FAVORITE TOOLS

Our theme for this issue is "favorite tools." On first consideration. Idid not know how to say anything more than I already have writtenon this subject in past issues. For example, in lssue 51 | includedpictures of my favorite tools for injector replacement and evenmy favorite flex-head ratchet. Fellow TDR writer Kent Kroekerand I talked about the theme, and he gave me his take on thesubject. We quickly reached the conclusion that many things canbe favorite tools, not just pieces of steel. That started me thinkingin a new direction, and I realized that my favorite tool is whateverstimulates the brain and enables the body to get something done.In situations involving our Turbo Diesels I have to admit that I like tomake opportunities out of problems that I encounter. Fellow TDRmembers and back issues of the Turbo Diesel Register often helpme to reach the approaches and solutions that I develop.

Let's take one example that is of immediate interest to me. I love myReunel front bumper and Warn winch, but I would l ike to increasethe ride height an inch or so (back to stock height) or a bit higherfor better trail clearance. As you would expect, the added weightdoes cause more front end deflection on hitt ing bumps. Yet, simplygoing to stiffer springs would result in a degradation of ride quality.The ride of the stock Turbo Diesel is already less than optimal onhunting trails and washboard dirt roads. The stock shock absorbershave served me faithfully for 57,000 miles, but no doubt they shouldbe replaced with something new, preferably of higher quality (andprice) than the stocks.

On my'97 Turbo Diesel, I retained the stock suspension, but addedAlcoa forged aluminum wheels and 33" tires. I went to Rancho 9000series shock absorbers and found the result to be satisfactorv. Notoptimum, but okay and moderatelV priced

My first step with "Junior," my '04 Turbo biesel, was the purchaseof "take-off ' '05 wheels and tires. The long-wearing Michelin tiresare not very tall, but are okay. The forged aluminum 17" xS" wheelsthat I got in that deal are much better than okay and I plan to keepthem on the truck.

What next? | was not sure I wanted to go with Rancho shocks againand I really didn't want to address the ride height problem with a$200 set of polyurethane spring spacers. On the other hand, I didnot want a l ift kit because of the degradation in ride quality alongwith the suspension and driveshaft geometry problems inherent withmany lift kits. I also did not want a race suspension because I do notparticipate in off-road competition. I do a lot of street driving, sometowing, and occasional off road driving while hunting or camping.

My friend Greg Lugo has spoken highly about KORE suspensions(760-749-8687), www.koreperformance.com) and had products fromthem installed on both his '95 and '04 Turbo Diesels. I influencedhis recent purchase ofthe'04 truck because I spoke and wrote sopositively about the advantages of the new Rams. I went so far asto tell Greg that he would probably get tired of his "primitive" '95's

ride, brakes, noise, and single-cab configuration. The 12-valveengine's power was nice (Greg had over 500 horsepower at twoMay Madness dyno events), but smoky. I told him he could getvirtually smoke-free high power with the new Turbo Diesels. yep,he ended up selling his old truck, but "got even" with me. Just asI got Greg to spend another $40,000 on a new truck, he got meto spend far more than the $200 that a set of coil spring spacerswould have cost.

When talking with Kent Kroeker, I ended the conversation byordering one of his suspension systems for my '04. He offers fivesuspension systems for the Third Generation Turbo Diesels, froma leveling kit to an unlimited racing kit. From our conversation itwas clear that Kent knows suspensions, and especially how tobuild a suspension for our Turbo Diesels. As if a conversation wasneeded...his phenomenal performance in the Baja 1000 with hisDodge is proof enough (see KORE Adventures in lssues 48-51).It became clear to me that he fully understands street and multiplepurpose streeVtowing/off-road suspensions as well as full-racesuspension systems. In accordance with his recommendationI selected the KORE "chase series" mid-range kit for my usage.The KORE front springs will give a bit more ride height and havea progressive spring rate for a good ride combined with greaflyimproved resistance to bottoming out on the bump stops. Theshock absorbers are quite advanced in features. The net lift in thefront is usually 2.5" above stock, but with my Reunel bumpel I wil lgain about 1" to 1 .5" over stock, about right for me. The KORE rearspring/shock absorber kit replaces the bottom stock leaf with a four-leaf pack and gives 1 " of lift while greatly improving the smoothnessof the suspension. Weight capacity is not reduced, a good thingfor my purposes. Another good thing is that no cutting or weldingis needed for the installation and the package can be installed bythe buyer. I will cover the installation and my assessment of thenew suspension in a future column.

