Oilless and Waterless Turbo?

[3nigma]

Hello, Has anyone tried an n54 top mount build with a compturbo oilless and waterless turbo? (https://compturbochargers.com/). It looks like if you choose the right turbo options, this might be a fantastic setup for the N54 - no water or oil line routing etc.

If you have done this, can you share the results, which single turbo kit you used, options and recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

[iminhell1]

I have a friend that ran that type of turbo on his car many years ago, about when they first came out. He didn't do much hard driving with it, like HDPE, just street driving and some fun runs. It did fine.
When he rebuilt the car for more power he went back to a traditional turbo. He didn't have confidence in the oilless holding up to greater abuse.


IMO, it's designed for looks and situations where oil/water provisions are not available. In our case we have both available and there is no reason to divorce them.

[3nigma]

I think this turbo is lubricated by a special grease that you continually replace when you do your oil changes. Seems like a much simpler system than turbos that require oil and water plumbing, and may eliminate some of the oil challenges traditional turbos have.

I also think it has the same power that a "traditional" turbo has - just less plumbing. Honestly, it seems like a great and simplified option if you can easily get to the grease fitting - which should be easy to access with a top mounted turbo.

[ShocknAwe]

Hard pass. Keep the oil and coolant system bmw has.

[3nigma]

I thought about this more and I'm changing my plan. I think this could be an excellent low mount/mid mount turbo setup (no oil challenges to worry about) if I could extend the grease zerk to ease access.

It will be a few months before I can begin the project but if anyone is interested, I'll try to post pictures, parts, costs and results.

[wheela]

I'm not saying the waterless and oil-less turbo won't work, I've never heard of them until this thread. But the heat the turbo has to cope with is intense. For me, I didn't really grasp the extent until I saw pictures of turbos under full load. I know Precision Turbos forgo the liquid cooling, but they still at least have oil lines. Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable without both water and oil lines plumbed.

That said, if you go this route I'm definately interested to hear how it works out. It's always cool to see people trying something different. What kind of manifold will you be running? Are you going custom?

[Cannonfodda101]

i have my doubts with these dont get me wrong i like the concept but watch i watched legit spin them sitting on the bench and they dont look like they spin nicely probably giving up some spool and power to run these tbh

[3nigma]

I'm still trying to put together a plan, so I may chicken out and go traditional Top Mount oil/water cooled turbo but if I do go this route, I'm thinking:

1. Speedtech turbo kit (low/mid-mount)
2. CT4RX-6871 turbo
3. Extended Zerk fitting so I can add more high temp grease every 2 to 3k miles easily (route it up the firewall or similar).
4. Uniclutch race kit
5. Dual LPFP/Port Injection setup

They way I see it, its a 2Kish or so risk - if the turbo doesn't hold up I can always go back to an oil/water cooled Tubo, I'll already have the manifold, I'll just need to change turbos and add the plumbing back in.

This strikes me as VERY interesting though - the turbo itself is "cooled" by high temp grease as I understand it, that you add more to every 2 to 3K mile (more if you race).

It should keep the engine oil cooler as well as the coolant, because they don't share cooling with the turbo, which I think is a cool advantage (pun intended?).

It should also help with the O2 sensor issues, because it is mid/low mount

Finally, it should avoid oil drain issues with the mid/low mount kits, because there is no oil to share with the engine.

Overall, I think its an interesting setup and once I get settled with my move, worthy of a shot to see the results I get. I have to start thinking about the right option, because I now have the dreaded turbo rattle :/. Might as well go single.

[Cannonfodda101]

Originally Posted by 3nigma

I'm still trying to put together a plan, so I may chicken out and go traditional Top Mount oil/water cooled turbo but if I do go this route, I'm thinking:

1. Speedtech turbo kit (low/mid-mount)
2. CT4RX-6871 turbo
3. Extended Zerk fitting so I can add more high temp grease every 2 to 3k miles easily (route it up the firewall or similar).
4. Uniclutch race kit
5. Dual LPFP/Port Injection setup

They way I see it, its a 2Kish or so risk - if the turbo doesn't hold up I can always go back to an oil/water cooled Tubo, I'll already have the manifold, I'll just need to change turbos and add the plumbing back in.

This strikes me as VERY interesting though - the turbo itself is "cooled" by high temp grease as I understand it, that you add more to every 2 to 3K mile (more if you race).

It should keep the engine oil cooler as well as the coolant, because they don't share cooling with the turbo, which I think is a cool advantage (pun intended?).

