chinook country

Hey there, I'm making good progress with my truck lately, guages, fass, VA, 275's. With my trailer and skid steer (10,000#) truck works hard but has decent power (never enough right?). EGT's are managable, but are up near 1250* on longer hills. Warpspeed 4" exhaust coming soon.

My question is whether a PDR HX35 modified turbo or a High Tech HTBG will give me more get up and go with my current mods, and stay cool? I'm going to avoid the ez comp or tst because its a company truck and I can't have the VP44 going out. Is anyone running a similar setup that can give some advice if I'm headed in the right direction, or wasting money. Current turbo: stock HX35W
Thanks!

chinook country

I think it would really help if I had the 4.10's in the rear. Turbo doesn't have a lot of impact in 1st and 2nd due to revs. If I'm moving more air with a different turbo I suppose I need a comp to supply more fuel.

micah

I'm not one to really answer your question, but I have some questions for you, that may help you in making up your mind...

Are you already running a boost elbow or some other method of getting the most boost out of your stock turbo? as I understand it, they are good for about 31psi, and with the 275/VA setup, you can get it up to 30 pretty easily.

Do you see evidence that you are not getting enough air today? ie. do you have black smoke while up to speed and towing?

chinook country

I have a boost elbow coming that I plan to install, my smoke levels are not that high. Someone mentioned I'll only see a couple more pounds of boost with the elbow. I'll do some further testing when I get it. Hoping someone will chime in with an upgraded turbo with a VA or EZ and RV275's. Thanks!

Dusty Ratcliff

you might wanna look into just an upgraded exhaust housing, if you run the boost elbow & the 4" exhaust w/ur 275's & Va you might get away with just running like a 14cm exhaust housing on your stock HX35, I had this setup on an 01' w/a VA 275's & a blue chip box & with the blue chip turned off the VA+275's were awesome towing w/the 14cm housing, I also had an elbow & 4" exhaust, & I never had any real heat issues while pulling, also mine was a 6 spd. geared 4:10 & I regularly towed grossing 20,000+ lbs, if $ is no option I'd seriously look into a Dodzezilla HX35/40 hybrid, I've got one on the 97' in my sig. & it's an awesome towing turbo, I love the bottom end, & it flows enough air to keep things cool, good luck with whatever route you go, Dusty

oestreich84

I noticed that your sig doesn't list any breathing mods. If you get the 4" exhaust and a better flowing intake, your egt's will cool right down. I am running a VA with 100hp sticks, and can't get over 1150* towing 15k.

Bart Timothy

Depending on your ultimate power goals, spending money on the correct turbo upgrade which matches you other engine mods is ALWAYS better money spent than on intake and exhaust systems. No combination of air filter or exhaust system can match the power increase and egt reduction of a properly matched and sized trubo. You can get your current turbo hybrided for the same cost as a new air filter system.

oestreich84

If his power goals are high enough to need an upgraded turbo, then he will need a better flowing intake and exhaust. With the stock exhaust and intake, you can't move enough air, even with really efficient turbo's, to keep things cool. The stock air filter and box just won't flow enough air. When you have an intake and exhaust that will support an upgraded turbo, then by far the best money spent is on the turbo. A bhaf is only $29. How can you go wrong?

chinook country

Sorry, I do have a bhaf and heat shield setup. I'll update my sig.

chinook country

The one thing I kinda regret is not going with the mach 1.6's. My reasoning at that time was $$ and the fact that the stock clutch could be a problem. I think a hybrid turbo would be great, Piers says I can just keep the stock exhaust housing and add the PDR HX35 turbine. This makes bolting up the new exhaust easy but I'm left with a somewhat restrictive exhaust housing.

Bart Timothy

Depending on your ultimate power goals you may need intake and exhaust improvements, but most folks never get to the point of needing them. Many members of this site are young, with relatively tight budgets. Why give them bad advice? The stock exhaust is good to 375 to 400 hp with no noticable power loss, unless you call 5 to 7 hp at the 400 hp power level noticable. How many trucks ever get to that level? The 2nd gen stock air filter, with the rubber fender boot removed, is good to over 500 hp with no noticable power loss. The BHAF is a waste of money, even at $29, and in controlled dyno tests has shown to loose power over the stocker. But because it looks big and gives a louder turbo sound, it must be better?

Doller for dollar spent, turbos, and even water injection, are a much better investment than exhausts and air filters for controlling egts and increasing hp.

Now if you're talking about changing exhaust and turbo whistle sound, then yes, by all means, spend your hard earned bucks on intakes and exhausts.

Bart Timothy

Even the stock exhaust housing on a hybrided HX35 gives more power, and egt control, than any combination of intake and exhaust modifications out there.

P.J

Not to be smart, but I think young folks on tight budgets take things like "Sound" into consideration too.
Not every one is trying to build a strip or pulling machine.
Never heard the one about the BHAF actually causing a loss? I figured quicker spool and lower EGT's was alway's a good thing.

oestreich84

With the stock airbox and stock exhaust I could easily get over 1200* with no load. With my bhaf and 5" exhaust I can't get over 1150* pulling 10k. I was just going off of experience.

chinook country

The bhaf is a cheap and fun mod to do, with the outerwears it should pay for itself. My stock exhaust is very rusted on the tail end and looks quite pathetic on this mighty truck, especially with the dual wheels. I don't expect power gains here, just good looks, sound and maybe 1 mpg.