Selecting the best turbo for 5. 9 Cummins proprietors usually boils lower to the way they actually use their pickup truck every day. Whether you're hauling a 15, 000-pound gooseneck trailer through the particular mountains or just want to smoke some sports cars at a stoplight, the stock turbocharger eventually becomes a bottleneck. The 5. 9L is a story for a reason—it's overbuilt and thrives on boost—but when you keep the particular factory snail on there while cranking up the energy, you're just going to end up along with high EGTs plus a lot of black smoke without much "go" to demonstrate for it.
Picking the right turbo isn't simply about seeking the biggest one within the directory. In fact, heading too big is definitely a mistake the lot of guys make, and they end up with a 52 pick up that feels like a slug until it finally hits 2, five hundred RPM. We would like to discover that "Goldilocks" area where the truck stays snappy, stays cool, and really makes the power you're paying for.
Why Your own Stock Turbo Will be Holding You Back again
If you're running a 12-valve or an earlier 24-valve, you've probably got an HX35. Later Common Rail trucks relocated to the particular HE341 or the HE351CW. These are great, reliable units for a stock truck, however they have tiny exhaust housings. This particular is a double-edged sword. It means they spool upward incredibly fast, which usually is great for city driving, but once you begin adding bigger injectors or a developer, that tiny casing begins to choke the particular engine.
Whenever the exhaust can't get out fast enough, heat increases in the a lot more. You'll see your own Exhaust Gas Temperatures (EGTs) climb past 1, 300 levels faster than you can blink. That's how you melt pistons. Upgrading to the best turbo for 5. 9 Cummins applications usually means obtaining something with a slightly larger compressor wheel and a much more efficient turbine side to let that huge straight-six breathe.
The Workhorse: BorgWarner S300 Series
Ask almost any kind of diesel mechanic exactly what the most reliable update is, and they'll point you toward the BorgWarner S300 frame. It's generally the gold regular for the 5. 9 Cummins. These types of turbos are hard as nails, relatively affordable, and these people come in so many configurations that you can discover one for nearly every power goal.
The S362: The particular Towing King
If your truck spends 90% of its life connected to a movie trailer, you don't need massive turbo. You desire something that spools like stock but flows more surroundings. An S362 (usually a 62/65/12 or even 62/68/12) is frequently considered the best turbo for 5. nine Cummins owners who prioritize towing. It keeps the EGTs way lower than share, and you won't need to downshift simply to get the turbo back straight into its power music group on the hill.
The S363: The Perfect All-Rounder
If I needed to pick one turbo for an everyday driver that from time to time sees some weighty loads and several "spirited" driving, it's the S363 (63/68/14). It's the sweet spot. It can support anywhere from 450 to 550 hp without breaking a sweat, and the lag is almost nonexistent in case your encouraging is set up right. It's got enough top-end in order to feel fast yet doesn't make the truck annoying in order to drive in traffic.
The S366: Chasing Big Quantities
Now, when you're looking to push 600+ horsepower and you aren't mainly because worried about towing the heavy camper, the S366 is really a traditional choice. It's a 66mm beast that will makes incredible sounds and pulls just like a freight train on the highway. The downside? It's a bit lazier. You'll notice a delay when you step upon it, and it also may be a bit "smoke-prone" if you don't have the right injectors to get this spinning.
Set Geometry vs. VGT
Most guys sticking with just one turbo upgrade on the 5. 9 will go with a "fixed geometry" turbo like the S300s pointed out above. They're basic, they don't have moving vanes to get stuck with soot, and they're easier to tune.
However, some men like the Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) technology found on the newer 6. 7 Cummins. Presently there are kits in order to retrofit a VGT onto a 5. 9, which gives the best of both worlds: instant spool-up and the built-in exhaust brake pedal. But honestly, for most people, the particular complexity and price of a VGT exchange don't always outweigh the simplicity of a well-specced S300 or perhaps a drop-in Garrett.
The Case for Compounds (Twin Turbos)
If a person have the budget and also you simply refuse to compromise, after that the best turbo for 5. 9 Cummins setups isn't one turbo—it's two. A compound set usually places a small turbo (like an S300 or use the stock HE351) along with a massive atmospheric turbo (like an S475 or S480).
The small turbo spools up instantly to get off the range with no cloud associated with soot, and then it hands off the heavy raising to the big turbo as you get into the higher RPMs. It's the best setup for dragging heavy while still being able in order to put down 600-700 horsepower. The just real bad thing is the price tag plus the undeniable fact that typically the engine bay will get a lot even more crowded.
Don't Your investment Supporting Mods
You can't just bolt on a massive turbo and expect every thing to be perfect. If you move bigger, you need to make sure the remaining pickup truck can keep up.
- Injections: In case you put a large turbo on along with stock injectors, a person might not have sufficient fuel to in fact spin it. It'll be laggy and disappointing.
- Head Studs: Once a person start pushing 45-50+ PSI of increase, those factory head bolts are likely to want to stretch. Replacing in some ARP 425s is inexpensive insurance against a blown head seal.
- Transmission: This is the huge one. If you have an automatic (47RE or 48RE), a big turbo can shredded the stock internals faster compared to you can say "overdrive. " You'll require a built valve body and also a better torque converter from the very minimum.
- Exhaust system and Intake: It's the system. If you're shoving more air flow in, you need to let it out. A 4-inch straight pipe plus a high-flow intake filter are pretty much mandatory.
Making the Final Call
Therefore, which one should you buy? In case you're still on the fence, have a look at your dyno objectives versus your reality. We all want to say all of us have a 700-horsepower truck, but the 450-horsepower truck that will spools instantly is definitely way more enjoyable to drive on the street than the 700-horsepower truck that will only makes strength for the final 500 RPM of the tachometer.
For 90% associated with 5. 9 Cummins owners, a BorgWarner S363 or a high-quality drop-in replacement like a Stealth 64 or perhaps a Cheetah is usually going to become the "best" due to the fact it improves each aspect of the truck without damaging its drivability.
The 5. nine Cummins is the platform that benefits balance. Match your turbo to your injectors, keep an vision on your EGTs, and don't obtain greedy with the compressor wheel size unless you're building a devoted track truck. Obtain it right, and that old Dodge will feel like a brand-new machine every time you hit the particular throttle.