Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) stock hx40

[RBratby]

is the stock hx 40 a good turbo? i know a guy that has one for sale and wants $350 for it. the turbo is new and still in the box. what is the difference between the pdr hx40 and a stock hx40. the hx40 for sale has a 19 exhaust housing on it. is this turbo worth it or should i let it pass me by? thanks

 

[Forrest Nearing]

you gotta realize that there are a LOT of different HX40 compressor wheels out there... you want one that's 60-62mm on the inducer. should be a 6 blade wheel.



if it doesn't have that, you don't want it IMHO. also, the 19 housing needs to be replaced w/ a 16cm wastegated housing.



I'd probably let it pass by unless you have a line on a 16cm gated housing cheap (and it's got the right compressor of course)



Forrest

 

[RBratby]

from the picture i have it has 8 blades. is this the right number or is the wheel to big?

 

[Forrest Nearing]

actually, the wheel is probably too SMALL...



Forrest

 

[RBratby]

i just need a turbo. i have egt issues when im towing. im usually the last one up the hill and the first to hit the next one. if you dont think this is a good turbo can you lead me in the path of a good choice? i want a good all around turbo. i like the pdr hx40 but i was told they have a weak shaft and they break. the turbo also has to be reliable. is this a common problem with the hx40's or is it do to not taking care of them? thanks

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

RB I would steer clear of it. There are actually scores of HX40 variations and only a very few are up to the task, and the correct PNs are carefully guarded by a couple of vendors who know them.



If you're looking for a good value on a turbo check out either a HX35/40 hybrid like the Dodgezilla (who people are very happy with) or the PDR35 which has the HX40 pinwheel with at least 14cm housing (wastegated). But I think the PDR40 is a good way to go and definitely a lot tougher than a standard 40. He installs a larger bearing, balances it more carefully and increases bearing oiling. Very few blow up.



Vaughn

 

[chrleb1]

All HX-40s are weak. You are just dealing with a small shaft and large pin wheels. You get too much spool speed and then it says good-bye. kinda simple. In my opinion, find a schwitzer. There are a couple of variations of the S-300 that are pretty good. Looks around in this field before going to an HX-40. Besides, you will need to change the exhaust housing. The 19 housing will create a lot of lag, good top end though.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

the PDR HX40 uses the same turbine shaft that's in the turbo you're looking at.



I've got a stock HX40 in my truck... I've run it at 40-42psi for ~15k miles now, and I let off at full boost all the time...



I would get a 35/40 hybrid...



here's a silly questions, why not just pop a 16cm housing on your current turbo?



Forrest

 

[RBratby]

i would just do the 16 housing but i was not sure if that would help my egt issues. heres another question. i have asked it before but no one replied. how much power does my truck have? also would the 16 help me out or is it a waste of money? thanks

 

[TORQUE THIS]

For what you will spend on a 40, you could get a HTB2 from HighTechTurbo and have a lot of room to grow!

 

[JGheen]

For what you will spend on a 40, you could get a HTB2 from HighTechTurbo and have a lot of room to grow!

What is the difference between the HX-40 and the HTB2? Why would the HTB2 give you more room to add more fuel until it is time to go to twins?

 

[Forrest Nearing]

putting a bigger housing on your stock turbo will probably be your biggest bang for the buck. depending on how often and how heavy you pull a 16 or 18 should help quite a bit...



as for the HX40 vs. HTB2 debate? I've got $250 in my HX40 after selling my stock turbo... you ain't getting anywhere NEAR an HTB2 for that!!

 

[chrleb1]

Going to a 16, 18, or 21 housing is just a band-aid. No matter how big the exhaust housing is, you are limited on how much your compressor side can flow. If you want a large turbo that can flow quite a bit, go to a B1 or something similar. 35 and 40s have only a 7mm shaft. Schwitzers (b1, s-300, wsb, usb) usually come with a larger shaft and larger bearing area. This will make it last longer and lead to less worrying if you are going to blow it.