6.7 CUMMINS TURBOS - TURBO ACCESSORIES | 2010-2018 RAM 6.7

WHAT KIND OF TURBO IS ON A 6.7 CUMMINS?

With the release of the 6.7L Cummins in Ram trucks back in 2007, came numerous advancements in technology. One of the key mechanics of a Cummins engine was also totally redesigned, the turbo. With the 6.7L Cummins, Holset unveiled their Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) with integrated exhaust brake.

The Holset VGT uses a turbine stage where the swallowing capacity is automatically varied while the engine is running. This permits turbine power to be set, providing sufficient energy to drive the compressor at the desired boost level wherever the engine is operating. This is achieved by varying the area of a "nozzle", which is a set of guide vanes that control the flow of exhaust gas through the turbine.

Other designs pivot the vanes to achieve different nozzle areas, such as on the Duramax trucks. The Holset VGT is different in that the vanes do not pivot side to side, but slide front to back, which ensures a high level of durability and reliability (less moving parts). The sliding nozzle ring changes the opening through which the exhaust gases flow onto the turbine wheel. This change in the geometry of the turbo increases the boost as the nozzle is closed down. Reducing the opening increases exhaust manifold pressure and increases the turbo's speed. As the nozzle ring opens up, the exhaust pressure reduces and the boost decreases.

PROBLEMS WITH VARIABLE GEOMETRY TURBOS (VGT) ON A 6.7 CUMMINS:

However, as with all things, there are pitfalls of new technology, especially when other things are altered. One issue that has become clear on these trucks is that with even the few moving parts within the Holset VGT, they are susceptible to becoming "gummed up" due to excessive soot levels, causing the nozzle to become stuck in a single position. When this happens, the driver will typically experience sluggish performance from a stop due to the sliding ring being stuck in the “open” position, as well as higher than normal exhaust gas temperatures, and typicall a check engine light, such as P2262.

Beyond soot accumulation, the electronic actuator that is responsible for receiving signals from the ECM and commanding the sliding ring to move have shown a higher than desirable failure rate. The HE351VE and HE300VG each have similar, but physically different actuators that are both problematic. So what causes these to fail? There’s a couple of things that can happen, one of which is also soot accumulation jamming the part that is supposed to rotate 90 degrees. Otherwise, due to these turbos being oil and water cooled, countless actuators have failed due to coolant contamination ruining the circuit board. While its possible to “de-soot” an actuator with some time and patience, usually once its become inoperable the actuator must be replaced.

The only other real issue with these turbos, just like with all things "stock," they are only capable of so much, and in this case, airflow. For those wanting to increase power levels above factory levels, the stock turbo just doesn’t cut it and will cause for excessive EGT’s, lower than ideal boost levels, and potentially premature failure. Okay, so what do you do?

OPTIONS FOR UPGRADING YOUR 6.7 CUMMINS TURBO

When it comes to replacing and upgrading the stock turbo on your truck, there are a few options to choose from. First, there are direct replacement, bolt-on VGT upgrades that maintain all of the factory functionalities, such as your exhaust brake. Companies such as Fleece Performance, BD-Power, and ATS Diesel Performance have developed larger compressor and turbine wheels that match up to larger housings to deliver the additional airflow you’re after, but without the need to replace your exhaust manifold, downpipe, or really anything. Another option for those wanting to eliminate the VGT operation is to swap it out for an “old school” non-VGT. These will bring simplicity to the turbo operation, ensuring you’ll never experience a failed actuator again (since there isn’t one!), but you do lose the stock exhaust brake and the low end responsiveness of a VGT. Because the flange where the turbo mounts to the manifold is different between these different applications, you’ll typically also need to replace the manifold to one that has a “T3” or “T4” flange. And finally, you can go for compound turbos. Of course, there are endless options, but in order to simplify this discussion, there are two main options here: an add-a-turbo type of kit that retains your stock VGT, and a kit that completely does away with the VGT in favor of two single stage turbos. What type of turbo upgrade is right for you depends completely on your use of the truck and the horsepower goals you have for it. One of our most popular options is an upgraded stock, such as the Fleece Cheetah.

We offer an entire arsenal of not only stock 6.7 Cummins turbo replacement, but also upgraded VGT and even non-VGT replacements to completely eliminate the chances of soot contamination. Whether you just need a well-built stock replacement, or a set of compound chargers to support over 1000 rear wheel horsepower, we have you covered. As always, if you have any questions about which turbo is right for you, do not hesitate to give us a call and we would be more than happy to help!

Videos

We get a lot of calls and e-mails each day with various product, vehicle, and installation questions. Some are completely off the wall and can even catch us off guard at times, but many others are fairly routine, so we thought we'd post some of the most popular questions that can hopefully be a good resource for you.

Q: I'm looking at a few different turbo upgrades and they state they are a non-VGT that eliminates the factory Variable Geometry Turbo functionality, will I lose my factory exhaust brake?
A: Yes, because the factory exhaust braking is built into the variable geometry actuation on these turbos, if you go with a non-VGT turbo, you will lose this functionality. That said, for those looking to still go with a non-VGT turbo but want to maintain an exhaust brake, there are options to install a traditional exhaust brake. In our experience, the amount of braking force generated from a traditional brake versus a VGT brake are actually greater.

Q: I'm looking to replace my factory turbo and seeing options for both an HE351VE and HE300VG, which one do I need?
A: The 2007.5-2012 model years came from the factory with a Holset HE351VE and the 2013 and later models were equipped with an HE300VG. We do not recommend swapping one for the other, so verify your model year and compare that to the stated fitment to ensure you're getting the right model for your application.

Q: I think I'm in needing of replacing my stock turbo. Recently I've lost all of my bottom end power and I have a check engine light.
A: Especially if you have never replaced your turbo or if your truck experiences extended idle times, its possible for the sliding ring portion of your variable geometry turbo to become overloaded with soot and lose its ability to move. In most cases, the turbo will "free" in the position it would normally be under higher load, sometimes referred to as the "open" position. When this happens, the ring cannot move to its location normally associated with taking off from a stop, slower speeds, etc. making the turbo act like a big turbo. In some cases, you can disassemble the turbo and clean it to remove the soot, but in many cases, excessive heat has caused internal components to warp and the turbo must be rebuilt or replaced.

If you've got a question about turbos for your 2010-2018 Ram, feel free to give us a call at 888-99-DIESEL or send us an e-mail and we would be happy to assist.

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