Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
I have the truck in my sig and I've had turbo problems for years. About 4 years ago on the advice of a garage, I replaced the stock Holset turbo with a new (not remanufactured) HE351VE. For a little over a year (just past the warrantee period) it worked fine. Then it started not engaging the exhaust brake when I needed it and peaking out on EGTs when I was either towing or had the Attitude box cranked up.
But the problem was very intermittent. Sometimes the VGT would work for hours without a hitch. Other times it would be stuck at one geometry. Occasionally when I was towing, if I pulled onto an off ramp, stopped the engine & reset the electronics, it would start working again. But that was about 30% of the time. Other times it would mysteriously start working again while driving down the road for no apparent reason.
When I described the problem to some other shops, the response was, "you need a new turbo". I told them I just got one and my understanding is that turbochargers should last longer than a set of tires. These shops just shrugged. I *strongly* suspected it was the actuator or something to do with the way the newer (2013+) Holset communicated with the ECU. But I really didn't have anyway to find out and I *really* didn't want to try to do the actuator alignment process myself - and nobody else wanted to either - thus the "new turbo" solution.
So years go by and I'm disgusted with this situation & still not wanting to spend another $2.5K+ on a turbo when I'm 95% sure it's not the turbo. The truck is still drivable and even works for towing, but I have to keep my foot out of it when the actuator has gone into it's sleep mode.
Then I see this product pop up on Geno's - an aftermarket actuator made by City Diesel. They describe my problems to a tee.
So I ordered one a couple weeks ago, had a buddy install it and the turbo now works like a champ. I am so stoked that 1) I didn't need to spend kilobucks on something that was perfectly good, and 2) I was right in my supposition that it was the Friggin actuator.
Moral of the story - Holset actuators suck eggs. The City Diesel (sold by Geno's) actuator is the bomb. If you're having intermittent turbo problems like I did and you're pretty sure the actual mechanics on the VGT are ok, trashing the Holset actuator and replacing it with the City Diesel part (which aligns itself!) is a very good way to go.
https://www.genosgarage.com/product...uator-gear-housing-cm-actkit2013/engine-turbo
But the problem was very intermittent. Sometimes the VGT would work for hours without a hitch. Other times it would be stuck at one geometry. Occasionally when I was towing, if I pulled onto an off ramp, stopped the engine & reset the electronics, it would start working again. But that was about 30% of the time. Other times it would mysteriously start working again while driving down the road for no apparent reason.
When I described the problem to some other shops, the response was, "you need a new turbo". I told them I just got one and my understanding is that turbochargers should last longer than a set of tires. These shops just shrugged. I *strongly* suspected it was the actuator or something to do with the way the newer (2013+) Holset communicated with the ECU. But I really didn't have anyway to find out and I *really* didn't want to try to do the actuator alignment process myself - and nobody else wanted to either - thus the "new turbo" solution.
So years go by and I'm disgusted with this situation & still not wanting to spend another $2.5K+ on a turbo when I'm 95% sure it's not the turbo. The truck is still drivable and even works for towing, but I have to keep my foot out of it when the actuator has gone into it's sleep mode.
Then I see this product pop up on Geno's - an aftermarket actuator made by City Diesel. They describe my problems to a tee.
So I ordered one a couple weeks ago, had a buddy install it and the turbo now works like a champ. I am so stoked that 1) I didn't need to spend kilobucks on something that was perfectly good, and 2) I was right in my supposition that it was the Friggin actuator.
Moral of the story - Holset actuators suck eggs. The City Diesel (sold by Geno's) actuator is the bomb. If you're having intermittent turbo problems like I did and you're pretty sure the actual mechanics on the VGT are ok, trashing the Holset actuator and replacing it with the City Diesel part (which aligns itself!) is a very good way to go.
https://www.genosgarage.com/product...uator-gear-housing-cm-actkit2013/engine-turbo
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