but I try to be transparent and let them know asap, and I'm excited for those guys as well ( externally gated BC racing headed cyborg ) ( and internally gated pumaspeed quick spool manifold ). Lynard skinard will have a set to match Jozer, and I'm currently working on an external for a Semi-local that I will be installing in person in Feb sometime.

So I'm lucky to be doing this with good folks. I always end up friends with the people I do cyborgs for, and I'm glad that doesn't seem to be ending :)

I think by finally working on my own external gate setup, I can better serve the guys that will buy one in the future.
 


Pete

Active member
Messages
784
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332
Location
San Diego
#6
I can't wait to get one of these. Although I have to wait a little longer with a child on the way. This is the route I will be going hence the California laws.
 


BoostBumps

4000 Post Club
Staff Member
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4,277
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1,032
Location
Arizona
#11
Wonder if we can get a mod to combine threads into one larger "Cyborg Reviews" thread haha

Thanks!
I just sent a message to SourSkittles asking if he'd like for me to merge these 2 cyborg review threads and rename to create a general "Cyborg Turbo Review Thread"

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/7575-Cyborg-Turbo-Review?p=133021#post133021

http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/threads/7591-EWG-Cyborg-Turbo-Review
 


JasonHaven

Active member
Messages
525
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120
Location
Washington
#12
There also might be reviews scattered in his cyborg thread, which is quite a bit to sift through at this point.

I know for me, I'm interested, but I want to monitor long term reliability and performance.
 


Siestarider

Senior Member
Messages
988
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295
Location
Stuart
#13
value, reliability, performance. Pick any 2. Someone else posted this somewhere, I thought about it, realized its true.

My Cyborg is resting patiently on a shelf. Waiting for the chance to express itself.
 


Messages
435
Likes
108
Location
Campbell
#14
I know that as fast, good, cheap.

Depending on how fast the turbo is spinning, and the quality of the machine work, a cyborg might be more reliable. Its too soon to tell.

I think this might be one of those rare cases where you get all three.
 


Sourskittle

4000 Post Club
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Lakeland
#15
I know that as fast, good, cheap.

Depending on how fast the turbo is spinning, and the quality of the machine work, a cyborg might be more reliable. Its too soon to tell.

I think this might be one of those rare cases where you get all three.
I think you give up some of the "fast". Fast is a relative term. And my 13.3@104mph is not slow by any means ( essp if you goto the track enough to know it would have gone 12.80-12.90 or better with slicks ). So you do get "fast". The thing is.... The other two are even better.

Cheap? Well... Cheap is a relative term as well... But its pretty dang cheap for what it is by far, essp considering the hours, tooling, and workmanship that goes into all the parts.

Reliable ?? Well... This isn't something we just started doing on the fist. I bought my car in early Nov 2013. This turbo has had me kicking its teeth in for a long time, and very often. Like I've said, my tuning is not upto the likes of Russ/DHM or Adam/Tune+ or Randy. And I had over 1100 logs to get to my 280whp type tunes ( a lot of trial and error ). And when I had the turbo out last week, it felt brand new. I'm dead serious. LIKE NEW.

If you made a bet with me... And you said, " we are going to spin the stock turbo at its 25psi speed and the cyborg at its 25psi speed and we are not going to stop them until one fails". I'd put $300 on the cyborg out lasting a stock turbo, and I've never bought a lotto ticket ( not even a 1.3 billion $ powerball ticket ). I don't gamble. I can't tell you 100% what the rpm of the turbine shaft is of either turbo, but I can tell you that huge wheel spins way way slower to make 25psi vs that tiny wheel. Rpm = wear. The wheel of the rotating assemble is a factor. But we remove a good bit of weight from the turbine wheel ( you know, the inconal iron one ). But when adding a bigger wheel on a smaller shaft; what REALLY breaks them is acceleration ( aka going from "0psi to 30psi in the blink of an eye". The cyborg spools quickly, but it does ramp up ( unlike the stock turbo ).

If you let the turbo cool, change your oil, never feed the oil inlet any poo, never ingest something into the comp inlet, your prob never going to need another turbo EVER. And if you do.... It would have needed a new one with the stock turbo at the same time or earlier.

Know what??::.. You do get all 3, lol. I stand corrected.
 


Messages
435
Likes
108
Location
Campbell
#16
The fast I was talking about is getting it delivered fast, you seem pretty good about that.

As for cheap, I think you compare well to the other hybrids available (from England).

Good is where quality and performance fit in and you can't really have good without both of them.

I like what you are doing and I am glad that we have an option like the Cyborg to fit in the gap between "Stage II" bolt-ons and a full big turbo kit.
 


OP
J
Messages
358
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128
Location
riverbank
Thread Starter #17
Final E30 Tune 2-3-4 gear pull

[video=youtube;LmRztbmjwPM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmRztbmjwPM[/video]
 


Sourskittle

4000 Post Club
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Lakeland
#18
The difference from stock to cyborg is huge... I'm interested in what it does at Laguna !!! And what siestarider's does at Sebring.
 


Messages
347
Likes
67
Location
El Paso
#19
There also might be reviews scattered in his cyborg thread, which is quite a bit to sift through at this point.

I know for me, I'm interested, but I want to monitor long term reliability and performance.
I agree with Joszer on Sourskittles drive for customer service. I honestly don't know when SS slept, I'd text him about progress and some boost issues (figuring out where to reference boost for the EWG) at 10 pm (mountain time) and I'd get responses in seconds (he's east coast). Great guy, no doubt...

I've been away on business for some time now but I drive the hell out of my FiST everywhere I go. I've put about 12k miles on the cyborg and with the extreme heat and thin air here in El Paso I've had no issues. I just hooked up the auxiliary fueling from Stratified and will resume tuning with +Tune tomorrow. There is a v-dyno of my cyborg on the "big turbo" page, currently showing about 250whp and 261wtq, on an 91/E-30 tune...
 


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