Turbo 1993 F-150 Fuel Injection 4.9L 300ci

[Hubilizer]

I am looking to put a turbo on a 1993 1/2 ton truck. I am new to turbos so i needed some thoughts. I know that the best thing to do is to buy books first and learn about what you are dealing with, but i want to know some thoughts on it before i dig in.

Here is the planned setup:
I plan to use a turbo off of a 6.7L Dodge Cummins. I hear if you want to put a turbo on a truck like mine, these turbos work the best because thier cheap, easy to adapt to, and don't require alot of custom exhaust work because the wastegate is built into the turbo. The wastegate part is what i need help on. I have heard that the actuator arm is ran electronically.

As for the intake, the only questions i have is about a dump valve. Do i need one??

Helpful Advice would be appreciated.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Whomever said the 6.7 Cummins/Holset turbo was the best to use couldn't have been more wrong. It is a variable geometry turbine(VGT) design and the turbine geometry is controlled by the engine ECU. The ECU also monitors shaft speed and actuator position. You would need a completely separate controller just to manage boost. People in the grassroots community are working on them, but there is nothing available yet. Some have removed the servo/controller and rigged conventional wastegate actuators to them, but it is far, FAR from ideal. A seven or eight-blade 58-61mm Holset HX40 would be a better match for a 4.9 in the 350-450hp range. They came on Cummins 8.3L engines. They also have an internal wastegate, but it often is set to 20psi or more and is so small that you would still have to use an aftermarket external one to adequately control boost. I have an eight-blade HX40W("W" for wastegated) and the wastegate flapper starts opening at 23psi. Another option is to buy a new properly-sized T4 turbo like a T61, T66, T70, or T76.....depending on what you goals are.

"Dump valve" means different things to different people, so I'll assume you mean either a bypass or blow off valve for the intake tract. Yes, you will need one.

 

[Anlushac11]

Being 1993 and EFI you can get a custom tuned Megasquirt II setup in a EEC IV case. Price is a bit salty at $650 but it plugs into the factory ECU location. http://www.wilsonracingms.com/

The advantage is you can throw on a big turbo like a T04B or T04E, install a high volume fuel pump like a Walbro 255LPH, a adjustable fuel pressure regulator that is boost referenced, throw in bigger injectors and the Megasquirt II and keep all the factory wiring and ignition so it looks factory.

 

[StrangeRanger]

Te Mega-Squirt slution only works if he has a manual tranny. AFAIK they won't work with the E4OD.

 

[Anlushac11]

Te Mega-Squirt slution only works if he has a manual tranny. AFAIK they won't work with the E4OD.

Then he would need to run a TCI Electronics module
http://www.tciauto.com/Products/Electronics/

 

[JGTurbo]

Whomever said the 6.7 Cummins/Holset turbo was the best to use couldn't have been more wrong.

That's a strong statement. Sounds like you've got some research to do. The 6.7L Cummins turbo is 60mm. That puts it right in the range of the HX40s you specify. Yes the wastegate actuator is not as ideal as the engine computer, but how is it any worse than being stuck with just one position like with the HX40? With the variable geometry you can choose the position that performs best and leave it there. With an HX40 you would be stuck buying different turbine housings and crossing your fingers that it spools up at the right time so you don't have to spend another $250 for a different size.

Buying a turbo with VGT is like getting a bunch of turbine housings from 0cm^2 to 20cm^2 or more for free.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Why is that? I explained why it's not a good candidate....yet :|

 

[JGTurbo]

I was editing my post... I think it explains it now.

 

[JGTurbo]

Perhaps I should have read you post closer, 65ShelbyClone. I now see that you were saying the VGT is no good at limiting boost. I agree with that. It still lends some tuneability to the system, however.

Hubilizer, if you go with a 6.7L Cummins turbo, you'll still need an external wastegate. The turbo has VGT but no wastegate. I don't believe the VGT opens far enough to limit boost at high rpm.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

I just threw the HX40 out there are a possible junkyard find(and the common 16/17cm housings would actually work alright on a 300...even better with a pulse-paired turbo header). There are lots of other fairly cheap options in many configurations too. Some that come to mind are twin 9cm HY35 or HE351s, twin .42/.48 or .60/.63 Garrett T3s, a single T61, GT40, etc. There were no power goals nor budget considerations mentioned, so it would be hard to recommend something specific.

Variable geometry turbines are versatile, but the Garrett system is delicate and doesn't like gasoline EGTs while the non-electronic Holset VGTs are very few and far between, making boost control difficult. I must admit, though, it had not crossed my mind to "adjust" the turbine geometry and then lock it in place while using a wastegate to control boost...

 

[JGTurbo]

One of the nice thing about turbos is their versatility. All of your suggestions are right on.

I felt that I had to stick up for my beloved HE351VGTs. (I'm in the process of putting two on a 5.7L Hemi...) 8)

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Must be planning on some serious power if two HE351s are involved.

I wouldn't mind getting my hands on any of the vacuum-actuated Garretts or bigger Holsets like the HE441V or 551V. I have even seen a little VGT Garrett around the size of a GT20 I want for a motorcycle project.