So just how much does a turbo help? Pics too!

[chris142]

My wife and I took the quads up into the mountains today. We went from 2800ft to about 7000ft in 8 miles or so.

On the way up we were doing pretty good. I downshifted to 3rd @ 2200 rpm because of the smoke. I was watching the coolant temp and it was slowly rising. Then a few yards farther up the Fan clutch engaged. The fan clutch kept the temp right between the "M" and "A" whatever temp that may be. Outside temp was nearing 100*.

Once the clutch engaged I could no longer use 3rd gear. So down into 2nd and 3300 rpm. Now the cars were stacking up behind me so I pulled over and let 8 or so pass. Pulled back out, tons of black smoke...3800rpm, slammed into 2nd...More smoke and 8 more cars stuck behind me now.

No where to pull over for a while. Kept it @ 3300 rpm blowing black smoke 4 ft out the tailpipe. I saw a turn out but it was gravel the size of softballs and a 16% grade here and I didn't want to get stuck or slash a tire so I had to keep going.

All the way up the winding road we went untill the 1/2 way point where theres a paved pull out.Let all those cars pass, a few called me names ( Probly Obama supporters anyway). This part is only 11% grade.

You must be registered for see images attach

So exactly how much more power does a turbo add?

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[79jasper]

Quite a bit. Lol
Especially once at altitude.

Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk

 

[GOOSE]

Indeed, it will be a 50% gain in power and a huge hepl with the altitude youre dealing with. A turbo is your best defense against the thin air you're dealing with.

 

[cpdenton]

Makes it like a whole different truck. Seriously. Highest altitude I have seen from mine is about 2500 feet or so and there is no difference in smoke for me. I live at 400 feet too. If you can afford the turbo, get the turbo.

 

[chris142]

these trucks are rare here.i have not seen or driven a turbo one so i have no clue. cant afford a turbo at this point but ill keep an eye out for one @picapart i guess.

 

[direwulf23]

A turbo, as has been said, will show you something like a 50% increase on any diesel.
I personally avoided the turbo on purpose because the truck will do what I need it to and it's just one more part to break. However, it's generally a no beginner to have a diesel with a turbo

 

[pickupman]

I don't know how the truck performed before getting a turbo, but I know there must a been a considerable difference.

Think of it this way: companies like Banks have been making turbo kits for these trucks since the 80's (mine happens to have one from the 80's). There was a demand turbos even back then. The PO of my truck used it to tow a 5th wheel and I guess at some point he got fed up with going 15mph up hills so he got the turbo installed.

I don't even want to know what my truck would be like without a turbo. In hot weather with the A/C on and the fan clutch locked in, the truck still struggles sometimes even though it has a turbo. I can only imagine what it would be like without.

 

[sjwelds]

Just put a turbo on mine. Before, empty truck, could barely hold 75 in od. Now? 75 no problem at all. If I want a bit more, why just let the turbo spool up to 5-7 psi and she goes! Do a turbo...u won't be sorry.

92 ATS turbo zf5 3.55 285/75/16 tires

 

[mohavewolfpup]

All the way up the winding road we went untill the 1/2 way point where theres a paved pull out.Let all those cars pass, a few called me names ( Probly Obama supporters anyway). This part is only 11% grade.

Gotta love people who think they have the right to spew their malformed opinions. Them, not you.

May they experience the joy of a mechanical failure and a header off a 3,000 foot cliff for their pollution...

 

[mu2bdriver]

What would be some maintenance complications or issues that someone with a 150-200k mile NA truck run into when putting a turbo on?

 

[whiteboyslo]

Honestly, if I was stuck behind you for miles on end at 2nd gear speeds AND you passed a turnout, I might have some choice words as well.

I've never driven a N/A IDI, but given the pics of your load, I'd have to say the turbo makes a huge difference. Our trucks are spec'd similarly (7.3, 2WD, and ZF5 being the main difference), with the exception that mine has a Banks Sidewinder kit on it. The heaviest I ever tow is 4 sportbikes and gear, 2 in the bed and 2 on a trailer. I would guess that would put our loads at more or less the same weight seeing how the ATVs are a bit heavier and your trailer is bigger. I've yet to find a grade that really kicks my truck's butt. Enough to have to downshift? Sure, but that's mostly to keep the EGTs down. The last grade I pulled was on Hwy 178 heading from CA into NV (out to Pahrump). Not sure the grade % or elevation, but I intentionally left it in 5th just to see what it would do (giving it a shakedown after doing some timing work) and it never lacked for power. Temps got up there, but I expected that.

BTW, sounds like your clutch is kicking in at normal temps. My experience is that between 'M' and 'A' is hovering around 230°F, as measured in the OVERTEMP port in the head. That's where mine kicks in as well, more or less. Hotter than I'd like, but once it does kick in it does a GREAT job.

Mike

PS - Based on your location, your pics, and your description of the grade, I'm guessing this was Sunrise Hwy heading north?

 

[icanfixall]

I'm guessing you were going up the back way to Big Bear from the desert. I know that road. What are the gears and when was the last time the timing was checked. I don't feel that was a load that should have worked the engine so hard. A turbo will wake up your engine nicely. Banks "claims" there sidewinder adds around 180 hp if I remember correctly. Its no double but it sure feels like it. Once the turbo is installed you now have all the air needed to burn fuel so normally you turn up the fuel till its showing some smoke. No sense blowing coal cause that will **** off everyone and waste fuel. It also really heats up the engine fast.

 

[chris142]

i backed out of it as much as i could.any less and we slowed down .still blowing clouds.i checked the timing a couple months ago.its somewhere between 8-9@2000 rpm.honestly i thought it ran better @6. axle gears are 3.55. whiteboy...i would have pulled over if the pull out was safe. too rocky and too small to get truck and trailer off the road.

icanfixall nailed it. hwy 18 from latrine valley to big bear. the first part has a 16% pull and the 11% is near the top. i took one pic on my way back down and the 2nd is at the elpollo loco parking lot in apple valley .funny after every one got past me we all got stuck behind a well drilling truck and he must have had both boxes in low as he was doing a walking pace

 

[whiteboyslo]

whiteboy...i would have pulled over if the pull out was safe. too rocky and too small to get truck and trailer off the road.

No, I know. Wasn't so much an accusation as an observation. All tongue-in-cheek, really.

latrine valley

Unfortunate name..........

Mike

 

[cpdenton]

I can tell you this much, my truck likes 6 degrees timing WAY better than 9. I know what everyone says, but my EGT's are lower, my turbo spools faster, and my mileage is better. I have found considerably less smoke too. It best at just over 7 so far.