So, here is an example of what the favorite tool theme is all about.Fellow TDR members and back issues of the TDR magazine aremy FAVORITE TOOLS. They have led me to innovative solutionsfor my problems. The fact that so many TDR members sharetheir experiences and knowledge gives us all increased ability toimprove and plSy with our trucks without wasting time and moneyon poor approaches thatjust seem good when the vendor tells usabout them.

TDR 94 www.turbodieselregister.com

HAVE RAM WILL TRAVEL . . . . con t i nued

TRAVELS

Winter t ime is a time of trade shows and automotive events,especially in the sunny Southwest. My recent trips included visitsto the Barrett-Jackson (www.barrett-jackson.com) and the Russoand Steele (www.russoandsteele.com) automotive auctions inthe Phoenix, Arizona area in January '06. These auctions havebecome mega-shows and vendor displays in addition to the auctionsthemselves. You wil l see all sorts of cars and trucks. This year aGM display bus from 1950 sold for over four mill ion dollars! Duringthe same week there is a huge car show at the Pavil ion shoppingcenter. Turbo Diesels are not the main focus at these events, butif you use yours for towing a classic car as I sometimes do, or justhave an interest in things automotive, these shows are well worthattending.

Another show that many of us have interest in attending is theenormous Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) showin Las Vegas (www.shotshow.org). The 28th annual SHOT Showwas held in February '06. Manufacturers of guns, components,ammunition, reloading equipment, optics, accessories, apparel,and related items have booths at this show to display their productsand new developments.

NEW TURBO DIESEL TOYS

Hood Scoop Ductwork

Early-on I replaced the stock hood on my Third Generation TurboDiesel with the hood from the Viper truck, the SRT-10. This hoodhas a non-functional hood scoop since it is not ducted to the airbox. To see whether enough air would be ducted through the hoodto help, I recently fabricated a simple duct from sheet metal. About8" x 25" x 2" in size, it was attached it to the underside of the hoodwith "molly bolts" that Dodge used in '97 on the doors to attach thetrailer towing mirrors. Preliminary results indicate that this ductcan reduce exhaust gas temperatures by 50 to 100 degrees athighway speeds.

Scotty Air Systems

While we are discussing air flow to reduce exhaust gas temperatures,Scott Pirsak (www.scottysystems.ca) recently told me about his newdesign air system for our Turbo Diesels, and described how exhaustgas temperatures could be lowered by as much as 200 degreeswith it. This system could be well worth the cost for that reasonalone. lt comes with a high quality re-usable air f i l ter and a nearlyindestructible polymer air box.

SRT-10 hood on a 2004 Turbo Diesel.

Underhood ductwork for the SRT-10 hood, to the air box location

A view of the SHOT ShoW

Scotty Air System

www.turbodieselregister.com TDR95

HAVE RAM WILL TRAVEL ....continued

New South Bend clutch

How often do you hear about an improved product at a lower price?Many of us are familiar with the excellent products and services ofSouth Bend Clutch (800-988-4345, wwwsouthbendclutch.com). Afew have selected competitor's products, often for price reasons.With respect to durability, cost, smoothness, and torque capacity forhigh horsepower Turbo Diesels I have found that the South BendCon-Fe is about as good a compromise as you can get. lt is slightlyless smooth than stock, because it actually engages, instead of justslipping less and less as you release the pedal. On the other hand,it holds a very large amount of torque, is very user-friendly for itscapabilities, is very easy on flywheel wear, will not glaze if slipped,and is not terribly expensive.

Now, we have an even better situation. For five-speed transmission-equipped trucks, either a new flywheel or a re-drilled stock flywheelwas needed to use the higher torque capacity 13" Con-Fe clutch.In case you haven't been following manual clutches, one eight-holebolt pattern was used with the Sachs 13' "space-save/' clutch from'89-'93. That same pattem was used with later five-speed equippedtrucks. However, a change to the LuK design clutch in '94 resultedin the effective diameter being reduced to 12.3". When Dodgewanted a 13" diameter clutch for the six-speed trucks, a differentflywheel was designed with a larger diameter bolt circle for mountingthe pressure plate. Retrofifting a five-speed truck with this newflywheel was expensive as re-drilling the bigger flywheel took timeand was hard to do. Also the new bolt holes put the pressure platebolts near the edge of the five-speed flylAed. Now South Bendis providing a new flywheel, complete with an excellent sealedball-type pilot bearing. This flywheel comes with extra metal tosurround the pressure plate bolt holes without moving the ring gearas Cummins did with their six-speed flywheels for the 13" clutch.With the Cummins flywheel, you had to insert a starter spacer so itwould engage the relocated ring gear.

