Best Turbo for OM606 – 300 400 and 500 Horsepower Recommendations

Best turbo for OM606, OM605 and OM604 builds at specific power targets – today we cover practical recommendations at 300, 400 and 500 horsepower with both budget and quality options for each engine.

OM604 – 300 Horsepower Turbo Recommendations

The OM604 is a 2.2 litre four cylinder engine making approximately 100 horsepower naturally aspirated with a good pump. Reaching 300 horsepower requires two bar of boost from a turbo that flows sufficient air for that power level. Two options stand out.

Budget option – Mitsubishi TD04 16T with number 6 turbine housing

This turbo comes from Volvo applications and is widely available at scrapyards globally. The TD04 16T with a number 6 turbine housing spools quickly and makes 300 horsepower reliably on a 604. A smaller TD04 15T with number 5 housing on a 2.3 litre four cylinder produced 575 Newton metres and approximately 320 horsepower in petrol application – demonstrating how capable this turbo family is. The 16T with number 6 housing is the correct specification for a diesel 300 horsepower target.

Modern option – Garrett GBC 22-350

The Garrett GBC series represents current turbo technology at accessible pricing – approximately 800 euros which is roughly half the cost of conventional performance turbos. The GBC 22-350 is physically small but makes 300 horsepower on the OM604 while spooling very quickly. Excellent value for a build targeting this power level.

OM605 – 400 Horsepower Turbo Recommendations

The five cylinder OM605 at 400 horsepower opens up more options. Three turbos stand out.

First choice – Volvo S60R K24

The Volvo S60R in 300 horsepower four wheel drive specification uses a K24 turbo that is completely different from older K24 units – do not confuse them. This specific K24 from the S60R spools extremely quickly, has outstanding boost response and makes 400 horsepower on the OM605 with excellent driveability. Finding a scrapyard S60R with the correct specification is the key challenge but when found this is the best option at this power level.

Second choice – BorgWarner S200 SXE – small version with small turbine housing

The small S200 SXE with a small turbine housing performs well on the OM605 at 400 horsepower. BorgWarner turbos spool slower than Garrett as a general characteristic but the S200 SXE in the correct specification makes this a worthwhile option particularly if you want headroom to push slightly beyond 400 horsepower in future without changing the turbo.

Third choice – Garrett GTX2867R with 0.63-0.64 AR turbine housing

Garrett discontinued the GTX2863 which was the most versatile turbo ever made – capable of excellent performance on almost any engine from a 1.6 litre Honda to a diesel five cylinder. The GTX2867R is the current replacement. With a 0.63-0.64 AR turbine housing this turbo makes 400 horsepower on the OM605 with turbo response that feels like a supercharger. Compressor wheel size differences between the 63, 67 and 71 variants show large gaps on compressor maps but real world differences are much smaller than they appear. The 63 performs better up to 400 horsepower – use it if available.

OM606 – 500 Horsepower Turbo Recommendations

At 500 horsepower on the six cylinder OM606 stock turbos from production vehicles are essentially out of options. The Porsche 964 K27 is theoretically possible but finding one in good condition that will make 500 horsepower is not realistic in practice.

First choice – BorgWarner S200 SXE Billet – large version with small turbine housing

The largest S200 SXE billet compressor wheel version with a relatively small turbine housing is an excellent 500 horsepower OM606 turbo. The billet compressor wheel is important here – it handles the airflow requirements at this power level. Keep the turbine housing as small as practical to maintain boost response. The S200 SXE at maximum specification approaches its limit at 500 horsepower which is acceptable for a build targeting this level.

Second choice – Garrett GTX3076R with 0.63-0.64 AR turbine housing

An OM606 making 150 horsepower naturally aspirated reaches 450 horsepower at approximately 2.2-2.4 bar of boost. The GTX2867 is essentially at its limit at 500 horsepower – the GTX3076R is the correct step up. With a 0.63-0.64 AR turbine housing the GTX3076R makes 500 horsepower on the OM606 with excellent spool characteristics. This is a proven combination that requires no modification to fit standard manifold specifications.

What to Avoid at 500 Horsepower

The S300 is a capable turbo but requires machining work to fit correctly on OM606 applications. The standard S300 turbine housings are not suitable and the solution of using an S200 turbine housing machined to fit requires specialist work. Not a straightforward plug-and-play option. Stay with S200 SXE or GTX3076R for a bolt-on 500 horsepower solution.

Summary – Best Turbo for OM606 OM605 OM604

OM604 300hp:

• Budget: TD04 16T number 6 turbine housing
• New: Garrett GBC 22-350

OM605 400hp:

• Best: Volvo S60R K24
• Alternative: BorgWarner S200 SXE small with small housing
• Alternative: Garrett GTX2867R 0.63-0.64 AR

OM606 500hp:

• First choice: BorgWarner S200 SXE Billet large with small turbine housing
• Second choice: Garrett GTX3076R 0.63-0.64 AR

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