Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Need pros&cons on mods considering

[TJMIV]

I`m considering EDM`s Mach2`s & Rip`s 4" exhaust, also considering turbo upgrade. Talked to Rip about turbo`s & he said the PDR-HX35 was virtually indestructible & that he was trying to get a Dodgezilla to test & possibly sell. E-mailed Rip a couple of months later to get his opinion on the Dodgezilla & he said that he has been amazed @ the performance & durability to this point. Will this work for general towing needs with out causing major EGT issues. Also confused about different size housings for turbos ,some are wastegated some not, some are 14cm,16cm,18cm,& so on, what do I need to serve my purpose. I would like to hear from some of you that have a similar set-up with either turbo so I will know what I can expect as for durability. This is a daily driver so I don`t need major downtime problems cropping up. Any & all comments & suggestions appreciated. Sorry for such a long post, but I want to measure twice & cut once. T. I. A. TJMIV

 

[Sticks]

You had better put a grand in the savings account for a clutch. The stock one may or may not hold up to it.



As for Turbos and towing, you might want to post this in the Towing/Hauling fourm.

 

[Bob Wagner]

I've been running the dodgezilla since last friday with a 14cm wastegated housing.



Prior same set up with PDR35



Both turbos have great low end performance but when you hit the top with the dodgezilla the contest is over.



With Mach2's you could go with either turbo.



The only drawback of the dodgezilla so far is its a lot louder in the cab compared to the PDR35 (ordered TAG this morning)



I do have a 10k 5er and have not towed with the dz yet and I can think of any reason why it would not perform in a towing application.



and I agree with sticks, clutch will be in your near future because these edm injectors, kick ass

 

[2ndgen2500]

I love my edms, i wanted a bigger turbo, but now, i am thinking of going up to a B1, i tow alot, and i like to keep my egts as low as possible. the hx40 doesnt spool as fast, but it keeps my truck nice and cool. .

 

[PC12Driver]

I've had my EDM Mach 2's in for about two weeks now, and I absolutely love them! At full throttle the EGT's were only about 50-100 degrees over the stock injectors (with and w/o the EZ). The EGT's do climb faster, but so does the boost, so the temps don't get out of hand. Full throttle, sixth gear @ 90 mph I reach about 1,100 degrees pre-turbo. That's with the stock HX35/12, 4" exhaust, and an AFE intake. So, a different turbo isn't really needed with this combo (EGT-wise), unless you're looking to eliminate some lag.



I do plan on dumping the EZ for a DDUFM, and when I do that I'll also get the Dodgezilla with a wastegated 14cm housing. I don't want much more boost that 40psi or so (I like my current headgasket), thus the wastegate. I think the 16cm housing would be a bit laggy for my typical driving habits, and I don't think the 12cm would be big enough to support the 450hp-ish from the DDUFM/Mach2 combo.



First things first, though. What I have now will slip the clutch in 5th and 6th (when the tires aren't spinning!!!), so I'll be giving SBC a call here pretty quick.

 

[TJMIV]

Thanks guys for your input , so many things to try & so little time to try it in. So if I`m gettin this right ,I will have to save up for the clutch if I do the injectors & the turbo, but if I do just the injectors, my stock clutch may last awhile according to my driving habits. Also on the wastegated, non-wastegated issue, which one & why. I see where PC12DRIVER mentions the headgasket, is it just a matter of overboost that causes a major problem?I still don`t understand where the different size housings come into play and where this measurement is taken. According to what you guys are saying, I probably need to save up for the clutch first & then go for the turbo, also if I go with Rips 4" exhaust will it work with this turbo upgrade at a later date. Sorry for such a long reply & I appreciate all of your thoughts in this matter while I struggle to free myself before I get to the VANISHING POINT!

 

[jerrethomas]

Originally posted by TJMIV

I see where PC12DRIVER mentions the headgasket, is it just a matter of overboost that causes a major problem?I still don`t understand where the different size housings come into play and where this measurement is taken.

overboost is a major killer of headgaskets. the different sizes of housings come into play on this to. it all depends on what you are going to do with the truck and the way you want it to respond. smaller housings will spool up faster but will suffer on top end where you want airflow to keep the egt's at a safe point. a bigger housing will be slower to spool up but will move more air for the top end to keep the egt's cooler.

 

[PC12Driver]

The way I think of it is fuel=power=higher egts, air=cooling=lower egts. The injectors (or a box) are what add the majority of the power, where the turbo is what provides the "cooling" to keep the exhaust temps in check. The turbo itself doesn't add much power (maybe 20 hp-ish or so for the DZ), but the extra air that it puts in the engine allows more fuel to be added, which is where you get the additional power. The turbo does change the way the power delivery will feel (i. e. more bottom end or more top end), typically with the larger turbos and housings putting more on the top and less on the bottom, and smaller turbos vice-versa. I think that's why the hybrid turbos (like the DZ) have become popular for this engine as a really nice mid range solution.



As far as housings, the non-wastegated variety is significantly less costly that a wastegated version. There is a point in a turbo's output where if the pressures get to high, the heat required to generate any more pressure will cancel the cooling effects of the turbo and EGT's will start to rise again. With an HX35 (for example) that occurs at about 34ish psi, so this is where you'd set the wastegate to limit boost. Any more psi's are useless, or could even hurt the EGT cause.



The difference between 12cm, 14cm, 16cm, etc. is the cross section of the exhaust turbine housing (the part that the exhaust blows through. Smaller cross sections result in more velocity through the turbo, thus higher turbine wheel speeds and more boost for a given exhaust output for the engine. But, smaller cross sections also mean more restriction, so when the power levels increase the exhaust can't get out of the engine fast enough and egt's will rise. This is how you can "tune" your turbo to fit your fueling needs. With just the Mach 2's you probably wouldn't need any more than a 12, maybe a 14. Once you add a box I'd say at least a 14.



Boost and timing advance can kill a headgasket. I'm planning a DZ with a wastegeted 14cm housing to control the boost and swapping to a Diesel Dynamics box to reduce the timing (compared to the standard EZ and Comp).



As far as clutches, you'll need one. The stocker might last a while with just the injectors, but add a box and it will be history. Also keep in mind that you'll be getting into a hp range where a improved fuel system will be needed for a healthy injector pump. And finally, the exhaust will work with the DZ turbo, since the back half that bolts to the exhaust is still an HX35, which is what you have on your stock truck.



Geeze, I didn't realize how much I've typed. Sorry to be so long winded.

 

[DwayneKelch]

PC12,



Great explanation... easy to understand!

 

[TJMIV]

Thanks PC12DRIVER for the detailed 411 on my questions,I appreciate you guys reading my post, thinking it through, and gettin the info back to me in way that I can understand in plain english. My main use of the truck will be to tow my customers boats, with the largest being a 30' twin-engine Sea Ray, most are 25' & down. At the same time I also need it to be a dependable daily driver around home & also to be able to head to the hills of N. C. & Tenn. Thanks again for all your help TJMIV