I just blew the turbo in my '92 1HD-T. I can get a new/rebuilt Toyota turbo, but I was wondering if there are other options out there. Would now be a good time for an upgrade??
Turbo Replacement or Upgrade. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Cruiserbry
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #3
Do you have any recommendations on good aftermarket turbos?
When you have some spare time...start reading:
The 2H/12H-T/1HZ/1HD-T/1HD-FT Gturbo Alternative Tech Thread
The 2H/12H-T/1HZ/1HD-T/1HD-FT Gturbo Alternative Tech Thread
When you have some spare time...start reading:
The 2H/12H-T/1HZ/1HD-T/1HD-FT Gturbo Alternative Tech Thread
That thread is getting to the point that recommending it is just cruel!
Summary of options
Gturbo $$$$ Aussie product, developed and purpose built for these engines, bolt in.
Upgraded turbine and compressor wheels and housings. A few variations offered.
Mambatek/Mamba $$ eBay, made in Taiwan?? they do several options from basic reproduction to upgrades with TD05 turbine and compressor wheels.
Kinugawa - much the same as mamba
Source a used, or new stock 1HD-FTE Turbo for a mild factory upgrade. Not quite bolt in, but close. OEM reliability.
There's other lesser known alternatives.
All the options have their pros and cons, all options have had failures, all have some haters.
There's been some less than stellar results with aftermarket stuff, so do your homework.
Be wary of an aftermarket turbo built by anyone who's specialty is petrol powered rice burners.
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks for the replies everyone. I also appreciate mudgudgeon's summary. That thread would take some time to get through. Anyway, I've been in contact with Gturbo and Mamba. I am in Kenya so shipping and paying duty is a huge deal so the more expensive options are out.
I have been told that putting the new turbos like the ones from Gturbo and Mambo on an older engine could cause excessive wear to the rings and such. Has anyone heard of this?
I have been told that putting the new turbos like the ones from Gturbo and Mambo on an older engine could cause excessive wear to the rings and such. Has anyone heard of this?
Gturbo and others do run a lot higher boost. If rings, or engine in general are in poor condition, this might not be advisable.
You can assess the condition of your engine with things like compression and leak down tests, oil sample analysis.
If you are looking for a low cost option consider using an original 1HD-FTE Turbo from a 100series
Some info here
Rolling the dice - slow moving turbo HZJ105 project
I think an new OEM FTE turbo is just a expensive as a aftermarket option? A second hand turbo with rebuild and the hassle of making an old style compressor cover fit might be even more expensive. You dont have to run high boost on a Gturbo/whatever, they are already more efficient under 1 bar pressure.
I've ran many different turbo's on a 1HDT from Gturbo, FTE, BIT, ebay copy's, Mamba, Wink etc and after about 300k abuse on a 500k engine just the bores were glazed. Was driven hard every day so dont think it will harm the engine very much. Just clutches and turbo's fail
I've ran many different turbo's on a 1HDT from Gturbo, FTE, BIT, ebay copy's, Mamba, Wink etc and after about 300k abuse on a 500k engine just the bores were glazed. Was driven hard every day so dont think it will harm the engine very much. Just clutches and turbo's fail
Last edited:
I believe the wastegate setting on a Grturbo Grunter Extreme is 18psi, so higher than stock for sure, but safer if anything for the engine.
Tapage
Club 4X4 Panamá
read my sign ..
Really appreciate this summary. Would love to see an even more thorough and in-depth summary of all available options for Toyota diesels. I read all 60+ pages of that thread and didn't really come away from it feeling like I had a better idea of what turbo I should buy for my HJ61.
A new one? For sure.
BUT, if you have access to a good used one, it can be a very low cost option.
I purchased a pristine, low mileage used turbo from a forum member who upgrade to gturbo for $300ish vs $3K for a gturbo
If you're prepared to trawl through a few forums, they're available.
I've previously built up 1HD-T/7MGTE hybrids for similar $$ a a low dollar upgrade, but 1HD-FTE Turbo gives you an improved turbine and larger compressor.
I've got a Gturbo Grunter Extreme sitting on my workbench, and it was more like $2400CAN shipped to Canada (dollar was near par, took advantage of their sale in August). Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but not $3K either.
I inquired a fair while ago and the price was around 2800 aud, no idea what current pricing is as it's unjustifiable for me.
At 2400, or 2800, is at the opposite end of the spectrum to a used 1HD-FTE unit.
Put a rebuild kit through it and you're still only $500 into it, and still have a respectable upgrade over stock.
To rebuild a turbo locally, you're looking at more like $700CAN plus the core turbo (assembled and balanced), really makes used parts less attractive, lol!
Yeah, if you're paying for this stuff to be done it gets less attractive for sure.
For me, there's two scenarios with used units.
1- Pick up a clean, low mile unit, and run it as is. (This is what I have done, a very minor clean of the outer casings was needed, that's it. I have no doubt this unit well outlast my truck)
2- pick up a decent used unit and put a kit through it for extended longevity.
Kits can be had for $1-200.
A half competent mechanic can strip and rebuild these. They aren't rocket surgery.
it is possible to rebuild a used unit with original components without rebalancing.
Individual rotating components are balanced to tight tolerances, match mark parts before dissembling, and realign marks on assembly.
Parts are so finely balanced a few degrees misalignment is not likely going to be catastrophic.
There's risks in both these scenarios, but the trade off vs dollars spent on a big ticket upgrade (which still has its risks) makes sense to me.
