The turbo Barra brigade

[Ginger Beer]

I like the barra

Some guys at work have them, and with some simple breathing and fuel mods and a few other little bits and pieces, valve springs and an oil pump IIRC, they make really good power, without really effecting drivablity and have been really reliable

I own a car with an gen3 LS, for a 5.7l engine they really make piss all power stock, it isn't stock anymore though, but still, if I was to get, lets say 500hpatw NA out of it, it would be a bitch to drive

But yes, I could boost it, and it could regain some drivablity with a correctly sized turbo, or blower, but then there are the other issues like all the supporting mods, registration, insurance, engineering certs reliability and cost

But, for comparison sake, with some simple mods, good tune and 98 the turbo barra can be there, easily, and you can daily drive it, and it can be pretty stealth

For making good power out of a 4.0ltr boosted engine, I consider the barra good value for money, long motors are as cheap as chips

I don't understand the people knocking the barra, one eyed hate?

I personally believe the turbo Barra, post BA, is the best engine ever built in Australia and is a perfect choice for easy power and engine swaps

In saying all this, I do enjoy the exhaust note and lazy power the LS makes, my only real dislike is the noise that these engines valve trains make with the recommended oil weights, they remind me of a sewing machine

Opinion may vary....................

 

[mpower]

they bang on about them because the Ford V8 was a boat anchor for SO LONG.

 

[vc commodore]

they bang on about them because the Ford V8 was a boat anchor for SO LONG.

The Turbo Barra was quicker on the twisty stuff, compared to the V8, when the Turbo Barra was released...Not sure if it continued like that or not

 

[mpower]

The Turbo Barra was quicker on the twisty stuff, compared to the V8, when the Turbo Barra was released...Not sure if it continued like that or not

the ford V8 before the coyote engine was hot garbage.

 

[VF Ute]

I guess the final straw for me was a debate yesterday where someone from the Barra brigade had 'blown the doors off' a VF series 2 (LS3) with a stock XR6T.

I currently own both VF ls3 ute and BF turbo ute. The BF would have got it early but the win in a standard 1/4 mile run would go to the VF.

I have high praise for the turbo Barras, mine has been faultless. I was supposed to sell it when I got my VF but it's been such a good car I keep finding excuses to keep it. The VF is such a good package though.

 

[Brettly-2008]

I don't understand the people knocking the barra, one eyed hate?

I don't really see any hate for the Barra here, everyone knows its potential, just the nonsense that goes with it. It's a strong 4.0 engine with a turbo. Cube for cube, mod for mod it's no better than anything else. It's not untouchable yet it gets touted as being untouchable.

 

[Magnum61]

Firstly I am far from a Ford guy.
I fitted a non-turbo Barra to my old '74 Dodge D5N truck. Motor & auto gearbox cost me $300 plus a custom dyno tune. Fuel system is turbo ready. Power is ok, economy is ok due to diff ratio, reliability is good so far, Bang for buck has been unbeatable. Sounds like a wet fart as all Barras do but an LS conversion would have cost me a lot more. Rego is also cheaper than the LS.
I'm glad I went this way.

 

[shane_3800]

they're both good engines.

 

[J_D 2.0]

Firstly I am far from a Ford guy.
I fitted a non-turbo Barra to my old '74 Dodge D5N truck. Motor & auto gearbox cost me $300 plus a custom dyno tune. Fuel system is turbo ready. Power is ok, economy is ok due to diff ratio, reliability is good so far, Bang for buck has been unbeatable. Sounds like a wet fart as all Barras do but an LS conversion would have cost me a lot more. Rego is also cheaper than the LS.
I'm glad I went this way.

The better availability of the Barra is a big plus seeing as they were fitted to the majority of Falcons and Territorys. I would say bang for your buck the Barra wins hands down as you could buy a NA Barra and turbo it for less that the cost of a half flogged LS motor.

I looked at picking up another LS motor for my SSV so I can do a build on it myself in my own time and then swap out when I’m done. Problem is the prices they want for second hand LS motors is ridiculous.

 

[Immortality]

The turbo barra is great because it's factory fitted so it covers all the legalities you would need to jump through with putting a turbo on another vehicle and meeting all the legal requirements. Once you start modding then it becomes just another motor.