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Heath Turbo Master

Matt Bachand

Depends on the 6.5
Messages
5,330
Reaction score
22
Location
Worcester, MA
Just recieved her, dont' think I'll be able to get it on before tomorrow's snow storm :(, but I should be able to get it on before Sunday's!!! True back to back comparisons.

I have to say first and foremost. I am so impressed with the quality of the kit, that I am glad I didn't try to piece it together via many a trips to hardware store... I am excited to install it.
 
The quality of workmanship from Bill is second to none. As far as putting it on, you may be surprised to discover that you can probably put it on in about 15 minutes.
 
I ended up installing this bad-boy almost a week ago now.

Havn't really felt the truck out for mileage, as I was chasing other problems, but I pretty sure I have less mileage.

The other thing I notice must be more lage. Truck isn't so 'snappy' off the line as it use to be.

Boost kicks in hard and fast with little pedal response however, and I have mine set to 9 or so on my climbs. I never WOT, and never will. Scared :)

I never needed more power, however, liked the way the OEM setup handled everything. Should I adjust my TM down a little to make up for this lag?

Also, EGT's MUCH MUCH Lower however with the boost. Major hill climbs that I was seeing 900's pre turbo I am now seeing 6-700. That is a HUGE difference. For this reason I will not revert back to the OEM setup, (If i even saved the parts). I just planned on TM and no vac pump for less to go wrong.

Perhaps a re-tune would make a HUGE difference too now.

Still pissed about my Jardine Exhaust that they never shipped me last summer. I disputed 4 months later, and got my money back, but I really wanted the exhaust, and now that money is somewhere else but not on my exhaust. Maybe next summer.
 
I did not notice any lag on my install. I did however have the 4" exhaust installed before the TM. The exhaust makes a dramatic difference in the way these things drive. It's a shame Jardine did not work out for you. I bought my system from him and it is a top notch kit. I do not know what has happened to him since I got my system from him.
 
Matt,

I thought the way the wastegate worked was that it was closed until the ECM began to control boost as read from the MAP to maintain scheduling. If that's the case, you shouldn't see a change in performance until you're foot's into it in a fashion you've indicated you don't drive.

Personally, I didn't see any difference in performance until I deleted my vacuum pump and that was only in highway cruising fuel mileage.

I also am happy I went Heath. I've worked hard to hide my mods putting all my spliced in boost fooler wires and other add ons in split loom. With OBD1, and the relatively few number of 6.5s on the road comparatively, I don't think an inspector - assuming Oklahoma is ever stupid enough / tax greedy enough to start inspections - would look at the Heath unit and recognize it's not factory installed.
 
The best way to get top performance with the TM is to also use the Heath Chip or reprogramed ECM.

The extra air you are adding is cooling the thing off a lot for sure.

The Heath reprograming/Chip will wake the thing up right now. You do need a big exhaust though.

MGW
 
Mine is pretty snappy too, would hate to loose that. it got a lot better when I found a stock chip that advanced my IP timing, and then I ordered a power chip from Engh motors and its more impressive. Snappiness from the go wouldnt be turbo related since its not spooled up yet, but getting that power while cruising could be affected by the TM.

Adding a high flow cone exhaust under the hood made my turbo spool a lot faster too, but maybe you already have a cone. Getting the performance chip also improved turbo spool up.

I kept the stock vacuum setup so far, so the ECM can actually control it and I think it will get better MPG that way. If using the TM it really makes sense to get the Heath MAX-MPG chip since its kind of a complimenting setup, whereas all other chips expect to be able to control the turbo wastegate actuator.

If youre actually using less boost, you might have lower temps since the ECM knows youre getting less air from your MAF so it tells your FSD to tell the IP not to use as much fuel, but then youd have less power.
 
Mine is pretty snappy too, would hate to loose that. it got a lot better when I found a stock chip that advanced my IP timing, and then I ordered a power chip from Engh motors and its more impressive. Snappiness from the go wouldnt be turbo related since its not spooled up yet, but getting that power while cruising could be affected by the TM.

Adding a high flow cone exhaust under the hood made my turbo spool a lot faster too, but maybe you already have a cone. Getting the performance chip also improved turbo spool up.

I kept the stock vacuum setup so far, so the ECM can actually control it and I think it will get better MPG that way. If using the TM it really makes sense to get the Heath MAX-MPG chip since its kind of a complimenting setup, whereas all other chips expect to be able to control the turbo wastegate actuator.

If youre actually using less boost, you might have lower temps since the ECM knows youre getting less air from your MAF so it tells your FSD to tell the IP not to use as much fuel, but then youd have less power.

I think snappyness IS turbo related. Instead of the exhaust going straigt out of the tailpipe for the first 5-600 rpms, some of that is getting directed into the turbo, creating backpressure? Since the TM always holds it open?

Or does the TM ONLY control the tension of which it opens?

So with or without TM, WG is shut at takeoff?
 
TM holds WG shut - backpressure opens it at high boost....

Vac pump holds WG shut via solenoids and actuators - ECM cuts vac to open WG at high boost....
 
