RP Turbo K04 Car Consolidation Thread

[97B518TQM]

They could change the name all they want and start selling OEM RS6 turbos for $1k under their new name for all I care, I learned my lesson yet one more time. I just ordered a replacement set of BW K04s for my car and returning the RPs under warranty. It's all been arranged and even though I will have to pull the engine again at least I will know that when the winter season starts I won't be afraid of getting stranded up in the mountains when I go snowboarding 5 hours away. It's a good time to do my timing belt also so I will just do a quick refresh on the engine while I am doing the turbo swap. I have to make the best of it.

[GramCracker]

returning the RPs under warranty

they blew and are giving you a full refund? did i get that right?

[cu52]

they blew and are giving you a full refund? did i get that right?

yes, please clarify (where were the RP's originally purchased from also?).

[97B518TQM]

Sorry guys, this was an agreement between the seller and I. I am getting credit towards the BW K04s, not an actual cash refund.

[sjmelling]

Any word on when the new batch will be out? I have a good amount of time left on my warranty, so I would like to see if they have the issues resolved with the revisions before I decide to upgrade to BW's. I am definately leaning that direction but don't want to throw more money at the car if the revised RP prove reliable.

[Brandywine050]

Exactly.... !!!

Considering how many they've sold via there Forsale thread, there's only 15 people in this thread who's reported they are actually running RP K04's:

drkenan
washyourrhands
Stamps
spokismB5S4
Brandywine050
fdation
bashar khalifeh
jaimoney
chebert69
dorny1
s4-orce
97B518TQM
Teamnct4
luvgroovesalad
Adam_S4

mine are leaking oil in the lower intercooler pipe tracts. and pretty sure ly left turbo whines around 3k and goes away. nevertheless i need to go another route again i will not trust these again i believe.. unfortunately i do NOT have the time to pull my engine again. i am quite annoyed.

[Brandywine050]

installed at vast with 92,252 miles on the car. it now has 98,514. VAST did awesome work. these turbos are just horrid imo...

[Brendon1098]

I installed RP's with Vast fueling in a S4. They're fine and are run hard with 22psi. No issues besides breaking stuff from power. So far 7k miles...

[s4kls]

I have RPs with vast tuning, car pulls strong everytime @ around 20psi, other than getting heat soaked off the stock smic's. The only problem I've experiened is I get chimney smoke at stops once in awhile for a couple seconds, i put in lucas stabilizer and changed the oil to 15w50 I think it help a little but still comes and goes. The smoke is very inconsistent, I havent noticed any oil consumption loss or leak yet. The turbos have been on for aleast 5-6,000miles any advice would be helpful!!! I thought I may a bad valve seal but i think that would be more consistent as well. The smoke is usually just white maybe some blue the car hasn't smelled as bad since i changed the oil w/lucas. but the smell does smell like oil

[VR6Bomber]

I have RPs with vast tuning, car pulls strong everytime @ around 20psi, other than getting heat soaked off the stock smic's. The only problem I've experiened is I get chimney smoke at stops once in awhile for a couple seconds, i put in lucas stabilizer and changed the oil to 15w50 I think it help a little but still comes and goes. The smoke is very inconsistent, I havent noticed any oil consumption loss or leak yet. The turbos have been on for aleast 5-6,000miles any advice would be helpful!!! I thought I may a bad valve seal but i think that would be more consistent as well. The smoke is usually just white maybe some blue the car hasn't smelled as bad since i changed the oil w/lucas. but the smell does smell like oil

I'd do the usual checking of the charge pipes for oil 'wetness', look in the intercooler pipes too.

[drkenan]

Mine are over 7k now. They pull very hard when I have all my boost leaks fixed.

[sjmelling]

Mine are over 7k now. They pull very hard when I have all my boost leaks fixed.

<<<<<<<< is jealous of your not-blown-to-hell-keeping-me-from-driving-my-S4 RP Ko4's

[NOTORIOUS VR]

^^ don't be jealous... It's just like the people who bought $500 ebay china k04's... some have issues right off the bat, other don't (for a while). Only difference here is the RP's cost $1600 for something that comes from China.

