My M813 gets a turbo!

[US6x4]

I made some more progress on the intake piping between the air cleaner and the turbo and I got the stack & heat shield installed.
Looks like I didn't need to buy an extension splice as the 4" length I cut off the stock intake pipe is the right size to space the 90° elbow off the air cleaner for a straight shot to the turbo. Pretty neat how that worked out.

I cut the 4" off, rolled beads on the smooth ends, had some 3/16" flat bar rolled to 5" ID and cut out a tab to TIG weld on and then tap 1/8" NPT for the air restriction gauge tube.

 

[Mullaney]

I made some more progress on the intake piping between the air cleaner and the turbo and I got the stack & heat shield installed.
Looks like I didn't need to buy an extension splice as the 4" length I cut off the stock intake pipe is the right size to space the 90° elbow off the air cleaner for a straight shot to the turbo. Pretty neat how that worked out.

I cut the 4" off, rolled beads on the smooth ends, had some 3/16" flat bar rolled to 5" ID and cut out a tab to TIG weld on and then tap 1/8" NPT for the air restriction gauge tube.

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Getting better by the day!
Nice metal skills for sure.

 

[US6x4]

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Getting better by the day!
Nice metal skills for sure.

Yes, my coworker who's doing the welds on this project is both really good and super willing which is a hard combination to find these days.

 

[Valor]

I made some more progress on the intake piping between the air cleaner and the turbo and I got the stack & heat shield installed.
Looks like I didn't need to buy an extension splice as the 4" length I cut off the stock intake pipe is the right size to space the 90° elbow off the air cleaner for a straight shot to the turbo. Pretty neat how that worked out.

I cut the 4" off, rolled beads on the smooth ends, had some 3/16" flat bar rolled to 5" ID and cut out a tab to TIG weld on and then tap 1/8" NPT for the air restriction gauge tube.

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You are very fortunate to have access to all that fabrication equipment and have that knowledge. Great job. Thanks for sharing all of your work with this.

 

[silverstate55]

Looks fantastic! When do we get to see/hear her running around?

 

[US6x4]

You are very fortunate to have access to all that fabrication equipment and have that knowledge. Great job. Thanks for sharing all of your work with this.

Yes, I'm very fortunate to have a full manufacturing shop at my disposal and fortunate to be working with dozens of skilled fabricators & machinists. I sure don't take it for granted because for maybe 15 years I had to make due with improvisations like using a hammer & punch instead of a press, or a vise & crescent wrench instead of a press-brake, or a hacksaw instead of a band saw.

I do keep mental notes on what I use the most so that I could equip my own shop/garage if these perks ever go away.

I'm happy to share. Showing all the steps might share some ideas and it for sure will show people how much is involved with these projects.

 

[US6x4]

Looks fantastic! When do we get to see/hear her running around?

Thank you! I didn't quite get around to driving it this weekend like i had planned but I should be done with the entire install tomorrow. I want to do some shake down runs before I do any filming so it may be a week or two yet.

 

[hethead]

Thank you! I didn't quite get around to driving it this weekend like i had planned but I should be done with the entire install tomorrow. I want to do some shake down runs before I do any filming so it may be a week or two yet.

Just jot down your egt's, boost, fuel pressures (if you got em) etc. I'm curious to see what you have and can selfishly learn from it!

 

[US6x4]

To cut the hole in the passenger side panel for the air intake i first trimmed back the stiffener rib and I had a 6 3/8" i.d. stencil made from 10 ga. that will produce a 6" hole with the plasma cutter. The fit was so close to the panel latches and hinge that the stencil had to trimmed but the hole itself will barely clear.




A sturdy putty knife and a hammer sliced through the spot welds easily enough.


I edged the hole with my favorite rubber trim which had to be clearanced in places to miss the latch & hinge.




The short section of hose that joined the 4" extension pipe to the air cleaner was actually a donor part from my original air cleaner elbow.








The 90° elbow leading into the turbo compressor is 5 1/2" I.D. on the turbo side and 5" I.D. on the intake tube side.

 

[Mullaney]

To cut the hole in the passenger side panel for the air intake i first trimmed back the stiffener rib and I had a 6 3/8" i.d. stencil made from 10 ga. that will produce a 6" hole with the plasma cutter. The fit was so close to the panel latches and hinge that the stencil had to trimmed but the hole itself will barely clear.

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A sturdy putty knife and a hammer sliced through the spot welds easily enough.