New model South Bend Con-Fe clutch and flywheel.

South Bend is also having the pressure plates custom-made foraround 10% more clamp load without any discernable increase inpedal pressure. This change will increase the torque capacity andmake a fine clutch even better.

Finally, and perhaps best of all, the new price is quite a bit lower.When Petertold me he had new prices, I immediatelythought,'Oh,no, inflation has caught up with us." He floored me with the newprices, much lower than before. Now, a better situation is reallyhard to imagine-we have the same outstranding customerservioe,a befter product, and a cheaper price.

Mag-Hytec Front Differential Gover

Mag-Hytec (818-786-8325, www.mag-hytec.com) now has a frontdifferential cover for theAmerican Axle used in the Third GenerationTurbo Diesels. For the past two years my'04 has used the stockcover, which I modified with a drain plug and a 3116" steel rockdeflector. The result was reasonably functional but ugly.

. for the American Axle 9.25' difierentia

Now I can increase that functionality and gain excelfent appearanceat the same time. The Mag-Hytec cover is well designed, with adipstick and magnetic drain plug. The sloped lower portion helpsto deflect rocks in the trailwhen driving ofi road. The cover looksgreat, resembling their other covers dosely while having relief areascast into it to clear suspension and steering parts.

Mag-Hytec difierential covers, American Axle 9.25" on left,Dana 70 on right.

HAVE RAM WILL TRAVEL Continued

It holds four quarts (one more than stock) and fits perfectly.Installation does not require taking off the tie rod like the Mag-HytecDana 60 front cover for Second Generation trucks does. Therefore,it is relatively quick and easy to install this cover. lt is an excellentupgrade for functionality as well as appearance.

Mag-Hytec front differential cover installed on the 2004 Turbo Diesel.

TST Economy Module and Diagnostic Tools

Mark Chappfe of TST Products (812-342-6141.; www.tstproducts.com) recently told me about three new products they are almostready to release. First, they will offer an economy module, similarto the PowerMax-GR, but without fueling additions. Second, theyare developing an injector shut-off box for the '03-up common-railengines. This unit will allow you to turn off one injector at a timejust like removing a spark plug wire on a gasoline engine. This toolwill enable you to find out which cylinder has a problem causing arough-running or engine miss situation. Cummins and Dodge havediagnostic boxes, but they are too expensive for most small shopsand individual enthusiasts/owners. The TST unit will be pricedaffordably for the rest of us. Third, TST plans to offer a gauge tomeasure rail pressure using the Bosch sensor that is on the rail.You can then tell, within the pressure range capability of the sensor,whether enhanced fueling is overcoming the capability of the CP3high pressure pump to supply enough fuel to the rail. You can alsotell how much pressure is being added by a pressure-type fuelingenhancement box.

Dillerenlid Covers lhal wonr]gi'Ye oul on lhose lough huuls

I Routine arle maintenance withoutlemouing the coYer

I Magnetic dipstick and drain plug+All stainles steel hardware included) Finned aircmft aluninum casting|0*ings leqrire n0 sealant 0r gasket

f Euerything included for "do it yourcelf"scruice and installation

American Axle front differential on a 2004 Turbo Diesel.with cover removed.

6ilITJ

Model 70 inside viewand all oarts included.

Wrh?6',lilffitblnsdfiA,tsr'BilnilffiL

Ihe lttlag-ffic nar Difrennilial colet b aailable brfie lhm modeb /|4, m, il & 8ll,Dodge 12-9.25,& Dodge Fmnil 6ll, Fod Modeh 1118,8, 124.75, 12:10.fr,12-10.5 &

Dana 60 lron[ lor Hl50 up h 98, fnnl 99 & up coming,GM modeh 11F8.5, 1&9.5, 14.10.5 & 1+12.0

, Almavailable DEWXET0AilSMISSI0IN PANStuIhdge W-D & m-DD, M ffiMqn aN 0M 4IilE & 41fl8.

