I found a reman GTP-38 for $728 @ a diesel shop close to where I am picking up the '01. Is there a difference between GTP-38 and GTP-38R?

 

I believe the GTP38 is a stock turbo and the "R" denotes the ball bearing instead of the journal bearing of the stock one.

F250, F350 & Excursion PowerStroke Diesel

• Model years 1999.5 - 2003 7.3L PowerStroke engine
• The GTP38R Turbo
• A Garrett exclusive ball bearing cartridge for unbeatable response, efficiency, and durability. Elimination of the thrust bearing eliminates Failures at elevated boost levels
• The 88mm GT compressor wheel provides 33% more flow than the stock 80mm wheel. Ported shroud housing improves compressor flow range for surge control
• 1.00 A/R turbine housing for free flowing exhaust with reduced back pressure and up to 200° F reduction in exhaust gas temperature
• Maximum recommended boost level is 40psi

Note, you can also get the same thing with a 1.15AR housing and get the flange. That will eliminate the EBPV and the Wastegate.

 

• A Garrett exclusive ball bearing cartridge for unbeatable response, efficiency, and durability. Elimination of the thrust bearing eliminates Failures at elevated boost levels
• The 88mm GT compressor wheel provides 33% more flow than the stock 80mm wheel.
• Ported shroud housing improves compressor flow range for surge control
• 1.00 A/R turbine housing for free flowing exhaust with reduced back pressure and up to 200° F reduction in exhaust gas temperature
• Maximum recommended boost level is 40psi
  

It may not be the "perfect" turbo and some owners have experienced problems with their particular configuration on their modified truck but I don't know what the "perfect" turbo is. Turbonetics tried to come up with one and you can ask Joe how that worked out.

For a truck with relatively minor mods such as improved exhaust, intake and a chip, it can give quite an improvement over the stock turbo. I love mine.

You have to be careful of some of the "reman" turbo's that are out there. To be a truly "reman" turbo, it will have a completely new center cartridge with only the exhaust and intake housing being used. Many will simply take a 38, throw a rebuild kit in it and call it "reman" ... NOT.

A 38R will set you back almost twice what this turbo that you found will cost. I still have 4 of the 38Rs in stock until the new Garrett shipments begin to arrive towards the end of October.

EDIT: Andy beat me to it .......

 

I had dealer dropping air filter clamp into my intake during unauthorized "free inspection" and some parts made it through the turbo, some got kicked back on the top of the filter.
I replaced compressor wheel only and the new wheel cost me like $26, but the job on older (e99) turbo took me 2 days of building the scaffold to go on the top of the engine and cursing because cuts on my hands. The turbo and engine works perfect about 30,000 miles later.

 

Did your truck sound like a wood planer after the clamp went through the turbo? I had the current owner send me a video of the truck running and the horrible sound it makes. I can email it to any who'd like to hear it.

 

I cannot believe that you don't have horrible turbo stall with that late compressor wheel in an early turbo housing and I often thought about your setup but never said anything about it until now.
Maybe it's spinning faster due to the smaller exhaust housing or something.

 

It is not unusual to find the newer Garrett compressor wheels in the early-99 GTP-38s or even the 94-97 TP-38's now. For many years the Garrett factory rebuilt turbo have come with the Garrett wheels rather than the Borg Warner and that is everything from 94-03. If you were to order a new turbo cartridge (center section) from Garrett, the only wheel they use on them is the Garrett wheel not the Borg Warner.

I found this out a couple of years ago and was somewhat wondering if it would cause more of a surge problem but not according to Garrett. It seems to actually work better on the 94-97 TP-38 and early 99's than the WW does.

 

Never had with old wheel, never with new one.
New wheel gave me additional 2 psi boost and is having noticeable better power curve. Love the change.

 

I ended up buying the reman turbo, swapped it out on-site and drove it 8 hours home.