Turbonetics rebuild service

Turbonetics was founded in 1978 by R.A. "Bob" Keller, an aerospace engineer who graduated from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1960 and started his career at Grumman Aircraft (now Northrop Grumman). Around 1963, Keller formed a moonlighting company called Turbonics, Inc. to pursue performance turbocharger applications for automobiles, at a time when turbocharging gasoline engines was considered fringe at best.

In 1973, Keller left aerospace entirely to chase what he called his "turbocharger dream." He joined Flagship Marine Corporation, exhibited their TurboNautic products at the SEMA Show in Anaheim that year, and began a decades-long relationship with SEMA. He then moved to Echlin Corporation, where he served as Chief Engineer of Turbocharger Systems at RotoMaster under the legendary Hugh MacInnes (author of the definitive book "Turbochargers"). While at Echlin, Keller created the Accel TurboSonic product line, one of the first widely available turbocharger retrofit kits for gasoline street cars, which brought turbocharging to thousands of enthusiasts who had never touched a turbo before.

In 1978, Keller left RotoMaster and founded Turbonetics from his garage. The aftermarket did not yet have turbochargers designed specifically for gasoline performance engines. The major manufacturers, Garrett and Schwitzer, built turbos for commercial diesel applications. Keller saw the gap and filled it: Turbonetics started as a distributorship, mixing and matching components from Garrett and Schwitzer to create hybrid turbochargers optimized for popular hot rod gasoline engines. The rapid introduction of electronic fuel injection to gasoline engines in the 1980s was the enabler that made retrofit turbocharging practical, and Turbonetics was positioned at the center of it.

The company grew from a garage operation to a multi-million dollar manufacturer in Moorpark, California. Keller developed the T3/T4 Hybrid concept that defined the import performance turbo scene of the 1990s and 2000s. He developed the proprietary F1 turbine wheel in Inconel 713C with its 10-blade, tall-tip-height design that minimized backpressure. He held patents on the angular-contact ceramic ball bearing system that could withstand 1,000 to 2,500 lbs of dynamic thrust load compared to the 60-80 lbs capacity of conventional designs. The 360-degree bronze thrust bearing, the "blueprinted" assembly process, the carbon seal option for draw-through (carbureted) applications: all Turbonetics innovations that became industry reference points.

Keller served on multiple SEMA committees, chaired the Management Committee and Environmental Strategic Planning Committee, and played a major role in forming the Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council and the Sport-Compact Council. He was a technical contributor to the NHRA and published extensively in trade magazines. In 1998, Keller sold Turbonetics to Kelly Aerospace and stayed on as President Emeritus and consultant. Kelly Aerospace also acquired Spearco, the intercooler company founded by George Spears, and consolidated both brands under the Turbonetics umbrella at the Moorpark facility.

In 2004, Bob Keller was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame for his contributions to the performance aftermarket. The citation noted that he "has perhaps done more to advance the acceptance of turbocharger technology than anyone else in the industry."

Turbonetics closed its doors in 2021. The Moorpark facility at 14399 Princeton Avenue went silent. The Facebook page with over 535,000 followers stopped updating. But the turbos are still out there, on cars and in garages and on shelves, and they still need to be rebuilt by someone who knows what they are looking at. That is what we do.

The original small-frame Turbonetics unit. Journal bearing. T3 turbine inlet flange. Used extensively in 4-cylinder street builds. T3 compressor wheels from 35-trim through Super 60-trim. Turbine options from Stage I (47mm) through Stage V (60mm).

Applications: Honda Civic / Integra / Nissan SR20DET / 240SX / Toyota 4-cyl / DSM builds

T3 turbine section mated to a T04B or T04E compressor section. The genius of the hybrid concept: fast-spooling T3 turbine with the higher flow capacity of the larger T4 compressor housing. Stage I through Stage V turbine trim and compressor options from S-trim through Super H. Defined the Honda, Nissan, and import turbo scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Journal and ceramic ball bearing.

Applications: Honda Civic / Integra / Nissan 240SX / SR20DET / Supra / DSM / EVO / Subaru / universal

Standard trims: S (48mm inducer, 70mm exducer), V (55mm, 70mm), H (58mm, 70mm). The Super Series added 0.25 in to the exducer, bumping all three to 76mm (3.00 in). The Super V became one of the most recognized aftermarket turbo wheels of its era. Super wheels fit standard T04B housings with matching backplate.

Applications: Honda Accord / Prelude / Nissan SR20DET / Toyota 2JZ / 1JZ / DSM / universal

Larger T4 frame with trims from 40 through 60. The T04E Super version bumps the exducer to 81mm (3.20 in). Popular in 4 and 6-cylinder high-boost applications. Journal and ceramic ball bearing options.

Applications: Honda / Nissan / Toyota / DSM / Subaru / Mitsubishi EVO / universal 4-6 cyl high-boost

Some of the most versatile units Turbonetics produced. The 60-1 (60mm inducer, 82.5mm exducer, 6+6 blades) remains one of the most rebuilt wheels we see. The HP-61 introduced the 11-blade billet HP-series design. Capable of strong street performance while still responding well under 22 psi.

Applications: Universal street and track / 4-6-8 cyl / Honda / Nissan / Toyota

HP-series 11-blade billet compressor wheels from HP-58 through HP-78. The T66 was the turbo on Brian O'Connor's Supra in the original Fast and Furious film. F1 Inconel turbine wheels. O-trim or P-trim turbine housings in .58 through .96 A/R. Journal and ceramic ball bearing with carbon seal options.

Applications: Supra 2JZ / Nissan RB26 / SR20 / Honda K-series / Rotary / universal high-HP / race

Super T combines T04 turbine with mid-frame compressor. Mid-Frame uses F1-75 turbine wheels. CBB standard. V-band discharge. The largest T4-flanged units Turbonetics produced.

Applications: Large displacement V8 / 2JZ / RB26 big single / drag / roll race / land speed

Everything with an 80mm and larger compressor wheel. CBB standard. F1-84 Inconel turbine. Billet HPC compressor wheels available. The Y2K was the flagship of the Turbonetics performance lineup.

Applications: Extreme HP / Pro Street / drag / V8 / big displacement race engines

The top of the lineup. Up to 115mm billet compressor wheels. Ceramic ball bearing. Designed for the most extreme race applications. If you have a Thumper, you know what it is. Contact us to discuss your rebuild.

Applications: Pro Mod / drag / extreme race / large displacement blown applications

The GT-K 325 and GT-K 350 ball bearing units, and the TNX series. Both journal and wet ball bearing configurations. Contact us with the tag number from the backplate.

Applications: Various street and track applications