Time for a Turbo
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Michigan
Time for a Turbo
Its time for a turbo, my mechanic friend said to start planning getting one. Here is the question, I have a 2003 motor in a 2004 Excursion studded and SCT tuner 4" exhaust with air intake. It is a daily driver, just hauling the kids around town and family trips. I don't like the whistle from the turbo, it got old after a bit! Looking to replace with stock or should i go with a Power Max , and with it have that whistle? I don't want to break the bank, keep it under $1300. What other options do I have?
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 6,545
Likes: 14
From: Virginia Beach VA
stock turbo from eBay $800, no core. To use a 2005-2007 turbo (no whistle) would require a different turbo pedestal to mount it, not a big deal to install it. It would quite down the turbo, but also kill some performance.
PowerMax does whistle and will require some tuning to take full advantage, the stock STC tunes are not programmed for a PowerMax, you'd need custom tunes.... but it could improve performance significantly... as in MPG increase and power increase.
You could install a muffler to quiet the exhaust.
PowerMax does whistle and will require some tuning to take full advantage, the stock STC tunes are not programmed for a PowerMax, you'd need custom tunes.... but it could improve performance significantly... as in MPG increase and power increase.
You could install a muffler to quiet the exhaust.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,269
Likes: 775
From: Houston, Texas
.....It would quite down the turbo, but also kill some performance.
PowerMax does whistle and will require some tuning to take full advantage, the stock SCT tunes are not programmed for a PowerMax, you'd need custom tunes.... but it could improve performance significantly... as in MPG increase and power increase.
You could install a muffler to quiet the exhaust.
PowerMax does whistle and will require some tuning to take full advantage, the stock SCT tunes are not programmed for a PowerMax, you'd need custom tunes.... but it could improve performance significantly... as in MPG increase and power increase.
You could install a muffler to quiet the exhaust.
I recently rebuilt my turbo with the exhaust side of a Powermax ( late 2004-2007) and was appalled at how much better the performance was even with my stock, but billet compressor wheel. My truck pulls harder, has little to no smoke, and now gets better mileage.
Maybe by running Gearhead's SRL+ I'm still not getting the full benefit, but between AMZ2Al12 and then the Atlas 40 (both FICM tunes, one stock one Aftermarket), I have no problem spooling it and getting it to take off when I mash it.
Since you have an '03, you're more than half way there on the programming. Some Gearhead tunes should fix you up...
But the 1,000,000 question is: Why does your friend think you need a turbo?
These turbos are VERY rebuildable unless the CHRA is trashed on one side or the other. I know, I've rebuilt my fair share of them, mine included....
Tuned
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 302
Likes: 7
From: Oregon
This^^^^^
I recently rebuilt my turbo with the exhaust side of a Powermax ( late 2004-2007) and was appalled at how much better the performance was even with my stock, but billet compressor wheel. My truck pulls harder, has little to no smoke, and now gets better mileage.
Maybe by running Gearhead's SRL+ I'm still not getting the full benefit, but between AMZ2Al12 and then the Atlas 40 (both FICM tunes, one stock one Aftermarket), I have no problem spooling it and getting it to take off when I mash it.
Since you have an '03, you're more than half way there on the programming. Some Gearhead tunes should fix you up...
But the 1,000,000 question is: Why does your friend think you need a turbo?
These turbos are VERY rebuildable unless the CHRA is trashed on one side or the other. I know, I've rebuilt my fair share of them, mine included....
I recently rebuilt my turbo with the exhaust side of a Powermax ( late 2004-2007) and was appalled at how much better the performance was even with my stock, but billet compressor wheel. My truck pulls harder, has little to no smoke, and now gets better mileage.
Maybe by running Gearhead's SRL+ I'm still not getting the full benefit, but between AMZ2Al12 and then the Atlas 40 (both FICM tunes, one stock one Aftermarket), I have no problem spooling it and getting it to take off when I mash it.
Since you have an '03, you're more than half way there on the programming. Some Gearhead tunes should fix you up...
But the 1,000,000 question is: Why does your friend think you need a turbo?
These turbos are VERY rebuildable unless the CHRA is trashed on one side or the other. I know, I've rebuilt my fair share of them, mine included....
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Houston, Texas
I could've bought one off ebay, but I was able to get it off a trashed 2003 turbo locally.
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Lead Driver
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 6,545
Likes: 14
From: Virginia Beach VA
^^^^^^
I'm confused now, humor me please.
You took a 2003 6.0 turbo, removed the exhaust side and mated that to your 2005 intake side? Was the exhaust side on that 2003 turbo stock or actually a PowerMax unit to begin with?
So your saying that you could have bought just the exhaust side in the PowerMax and built it using a new exhaust side unit, but choose the used one because of price?
I'm confused now, humor me please.
You took a 2003 6.0 turbo, removed the exhaust side and mated that to your 2005 intake side? Was the exhaust side on that 2003 turbo stock or actually a PowerMax unit to begin with?
So your saying that you could have bought just the exhaust side in the PowerMax and built it using a new exhaust side unit, but choose the used one because of price?
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12,269
Likes: 775
From: Houston, Texas
^^^^^^
I'm confused now, humor me please.
You took a 2003 6.0 turbo, removed the exhaust side and mated that to your 2005 intake side? Was the exhaust side on that 2003 turbo stock or actually a PowerMax unit to begin with?
So your saying that you could have bought just the exhaust side in the PowerMax and built it using a new exhaust side unit, but choose the used one because of price?
I'm confused now, humor me please.
You took a 2003 6.0 turbo, removed the exhaust side and mated that to your 2005 intake side? Was the exhaust side on that 2003 turbo stock or actually a PowerMax unit to begin with?
So your saying that you could have bought just the exhaust side in the PowerMax and built it using a new exhaust side unit, but choose the used one because of price?
A buddy had a Powermax back in 2013, he was running some hot tunes and didn't have a 4 inch exhaust so Egts ate the turbine on the Powermax. To that end, I sourced a 2004 turbine, took the compressor side of his Powermax and put it on the late 2004 turbo. This left me with a damaged turbine/exhaust side of a late 2004-2007 Powermax. It sat in my garage for 3 years until my turbo decided it needed to be rebuild and I was able to source a complete 2003 turbine, unison ring, vanes, and exhaust housing for a good price. I simply used the vanes, unison ring, Powermax exhaust housing, and turbine to attach to my existing CHRA and good compressor. So while I'm still running a stock 2005 compressor housing with the Riffraff Diesel billet wheel, I now have the exhaust/turbine side of a Powermax/2003 turbo minus the different mounting of a 2003 turbo.
The shafts are very much the same, what's different is the turbine size, height of the vanes, and how the turbine side mounts (pedestal)
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,426
Likes: 6
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Its time for a turbo, my mechanic friend said to start planning getting one. Here is the question, I have a 2003 motor in a 2004 Excursion studded and SCT tuner 4" exhaust with air intake. It is a daily driver, just hauling the kids around town and family trips. I don't like the whistle from the turbo, it got old after a bit! Looking to replace with stock or should i go with a Power Max , and with it have that whistle? I don't want to break the bank, keep it under $1300. What other options do I have?
Crap....I'm not supposed to be looking at turbos - i can get myself into trouble again.....
KC Turbos - Ford 6.0L Powerstroke Stage 1.5
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