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I edged the hole with my favorite rubber trim which had to be clearanced in places to miss the latch & hinge.
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The short section of hose that joined the 4" extension pipe to the air cleaner was actually a donor part from my original air cleaner elbow.
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'
I know we keep saying it - but wow that is amazing.
It all looks as good as if it was done in a truck factory.

Sharp for sure!

 

[US6x4]

And...that's a wrap! This turbo install is finished! Phew!...that only took 4 months...plus the 4 months of researching and buying parts before that. By far my most intense project to date but I think it turned out pretty nice. After some test drives I will be swapping out the fuel button for a #17.

 

[SCM35A2]

And...that's a wrap! This turbo install is finished! Phew!...that only took 4 months...plus the 4 months of researching and buying parts before that. By far my most intense project to date but I think it turned out pretty nice. After some test drives I will be swapping out the fuel button for a #17.

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Looks awesome!

 

[US6x4]

Looks awesome!

Thank you - much appreciated! It sounds awesome so far and hopefully it pulls awesome as well. I have to pick up a new 8D before I can take it on the road so I should be cruising pretty soon

 

[Crf450x]

This is the best thread I’ve ever seen on here. You did an absolutely incredible job. Also a great job with pictures and documenting.

Keep us updated on how the paint holds up. I’ve tried a couple different paints over the years on manifolds and never could get them to last very long (admittedly that truck regularly saw 2000° egt). I didn’t even paint the one on my 5 ton.

It will be like a new truck when you swap the fuel button.

Also, we definitely need a driving video!

 

[US6x4]

This is the best thread I’ve ever seen on here. You did an absolutely incredible job. Also a great job with pictures and documenting.

Keep us updated on how the paint holds up. I’ve tried a couple different paints over the years on manifolds and never could get them to last very long (admittedly that truck regularly saw 2000° egt). I didn’t even paint the one on my 5 ton.

It will be like a new truck when you swap the fuel button.

Also, we definitely need a driving video!

Well thanks man, glad you like it! I really hope the paint holds out and it's a bit of an experiment to see how it does with the heat, grease/oil, and the UV exposure on the stack. I'll keep the group updated as it ages so we know if it's worth the cost or not $$$.

I'm thinking I'll have to commandeer my daughter's faux-pro for some driving vids...

 

[hethead]

I think you'll really like the 17 button. I put a 15 in mine and I have to keep a pretty light touch on the pedal to keep the fuel pressure down a bit, where I like it. I'll probably end up putting a 17 (or close to it) in. I don't know if you have a fuel press. gauge or not, but I'm glad I put one in.

 

[US6x4]

Well, the first test drive was a success! No leaks, no cracks, no misses, no smoke, no fires, no cops, no tow trucks, no heat issues, and also... no video...sorry.

What i did have was lots of throaty exhaust roar, turbo whine, and jake brake bark

The new 5" exhaust with short muffler is substantially louder but it sounds GOOD! - especially when you push in the clutch to shift and it changes from a 2000 rpm roar to the whistling turbo unwinding.

On a gradual hill doing 40 in 4th I saw about 9 psi and egt's around 800°F pre-turbo with the stock fuel button and dual fuel mod.

After another cruise or two I'll swap in the #17.

 

[Mullaney]

Well, the first test drive was a success! No leaks, no cracks, no misses, no smoke, no fires, no cops, no tow trucks, no heat issues, and also... no video...sorry.

What i did have was lots of throaty exhaust roar, turbo whine, and jake brake bark

The new 5" exhaust with short muffler is substantially louder but it sounds GOOD! - especially when you push in the clutch to shift and it changes from a 2000 rpm roar to the whistling turbo unwinding.

On a gradual hill doing 40 in 4th I saw about 9 psi and egt's around 800°F pre-turbo with the stock fuel button and dual fuel mod.

After another cruise or two I'll swap in the #17.

.
That is fantastic!
Glad to hear about it - and when you get the chance - you need a co-pilot to grab some video and snap pictures

 

[US6x4]

Today I swapped out the fuel button for a #17 and was surprised to find a #37 in the pump. I was expecting a #28 based on what most people report finding in their rigs. I wonder if M816s have lower number buttons than M813s because of their weight?...

The button in the pump read "37 USA MS"
(No Cummins part number on it)




17 on left, 37 on right.

 

[US6x4]

I took the same route for a second test drive now with the #17 button and it feels like I went from a loaded truck to an empty truck

On the same incline where it was 9 psi/800° it was now 11+ psi/800°.

I'm not really running around to do data logging I'm just noting what I saw at a glance - mainly concerned with the egt's. So far so good!