Is a turbocharging a old diesel reliable?

Dirty Bluford

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I got a 86 f-250 ive been thinking about slapping a turbo kit on, its a old truck whoever it runs great and i dont want to ruin that by slapping a turbo on it, what are some things i should upgrade and replace before turbocharging the truck besides head studs?
 

catbird7

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Factory turbo with factory wastegate setting will last a long time. I added a turbo to a +200,000 mile engine and it's running strong with more than 300,000 miles. You will need at least a pyro to monitor exhaust temps because climbing mountains will escalate exhaust temps, I back out of the throttle @ 1100 degrees to avoid engine damage. Since the computer for these trucks is located between your ears, it's the drivers responsibility to monitor temps.
 

Big Bart

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How many miles on it?

I would do a compression test to look for any issues that can be addressed when you pull it. If bottom end has a issue probably best to fix or hold on turbo.

I personally think if you have decent compression and put new head gaskets and studs you should be in good shape. Ditto on pyrometer. But do water temp, oil pressure, and boost when doing it. As you have red the gauges act like idiot lights and do not accurately depict small changes in temp, oil pressure, or voltage.

Some other ideas to consider when you do the turbo. Many suggest pulling the motor vs fighting it in place, especially when studding it.
1) Do front and rear main seals while it is out.
2) Change out all the coolant hoses.(Over heating is the death of a engine.)
3) Replace the glow plugs (At least the ones under the turbo.)
4) Replace your return lines, o-rings, and caps.
5) Put a new lift pump in.
6) Do your oil cooler seals.
7) Have your heads gone through, at least new valve guide seals. Only take to reputable shop and do not have them take anything off the face. Lots of good reading about do’s and don’ts on the heads. Maybe print and share with the machine shop.
8) Check with turbo vendor but many here said they needed to turn up the fuel metering 2 flats. (2/6th of a turn, not two full turns.)
9) Many suggest setting boost limit to 10psi as to not push The engine too hard.

Some other challenges. If buying used, check the turbo bearings are not shot and not too much play in the turbo bearings. Make sure you get all the parts buying used. (Brackets, down pipes, valve cover for cdr, etc.) Some turbos are tranny specific, so match to your tranny.(Not sure if just manual or auto specific or more specific like C6 is different from the E40D. Or ZF5 vs T18. Other members can weigh in.)

It sounds like Banks still sells them new if you have deeper pockets. They also still sell parts if you buy used.. Most find they have to modify the foot and wallow out a couple of holes to get it on.

I believe it is classic diesel designs who also sells new and used turbo parts if you come up short.
 

Cubey

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FWIW, my 1985 RV's original, low mileage (80k mi) engine has a turbo that was put on around 1985 when the RV was sold, and it's fine.
 
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u2slow

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I got a 86 f-250 ive been thinking about slapping a turbo kit on, its a old truck whoever it runs great and i dont want to ruin that by slapping a turbo on it, what are some things i should upgrade and replace before turbocharging the truck besides head studs?

The degree of turbocharging is key. A little is likely not a problem. Lots of boost and fuel... different story. I wouldn't be doing it to an old 6.9L, but that's JMHO.

If its automatic, you'll get a whole new experience with a manual trans. My 2 cents.
 

Norark

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FWIW, my 1985 RV's original, low mileage (80k mi) engine has a turbo that was put on around 1985 when the RV was sold, and it's fine.
Same here. An ATS turbo was put on my 84 F250 in 1985, and it’s still a strong runner.
 

StephenZ

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Just recently as of the last 3 months did a 6.9 turbo install. It went pretty smooth, made my own up and downpipes. However, I did put new head gaskets, and ARP head studs. As of last weekend, I had some downtime and got a little intoxicated while at a tractor pull, and when I got home decided we were pulling the IDI out of the 1984 F350 we had it in, to build it more. When I say build it more, redo the bottom end. While intoxicated I forgot that I wouldn't be able to reuse the head gaskets that I had just put in the truck not even 2 months prior. So now I am essentially putting a new bottom end in the truck, new rings, new bearings, the full 9 yards. Wish I would have done this 2 months ago so I didn't have to buy the new head gaskets, but overall it was pretty solid for being over the 150k mile mark with the bank's turbo that I threw into it.

While I was at it this week, I also took the bank's turbo apart, couldn't get a new gasket for the turbo, so used some black RTV and it actually has a better whistle than before. It had no shaft play, forwards/backward, or side to side, had the turbo serviced at my great uncle's machine shop and they said for its age it was in pretty decent shape. That being said, I'm going to run the turbo till it takes a crap. The motor itself should be ideally brand new after this coming Saturday, so if you want I can shoot you some DM's with updates. The only thing not being changed out would be the cam, crank, and old pistons, they're still in good shape.

