The 2H/12H-T/1HZ/1HD-T/1HD-FT Gturbo Alternative Tech Thread (1 Viewer)

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How does someone endowed with a wealth of turbo knowledge not recognize the MASSIVE, GAPING hole in the aftermarket turbo market for these trucks? Surely, someone can see the potential...

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They have. That person was Graeme and he's put his price on his involvement.

If you don't like that, there are hundreds of other options.
 
Wow - now that was an interesting 3 days of reading...................... Dougal, you have the patience of a saint!

I own a 1991 LC 80 (auto) with post-turbo EGT and fully rebuilt pump, big end bearings and radiator. Blow-by is quite low for a 275k KM engine (or so the diesel fitter who did the pump says). My turbo doesn't show any wear if I try to wiggle the shaft with the inlet hose off.

Consider this though: if my standard 1HDT turbo was starting to signs of wear,

I have $500 AU to spend.
I buy an ebay Supra turbo for $300 or so.
I unbolt the exhaust housing from the old and new turbos and swap them over.
I get an ebay "Turbo Smart" boost controller and gauge for $150.
I bolt the new turbo in with controller and gauge attached, run it up slowly checking for oil flow, water flow, and leaks.
I set the boost controller to 18 psi.
I drive off into the sunset with a smile on my face due to the extra power and faster spooling.

Please tell me if this is not the cheapest, most bullet-proof standard upgrade?
 
They have. That person was Graeme and he's put his price on his involvement.

If you don't like that, there are hundreds of other options.
Mhm, with his pricing structure, there seems to be plenty of room for user friendly bolt-on competition. Which is what I was referring to with my post.

The whole international shipping sort of kills the deal for a lot of us NA'ers.

Sent from my SM-G920V
 
Wow - now that was an interesting 3 days of reading...................... Dougal, you have the patience of a saint!

I own a 1991 LC 80 (auto) with post-turbo EGT and fully rebuilt pump, big end bearings and radiator. Blow-by is quite low for a 275k KM engine (or so the diesel fitter who did the pump says). My turbo doesn't show any wear if I try to wiggle the shaft with the inlet hose off.

Consider this though: if my standard 1HDT turbo was starting to signs of wear,

I have $500 AU to spend.
I buy an ebay Supra turbo for $300 or so.
I unbolt the exhaust housing from the old and new turbos and swap them over.
I get an ebay "Turbo Smart" boost controller and gauge for $150.
I bolt the new turbo in with controller and gauge attached, run it up slowly checking for oil flow, water flow, and leaks.
I set the boost controller to 18 psi.
I drive off into the sunset with a smile on my face due to the extra power and faster spooling.

Please tell me if this is not the cheapest, most bullet-proof standard upgrade?

Cheap yes, bullet proof is questionable with an eBay core.

Use the same equation with but with a mellett core (~$400usd) and I reckon this is the most failsafe low dollar upgrade going.
If you're greedy for more, then your back to ebay quality with 12 months warranty (cough cough)
 
They have. That person was Graeme and he's put his price on his involvement.

If you don't like that, there are hundreds of other options.
Totally agree, Graeme has tapped that hole.
He's been working toward it a long time, and no doubt he's nailed it!
It's 8 yrs or so since I started tweaking my hdj81 and I know he was investigating turbo and IP upgrades around the same time.
 
I
Mhm, with his pricing structure, there seems to be plenty of room for user friendly bolt-on competition. Which is what I was referring to with my post.

The whole international shipping sort of kills the deal for a lot of us NA'ers.

Sent from my SM-G920V
You can get two shipped to Sydney AU in the next week, I'll bring one as far as Utah for free for you ;-)
 
Mhm, with his pricing structure, there seems to be plenty of room for user friendly bolt-on competition. Which is what I was referring to with my post.

The whole international shipping sort of kills the deal for a lot of us NA'ers.

Sent from my SM-G920V
Got to pay to play. You can have reliable, performance and cheap the rub is you can only pick two.
 
You guys realize you're commenting in a thread titled "Gturbo Alternative Thread" with over 327 replies. It's easily one of the most consistently bumped subjects in the diesel section. If that's not a huge indicator of room in the market, I don't know what is.