Mog-Hyreq Inc. Von Nuys, Calilwntrq tel (8181785-8325www.mog-hfiec.com

HAVE RAM WILL TRAVEL . . . . continued

MORE TURBOCHARGER DEVELOPMENTS

Afew recent turbocharger developments were summarized in lssue51 (page 94). In this issue I will continue the overview of somerecent turbocharger developments for our Turbo Diesels. Whydo I seem to spend so much time on turbochargers? Over theyears Cummins owners have found that we can add a lot of powerwhile retaining the engine's reliability. However, the most notableproblems and limitations that I have encountered were related toturbochargers. The only engine failures I've experienced werethose of the turbocharger. Sure, I was pushing them far beyondtheir design limits. Still, I had more trouble achieving reliability withdecent responsiveness from this one engine componenUsystemthan from all others combined. I had some rather spectacularfailures, at least as impressive as those shown by guest speakersfrom turbocharger companies who presented seminars at MayMadness. In the search for 800 horsepower exhaust down-pipeswere chewed up by exiting turbine wheels, compressor wheelsgrenaded, turbine wheels and shafts were bent and broken, andboth intercoolers and exhaust systems were filled with oil and bitsof pinwheel-metal numerous times.

Today we can buy much better turbos than ever before. In particular,we can now find turbos that are specially designed for use with thesubstantial power additions from electronic fueling modules addedto the current '03 and newer HPGR engines. Several years ago ittook a lot of work to get 400 horsepower and above. The readilyavailable oversized turbochargers at that time suffered from a lot oflag and/or were rather fragile when subjected to the sudden spool-up and spool-down characteristics of a high-horsepower, modifiedengine. Those oversized turbos were simply units designed forlarger engines, and in those applications lag-time and spool-upwould be minimized. However, their horsepower ratings were muchlower than what was being attained by the "hot-rodded" B engines.Thus, they were not good or durable choices, but they were all thatwas available. Today's turbos are generally much more reliableunder such abuse and better support the air flow requirements ofmodified Cummins B-series engines.

Three turbochargers. At left, the stock Holset from a2004.5 Turbo Diesel; in the center, an HX 40; on the right,

the Diesel Dynamics/Edge Ball Bearing turbo.

lf a catastrophic turbocharger failure occurs, the exhaust wheelwill probably chew holes in the down pipe as it roto-rooters its waydown the exhaust system. Plenty of engine oil will also go thatway because the seal at the turbine end of the cartridge will bedamaged.

On the air intake side, if the compressor wheel is damaged, piecesof it will go to the intercooler, along with a slug of engine oil.

Damaged compressor and turbine wheels and shaft.

lf the intercooler gets contaminated by a turbo failure, it must beremoved and cleaned. You do not want any pieces of metal to worktheir way.to the engine and waste oil will coat the tubes, carbonizewith heat, and insulate the tubes so they won't be efficient at coolingthe charge air. On the Second Generation Turbo Diesels, you needto remove the radiator before the intercooler can be removed. Onthe Third Generation trucks the intercooler removal is relativelyeasy. First remove the booSt piping from both sides, and rinse outany contamination.

Boost pipes. Driver's side on top, from intercooler to engine.Passenger's side on bottom, from turbocharger to intercooer.

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Compressor wheel pieces recovered from an intercooler.

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HAVE RAM WILL TRAVEL . . . . continued

lf your setup has a separate aluminum elbow at the turbo compressordischarge, be careful not to lose the orange O-ring seal that goesbetween the elbow and the compressor outlet. Then remove theheader cross-bar and loosen the air conditioning condenser so youcan pull out the intercooler.

