How much success has there been with diy VNT/VGT for the TD5?

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kilr4d

kilr4d

Member
Posts
15
Location
Mississauga, ON, CA
Something from a UK vendor will end up being in the neighborhood of $2K CAN by the time it lands here...

Has anyone had any success going to the DIY route for a TD5 turbo swap? Various mechanical VNT/VGT turbos are available from wrecking yards here and I have unfettered access to welding and fabrication equipment.
 
kilr4d said:
Something from a UK vendor will end up being in the neighborhood of $2K CAN by the time it lands here...

Has anyone had any success going to the DIY route for a TD5 turbo swap? Various mechanical VNT/VGT turbos are available from wrecking yards here and I have unfettered access to welding and fabrication equipment.
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kilr4dn I had a performance shop in Ottawa until 2012 before moving here for a while. I am thinking along the same line as you for the TDI. Some of the Volvo turbos I am thinking might fit.

I will be in Ottawa for two weeks soon and will be driving up from Toronto. Send me a number please by PM so we can chat about some possibilities.

I have not looked at the TD5 in great depth, but we should be able to make some manifolds to accommodate some more efficient and better performance turbos.

In my performance shop I used Bulleyes Turbos (former Borgwarner) out of the US. They are the best on the market now for efficiency and have may awards and races won to prove it.

Cheers Bud.
 
As you know, you can get all the flanges water jet cut for cheap in TO, the exhaust and turbo flanges will be easy.

If you can get a CAD drawing done its easier for them and will cost less because all they will do is import it into their CNC water jet cutting software and cut away.

make up a jig, and with some schedule 40 plumbing pipe and good welds you will have a bullet proof turbo manifold.
 
We're on the same page...I've also looked at the mechanical GT2259V's from the mid 90's Benz's. Those OM612/613 engines were REALLY strong. I can't see why reclocking the case and making a flange wouldn't work.

Flanges and manifolds are no problem for me...couple of friends do CNC fab work.
 
kilr4d said:
Something from a UK vendor will end up being in the neighborhood of $2K CAN by the time it lands here...

Has anyone had any success going to the DIY route for a TD5 turbo swap? Various mechanical VNT/VGT turbos are available from wrecking yards here and I have unfettered access to welding and fabrication equipment.
Click to expand...

Check with these people. They have turbos to fit any diesel

Detroit Diesel Turbo | 53 | 60 | 71 | 92 | 149 Series
 
kilr4d said:
We're on the same page...I've also looked at the mechanical GT2259V's from the mid 90's Benz's. Those OM612/613 engines were REALLY strong. I can't see why reclocking the case and making a flange wouldn't work.

Flanges and manifolds are no problem for me...couple of friends do CNC fab work.
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Thats a T3/T4 turbo, so yes I guess reclocking the case should work.

I have a new GT28S sitting at my home garage in Ottawa which I will try on my 300TDI. Doing some math with the A/R and the 300TDI it should work nicely.

Problem here is you dont get very good 100% synthetic oils easily or always.

Before doing much turbo mods though, you should install a good and accurate EGT gauge, I just imported the Innovate programmable EGT kit with data logging.
 
Barbados said:
They been a round a long time and do have a good rep.
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They worked with the OEM's when they switched from NA to turbo diesels way back when. Can not get better than this

Our history began in 1938 when General Motors formed the GM Diesel Division, the origin of today’s Detroit Diesel Corporation. With World War II heating up, GM Diesel produced its first model: the Series 71. Tanks, landing craft, road building equipment and standby generators needed compact, lightweight, two-cycle engines. During this epic time, a tradition of strength, quality and dependability was born. By 1943, GM Diesel employed 4,300 people, more than 1,400 of them women. Together, these employees produced 57,892 engines in 1943 alone.

For its contribution to the war effort, GM Diesel received the Army-Navy “E” award.
 
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Thor1950 said:
They worked with the OEM's when they switched from NA to turbo diesels way back when
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The first big Snap On tool chest I bought is nearly 20 years old and I brought it in my shipment here into Barbados.

It still has a Detroit Diesel Chrome emblem stuck onto it..where I got that from I cant remember but its been there nearly 20 years now :D
 
Kilr4d I would look at a more modern and more efficient turbo though, now thinking of it. Remember the older turbo designs had a lot of lag and some with floating bushings, oil purity and quality was a must for turbo longevity.
 
kilr4d said:
Yeah, but how much $$$?
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The GT28S cost around CDN$ 850, that was my shop price and a while ago. It could be cheaper now.

On my rebuild I will use a thicker MLS head gasket to lower the compression so it can be boosted a bit more, don't know how much the bottom end will hold up but won't go stupidly crazy on it.

I will do a bit of a port and polish on the head too. I have to look into it a bit more but I am thinking that we can have more power and efficiency with a better turbo than stock.
 
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Since you have a TD5 it might be easier to get more efficiency and power because you can remap the ECU.

You might be scared to play around with this but a good tuner in Toronto and there are a good few, can make it happen. It will not be an engine killer. In the right hands. I am not sure who remaps Landys ECUs there but there is a friend of mine who actually wrote some software remapping files.

The cam drive system might be an issue too, I heard some guys used cheaper kits which failed and killed the head. You don't have to go high performance but a bit more poop for the pass is nice.



.
 
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Barbados said:
Since you have a TD5 it might be easier to get more efficiency and power because you can remap the ECU.

You might be scared to play around with this but a good tuner in Toronto and there are a good few, can make it happen. It will not be an engine killer. In the right hands. I am not sure who remaps Landys ECUs there but there is a friend of mine who actually wrote some software remapping files.

The cam drive system might be an issue too, I heard some guys used cheaper kits which failed and killed the head. You don't have to go high performance but a bit more poop for the pass is nice.



.
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Especially with north american express way speeds. And a transfer case of 1.2 would help also
 
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