turbo kit from eastern surplus, anyone have one?

[wizner17]

i called eastern earlier today to get more information and what they told me was that its a complete kit, bolt on, that increases power 20%-25%. but from reading the past few years threads discussing the possibility of turboing the nhc 250 it sounds like it needs quite a bit of work to the top end and bottom end to make it truly reliable, so i had pretty much made up my mind that i might as well just get an engine that was built for higher power in the first place from the factory.....until i saw this kit from a reputable dealer. so if anyone is running this system i would like to know what you think about it, thank you.

 

[Beerslayer]

How much do they want for it? Can you link to the kit on their website?

 

[patracy]

I don't know of anyone here that has the kit. But I know a lot of people have added a turbo setup from a big cam engine to their trucks to save some money. (I'll be doing that as well) Only target to make 300-325hp tops on the NHC 250.

 

[wizner17]

pretty hard to find huh? i thought so too. well i found a post on this forum from them years ago mentioning that they have turbo kits. so i tried to look it up and only found 2 pictures and no information (http://www.easternsurplus.net/5ton_spares.html, then go to edit-find on this page-then type in 5t-612 and it should be highlighted) so i emailed them asking for price, parts list, and performance gain. and they sent me a link to what i have just showed you, so nothing really. then i called them asking the same question and he said they were going to email me more information, at which point i got a call about an hour later asking me what else i wanted to know from a different guy. sooooo same questions again, and all i could find out from them was the price is $4,900, he didnt know what turbo they used or nor did they have a parts list, but they have been doing it for years and its about a 20%-25% gain in power, but its never been dynoed so im assuming thats derived from a quick formula from one of those internet calculators or seat of the pants calculator. they were very nice and tried to do what they could to answer my questions, but thats all the information i got for ya.

 

[patracy]

If you can weld, the big cam exhaust manifold/turbo will bolt on, as well as an intake. The only thing you'd need would be addressing the exhaust.

 

[wizner17]

yeah i have went through the past 5 years of threads on this forum and the big cam conversion seems to be the way to go if you really, really want to have reliability and use the same block. but i was kind of hoping that easternsurplus just put together a kit based on one of the big cam variants originally made from cummins. but it really doesnt sound like that to me.

 

[patracy]

It's not a "big cam" conversion. It's just manifold(s) swap, and a turbo install. You're still left with the small cam engine and questionable durability. The utmost means to get power/reliability is a full engine swap to a big cam engine, there's been a few of them.

I personally will be installing a big cam exhaust manifold and a HT3B turbo onto my NHC250. I paid $250 or less for it. (Can't remember exactly)

 

[wizner17]

i guess im just a little leary because everyone seems to be worried that this engine doesnt have oil cooling the pistons, and something else i cant think of like all the other cummins variants. and i have only 660 miles on my engine and i would hate to melt a piston on such a fresh engine

 

[wizner17]

my last 3 posts were intended to be above your posts, you reply pretty fast haha

 

[patracy]

i guess im just a little leary because everyone seems to be worried that this engine doesnt have oil cooling the pistons, and something else i cant think of like all the other cummins variants. and i have only 660 miles on my engine and i would hate to melt a piston on such a fresh engine

That's why you install a EGT gauge. And most importantly, watch it.

 

[wizner17]

the EGT makes sense. but it still sounds like the most set it and forget it is an engine swap. maybe ill find an isx 600 and the allison that can handle that and be reliable to 1 million miles.

 

[350TacoZilla]

I really think our engines should be reliable up to about 650K and if you put that type of miles on a MV you are doing pretty good. I would say patracy has it pretty much dead on most you can try to get reliably from the 250 is 300-320 range, if you are looking for more a 400hp 855 cummins will bolt right in almost and be reliable for years even if you turn it up into the 550 range.

 

[Vintage iron]

Adding a turbo to a cummins 250 only gets you 20 hp. This is a dyno tested and documented number, because Cummins made a 270 Cummins. the 270 engine is the same as our engines but with a turbo. They made it for high altitude areas. To get more power than that you will need to add dual fuel lines to feed both sides of the engine, bigger injectors and recalibrate the injector pump. All 855 block engines are the same base, except the formula engines and the big cam 400's. The formula motors I am told have lighter internals and the 400's liners are held top and bottom. Yes, you can crank up one of our motors as long as have the money and you watch the Exhaust Gas Temperature.

