Builds White Lightning's Diesel Conversion - A 1994 T100 OM606 swap (1 Viewer)

[Bryan Plunkett]

I have the factory OM606A setup in a Mercedes G. It runs ~3-4 PSI of boost at a steady 60mph. The wastegate is controlled by the ECU. Boost is actively manages so that there is just enough air with minimum backpressure. The control line (vacuum) is constantly changing to match the need.

Great build log! A whole lot of work, but the end result seems great!

Was there a consensus as to the correct replacement nozzles? Mine have 270K miles on them and are certainly due for replacement.

Thanks for the input Alan. My latest highway trips, with the new 3.91 gears, puts me around 25-2600rpm at 75mph. Boost is 11-12psi with VERY low engine load. It's still making about 2 psi at this engine speed with no fuel lol. I tend to get 21-22mpg when I'm running at this higher engine speed. My mixed city driving is in the 25-27mpg range. It really seems to be running inefficient due to the extra exhaust manifold pressure

As for the nozzles, I seemed to read Bozios we better quality than the new Bosche's, but I can't seem to find a source that specifically says they are for the om606 turbo...I've been busy with other things though lately and haven't spent enough time hunting it down. The truck runs as is, but I'm a little tired of the extra smoke it's putting out.

...if anyone does have a link/source for known good nozzles please post it up.

 

[AlanMcR]

You are doing just fine on fuel economy. The G is quite heavy and has famously lousy aerodynamics. 2600rpm in 5th is roughly 65mph. My lifetime average is 19.5mpg (over 200K miles).

 

[Jav]

Bryan-

I just want to thank you for posting all of your detailed efforts. I'm doing this swap on an f150 and your posts have been extremely helpful so thanks!

 

[Bryan Plunkett]

Bryan-

I just want to thank you for posting all of your detailed efforts. I'm doing this swap on an f150 and your posts have been extremely helpful so thanks!

Thanks Jav,

Feel free to ask any questions.

if you are going down the same wastegate route as me (only applicable on the stock turbo) I would recommend you get the two port turbosmart IWG-75 (instead of the standard single port). I've given up trying to get the single port to work and am looking to use the twin port, and likely a 4 port boost controller to allow me to run less backpressure/boost on the highway and still control boost at full throttle.

 

[Jav]

Bryan-

No on the wastegate. Baldur was nice enough to incorporate VNT control into the latest DSL-1 firmware so I removed the OM606 KKK turbo and adapted in a VNT turbo out of the OM642. I did remove the hella motor actuator and replaced it with a vacuum VNT actuator. I also went with a larger intercooler and may even opt for meth injection as I suspect EGT is going to be a concern with a full size 4x4 ford truck especially when towing.

 

[Bryan Plunkett]

Bryan-

No on the wastegate. Baldur was nice enough to incorporate VNT control into the latest DSL-1 firmware so I removed the OM606 KKK turbo and adapted in a VNT turbo out of the OM642. I did remove the hella motor actuator and replaced it with a vacuum VNT actuator. I also went with a larger intercooler and may even opt for meth injection as I suspect EGT is going to be a concern with a full size 4x4 ford truck especially when towing.

Very nice. I wish I had done this from the getgo. Do you have a build thread by chance? I'd love to see how the om642 turbo fits up and how you went about doing it.

-Bryan

 

[Jav]

I don't have a build thread.. I tried on the super turbo diesel site but never got a response on picture hosting so I gave up. I've had a link to this thread for some time and just today decided to register just to thank you because many decisions I made were based on this thread!
Things like- I used the mercedes fluid filled motor mounts. I retained the Mercedes airbox (noise abatement). I went with a 3" stainless exhaust and incorporated flex joints. I like what you did with the heater core piping.

The turbo was a combination of what you were going through and the fact that another STD member did this on his older f150 and he incorporated a VNT turbo off an OM648... which is very close to being a direct swap for the KKK. I couldn't find one of those reasonably priced but found several off the om642 cheap... usually because the Hella controllers went bad. Since I planned on Vacuum control anyway, I only really cared about the turbo so I bought one. It wasn't an easy adaptation since that turbo was designed for the V6 so I had to do some tig welding to both the compressor and turbine housing but I'm happy with how it turned out. We'll have to wait and see if does what I hope it will BUT- I've played around with the DSL tuning tables and it "should" be able to achieve what you're looking to do- which is to better control boost based on power demand versus cruising (efficiency). I'v trid to attach a pic... I hope it works?

