With the popularization of 600+HP Turbocharged Stock K20s and K24s, the common question that arises is 'how reliable is it?'
In this article, we address the reality, the considerations, and examples of the reliability of these setups.
The Reality
The reality is while we have done many 600+HP Stock K series setups, there are still plenty of risk factors to take into consideration when building these cars.
Though it has been done many times, it is not feasible to expect these setups to be a long term, reliable solution. There are many factors that go into using a factory engine. But it ultimately leads to one statement.
How reliable your factory engine will be at 3x the power output it had from the factory depends on how well maintained the engine was and how well the car is built and tuned. Regardless of all risk factors, at the end of the day, it is still a factory engine being pushed to 3x the power output it had from the factory and failures can happen.
The Pros/Cons
Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, why would someone take a risk with an engine that could potentially fail. The biggest answer is cost. Presently, it is cheaper to buy replacement stock K series engines than it is to build engines. You can build a relatively reliable 400-600HP stock engine turbo setup, and if you lose an engine, its $800-1200 to replace rather than $3-5,000 for a new built engine. The pro of the setup being cost and still being decently reliable. The cons being the horsepower limitation and risk associated with running a stock motor setup.