The truck is a 1991 Ford F150 Custom 4.9L turbo putting out 244 rwhp and 400 rwtq at 10.8 PSI on 91 pump gas. I know many people have trucks like this and would like more power but there is no support for it. In this write up I will tell how I did it and what I used to do it.
First off the motor its self is stock except for the RV cam, the stock one might have given me more power to be honest. I built a remote mount turbo set up using a turbo from a 94 6.5L diesel chevy, 42lbs fuel injectors, one piece charge pipe from the turbo to the blow off valve which is a Type R, then to a custom Y pipe going into the throttle body. I used a oil filter adapter plate from Pro Sport gauges to run the -6 stainless braided line to the turbo. Then used 1/2 inch high temp rubber hose from the turbo to the Turbo Werks oil pump then -6 stainless braided line from the pump to the oil fill cap of the engine. All Vaccum lines have check valves so the HVAC and fuel system doesn't get pressurized when the turbo builds boost. The ignition system has Taylor wires, cap and rotor, I'm also running a MSD blaster coil and MSD 6-BTM Boost Timing Master. I'm still running the stock speed density tunned using a SCT chip. It has taken a local speed shop and I about a month of tuning time on the dyno. As far as I know we have been the only ones to tune one of these truck. I will have all the info at the end. To keep an eye on the vitals of the engine I use a EGT gauge, fuel pressure gauge, boost/vac gauge from Pro Sport, and a Wide band O2/volt meter/turbo timer from innovate motorsports with the LC1 Wide band sensor.
All pics of the build can be seen in my profile or at http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2147225

The speed shop that helped with the tuning is APS in Oklahoma City OK, 405-424-7223 ask for Bo

Ill be happy to answer any questions about the build

 

Pretty cool. I remember seeing threads a long time ago about turbo 300s. I forgot about them.

Have any videos of it?

I would do something about the ghetto oil return though lol

 

I have one more run on the dyno to get it perfect I plan on have a video of it then, and the reason the oil return is like that so if the turbo goes out i can turn it back to N/A with no problems.

 

I would think that return would cause the oil in the turbo to back up and not drain properly. Since gravity is working against it.

You could always weld a bung into the oil pan then if you ever ran into a problem you could just plug it.

Cant wait for a video.


EDIT: I just read that you have an oil pump. NVM then..

 

Freaking awesome I've been wanting to do something like this, I just don't know of any good local tuners in MA.

 

thats killer. how well does the turbo spool that far back? is the cat gutted? wouldent the frame loose strength with a big hole in it? how would a smaller turbo run on the 300? I can get one from a vw gti. Thanks

 

the turbo starts the build boost at 2000 rpm, the cat is not gutted and the hole has a 1/4 inch pipe welded into it so the frame wouldnt loose any strength. I really dont think you would want to put a smaller turbo on it. a smaller turbo might not be as efficent and would all ways be in boost and could cause damage to your engine and the turbo would run out of steam at a very low rpm. i make max power at 3252 RPM with that turbo and its already putting 10.8PSI to the throttle body.

 

Dont let not having a tuner in MA stop you. If this is a build you want todo Bo at APS here could take what you have done and put a tune on a motes or SCT chip and get you running. it really didnt take much at all once we figured if we could tune using the factory computer but its at its limits for this build if i want more i will have to use a differnet computer.

 

This is freakin awesome

 

i think that the 6.5L turbo might be a bad choice of turbos actually.. they are super tiny little turbos and IIRC they only ran off of one side of that engine???? so really you could put on something much better like an HX35 off of a cummins and have a more reliable turbo. It might spool a little bit later and shift your power range up a little, but thats better in a gasser IMO anyways. I never have liked those little bity turbos. wonder what one could do with like an HX40 or an S366.. move some major air in there.

 

But, the straight six is not a high rpm motor.

 

no it is not, but it should be able to be taken above stock RPM without trouble. the 300 would probably spool an HX35 pretty well. an HX40 would need more RPM, closer to the engine, and probably a better cam and head to spool good enough to run on a 300.

 

The 6.5L turbo is not run off of just one bank of the motor, there is a cross over pipe for the turbo. It wouldnt make much sense in running a turbo off of one bank. The turbo size is perfect because its not very big and it does build boost at a low RPM. the redline for the strait six is 5000 rpm. that is the highest the computer will let you go. If you put a larger turbo on and make it spool at a higher rpm it will put more strain on the motor and you will always have to have your foot in it to make the power. With this turbo when crusing around town the turbo is not making boost because most of the time my RPMs are around 1500 and when im on the interstate its around 1800 and if i need more power while pulling a hill I only need to give it alittle more throttle to make the turbo spool, and i hit max power at 3252 RPM and with the redline at 5000 RPM the motor doesnt have to run close to its limits to make the power.

 

I'm pretty sure that you could get something better on there is all i'm saying. those 6.5 turbos from what i have seen aren't the most reliable little things out there. for the price, why not use it right? I just think you could get an HX35 to spool good and probably flows a lot more CFM.. Maybe even the turbo off a later model common rail cummins. they flow a lot of air(good for 500hp in a cummins) and have a really tight turbine housing(9cm)... They are also reliable as hell.

I'm just trying to throw out ideas man.. not knocking your setup. it works and if thats what your stuck on then awesome. Ideas never hurt anyone though.

 

I'm sure there might be a better turbo then the 6.5L for a build making more power. It wouldnt do me much good unless i did something about the restrictive intake and head. I'm sure once i get done with other projects i'll build a turbo motor for this truck and see what i can really get out of the 300. I did learn on thing because the turbo was from a 94 and had some miles on it, after the mock up and tuning it the bearings were alittle worn and it was very easy to rebuild it and it was only $25 for the rebuild kit.