 

[Silverad606]

Bryan,

Me too, I want to thank you, your posts and answers to my questions are very helpful and appreciated. I'm the guy with the 2002 Silverado with OM606 motor and 603/6mm pump.

Yesterday I received a DSL1 from Baldur, I decided to try the EDC pump (I have one stock and one 7.5mm pump). I'll start with the stock one. I'm gathering the sensors, etc. Something I wanted to ask you and Jav, what vacuum actuator do you recommend for my GT23V (OM648)? I'm currently controlling it with boost. Now I want to switch to vacuum actuator with the DSL1. Pleas advise.

 

[Jav]

My turbo is not the GT23V but harley50 (from STD site) used one of those on his conversion. you might ask him which one he used as it seems to have fit pretty well.

 

[Silverad606]

I sort of figured your reference was about him in your earlier post. He hasn’t been very responsive but I’ll try him again. Although would what you used vs what he used make a significant difference? Sort of seems like DSL1 should be able to control both not knowing the specs of one actuator vs the other, I mean there is probably an acceptable parameter.

 

[Silverad606]

Jav,

PS, I figured trying the same actuator you got should be a good approach since our turbos are both of similar design concept, unlike Brian’s. Although it sounds like you really still haven’t seen yours working. I iust figured you both seem to know plenty more than me.

 

[Jav]

well I used one from an audi gt2056V, which is the same Garret turbo series as mine but the travel of the actuator was .650" and my turbo arm required 1.09" of movement so I had to make an adapter. Rich told me his actuators travel matched his turbo arm movement pretty closely. That's why I'd recommend using the one he sourced. I may have an email depicting which one he used... I'll take a look.

edit- it was in his KKK to VNT upgrade post-

Turbo Wastegate Vacuum Actuator for Audi A6 A8 TDI Garrett GT2052V Turbocharger | eBay

This is the same one I used.

BTW- you'll also need a solenoid to control it. He and I went different routes on that. HE used an industrial MAC solenoid and I used a Pierburg N75, which is widely used on VW TDI VNT turbo actuators.

 

[Silverad606]

It’s so easy to get distracted, last night I almost ordered the same one you got but I wasn’t thinking about rod travel; glad I asked you. I will check his post.

I also had the solenoid dilema. I think I have an N75 laying around, I’m about to start looking for it. If I don’t find it I’ll order one or that MAC one.

I also just got got an external (TIAL) waste gate, we’ll see how that helps relieving EGP which may be a ptoblem (no gauge yet).

 

[Silverad606]

Jav, in your last post, you said the actuator rod you got was a bit short and that Rich got a bigger one that worked better. Although in the end it seems you both got the sane one. Would you please clarify?

 

[Jav]

Sure- it's not the rod that's short, it's that the vacuum actuator itself only has about 5/8" of stroke. Meaning without vacuum applied, the rod is fully pushed out by a spring. When you apply vacuum, the rod pulls in 5/8". It physically can't pull in any more distance than that.

My VNT turbo came with an electric actuator (not vacuum) and that electric unit produced just over 1" of stroke. So, when I swapped actuators, the vacuum actuator didn't move the lever through it's full range of motion.

My turbo is the gt2056V from a Mercedes OM642. If you get the gt2359V (from a OM648), my understanding is that it's VNT lever arm only requires about 5/8 of travel so this actuator works fine with that turbo.

 

[Silverad606]

Thanks for that elaborate clarification. And I really meant to refer to the stroke and not the rod size itself although you still answered my question.

I received the actuator yesterday and it does travel only about 5/8"...but then I realized that the GT23V lever travels roughly the same. So it seems like it'll work for me. Only thing that it seems to need plenty of vacuum to pull the rod/lever the entire 5/8", I assume my system will have that much vacuum, about 22 inches of mercury.

 

[crusty pirate]

Sure- it's not the rod that's short, it's that the vacuum actuator itself only has about 5/8" of stroke. Meaning without vacuum applied, the rod is fully pushed out by a spring. When you apply vacuum, the rod pulls in 5/8". It physically can't pull in any more distance than that.

My VNT turbo came with an electric actuator (not vacuum) and that electric unit produced just over 1" of stroke. So, when I swapped actuators, the vacuum actuator didn't move the lever through it's full range of motion.