Efficiency Maps

In the search for information, some of us compare air intakecompressor efficiency maps, although a complete evaluationrequires the study of exhaust turbine maps as well. Bigger is notalways better. Drivability of the turbocharger with respect to surgingand spool up characteristics can be seen to the left of the graph,with pressure ratio on the y axis and mass flow on the x axis. Theheight of the curve tells us how well the turbocharger works athigh boost and the right side of the graph shows how much air thecompressor can flow. Turbos work on pressure ratio, not absoluteboost in pounds per square inch (psi). The pressure ratio is the ratioof air pressure coming out of the compressor versus air pressuregoing into the compressor. A ratio of one means that zero boost isbeing produced. A pressure ratio of two tells us that about 14.7 psiis being produced, at sea level. At higher altitudes, a pressure ratioof one corresponds to less boost in psi. Hence, at high altitude it isnot only harder to "make boost" but the boost your turbo achievesis hotter than that pressure would be at sea level (hence, fewer airmolecules per pound) from the extra work the turbo did to make it.A given amount of boost is also harder on the turbo, meaning fartherup the map because the pressure ratio is higher for a given massflow of air. Turbocharged engines do lose power with altitude, justnot as big a loss as normally aspirated engines.

o m 4 0 6 f 8 0ilass Flow

jStandard HX4o 15uPer4o lPto52

As an example, inspect the map for the Holset HX40 (a commonlyused upgrade turbocharger for our B engines that comes from theCummins C series engine). Holset has introduced a "Super 40"turbo which is efficient at higher pressure ratios and can providea little more mass flow of boost air. They have also introduced a"Pro 52" turbo based on the HX50 and HX55 that are used on evenlarger Cummins engines. lf all you look at is mass flow, the Super40 can flow much more air than the HX40. However, its drivabilitywill be lower becaJse the left side of the efficiency map is farther tothe right than for the HX40 series. This shift of the map toward theright (more mass flow) tells us that the turbo is less friendly to smallB-sized engines in situations of low air flow You will experiencemore surge and possibly more chance of damage to the turbo under

c6co:'o|,|c,o.

. t

i / :

Removing the intercooler from a2004 Turbo Diesel

2004 intercooler with inlet at the bottom for flushing out contamination

HAVE RAM WILL TRAVEL . . . . continued

street driving situations. With head porting and camshaft changes,the B engine can flow more than stock, but may not be able to useall the extra air flow capabilities of such a turbo, particularly at lowpressure ratios. lt is only at high boost that our l i tt le engines caningest large masses of air. A small exhaust (turbine) housing helpsspool up a large turbo, but when it really gets to workin' it restrictsexhaust air f low. And, under high horsepower situations, the turbocan overspeed. Hence the 16 square centimeter cross-sectionalarea of the Pro 52 turbo's turbine housing is a compromise. The 1 9sq. cm. housing that I used with the HX55 gave slow spool-up, but asmaller housing results in exhaust restriction and over-speeding ofthe turbo with higher boost when the horsepower is high (probablyaround 550 or so). While the shaft and bearings are larger inlarger turbos, the larger diameter wheels are heavy and createlots of inertia. They don't take kindly to extreme acceleration anddeceleration from abrupt, large changes in fueling.

Turbo lag is a major problem with many aftermarket turbochargers.To keep exhaust gas temperatures low at full power, a tooJarge turbo(intake and exhaust side) is often sold to truck owners. As soon asit is installed, the customer finds out that it won't build boost or spoolup anywhere near as quickly as the stock turbo did. Furthermore,the computerized engines withhold fueling because boost is low,further hurting performance. lf the fueling box overcomes thislimitation from the engine's computer, large clouds of smokeappear, because the fuel is not burned properly (due to a lack ofair) at low boost. This turbo builds boost quickly without going pasta reasonable boost l imit (over-boosting), even under heavy loadswith large fueling increases over stock.

As another example, consider the turbocharger series used in ourTurbo Diesels from '03-up. The stock turbo is intended to supportstock power (or slightly more) while enabling compliance withstringent emissions standards. The compressor is reasonablyefficient to 25-30 psi boost, but as boost raises, the temperature ofthe compressed air is greatly increasing. Hence, you are not gainingthe expected mass flow increase at 35 psi over that obtained at 25psi. Much of the pressure increase is due to heating of the air. lfyou took chemistry in school, you may remember PV = nRT. Thisequation expresses the relationship of pressure (P) and volume (V)to the number of moles (amount) of air at a given temperature T, withR being the "gas constant." Thinking about this equation helps us'understand that an increase in pressure gan be offset by an increasein temperature. The amount of air (n)'may or may not increasedepending on whether increases in temperature and pressurecancel out, or are skewed favorably or unfavorably. In the caseof the '03-'04 turbo, exhaust gas temperature (upon acceleration)increases about twice as fast as boost goes from 25 to 30 psi as itwould if the turbo were wastegated at 25 psi.