I also dabble in the TDI community, a community fortunate enough to have a half dozen astounding turbo options, ALL under $1,000. So, while yes, Gturbo is really our only option now (short of some homebrewed eBay monstrosity), I pray someone a lot smarter than me comes along and decides to throw their hat in the ring.
 
You guys realize you're commenting in a thread titled "Gturbo Alternative Thread" with over 327 replies. It's easily one of the most consistently bumped subjects in the diesel section. If that's not a huge indicator of room in the market, I don't know what is.

I also dabble in the TDI community, a community fortunate enough to have a half dozen astounding turbo options, ALL under $1,000. So, while yes, Gturbo is really our only option now (short of some homebrewed eBay monstrosity), I pray someone a lot smarter than me comes along and decides to throw their hat in the ring.
Someone has. Karter @ForealBoreal has been looking into a lower cost alternative. But r&d, custom parts and minimum quantity orders means you have to outlay a great deal of money up front for a complete unit. Then you have to market and sell the stock you have. If it was that easy to crack the market, more people would have done it. I'm pretty sure Karter could hook you up if you asked nicely.
 
You guys realize you're commenting in a thread titled "Gturbo Alternative Thread" with over 327 replies. It's easily one of the most consistently bumped subjects in the diesel section. If that's not a huge indicator of room in the market, I don't know what is.

I also dabble in the TDI community, a community fortunate enough to have a half dozen astounding turbo options, ALL under $1,000. So, while yes, Gturbo is really our only option now (short of some homebrewed eBay monstrosity), I pray someone a lot smarter than me comes along and decides to throw their hat in the ring.
There are other options, UFI in WA are developing their own TD05/CT26 hybrid based on their experience with TD42 performance, numerous turbo shops also can build you a one off out of whatever components you want, but by the time you went to all that trouble for no guaranteed result it would be better just to buy the proven option. @mudgudgeon has offered to stick one in his suitcase for you, that's a pretty good deal if you ask me
 
And I've run an alternative and found it lacking. You don't think I went and bought a GTurbo without finding the performance limit of the previous option?
 
I just dropped some money on a 7m ct26. Going to swap my 58020 housing on and see how it goes when it gets here. I may even take the time to do a before and after dyno run if I have the patience.
I would go buy a Gturbo but I enjoy tinkering, doing things myself and learning new things.
 
I just dropped some money on a 7m ct26. Going to swap my 58020 housing on and see how it goes when it gets here. I may even take the time to do a before and after dyno run if I have the patience.
I would go buy a Gturbo but I enjoy tinkering, doing things myself and learning new things.
Even just a post run would be good to see
 
You guys realize you're commenting in a thread titled "Gturbo Alternative Thread" with over 327 replies. It's easily one of the most consistently bumped subjects in the diesel section. If that's not a huge indicator of room in the market, I don't know what is.

I also dabble in the TDI community, a community fortunate enough to have a half dozen astounding turbo options, ALL under $1,000. So, while yes, Gturbo is really our only option now (short of some homebrewed eBay monstrosity), I pray someone a lot smarter than me comes along and decides to throw their hat in the ring.

How many of those replies are unique posters though? You're discussing a turbo for an engine that was never sold in North America, what is there maybe a few dozen 1HD-T's in the US right now? Maybe a hundred or so in Canada? Face it, the NA market is small in aftermarket turbo offering terms. If you were seriously considering a G-turbo, international shipping would be a very minor hurdle to clear IMO. A "Made in America" alternative would cost more than a G-turbo's landed cost for certain.

There are SO MANY MORE TDI's in North America than 1HD-T's, I can't understand why you'd even make the comparison.

Karter just went through what you're describing as a can't lose business idea, and has promptly removed himself from the market due to lack of demand. Interest is one thing, but interest doesn't pay the bills.

That's my $.02 anyway.
 
Niche market 'luxury' product... I don't think Gturbo is unreasonably priced at all. Expensive? Sure.
 
How many of those replies are unique posters though? You're discussing a turbo for an engine that was never sold in North America, what is there maybe a few dozen 1HD-T's in the US right now? Maybe a hundred or so in Canada? Face it, the NA market is small in aftermarket turbo offering terms. If you were seriously considering a G-turbo, international shipping would be a very minor hurdle to clear IMO. A "Made in America" alternative would cost more than a G-turbo's landed cost for certain.

