Increase Turbo boost

[H3Jim]

As I understand it, the kit that Pittsburgh Power sells for electronically controlled engines primarily boosts power by increasing tubo boost.

My engine has 430,000 miles on it and I in no way do I want to cause failure of either that or the tranny, but it is intriguing.  My experience tells me that you can't get somthing for nothing, and that these easy power increases push some envelope that the engine designers didn't exploit.

What say the experts?  The web page link is

http://www.dieselinjection.net/frames.html

[HB of CJ]

They helped me with my Big Cam Cummins plans for the Crown Super Coach.  As I understand, the over writen programs expolite aspects of about everything.  To get more boost, you need to burn more fuel.  They also fiddle with the timing and recommend better intake and exhaust systems.  Ain't technology amazing? 

[makemineatwostroke]

H3Jim  I know you long for more power but if it is not a DD approved increase I would let my 60s die a natural death around 800 thousand + miles and you are only half way there    have fun and buy fuel not HP

[skipn]

Jim,

Several things to consider.
1. The newer turbos are more effiecient than the old ones. So age dependant not necessarily more boost.
2. Past a certain point increasing boost will get you nothing more than heat (running to lean if possible in a diesel)
3. Electronic control will try and make up to balance out the air fuel mixture to a point then bigger injectors.
     and usually requires some programming wizardry.
4. A lot of what is designed on diesel engines is to maximize the million mile epa concept not biggest HP for the buck
5. The matching of engine torque and tranny torque capacity is a negotiated settlement between the various companies.
6. cost versus need

 Just some of my thoughts FWIW
Skip

[HighTechRedneck]

Personally, I wouldn't do it.  While I am not an expert, I have read many experts say that the more you up the power from a given engine above its original design, the shorter its life will be.  Unless you drive the wheels off your bus, and as long as you take proper care of it, you currently have reasonable expectation to never have to deal with the expense of an engine rebuild.  Boost the power output, and you may change that.

[gecole]

Truckers have running Cat and Cummins engines boosted to upwards of 800 hp for years. That's why they can blow by you  grossing more than 80,000 lbs. I worked in a Cummins shop many years ago and enjoyed the dyno tests immensely.

[skipn]

Gecole
    True but if memory serves turning up the rack on a Cat could get you a 10K fine. (70's era)
    We were told anyone setting up the rack beyond EPA specs would be down the road.

    Dyno story.....at the shop I was at the Dyno jockey had a very  big ego until he stepped into
    a d8 engine intake running at 35lbs boost. killed the engine and left a perfectly big round red
    spot on his skin through his coveralls........He had to talk fast to explain that one to his wife

    FWIW
   Skip

[Brian Diehl]

Diesel engines are rated primarily in the number of pounds of diesel they are designed to handle.  So, say your million mile DD is designed for XXXXXX pounds of diesel over it's life span rating.  You can consume those pounds of diesel quickly or slowly.  So, by boosting the horsepower you are increasing the rate of fuel consumption.  By increasing the rate of fuel consumption you take miles off the engine.  You'll still get the designed life span of the engine, but it will occur in fewer miles.  The Pittsburg Power package mainly relies on the EGR probe you have to install in the exhaust stream to determine the maximum amount of fuel to pass.  Once you reach maximum exhaust temperature it backs off the fuel until the temperature comes back down.  IIRC the temperature it sets as maximum is 1300f degrees. 

[TomC]

Since it is a dial in system, you can use it just when you need it.  Otherwise the engine stays the same.  Do you think you'll get up towards the magical 1 million mile mark (I've seen 12.7's still running at 1.3 million miles with no overhaul) anytime during your lifetime based on the amount of driving you do?  Probably not.  If you want to go faster, this sure sounds like a cheap way to go.  So go do it-you only live once!  And so what if you do blow the engine, there are more engines out there-then you can put in a 14.0 and hot rod that!  Good Luck, TomC

[JohnEd]

Jim,

They crank those 8V71's and 92"s up to obscene powers in boats and the military equipment.  Getting rid of heat seems to be the limiting factor.  What I do notice is that they seem to change out the mains and rod bearings more frequently with higher HP.  If I had the resource I would upgrade the engine as you propose doing.  I would refresh the brgs and monitor them till I had a feel for how often I needed to service them.

Measure the temp of the air coming out of the intercooler.  If you can lower that you can significantly increase the HP on a long pull.  You get no increase over max HP.  Got no numbers.

Please let us know what you determin along the way to making your decision....this is interesting.  Especially with Tom's and Brians input. 

I once read this piece about putting larger injectors on a 8V92 AND bumping the turbo output.  The story read like a graph where the HP was on the Y axis and lifespan in miles driven was on the X axis.  Going from 450 HP to 900HP the longevity went from 450K miles to less than 200K miles.  Nobody mentioned wether you changed out the main brngs at 500 mile intervals or not.  Those marine engines make that much power and they run a lot of hours between crank shaft inspections.

Good luck with this and know that I envy you your journey.

John