I need help selecting a new turbo

[LCaldwell]

OK, my stock turbo just bit the dust, and I'm looking for a new one. I thought about just getting a new stock unit, but truthfully I think I'm ready for more air. I recently added 50hp injectors, 4" exhaust, intake horn and did the cold air mod to the stock air box - the turbo was starting its spool at idle, by around 1800 RMP it was out of oomf.

So I'm looking for an aftermarket that will spool early yet give me a little more RPM wind up. I hardly ever tow anything, and when I do its a tiny little utility trailer (an insignificant load). The truck is my daily driver, so I don't want a turbo with so much lag that I leave black clouds everywhere.

I'm also looking to add a Smarty this summer, I'm hunting for a total of around 425-450 HP dependably out of the whole package.

Do you guys have any recomendations on turbos? Will a SuperB work for what I want? Or maybe the special?

The truck is an 03 QC 4x4 Auto

 

[JCasper]

425-450 I believe is doable with a stocker, but since you are buying one I would suggest looking at a HTT 62/12 or 62/14.



Give Rip at Source Automotive a call 503-654-9004. He usually has them in stock. That is where I got my turbo from. Great service and great prices. I think with an auto he will recommend a 62/12.

 

[LCaldwell]

Thanks for the info. I see you're running one, what is the lag like (compared to the stocker)?

 

[JCasper]

Very close to stock. Lag is almost a null point with this turbo.



I can run around on stock SW with no problem at all. I almost wish I had a bit more, maybe a 64/14. With an auto and only wanting 400HP or so I think you would be very happy with it.

 

[LCaldwell]

Its not that I only want 400hp, its that I want the truck to stay driveable. My understanding is that once you start to get to around 500hp on these trucks that the everyday drivabilty starts to go down - it becomes more hotrod than daily driver. Thats what I want to avoid.

 

[JCasper]

With a third gen you can turn them up and down so easy.



I daily drive with Smarty on 9, that is 463HP for me. I have made us much as 522 with the TST on, but that's a bit toasty.



My truck drives awesome.

 

[JJPage]

OK, my stock turbo just bit the dust, and I'm looking for a new one. I thought about just getting a new stock unit, but truthfully I think I'm ready for more air. I recently added 50hp injectors, 4" exhaust, intake horn and did the cold air mod to the stock air box - the turbo was starting its spool at idle, by around 1800 RMP it was out of oomf.



So I'm looking for an aftermarket that will spool early yet give me a little more RPM wind up. I hardly ever tow anything, and when I do its a tiny little utility trailer (an insignificant load). The truck is my daily driver, so I don't want a turbo with so much lag that I leave black clouds everywhere.



I'm also looking to add a Smarty this summer, I'm hunting for a total of around 425-450 HP dependably out of the whole package.



Do you guys have any recomendations on turbos? Will a SuperB work for what I want? Or maybe the special?



The truck is an 03 QC 4x4 Auto

A Super B would work great, the Special would be a bit laggy.



Another good choice would be a PS 62/65/14. A happy medium between the Super B and the Super B Special, would be a SPS 62/71/14.

 

[JamesStevens]

I was going to suggest the Super B as well, 425 hp is what it was designed for

James 07 auto

 

[LCaldwell]

Thanks,
I'm leaning to the SuperB single now, I could always upgrade to the twins down the road if I need to. Does anyone know without changing anything else right now, how will the SuperB single compare to the stocker that just died?

 

[JJPage]

Thanks,

I'm leaning to the SuperB single now, I could always upgrade to the twins down the road if I need to. Does anyone know without changing anything else right now, how will the SuperB single compare to the stocker that just died?

You are absolutely right about upgrading to twins later.



I never ran the Super B by itself, however I believe it will be very close, if not better than stock, as far as spool up(I have no lag in my compound set). I know it will flow alot more air.



I was amazed at the "stoutness" of this turbo when I opened my compound kit. This is a heavyduty charger, and with an adjustable wastegate, you can dial in your boost right where you want it.

 

[Tinman]

All the turbos mentioned would suit you desires well. I would like to add the Garrett BB turbo from Turbo Re-Source. I have been exceedingly impressed with my stage II. Even before I changed my cam, it spooled at least as fast as stock with stock SW. It can handle about 450 hp with the stock IC and cam. Stage III supposedly handles 500hp. With the cam and IC, it spools crazy fast and max EGTs on SW 9 is 1050 - 1100. It does cost more and the install is a bit more involved since it's water cooled. So far. I'm very satisfied.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Tinman I was following your thread from last year and was wondering how it turned out. I think you last posted you were still trying to install it and dropped a nut down the downpipe or something like that Anyway out of curiosity have you towed with it (any surge?) and do you have any pics of it installed?