THE PYROMETER is a must though when running these turbos on these NA's, like the guy above me said about the 1100 degree mark. I think I read somewhere a few months ago that the 1100 degree mark has to be stated below, that you're playing with fire past that point, being that the pistons are aluminum and aluminum melting point is 1221* (Don't quote me, but if my memory serves me correct that is correct).

I've had pretty good luck at the local yard near me, they have quite a few old ATS turbos on their old internationals, and they only want $50, plus you pulling it. Tried to offer the guy $100 for him to pull it, and he countered back $50, you pull it and you get the full exhaust and pipes setup. So, therefore, we're in the process of obtaining a 1993 7.3 nonturbo, which we will need a turbo for, and will probably run a low boost ATS on it.
 

quickster

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I went to the pick n pull close buy and asked the guy running it about finding a turbo for my 6.9, and he told me good luck. They are like gold down here.
 

Cubey

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I went to the pick n pull close buy and asked the guy running it about finding a turbo for my 6.9, and he told me good luck. They are like gold down here.

They come up on ebay now and then.
 

03wr250f

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Is it a new radiator? Because it sounds like it may be clogged
Running down the road with a empty truck you should be 190-200*. If you are hitting 220 you are overheating running empty imo
Is the radiator new or used out of a factory truck? I would toss another motorcraft thermostat in just to check
I'm also curious if you have a head gasket starting to go causing high temps. Ie: combustion getting into cooling system causing it to overheat.
Not a fun solution but could take the bumper off and see if that helps.
Go to napa and buy a napa brand rad cap should say stant or have a s on the cap itself. Stant makes the best rad caps
I don't remember if you are hearing your fan clutch lock in but if it isn't it may be bad as well. Fans do actually provide some cooling running down the highway and are needed.


In order I would go
Is rad new?
Stant cap 13 lb
Oe Thermostat
Fan clutch
Bumper removal


I would go through quite a bit more before I ripped heads off.

Head gasket


I also know it's not doing it in winter so it makes it harder

How many miles on it?

I would do a compression test to look for any issues that can be addressed when you pull it. If bottom end has a issue probably best to fix or hold on turbo.

I personally think if you have decent compression and put new head gaskets and studs you should be in good shape. Ditto on pyrometer. But do water temp, oil pressure, and boost when doing it. As you have red the gauges act like idiot lights and do not accurately depict small changes in temp, oil pressure, or voltage.

Some other ideas to consider when you do the turbo. Many suggest pulling the motor vs fighting it in place, especially when studding it.
1) Do front and rear main seals while it is out.
2) Change out all the coolant hoses.(Over heating is the death of a engine.)
3) Replace the glow plugs (At least the ones under the turbo.)
4) Replace your return lines, o-rings, and caps.
5) Put a new lift pump in.
6) Do your oil cooler seals.
7) Have your heads gone through, at least new valve guide seals. Only take to reputable shop and do not have them take anything off the face. Lots of good reading about do’s and don’ts on the heads. Maybe print and share with the machine shop.
8) Check with turbo vendor but many here said they needed to turn up the fuel metering 2 flats. (2/6th of a turn, not two full turns.)
9) Many suggest setting boost limit to 10psi as to not push The engine too hard.

Some other challenges. If buying used, check the turbo bearings are not shot and not too much play in the turbo bearings. Make sure you get all the parts buying used. (Brackets, down pipes, valve cover for cdr, etc.) Some turbos are tranny specific, so match to your tranny.(Not sure if just manual or auto specific or more specific like C6 is different from the E40D. Or ZF5 vs T18. Other members can weigh in.)

It sounds like Banks still sells them new if you have deeper pockets. They also still sell parts if you buy used.. Most find they have to modify the foot and wallow out a couple of holes to get it on.

I believe it is classic diesel designs who also sells new and used turbo parts if you come up short.
While I agree with this
If you are just turbocharging and keeping boost under 10 psi I wouldn't even worry about turning the fuel up let alone pulling the motor. It just isn't something most people can do.

It is all still valid info but the turbo kits were designed to literally be a bolt on upgrade, not a pull the motor upgrade.
Install the turbo, check for play. Russrepair.com can rebuild it if need be.
Add aftermarket coolant temp gauge,Pyro and boost gauges
See how the truck responds after that and go from there
 

OlKoot

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I've been running one for years, off a 6.9. and on my 1989 7.3 idi. Just doing some exhaust work. Works great. But different
 

OlKoot

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I get up to 10 inches of boost. Helps with mileage 15% plus. And the hills. Sounds cool too
 

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