 

[wizner17]

Adding a turbo to a cummins 250 only gets you 20 hp. This is a dyno tested and documented number, because Cummins made a 270 Cummins. the 270 engine is the same as our engines but with a turbo. They made it for high altitude areas. To get more power than that you will need to add dual fuel lines to feed both sides of the engine, bigger injectors and recalibrate the injector pump. All 855 block engines are the same base, except the formula engines and the big cam 400's. The formula motors I am told have lighter internals and the 400's liners are held top and bottom. Yes, you can crank up one of our motors as long as have the money and you watch the Exhaust Gas Temperature.

and that would be my final confirmation for me doing an engine swap, i dont want to watch my EGT's or every couple of weeks tweaking this or adjusting that. so the bottom line is if i want more power with oem reliability i need to get an oem engine that happens to have higher power.

the ultimate goal for this truck has been a lazy search for about 10 years for the ultimate truck with the following conditions

1 - incredible reliability derived from a drivetrain that i will never be able to push the limits of in any of my use of a truck. so a 5 ton driveline and suspension will always be able to tow or pull my dirtbikes, rally cars, trailers, etc

2 - all wheel drive when needed. its rare to find a heavy truck with drive to the front wheels, so i was looking at used detroit edison trucks and gravel train trucks, but all of them were pretty used up. but luckily i found a military truck that sat in some depot hardly used, so thats why i bought the 931.

and now i have the basis for the goal and its just a matter of modification get it to ride a bit smoother, attach a bed that will hydraulically go down to the ground, drive down the highway at 70mph, and have a bit more power, air conditioning, and a quiet interior. you know, little stuff, haha

 

[patracy]

If you're wanting to cruise at 70mph down the road, a 931 is a bad choice due to being gear bound. Even in my wife's mildly tweaked Jeep CRD I still drive by the EGT and boost gauge. Not that it can go into meltdown, but to know exactly where the sweet spot is. (Under 600F and 5psi of boost is a good rule of thumb) My wife drives it like a normal car. She only gets about 27mpg. I get 32-34mpg driving it.

 

[wizner17]

as far as the end result of my build goes, if i end up needing to swap out the engine, trans, tires, and modified the suspension i feel that im still ahead considering that would mean i paid $13,500 for a chassis, air brake system, cab, all electrical, driveline, etc that is basically brand new, and was designed to work together. plus i can still make a decent amount of money from selling the engine, trans, and tires.

most people build, say, an F-350 to be bigger and tougher buy putting 5 ton axles on, lift kit, adding tons of boost, etc. where as i think the way to go is by starting with something already robust and swap the oem class 8 parts for different oem class 8 parts for the ultimate in reliability and strength

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Adding a turbo to a cummins 250 only gets you 20 hp. This is a dyno tested and documented number, because Cummins made a 270 Cummins. the 270 engine is the same as our engines but with a turbo. They made it for high altitude areas. To get more power than that you will need to add dual fuel lines to feed both sides of the engine, bigger injectors and recalibrate the injector pump. All 855 block engines are the same base, except the formula engines and the big cam 400's. The formula motors I am told have lighter internals and the 400's liners are held top and bottom. Yes, you can crank up one of our motors as long as have the money and you watch the Exhaust Gas Temperature.

We have Cummins 290's in our 1952 locomotives here at work. I've been into them, they are the same as my NHC 250 but have the dual fuel line and turbo. No other real differences, except maybe the pump being turned up a little bit over a stock 250 pump. I've been through the manual too, and all the stock numbers for all major components are the same.

 

[MidnightDuramax]

Will big cam III exhaust and intake manifolds fit the NHC250?

 

[350TacoZilla]

We have Cummins 290's in our 1952 locomotives here at work. I've been into them, they are the same as my NHC 250 but have the dual fuel line and turbo. No other real differences, except maybe the pump being turned up a little bit over a stock 250 pump. I've been through the manual too, and all the stock numbers for all major components are the same.

no oil squirters on them either?

 

[wizner17]

no oil squirters on them either?

thats my main concern too