It should also help with the O2 sensor issues, because it is mid/low mount

Finally, it should avoid oil drain issues with the mid/low mount kits, because there is no oil to share with the engine.

Overall, I think its an interesting setup and once I get settled with my move, worthy of a shot to see the results I get. I have to start thinking about the right option, because I now have the dreaded turbo rattle :/. Might as well go single.

Ok so lets put it this way why do you need to add more grease if it is sealed? the grease doesnt cool it infact it turns to oil when hot and is just the lubricant for the turbo. you will need to put more grease in because its burning it off and probably pushing it past seals when hot

[3nigma]

Originally Posted by Cannonfodda101

Ok so lets put it this way why do you need to add more grease if it is sealed? the grease doesnt cool it infact it turns to oil when hot and is just the lubricant for the turbo. you will need to put more grease in because its burning it off and probably pushing it past seals when hot

So I'm not an expert or related to the company in any way but a quick google yielded this explanation:

Waterless, or more accurately, oilless air-cooled turbochargers (popularized by companies like Comp Turbo), cool themselves primarily through conduction and radiation rather than relying on engine oil or coolant. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
These units are highly regarded for mid-mount and low-mount applications (including rear-mount) because they eliminate the need for gravity-drained oil lines, simplifying installation and preventing oil scavenge pump failures. [6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
How Waterless (Oilless Air-Cooled) Turbos Cool
Instead of water jackets or oil feed lines, these turbos use a specialized design:

• Proprietary Grease Lubrication: The center cartridge utilizes a sealed chamber with a specialized, high-temperature, non-channeling grease to lubricate the bearings.
• Air-Cooled Housing: The billet aluminum center housing is designed with air cooling fins to dissipate heat. Some designs even feature internal air passages that draw air from behind the compressor wheel to cool the internals.
• No Oil/Water Required: Because they are self-contained, there is no risk of "oil coking" (burnt oil) in the center section after shutdown.
• Maintenance: The bearings are serviced through a Zerk fitting, requiring a few pumps of specialized grease every 3,000 miles (approx.) to keep them operating effectively. [1, 3, 8, 12, 13]

This video explains the difference between air-cooled, oil-cooled, and water-cooled turbos:
Are They Good for Mid/Low Mounts?
Yes, they are considered ideal for these setups due to the elimination of common, frustrating, and often fatal installation issues. [2, 3]
This video shows an air-cooled turbocharger being installed to solve oil issues:
Why They Are Good for Mid/Low Mounts:

• No Oil Scavenge Pump Needed: Because there is no oil drain line to gravity-feed back to the engine, you don't need a scavenge pump to pull oil out of a low-mounted turbo, removing a common failure point.
• Flexible Orientation: These turbos can be mounted in any orientation (vertically, horizontally) without worrying about oil drain gravity issues.
• Simple Plumbing: You only need to hook up exhaust and intake piping, reducing the complexity of the installation.
• Ideal for Remote Locations: Because they do not need engine oil, they work exceptionally well in mid-mount or rear-mount setups. [1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16]

Considerations & Potential Drawbacks:

• Cost of Grease: The specialized grease can be expensive, and maintenance must be performed regularly.
• Bearing Longevity: While designed to be durable, high-load, continuous track use may require stricter maintenance than conventional water-cooled turbos.
• Heat Management: While they don't need oil to cool, the unit itself still gets extremely hot. Proper airflow, or even additional cooling shrouds, might be necessary in cramped, low-mount positions. [1, 5, 8, 17, 18]

Note: There are also oilless, water-cooled turbos available that still use a grease-packed bearing but have water ports for additional thermal stability. [1]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1]

[2]

[3] https://www.turbokits.com/turbocharg...ed-turbos.html
[4] https://arashidynamics.com/blogs/blo...a-turbocharger
[5] https://www.tiktok.com/@stangry5.0/v...59232477646123
[6]

[7] https://www.facebook.com/groups/5518...1451737654450/
[8] https://www.facebook.com/groups/4309...1077414337733/
[9] https://www.bobvila.com/interior/tur...lit-heat-pump/
[10] https://www.turbokits.com/turbocharg...ed-turbos.html
[11] https://turbobricks.com/index.php?th...ed-turbos.132/
[12]

[13]

[14] https://www.tiktok.com/@stangry5.0/v...87096803364139
[15] https://www.ft86club.com/forums/show....php?p=2334884
[16] https://www.ft86club.com/forums/show....php?p=2334884
[17] https://www.garrettmotion.com/racing...or-your-turbo/
[18] https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineBuild..._cooled_turbo/