There are SO MANY MORE TDI's in North America than 1HD-T's, I can't understand why you'd even make the comparison.

Karter just went through what you're describing as a can't lose business idea, and has promptly removed himself from the market due to lack of demand. Interest is one thing, but interest doesn't pay the bills.

That's my $.02 anyway.
I'm just frustrated I guess. Market monopolies make me irritable, and I wish I was more then one man so I had time to tackle other goals such as these.

Sent from my SM-G920V
 
Wow - now that was an interesting 3 days of reading...................... Dougal, you have the patience of a saint!

I own a 1991 LC 80 (auto) with post-turbo EGT and fully rebuilt pump, big end bearings and radiator. Blow-by is quite low for a 275k KM engine (or so the diesel fitter who did the pump says). My turbo doesn't show any wear if I try to wiggle the shaft with the inlet hose off.

Consider this though: if my standard 1HDT turbo was starting to signs of wear,

I have $500 AU to spend.
I buy an ebay Supra turbo for $300 or so.
I unbolt the exhaust housing from the old and new turbos and swap them over.
I get an ebay "Turbo Smart" boost controller and gauge for $150.
I bolt the new turbo in with controller and gauge attached, run it up slowly checking for oil flow, water flow, and leaks.
I set the boost controller to 18 psi.
I drive off into the sunset with a smile on my face due to the extra power and faster spooling.

Please tell me if this is not the cheapest, most bullet-proof standard upgrade?

Ditch the boost controller, instead cut and thread the wastegate arm and preload it until on a bench test it cracks open with about 1-2psi more than your target boost.

Rather than an ebay CHRA, I'd look at a supra wheel and cover, have it installed and balanced onto your original core if it checks out.
Also what is your turbine housing? If it's not the smaller 58020 then that would be my first stop along with the wastegate cut/shut. That'll give you more low end boost and a better mid-range.
 
You guys realize you're commenting in a thread titled "Gturbo Alternative Thread" with over 327 replies. It's easily one of the most consistently bumped subjects in the diesel section. If that's not a huge indicator of room in the market, I don't know what is.

I also dabble in the TDI community, a community fortunate enough to have a half dozen astounding turbo options, ALL under $1,000. So, while yes, Gturbo is really our only option now (short of some homebrewed eBay monstrosity), I pray someone a lot smarter than me comes along and decides to throw their hat in the ring.


It's like this. To develop and test turbochargers (especially to the limits Graeme has) costs a huge amount of time and money. No-one is going to put in that R&D expense without any pay back.

To do this job properly you need an Engineer who understands all the maths and thermodynamics behind a turbocharger. That straight away cuts your options down to probably a few hundred guys (max) worldwide who aren't already employed by turbocharger companies. Those guys already tend to be swamped with work, family and hobbies.
I've got the time to come here and answer a few questions occasionally. But I haven't even had the time to install my intercooler that's been sitting in a box for over 2 years.

The TDi community is full of IMO poorly performing rubbish. Most of them are black smoke merchants that would kill an engine quickly if it were subjected to extended load.
Poorly performing rubbish is cheap and easy to produce. The very good products that exist for the TDi community have the benefit of millions of vehicles throughout the world to sell to.

The economics just aren't there for anyone else to enter this game.

We have some existing options that are quite well understood now:
The 58020 housings are the fastest spool option for a CT26.
The supra compressor will give you more top end.
The 1HD-FTE CT20B will give you a faster turbine, bigger compressor and only needs some fitment issues sorted.
Plenty of aftermarket companies are making their versions of Graeme's turbos.
 
I'm just frustrated I guess. Market monopolies make me irritable, and I wish I was more then one man so I had time to tackle other goals such as these.

Got your point but you are insisting in the same point .. and we ( others already ) pointing you to the reality ( facts ) so, my word might sound harsh ( apologize for that in advance ) but stop complaining for what is not already out there and you want ( cheap ) and do it ! you would realize how much it takes ( on money, time and effort ) then you come back here with your proven tested solution and sell it for cheap to us ..

If you have better option / product than Graeme turbo, for about 1K I'll buy it from you ..
 

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