The increase in egt tells us that the charge air is hotter, theremay or may not be more air (n) at the higher boost, but there isnot enough of an increase in the amount of air to cancel out thedetrimental effect of charge air heating. On the exhaust side, thehousing size is only 9 square centimeters, half the size that wasused in '89. The wastegate, when fully open, adds about 2.5 sq.cm. more, but it is sti l l less than the 12 sq. cm. that was used from'94-'02. This small size on the exhaust side is intended to-anddoes, very effectively-provide boost air quickly to burn more fuelcleanly. The fact that an aftermarket turbocharger can easily add25 horsepower with stock fueling strongly suggests that this 9 sq.

TDR IOO www.turbodieselrellister.com

cm exhaust (turbine) side of the stock turbo is on the small side ofacceptable, a situation necessitated by emissions regulations.

Twin turbochargers have become popular with the performancecrowd. Typically with a twin turbo setup, the exhaust goes throughthe turbine housing of the small turbo, mounted on the exhaustmanifold, spooling it up. The exhaust gas then goes into the turbinehousing of the large turbo, and from there to the muffler and tailpipe.Outside air goes into the large turbo's compressor and out to theinlet of the little one. When spooled, the little turbo is getting inletair at the pressure put out by the big turbocharger, around 30-40psi usually. One advantage to twins is that the little turbochargersees the 90 psi boost that is developed, but not the zero of ambientair when it is spooled up. Hence, its pressure ratio is reasonableand it can be within its efficiency map and live a long life. A singleturbo would see zero boost at the inlet (14.7 psi ambient or so), andwhatever it produces at the outlet.

High pressure ratios are hard on the turbo, overly heat the chargeair, and greatly increase the risk of breakage, surge, and "barking,"especially when the change in boost is rapid as it will be in a racingor performance application. "Barking" is an informal name forthe sound made when the charge air at high pressure forces itsway back into the turbocharger compressor and tries to spin thecompressor wheel backwards. Barking occurs when the turboceases to produce boost (fueling is cut suddenly) while at highboost. Barking a turbo is a good way to break it.

Gommon Gauses of Failure

Lack of lubricationLubrication not only prevents friction wear but also cools and cleansthe internal parts of the center housing (known as the cartridge).Low engine oil pressure, restricted oil feed or drain lines, improper ordirty oil, fast starts, acceleration in cold weather, and hot shut-downare common causes for failure of the bearings within the cartridge.Especially with high horsepowel hot-rodded Turbo Diesels, the oilshould be warmed up before a hard run, such as on the highwayor dynamometer. Shutting down the engine while exhaust gastemperatures are high (over 400 degrees, especially) can causethe oil to bake and form carbonaceous solids that are abrasive andprevent subsequent oiling from reaching needed areas.

Foreign materialParticles like rocks, dirt, or bits of metal can damage the fins of theintake compressor or exhaust turbine wheels. Even if the wheeldoes not break, it will get out of balance, causing premature bearingfailure and/or shaft bending.

High exhaust gas temperaturesAs mentioned high exhaust temperatures can cause the oil in thecartridge to coke up. The exhaust (turbine) wheel and housing cancrack or erode from excessive heat.

Less than opiimal or defective parts.Particularly for high horsepower and high boost applications, turbinespeeds can be much higher than in stock applications. Quality ofmaterials and balancing must be up to the extreme stresses placedupon the parts. Disconnecting the wastegate on a stock enginecan also result in over-speeding the turbo.

HAVE RAM WILL TRAVEL . . . . continued

Exam ples of Gurrently Available Turbochargers

The following examples are presented in alphabetical order bysupplier. And, other vendors have products which they feel haveadvantages, as well. Contact your favorite vendors to assist youin selecting a turbo for your application.

AIS Dlese/ Performance

Fellow TDR writer Doug Leno has worked with ATS in testing theirAurora series of turbos. He has presented some results in lssue49, page 38. You can reach ATS at www.atsdiesel.com or 866-490-5576.

