Lbz turbo question

[Dmax95]

Just bought a 07 classic lbz and looking to add a turbo.
It has a stage 4 suncoast trans, the guy said it had a Ppe boost increase valve, but I didn't think lbz's are capable of having one?

Anyway, one of my buddy's said I better not add anything because I'd destroy a piston is no time.
There 180k on it, but it was used as a daily driver from Oklahoma to Kansas.
I'm looking at a cheetah but heard they have higher compression ratios? Straight from the mouth of my local diesel tech.

I'm going to get efi live once i find the right turbo and have it all put on and tuned at the same time.

I'm looking for a reliable truck, don't wanna break nothing, but still wouldn't mind being able to scoot when I need to.

Any input would help. Ain't a pro at these lbz's.

 

[Hot COCOAL]

The turbo isn't what is going to melt a piston so much as more fuel will, actually to a degree a larger turbo will lower egt's and benefit the engine. I would just start with an efi live tune on your stock setup and see how you like it, any tuner can optimize the tune if you add something later...

As for turbos,there are really alot of options. If you plan to stick with a vgt turbo, and want to keep the injectors and fuel requirements low and engine safety "reasonably" high, there is the Garrett stg 2 drop in replacement, aka the 4094avant, which can also be upgraded with billet internals to spool faster, there is also a myriad of turbos available from places like Danville performance like the vgt 68 and vgt 72. Fleece performance also offers some vgt stuff for the duramax.

Your best bet is to really try and nail down what exactly your think you want, what the truck needs to do, and read the forum til your eyes bleed and ask questions til you have a solid plan, take your time and get educated first, there are really soooooo many ways to get er done that there really is no one way answer.

A popular set up for stock LBZ engines is the Danville 68mm vgt with 40% injectors or the vgt 72 with 60% injectors, and you can run up to 100% injectors, of course an upgraded fuel pump will be required as well as a bunch of other supporting mods, and in the end your tuner and your right foot will be the final judge of how long your truck lasts, that and how well you set it up and maintain it

Hope this is enough for you to dig in and start reading, good luck

 

[Cknight199]

A garret 68mm VGT is a 4094avnt. The "stage 2 Garrett" is usually an lly turbo with a different wheel and exhaust side I believe. Like stated, efi live Will be critical to keeping your engine happy.

A good way to go is billet 4094 from Danville performance, 30% or 40% injectors, and good tuning for 550-600 hp ish range. Your fueling system should be adequate enough to handle that.

 

[Janimal444]

Have you considered a compound setup??

 

[dman777]

Have you considered a compound setup??

X2

 

[Dmax95]

I was told a compound setup would be lower egts and compression levels.
I was considering a compound setup.
Pretty pricey though

 

[Janimal444]

I was told a compound setup would be lower egts and compression levels.
I was considering a compound setup.
Pretty pricey though

Definitely pricey, but you get a lot of bang for your buck. You get a full EGR delete as part of the twin turbo kit, as well as the PCV reroute. These are things that I would definitely recommend, and would have to be purchased separately if you bought a single turbo or drop-in replacement.

On edit: I don't know if you will be installing yourself, but it is also my opinion that installation of a twin kit that leaves the stock turbo is actually easier than removing the stocker and installing a different turbo in that same location, especially if it's a bigger one (not a drop in). I have done both and I did not have as many headaches with the twin kit as I did when removing/installing turbos from the stock location.

 

[Dirtymaxx03]

First, forget anything your diesel tech told you
Second, get yourself a lift pump on the truck if it doesnt have one.\
Third, get ahold of a reputable tuner and get your truck some max effort tuning

After you get tired of 500+rwhp and want more then upgrade the turbo.

If i were you i would get away from the vgt drive pressure monsters.
a simple s366 would be a good choice.

If you want the motor to live, dont upgrade the injectors or cp3

 

[dbev24]

First, forget anything your diesel tech told you
Second, get yourself a lift pump on the truck if it doesnt have one.\
Third, get ahold of a reputable tuner and get your truck some max effort tuning

After you get tired of 500+rwhp and want more then upgrade the turbo.

If i were you i would get away from the vgt drive pressure monsters.
a simple s366 would be a good choice.

If you want the motor to live, dont upgrade the injectors or cp3

X2

 

[dman777]

Definitely pricey, but you get a lot of bang for your buck. You get a full EGR delete as part of the twin turbo kit, as well as the PCV reroute. These are things that I would definitely recommend, and would have to be purchased separately if you bought a single turbo or drop-in replacement.

On edit: I don't know if you will be installing yourself, but it is also my opinion that installation of a twin kit that leaves the stock turbo is actually easier than removing the stocker and installing a different turbo in that same location, especially if it's a bigger one (not a drop in). I have done both and I did not have as many headaches with the twin kit as I did when removing/installing turbos from the stock location.

How do your twins spool compared to just the stock turbo?

 

[Janimal444]

How do your twins spool compared to just the stock turbo?

I've found that they actually spool noticably slower than the stock turbo. That would make sense though, I'm sure that the stocker having to pull air through the S475 slows down the spooling a little bit. When the big boy lights though it is quite a feeling!

 

[Cknight199]

How do your twins spool compared to just the stock turbo?

It's all in the tuning. Twins have a smoother power curve whereas a large single hits at once and when it does you better hold on.

And I would say if you want your motor to live at a higher hp than 550 then you want injectors. Making 600hp with low timing with injectors is much safer than making 600hp on stock injectors and 2900 us

 

[dman777]

It's all in the tuning. Twins have a smoother power curve whereas a large single hits at once and when it does you better hold on.

And I would say if you want your motor to live at a higher hp than 550 then you want injectors. Making 600hp with low timing with injectors is much safer than making 600hp on stock injectors and 2900 us

Thanks for the info. I want to make more power but at the same time I don't want to sacrifice any practicality. I don't want to have a big single that wont light with a heavy load. Sure I like going fast just as much as anyone but I won't to go fast and be able to use the truck for what it was originally intended for. I would like to have my cake and eat it too and with a Duramax I think I can . Sorry for the thread jack.

 

[Cknight199]

Thanks for the info. I want to make more power but at the same time I don't want to sacrifice any practicality. I don't want to have a big single that wont light with a heavy load. Sure I like going fast just as much as anyone but I won't to go fast and be able to use the truck for what it was originally intended for. I would like to have my cake and eat it too and with a Duramax I think I can . Sorry for the thread jack.

When I say "big single" I mean a non VVT 72mm or larger. A 4094 spools close to stock and I had no problems towing with it. My egt's wouldn't ever go over 1350 pinned on my tow tune.

 

[dman777]

When I say "big single" I mean a non VVT 72mm or larger. A 4094 spools close to stock and I had no problems towing with it. My egt's wouldn't ever go over 1350 pinned on my tow tune.

So would you recommend a billet 4094 or s475 over stock for towing/drag racing?

 

[Cknight199]

So would you recommend a billet 4094 or s475 over stock for towing/drag racing?

If price wasn't considered I would do an s475, but best bang for the buck is the 4094, and I wouldn't get the billet wheel, I had it and noticed no difference in a friend truck with a cast wheel

 

[SickLL7Crenshaw]

So would you recommend a billet 4094 or s475 over stock for towing/drag racing?

S475 over stock for sure, low egts, boost to drive pressure is 1:1 if tuned correctly, spools like stock, although you will have higher oil temps. I love towing with mine and when racing that second turbo sure does make you