I’ll say when I’m pulling the 20k toy hauler fully loaded up a grade, I’m pushing it pretty hard usually. Before compounds, I blew up the boots that came with the Banks hot side pipe - outlet temps of the stock valley were high, enough to soften the boot and stretch it. A metal label melted off of it and my main wiring harness was melted to it too. This was all in a 40hp heavy tow tune. Once I went compounds, I was really happy with everything EXCEPT I felt like it could use a little improvement/help on the long grades where I’m running between 50-60 (maybe 45) and boost is sitting at 32psi. I don’t have a gauge for drive pressure but my gut feel is it’s high by just seat of the pants feel. I’m also thinking that a billet will respond faster than stock anyways for 1-1 size so an upsized turbine and billet compressor might have similar mass to the OEM??
Valley turbo upgrade - compounds - built engine
- Thread starter NevadaLLY
- Start date
Yeah I’ve seen 68 and driven and it’s quite laggy, just not enough boost at lower rpms. I wouldn’t go over a 66 billet but really leaning 64 stg 3. I might be convinced stage 2 is better but still doing the homework
How bad were your intake air temps before when towing? This is a big issue for for me, seems the only way to get it under control with these old trucks is get the air inlet outside of the engine bay. I'm seeing anywhere from 30-40 degrees over ambient with the truck working hard, it used to be 40-60 over ambient until I boxed in the air filter. This has been my rub with all the twin trucks towing, none of the kits made focus on this problem. I made my own kit knowing this and it's still a problem lol. Unloaded there is not any problems with intake air heat. I'm just going to have to break down and build a air box with the air intake behind the bumper.
The truck had a K&N with the air dam but I never had it with a true cold air like the banks ram air. I almost put that in but then went compounds to bring temps down. With the filter pushed down toward the wheel well I felt it was a little better but agree, it leaves some to be desired. I didn’t regularly measure IAT only when I had the OBD reader hooked up and it did run a bit high. Combined with working the OEM charger hard and not completely sure if the vanes are truly moving 100%, it definitely ran hot.
We will tow 20k with my gooseneck and tractor with ease. It really comes down to tuning in the end. If you were using non vgt I would say go smaller but with vgt and good tuning a 66 will work. I would not go larger with using the truck period. You get to a point if maximum efficiency and after that it becomes more of a race truck. Drivable but not as usable. Now we are near sea level as well but I still think it’s the maximum sized charger I would think about using.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The turbo setup is a 366 stage 3 Dans Diesel turbo with a 475/87 1.3 vband turbine. We will be switching to a 480/96 with a 1.0 vband turbine. I highly doubt we will lose anything. Should pickup some in all aspects of driving. It tows that weight almost like there’s not much there.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited:
My 66 stage 3 and 480/96 seriously drive great. I can’t tell much difference in spoolup at all from stock. I was in your same boat wondering 66 or 64. After having the 66 I’m dam glad I went for it. Definitely glad on stage 3. Wot my vanes are wide open allowing all that airflow through turbine side.
Stage 3 has bigger wider vanes to flow more as well compared to stage 2.
Stage 3 has bigger wider vanes to flow more as well compared to stage 2.
Wow, you guys have me looking at the 66 now!
I can’t tell you how many forum posts/videos, etc say don’t go bigger in the valley, improve the turbine yes, but no on the compressor. Hard and fast real experience is what I’m looking for and is what you have. I know the forum is all advice and then we make the best decision possible with the info in front of us but you guys saying how great it is, especially towing heavy like we do, has me scratching my head a bit. Why are so many against the billet stage 3 turbos? 64 or 66 (for sake of conversation let’s talk 66). The rotating mass of the billet 66 must be close to the stock cast 64, or does anyone know? I’m thinking that’s why you think stock and 66 perform the same. Cast 64 vs billet 64 will see a quicker spool from stock is my understanding. Either way, I want to balance that grunt needed to get a load going vs holding good, cool (as can be) airflow on that 7% grade that seems to go for 5-10miles. Will a 66 move too much air? What’s the downside?
