Sierra Sierra EVO Update & BorgWarner EFR Turbos

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This was the bulk of the damage to the body work. Check out the Volk CE28N wheels with the Hankook C91 tires. That shit is hella flush, yo.

 

Under the hood things looked a bit messier.

 

The weld of the V-band flange to the cast iron housing failed. Welding steel (or anything for that matter) to cast iron can be tricky. Welding rod choice, housing pre-heating, gas flow during welding, and cooling of the welded part is critical. This is the first failure we've had of this kind, but I think the supplier may need to address their welding method.

 

Needless to say, T04 #4 failed also, but in less than 80 miles.

 

It failed in the exact same way T04 #3 failed after the E85 changeover. Could it have something to do with the ferocity of the exhaust gases with E85? Whatever the reason, both failure modes on E85 were identical. Nothing else was changed on the engine. The wastegates and solenoid were running on the identical closed loop PIDs as before on VP MS109 fuel. We did not have any of these failures on the the VP fuel. Unfortunately we did not have a turbo speed sensor at the time of failure so I wasn't getting the entire picture either. On another note, you can see here that the housing fully contained the broken turbine wheel despite it trying to saw away at everything at over 100,000 rpms. There's a reason why the real deal turbo companies like Garrett and BorgWarner burst test their turbos and housings.

Anyhow, this all brings me to the good news. BorgWarner (BW) is planning the release of their new EFR turbocharger lineup which should revolutionize the turbocharger performance and racing aftermarket. A complete list of features will be released at this year's 2010 SEMA show in Las Vegas, but for now many of those trick features are under wraps. What the BW engineers did do was pay attention to installers, tuners, builders and integrated a whole package of ideal features into one turbo. The result is that the EFR turbochargers are 100% clean sheet designs rather than converted OEM technology. The turbos will be more universal and installer friendly. Compressor wheels will range from 62-91mm major diameters to offer performance between 400-1000hp.

Earlier this year when I was having a discussions with some of the guys at BW I mentioned the Sierra Sierra EVO and how we were able to munch through ball bearing GT35Rs and sleeve bearing T04s alike. It seemed to pique their interest for a test bed. I mentioned that we were destroying turbos and I still haven't got to the fun part yet (anti-lag and traction control). Timing wise the need for a new turbo on the SSE 4G63 engines and the EFR product line's release seemed almost perfect. Over the next several months of emails, phone discussions, meetings, etc. the decision was made between Cosworth, BorgWarner, and Sierra Sierra that BW EFR turbos would be tested. That time is now. Tomorrow I'll be at the Sierra Sierra facilities in MInden, NV where I'll be meeting up with Brock the BW engineer and the Sierra Sierra gang to see if we can get something going in the right direction. Check back in the near future for some results.

Otherwise, Tyler, Clayton, Eric (a different guy), and myself have all been working with BorgWarner EFR prototype turbos both on applications and testing on the engine dyno. Cosworth will be both distributing the EFR turbo line and using them in a few new products. Stop on by the Cosworth SEMA booth this year to find out more about how Cosworth will be teaming up with BorgWarner.

A press release from BorgWarner regarding Sierra Sierra:

“Sierra Sierra Enterprises 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII to Appear in BorgWarner Turbo Systems (Booth # 21422) at the 2010 SEMA Show

The highly publicized Sierra Sierra Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution will dazzle this year's SEMA Show attendants as one of the main attractions of the BorgWarner Turbo Systems booth. The Evo is one of the world’s fastest time attack cars and it currently holds the overall track record at the infamous Button Willow Raceway Park, which is made possible by employing some of the most cutting edge technology in the aftermarket. 

Show goers will be treated to a sight normally hidden beneath the carbon fiber hood in the Evo’s 4G63 2.2.L Cosworth engine boosted by the hot new EFR (Engineered for Racing) performance turbo series by BorgWarner Turbo Systems. The new EFR turbocharger will enable the Sierra Sierra Evo to shatter records by offering unparalleled levels of efficiency and neck snapping performance. Series EFR will make its public debut at this years 2010 SEMA show in Las Vegas Nevada.”