My off the line quickness greatly improved when changed my ECM E-PROM and it upped the idle IP timing to 9 degrees (and that was a stock 95 K2500 chip). I had a hypertech chip before that and the diesel mechanic had set idle IP timing to 3.5 degrees with it in there and I seemed to be kind of slow, slower than before I had the IP changed.

The chip I just got from Engh motor is running about 8 degrees at idle and still good.

The fuel miser chip I have is down at 4.5 degrees on idle and obviously not meant for racing.
 
TM holds WG shut - backpressure opens it at high boost....

Vac pump holds WG shut via solenoids and actuators - ECM cuts vac to open WG at high boost....

Now the shorter the spring, more boost. Shorter the spring, the more pressure on the spring to open? How does this make more boost if it takes more exhaust to open?

Maybe I should play around with my spring a little more. I have it set to about 2 1/4 inches, so 1/4 inch less than the 2 inch 15psi guideline.

I like fuel conservation, and may even lower it more, I haVn't had much highway driving lately to see what my cruise boost is, which I think it may be almost 3 on this heavy rig. Before it was 2.
 
How does this make more boost if it takes more exhaust to open?

When the exhaust overcomes the spring the boost is dumped. The tighter the spring the more exhaust pressure is developed before the wastegate opens. The spring is holding the wastegate closed, btw. It doesn't take much movement of the wastegate to dump boost.
More boost = Less MPG.
 
When the exhaust overcomes the spring the boost is dumped. The tighter the spring the more exhaust pressure is developed before the wastegate opens. The spring is holding the wastegate closed, btw. It doesn't take much movement of the wastegate to dump boost.
More boost = Less MPG.

Ok, I'm understanding now. So when the WG 'dumps' it stays in this wide open position until the spring brings it back (when exhaust pressure drops).

So if the spring was really loose, the wg would open early, and without built backpressure the exhaust would choose to go out the tailpipe instead of spinning the turbine? (less boost)?
 
When the exhaust overcomes the spring the boost is dumped. The tighter the spring the more exhaust pressure is developed before the wastegate opens. The spring is holding the wastegate closed, btw. It doesn't take much movement of the wastegate to dump boost.
More boost = Less MPG.

Not sure if I believe this statement...
 
Well, since the ECM can react to air input to throw more fuel at it, then I'd say more boost would mean more fuel.

Under load it is not as true, because you can keep within your power band of RPMs, lower RPMs in fact by increasing boost, so youre getting efficiency in that respect.
 
Well, since the ECM can react to air input to throw more fuel at it, then I'd say more boost would mean more fuel.

Under load it is not as true, because you can keep within your power band of RPMs, lower RPMs in fact by increasing boost, so youre getting efficiency in that respect.


Nope, doesn't work that way, guys... on a PCM-controlled system, boost is moderated as a function of fuel, not the other way around. You can up the air all you want, and the fuel will stay constant.

On gassers, more air will cause the PCM to ask for more fuel (in response to lean-burn conditions), but diesels can't run 'lean', so that logic path isn't in the programming.

Fuel is the determining factor in all this. If you are getting at least enough air to burn your fuel, you're fine. Too little, you get incomplete combustion, high EGTs, loss of power, etc.

Adding more air than you need (for a given amount of fuel) just makes things run cooler - no change in power.

Adding boost has a price, though. The Turbo is a pump, and it takes energy to turn it. When the wastegate is fully closed, that energy shows up as backpressure, robbing horsepower from your engine. The higher the boost level goes, the harder it is to turn the turbo, the more backpressure your have, the more power it takes. Open the wastegate and the exhaust flows freely again, and quits turning your turbo, dropping your boost.

Secondly, compressing air heats it up, decreasing combustion efficiency, and causing raised EGTs. This also can rob you of power. Intercoolers, or WMI, can help to compensate for this.

The trick is to use only as much boost as you need, and that is a function of fuel supply. With a chip or a reflash, you add a lot more fuel, therefore you need more boost.

The A-Team-Turbo is non-wastegated and flows more efficiently,meaning it can supply more air at lower boost, with lower backpressure. All these things mean you can run more power to your wheels, because you're losing less of it to getting enough air. That results in higher efficiencies, more pulling power, better mileage.

Just like ecology, everything is connected to everything else...
 
Does the ECM detect airflow and defuel based on that air sensor? In a too high or too low boost scenario?

No, it defuels based on too much pressure or high IATs.

The defueling is programmed as a safety measure; in a case where there is too much boost (stock max. setting is consistent over 10psi, IIRC), the PCM will first try to cut boost by opening up the WG solenoid. If this fails (like it does when you have a TM) then it will defuel.

I can't remember what the max IAT reading is, but the same thing happens; if the PCM can cut boost, it will. Otherwise, it defuels.

You can test this on your truck by blocking the WG actuator open so it can't close... your truck will have low IATs, will blow black smoke like crazy and your EGTs will go through the roof, but you won't defuel. Keep that up and you'll bake your motor.

The other way is to vise-grip the WG shut, put on a big load, and go romp uphill in 3rd. When your boost stays over 10, you'll defuel. If you fix that sensor so it doesn't read boost that high, then when the IATs come up, you'll defuel.

'Tuned' chips or reflashes raise these max levels to something more realistic, given the increase in fuel that the chip will call for.
 
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