Wow, you guys have me looking at the 66 now!I can’t tell you how many forum posts/videos, etc say don’t go bigger in the valley, improve the turbine yes, but no on the compressor. Hard and fast real experience is what I’m looking for and is what you have. I know the forum is all advice and then we make the best decision possible with the info in front of us but you guys saying how great it is, especially towing heavy like we do, has me scratching my head a bit. Why are so many against the billet stage 3 turbos? 64 or 66 (for sake of conversation let’s talk 66). The rotating mass of the billet 66 must be close to the stock cast 64, or does anyone know? I’m thinking that’s why you think stock and 66 perform the same. Cast 64 vs billet 64 will see a quicker spool from stock is my understanding. Either way, I want to balance that grunt needed to get a load going vs holding good, cool (as can be) airflow on that 7% grade that seems to go for 5-10miles. Will a 66 move too much air? What’s the downside?
I can’t tell you how many forum posts/videos, etc say don’t go bigger in the valley, improve the turbine yes, but no on the compressor. Hard and fast real experience is what I’m looking for and is what you have. I know the forum is all advice and then we make the best decision possible with the info in front of us but you guys saying how great it is, especially towing heavy like we do, has me scratching my head a bit. Why are so many against the billet stage 3 turbos? 64 or 66 (for sake of conversation let’s talk 66). The rotating mass of the billet 66 must be close to the stock cast 64, or does anyone know? I’m thinking that’s why you think stock and 66 perform the same. Cast 64 vs billet 64 will see a quicker spool from stock is my understanding. Either way, I want to balance that grunt needed to get a load going vs holding good, cool (as can be) airflow on that 7% grade that seems to go for 5-10miles. Will a 66 move too much air? What’s the downside?
Josh also hasn’t towed anything with it yet
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Towed 16’ 7,000lbs the first day I had truck running. Zero issues at all, stays a constant 10psi. Truck never smokes, downshifts or anything. It’s has power when I need and no smoke. I’ve got 1500 miles on the setup towing so far.
What you are after is specifically a personal preference. It comes down to exactly how YOU want this truck to drive when you tow.
if you want to cruise along at 65-70mph in 6th gear, be able to roll into the throttle and have boost come in quick to pull small grades, i would stay stock charger with the 475. if you dont mind it down shifting to 5th or even just towing in 5th gear between 70-75, you can get away with larger turbos in the valley without issue.
i hate lag and i didnt want more. i wanted to be able to use the factory shift points to tow on so i built the turbo/s, tuning, engine, trans around that. tell us what you dont want or will irriate you. thats easier to work around and can give you the pros/cons of what you want vs what reality says.
if you want to cruise along at 65-70mph in 6th gear, be able to roll into the throttle and have boost come in quick to pull small grades, i would stay stock charger with the 475. if you dont mind it down shifting to 5th or even just towing in 5th gear between 70-75, you can get away with larger turbos in the valley without issue.
i hate lag and i didnt want more. i wanted to be able to use the factory shift points to tow on so i built the turbo/s, tuning, engine, trans around that. tell us what you dont want or will irriate you. thats easier to work around and can give you the pros/cons of what you want vs what reality says.
I only have 5th
but I like to roll into the throttle and have boost to pull the grades without downshifting (unless I know I need to for a big hill). Towing heavy is the major and not working too hard to keep things going.I think I'm going to pull the trigger on the 64 stage 3. For my setup, towing is the key and having the best performance there is what I'm looking for. I may have loved the 66 as well, but I'm also not running 200's to push it as easily and no plans to go to 480. If the truck is happy here, I don't think I'll be going back in for more as I still don't think the truck will be happy from a cooling perspective if I went any bigger anyways.
If you’re strictly looking for towing I’d stay 64. I’m trying to go fast, tow, & have fun. If you are staying 475 I believe the 475 will run out of air before the valley charger. Especially a lly charger which is the biggest.
I’m running a lml which was the smallest of them all, I did not want drive pressure trying to make peak performance on stock engine.
I know dan specifically made the stage 3 for compound applications. Like I said, I can’t tell much difference in spoolup or any at all but I’ve got plenty of fuel to drive them.
I’m running a lml which was the smallest of them all, I did not want drive pressure trying to make peak performance on stock engine.
I know dan specifically made the stage 3 for compound applications. Like I said, I can’t tell much difference in spoolup or any at all but I’ve got plenty of fuel to drive them.