[[email protected]]

I have RPs with vast tuning, car pulls strong everytime @ around 20psi, other than getting heat soaked off the stock smic's. The only problem I've experiened is I get chimney smoke at stops once in awhile for a couple seconds, i put in lucas stabilizer and changed the oil to 15w50 I think it help a little but still comes and goes. The smoke is very inconsistent, I havent noticed any oil consumption loss or leak yet. The turbos have been on for aleast 5-6,000miles any advice would be helpful!!! I thought I may a bad valve seal but i think that would be more consistent as well. The smoke is usually just white maybe some blue the car hasn't smelled as bad since i changed the oil w/lucas. but the smell does smell like oil

BTDT with turbos years ago. You will eventually get the smoke screen. I had inconsistent smoking on startup, almost never on full boost, but cruising very lightly it would smoke up a storm sometimes, other times none. After a few thousand miles the dreaded smoke screen happened. Found both turbos leaking at the exhaust side and one dumping oil into the the IC. Sorry.

[chebert69]

This year's season is almost over for my S4 since i'm gonna store it for the winter :(. I've put 11,000 Km on my AWE tuning Stage 3/ RP K04's since last spring.
I didn't had ANY issues with my setup. Biggest trouble i had was to fix all boost leaks (took me a while to get them all). Meaby i was lucky ??? Who know's.
I drive my car hard everytime i'm using it and so far so good.

[Don Supreme]

This year's season is almost over for my S4 since i'm gonna store it for the winter :(. I've put 11,000 Km on my AWE tuning Stage 3/ RP K04's since last spring.
I didn't had ANY issues with my setup. Biggest trouble i had was to fix all boost leaks (took me a while to get them all). Meaby i was lucky ??? Who know's.
I drive my car hard everytime i'm using it and so far so good.

Sounds like you got one from the first batch.

[fdation]

Im from the 1st batch too i guess besides small leaks from coolant or oil that i had to fix they are pulling hard with over 11,000 on them.Apr stage 3

[97B518TQM]

Well APR stage 3 tune is very conservative and doesn't push the turbos too much. My RPs sound perfect with 10-12 psi boost but when I turn up the boost they whine like crazy and have very inconsistent boost due to crappy wastegates.

[S-Power]

Before you put on them rps make sure you change the washers for the coolant they leak.the actuators are garbage too use ko3 ones.everything else is good.

[s4kls]

BTDT with turbos years ago. You will eventually get the smoke screen. I had inconsistent smoking on startup, almost never on full boost, but cruising very lightly it would smoke up a storm sometimes, other times none. After a few thousand miles the dreaded smoke screen happened. Found both turbos leaking at the exhaust side and one dumping oil into the the IC. Sorry.

oh awesome! thanks for the input.. I checked this morning and saw some oil seamping out of the driver's side intercooler pipe.

[GramCracker]

Sounds like you got one from the first batch.

washyourhands also got good ones from the first batch

[fdation]

Before you put on them rps make sure you change the washers for the coolant they leak.the actuators are garbage too use ko3 ones.everything else is good.

yes i forgot about that my driver side actuator kicked the bucket on me so i used my ko3 one.Passenger side still is good but i agree theyre junk.

[S-Power]

I got ones from the first batch too and once I replace the washers and actuators I hope to be good!!

[emking522]

I ordered a set from the new batch back in early September...I'll let you all know how it goes with the revised ones, assuming I ever get them. My engine is beginning to collect dust in my garage...

[97B518TQM]

First batch also had some problems, just different ones and slightly less than the second batch. I can't wait to see what the third batch will bring. I think it's safe to say that the second batch is about as good as the Chinese K04s on ebay. First batch, sightly better but still a big hit or miss. Third batch, maybe the cast parts will be different now.. who knows with this company anymore. I learned my lesson and would never risk it with these. If you are thinking about putting RP turbos on your car or considering a car with RP turbos in it just think twice about and go with something else. After I fixed all the issues I could fix on my RPs they started making less and less power, spooling slower and slower, proving that the bearings are just trash. I am not sure how much power some cars have made with these turbos. I know of one car only at a normal boost level barely made 370awhp and this was dyno tuned, not just some OTS tune. And that is on a build block and all the add-ons you can think of. Just stay away from these.

[97B518TQM]

I ordered a set from the new batch back in early September...I'll let you all know how it goes with the revised ones, assuming I ever get them. My engine is beginning to collect dust in my garage...

My sincere condolences

[drkenan]

^^ don't be jealous... It's just like the people who bought $500 ebay china k04's... some have issues right off the bat, other don't (for a while). Only difference here is the RP's cost $1600 for something that comes from China.