BD Diesel Peiormance

The BD Super "B" Single Turbo was designed by BD DieselPerformance tor 12 and 24-valve'94-'04 engines with 300-425horsepower. Each turbo kit is tuned for the engine and includesall exhaust, intake and oil adapters, and a one year warranty.The extended tip compressor wheel design is an improvementover conventional designs. The overall length of the extended tipassists in reducing the intake compressor surge, and the wheel'slow weight, compared to the amount of flow, results in quick bottomend response. The Super B turbine housing is dual volute with adual volute wastegate. An adjustable wastegate is available. JerryNielsen discussed this turbo in lssue 47, page 138.

Their twin turbos are rated for 500 horsepower with 60 psi. lf youuse an O-ringed head you can set the wastegate for 70-80 psi.Each turbo shares the load so there is no need to worry aboutover spinning them. In this twin package the Extreme Super B canbe substituted for the Super B if you want to go up to the 700-800horsepower range. BD has their twin turbos set up so that you cangraduate from the single to the twins with lower incremental cost,just that of the second turbo and a few pipes. The twins can beinstalled with the stock oil cooler in place. The turbos are made byBorg Warner with components selected by BD through thoroughtesting and design reviews. Jerry Nielsen covered BD's Twin Turbosetup in lssue 48, page 136.

A problem with high boost and flow is that the stock intercooler isrestrictive. BD offers a high flow intercooler which reduces chargeair temperatures much more than the stock intercooler does andreduces pressure drop across the intercooler from 8 psi to 1 psi.Reach the BD folks at www.bd-power.com, www.dieselperformance.com, or 800-887-5030.

Diesel Dynamics/Edge Ball Bearing Turbo

This turbocharger is a unique development for Dodge/Cumminsapplications in that the other turbos are bronze sleeve-bearingtypes. Ball bearings are more resistant to problems from hot shut-downs and poor oil quality, but are not commonly used due to theirhigher cost.

This new turbocharger is a direct replacement for the stockturbocharger. All parts that you need are included in the kit. This

premium turbocharger supports the fueling increases afforded byinjectors and power boxes, and will add 25 horsepower on its own,even with stock fueling levels. Physically, the turbocharger has anappearance that is a cut above the common look due to its polishedcompressor housing and gold anodized compressor back plate.

The capacity of the Edge turbo provides much greater airflow thanthe stock turbo.The DD/Edge ball bearing turbocharger has a one-year warranty.It was developed in conjunction with Turbonetics. You can contactDiesel Dynamics at www.dieseldynamics.com or 800-628-8111, orEdge at www.edgeproducts.com or 888-360-edge.

High Tech Turbo

High Tech Turbo offers several options for a turbo on your Ramengine. HTT has been selling, rebuilding, and building turbos since1986. They are distributors for Holset, Borg Warner, Schwitzer andother major turbo suppliers. They can supply stock Holset turbos,or performance turbos from Holset such as the Super 40 or Pro 52and hybrids. They also sell Schwitzer turbos such as the S300G.High Tech Turbo offers the high performance HTB series (fivedifferent turbos) to cover the 350-600 horsepower range, with theoption of upgrading to the next level of turbo at a modest cost. Youcan contact them at www.htturbo.com or 801-304-0700.

Holset Turbos

Holset is the Cummins division that supplies original equipmentturbos on Cummins engines. They are now offering several highperformance versions of their turbos. We used their Super 40 andPro 52 high performance turbos as examples in this article. Themain differences between the standard HX 40 and the Super 40are the compressor wheel and balancing precision.

The Super 40 and Pro 52 Holset turbos are available from any HolsetDistributor. These turbos were developed to be ready out-of-the-boxto use on your Dodge Ram. Thdse turbos are high speed balancedfrom the plant. The Pro52 does require an exhaust adapter, whichis available from Holset. lt has a 4.5 inch turbine outlet with a halfmarmon flange (flat). The Super 40 has a four-inch outlet with afull marmon flange (beveled). Both turbos have 16 sq. cm. turbinehousings. The Super 40 is wastegated but the Pro 52 is not. Maxrotor speed for the 40 is 130,000 and for the 52 it is 112,000 rpm.The Holset part numbers are:Super4O - 4027888Pro52- 4027895Pro52 adapter- 4038822

lndustial lnjection Seruice

Industrial Injection offers high performance turbos with features suchas the Borg Warnelr extended tip compressor wheel, large turbinewheels, and a dual volute wastegate. They can be reached atwww.industrialinjection.com or 800-955-0476.

Joe DonnellyTDR Writer

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