Vaughn

 

[Tinman]

Yeah, I got it all together. I was going to put a full post about the end results but I haven't really got all the info I want yet. The smarty will put the tach to about 3500 rpms, so I'm gonna wait until I can do valve springs before I really womp on it. Tom got me the elbow that was for the pre-electronic waste gated turbo and it went on fine. The turbo to IC tube still just touches the air box but not enough to matter. I did have to take the exhaust off to retrieve my wrench and strange thing, the kitty got a case of diarrhea .



Tom told me the stage III would surge with the stock cam, but the stage II wouldn't. But, I can make mine surge just a little if I really try (with and without the stock cam) How? I live in the mountains and I drive on hilly curvy roads that can put me in a 45 mph, uphill turn that, if I push the throttle to just before the up shift point, the low end fueling of the Smarty can actually get me up the hill but the rpms are so low that I can get a little flutter/ surge. I don't like to do it if for no other reason it very hard on the transmission. But I can make is surge a little if I try, even with the PDR cam. I doubt it could be done under normal driving. I don't tow at all to speak of, but I think this would be a great towing turbo. I can't imagine there would be any surging with a load. The Smarty fueling certain has a lot to do with it. This thing really cools well above 20, and especially 30, psi. Even with me lugging the engine as much as I can with the auto, I can't exceed 1200 at low boost. (The cam and IC help with this a lot. ) Like I said, it spools very well. I can see the boost needle move in a parking lot in 1st gear. The water cooling allows it to be shut down at 450 rather that 350 so I guess that could be considered a "drivability" advantage.



The other thing I like is that it sings like no other turbo I've heard. The whistle is music, sounds like are real jet engine. Makes my little PDR 35 on the 01 (with no silencer ring) sound weak. I'd love to hear twin BB turbos.



I was going to take some pictures but that when out the window with the "trouble" I had. The pictures in the TDR mag. dealing with the stage III are better than any I would have. The water lines are the only thing different from any other turbo, but they are hard to see after install. The lines I have a hard lines with banjo bolts rather that the flexible lines mentioned in the TDR article. They required a little massaging to fit, but nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Thanks for the information Tinman. . . with the cost of the turbo it's doubtful I'd get one of these especially if it takes some massaging and fabricating to get it to fit. I wonder if 2nd Gens are any easier, like on my '98 12-valve? Hopefully more guys will go with this turbo option and Turbo Re-Source would put out the effort to create an install kit of some sort to truly make it a bolt-in installation.

Did you notice any mileage improvements, what kind of MPG do you get with your setup?

 

[231jasonS]

A Super B would work great, the Special would be a bit laggy.



Another good choice would be a PS 62/65/14. A happy medium between the Super B and the Super B Special, would be a SPS 62/71/14.

I just got the SPS 62 on my 06 and it made 541 HP with stock fueling and the hot edge.



It spools pretty well most all the time. It's gated to 48-50 PSI and keeps the egt's in check with the edge on L5 (below 1200) W hot unlock it will climb to 13-1400 if i stay in it for a long hard pull.



Overall its turned out to be a great turbo. I cant wait to get the trailer behind it.

 

[daytripper63]

I have the Super B special with a TST and a Smarty on level 1 (the smarty on anything above level 1 smokes like a freight train) I only use the Smarty for the reduced torque mgt which makes the acceleration from a stop much smoother. If I was to do it again I would have only bought the Smarty JR and stacked with my TST.

I dont have anymore turbo lag than I had with the stock turbo and if you already have 50hp injectors I would not get the reg super B, I would recommend the Super B Special and maybe add a TST and Smarty JR (unless you like smoking like a freight train)

 

[WoodChuck]

I recommend the High Tech Turbo 62-65 with the SS 13 housing. I gained about 50 horse but lost 2 MPG highway with the 14 housing.

Spool is close to stock but if you ever put a tighter converter in you'll notice some lag.

Another economical option is the turbo from a 04. 5 and up "600" motor.

 

[LCaldwell]

Hey, thanks guys lots of good info. I ended up going with the regular SuperB single. I am hoping to upgrade to the twins by next year. -I figure with the right programmer or combo of programmers I can always turn the power back down if I need to.
Does anyone know if I will need anything other than whats included to get it installed? It should be delivered here tomorrow, and I would like to put it right away.

 

[JamesStevens]

Let us know how U end up liking that turbo, I have herd good things about it and am considering one myself

James 07 auto

 

[LostTrucker]

I just got the SPS 62 on my 06 and it made 541 HP with stock fueling and the hot edge.



It spools pretty well most all the time. It's gated to 48-50 PSI and keeps the egt's in check with the edge on L5 (below 1200) W hot unlock it will climb to 13-1400 if i stay in it for a long hard pull.



Overall its turned out to be a great turbo. I cant wait to get the trailer behind it.

How do you like the WSB on your 06 megacab?