Damn Negative Nancy I was trying to remain hopeful. Oh well...guess I'll start putting money aside again (*sigh*). Tials FTW!

[julex]

Damn Negative Nancy I was trying to remain hopeful. Oh well...guess I'll start putting money aside again (*sigh*). Tials FTW!

BW K04s are still a proven choice.

[emking522]

My sincere condolences

lol, thanks for your pity. It's funny how much you despise these things - every thread I read, you're in it trashing them. I'm not much of a performance nut or anything, but I know how to wrench on my car and my k03s blew so I said "fuck it." At least they are trying to fix their problems instead of consistently putting out a shit product. If/when my pair arrives and eventually fails, I'll probably go BW.

[97B518TQM]

When you spend a few days pulling the engine out and installing these RP turbos, drive the car for a few days and start hearing noises and see drops of coolant on your driveway, realize you have to pull the engine out again, spend about $200 again for new install kit and fluids, and realize that you could have just done it once and done it right then you will feel like how I am feeling right now.
I am more angry with myself than anything else for being so cheap in the first place and how much I am ending up paying now. I am just trying to prevent people from making the same mistake as I did because there are still quite a few people trying to decide on these turbos, which is seriously alarming in my head after all I have seen personally and what other people have reported.

[_muppet_]

I picked up a set of these when my passenger side k03 blew. I'm still running a revo stage two tune, so I'm not pushing them too hard (15psi). But I have about 5k on them, and they seem to be running great so far. I didn't have time to wait for replacement washers to show up, but I had read about issues with them on here. I sprayed them all with copper gasket sealant, the type used for head gaskets. I haven't noticed any leaks so far. The only issue I had was I had to grind one turbine housing a bit to get the oil lines on.

k03 :(

[VR6Bomber]

I picked up a set of these when my passenger side k03 blew. I'm still running a revo stage two tune, so I'm not pushing them too hard (15psi). But I have about 5k on them, and they seem to be running great so far. I didn't have time to wait for replacement washers to show up, but I had read about issues with them on here. I sprayed them all with copper gasket sealant, the type used for head gaskets. I haven't noticed any leaks so far. The only issue I had was I had to grind one turbine housing a bit to get the oil lines on.

muppet-
Your turbos definitely ARE from the 'First Batch', not the seemingly 'problematic' second batch. They sat in their boxes for months. I do not believe that you will have issues with the washers.
Fingers crossed

[drkenan]

When you spend a few days pulling the engine out and installing these RP turbos, drive the car for a few days and start hearing noises and see drops of coolant on your driveway, realize you have to pull the engine out again, spend about $200 again for new install kit and fluids, and realize that you could have just done it once and done it right then you will feel like how I am feeling right now.
I am more angry with myself than anything else for being so cheap in the first place and how much I am ending up paying now. I am just trying to prevent people from making the same mistake as I did because there are still quite a few people trying to decide on these turbos, which is seriously alarming in my head after all I have seen personally and what other people have reported.

This is correct. Although I'm still in the "hopefully-they'll-be-okay" stage of denial.

[S-Power]

If anyone wants to buy my Brand New RPk04's PM me. They are from the first batch Dan@JHM can confirm that. 1300+Shipping

[goingone]

^ I thought you were selling your car complete w/ RP's??

[S-Power]

^ I thought you were selling your car complete w/ RP's??

Car isn't complete my friend :)

[s4kls]

Pulled both lower intercooler pipes on my car, to find my drivers side pouring oil out as if it was the oil filter (about 1/4 quart if not more) ....I'm going tial 605's and hope RP follows through on replacing with new RP's with no problem so i can resale!

[1sadavant]

Pulled both lower intercooler pipes on my car, to find my drivers side pouring oil out as if it was the oil filter (about 1/4 quart if not more) ....I'm going tial 605's and hope RP follows through on replacing with new RP's with no problem so i can resale!

Forget resale, just have them reimburse you (if that's possible), you aren't going to be able to resell them unless you practically give them away...

[s4kls]

Yeah i hear ya! I've only heard of one person getting their money back, and I believe that was between him and the vendor agreement if they failed which they did. Supposely the new one's just have a bad washers for the coolant

[VR6Bomber]

Looks like there will be a lot of 605 cars this winter/spring!
I'd be shocked if a manufacturer gave a 'cash' refund for a failed item. Cash refunds are done on the retail side.