My turbo is the gt2056V from a Mercedes OM642. If you get the gt2359V (from a OM648), my understanding is that it's VNT lever arm only requires about 5/8 of travel so this actuator works fine with that turbo.

great build thread! makes me want to put a 606 on my 65 mustang!! I currently have a 617 in a 98 wrangler. modifed the IP, intake manifold, 3" xhaust, Tial 38mm wg, t3/o40e turbo, and some other nic nacs. regarding your boost pressures when cruzing, i noticed kinda the same thing, i would see around 5 psi at about 70, light load. however, after i replaced the timing chain (due to 5 degree of stretch) i only see around 1-2 psi. I wasnt too worried initially as diesel generators will run hours upon hours at 2k+, boosting the whole time. Im not sure the timing chain is what fixed/changed it, but its the only thing i have done that would have affected it, since getting it running.

fwiw, i feel this is the engine a jeep should have come with. the redlines are within 100 rpm of each other, and with the mods, this thing rips and gets 18+ mpg on 35s with 4.56 gears. great job on you t100. i`m a bit jealous of your fab work.

 

[Bryan Plunkett]

great build thread! makes me want to put a 606 on my 65 mustang!! I currently have a 617 in a 98 wrangler. modifed the IP, intake manifold, 3" xhaust, Tial 38mm wg, t3/o40e turbo, and some other nic nacs. regarding your boost pressures when cruzing, i noticed kinda the same thing, i would see around 5 psi at about 70, light load. however, after i replaced the timing chain (due to 5 degree of stretch) i only see around 1-2 psi. I wasnt too worried initially as diesel generators will run hours upon hours at 2k+, boosting the whole time. Im not sure the timing chain is what fixed/changed it, but its the only thing i have done that would have affected it, since getting it running.

fwiw, i feel this is the engine a jeep should have come with. the redlines are within 100 rpm of each other, and with the mods, this thing rips and gets 18+ mpg on 35s with 4.56 gears. great job on you t100. i`m a bit jealous of your fab work.

Thanks for the input. In my case I was mainly concerned that I was losing efficiency by pushing more air than needed (losing the power through the extra exhaust back pressure and the efficiency of the turbo). I've heard that in most cases the om606 turbo has the wastegate cracked on the highway which keeps it in the 5psi range instead of the 11-13psi I was seeing. I imagine your boost pressure changed due to the timing change, which makes sense as a retarded ignition event will typically help spin up a turbo a bit faster (if I'm thinking about this correctly).

 

[Bryan Plunkett]

Update: installed a Turbosmart twin port IWG which allowed me to apply some pressure on both sides of the diaphragm using the same 3 port solenoid and the DSL1 controller. This allowed me to get away with a 10psi spring and still run 23psi at full throttle (before a 10psi would just blow open and I'd lose all boost control and pressure). A vnt turbo like the om648 or 642 mentioned above would be a much better solution, but I'm in the process of moving and wanted something that wouldn't cause a lot of downtime to make work.

I'm at about 7psi on the highway now which is much closer to what I think it should be. I'll report back if this increased my fuel economy at all. Before I was getting a max tank average of 25mpg doing mixed driving, 22ish if I'm running 2600rpm down the highway the entire time. (31" street tires with a manual transmission. The truck only weighs ~4300lbs). Hoping to get into the upper 20s now.

Will be pulling a 4000lb trailer through the mountains this weekend...which I would have considered not possible back when this had the toyota 3.0 in it. Will report back on how it does.

 

[Bryan Plunkett]

Added a coolant expansion tank T'd in between the heater return and the inlet to the water pump. I was a little worried I might be running around with aerated coolant as coolant temps would start to climb a bit on long highway climbs in the summer. Hindsight I wish I had tried to mount this elseware, it shakes a little more than I'd like since it's mounted on the the engine.

yes the engine bay is still a work in progress...you can see the fancy cardboard cover and the makeshift sound shields I've added to try and quiet down the intake /turbo. Hopefully this winter I'll swap the battery and the intake box for a permanent solution

Proudest moment for the swap. Moved houses, this is the T100 pulling a ~4000lb (loaded) trailer from the garage it was built in. It did 4 of these 100 mile round trips and averaged 19mpg through a somewhat hilly section of I-81. It made it up everything without having to downshift, however my foot was basically to the floor on the long hills. Nonetheless it couldn't make it up those hills 5th gear before (empty-no trailer)...so it's come a long ways from what it was with the stock 3.0.