Vf38 turbo is really bad???!?!?!

My car is still being fixed, but ive learnt so much about it while its been broken...

He told me a few things about my car.

 

This Quoted text is from a Subaru Shop in NZ.

 

QUOTE:

the biggest issue they have is their turbo – the dreaded VF38. It’s the only model that Subaru released with this turbo. There is no simple replacement of these turbos as they always destroy themselves. It is a stupid design with a completely custom exhaust flange and compressor flange. We have just done a replacement job on a BP replacing headers, turbo and top mount intercooler and jeebus it is now impressive.

 

Is that correct???

If so what should i do or need to do to either fix it or stop it becoming a problems

is yours a manual or an auto? i havent heard anything bad about the vf38's before. they do have a unique twinscroll setup not found on any other model in the subaru range

Hi Dan,

 

Mine is a manual,.

if its a manual then it should be a td04HLA-19T, the vf38 is usually found in the autos, well thats how it is with the jdm models which i think are the same spec as the NZ ones?

I just had my 2012 GT tuned at Torque Performance in Auckland (completely stock with just a tune - Whoa!! Great results! But that's another story for another time). The bloke that did the tune has a gen 5 LGT with the same VF38 turbo as ours. He was very positive about it. Next time I talk to him I'll ask if he's heard about the issues your mechanic reports.

I always thought only 4th gens had vf38's. Surely no one would be mad enough to voluntarily put one in when much better vf44/vf45's are available if you were mad keen to go with that style turbo. Edited May 12, 2015 by Andy_Mac

I was just going to say I'd be really surprised if NZ 5th gens came with a VF-38, as this would suggest they have the oldskool remote turbo location instead of the nuskool location in front of the oil pan.

Yeah it's a surprise to me too. I haven't found a full spec listing anywhere. I'll post a question on the 5th Gen forum.

I can do a rebuild on a VF38. It's the same basic internals as the VF40/46 but the hard part is getting it to me. Hell, it costs me an extra $60 just to ship a turbo into Canada, let alone down under.

 

You can PM me if you want to chat about these things and I can tell you how they are built.

jackal8788 set me straight. Single scroll VF54 on my gen 5.

 

 

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The VF-54 seems pretty tough. Lots of customers at Stage2 for 50,000km+

The one I saw that was rough had been run with a shitty mushroom filter and had horrible erosion on the compressor blades. Bearings were still good at 140,000km.

I realize this is a old thread . So what the consensus. Is the vf38 worth keeping or can or should I replace it with something else? Mine just crapped out on me on my 03 Legacy wagon B 2L. It is a JDM model

Try find one of the other turbo’s that come with the JDM models. None of them have the same problems that the 38’s do.

They are:

VF44 - Facelift auto/manual

VF45 - Facelift auto/manual

TD04-HLA - Pre-facelift manual