Turbocharger Basics

Note: All numbers diesel fuel only *= denotes a compound setup

Since many diesel owners shoot for a certain power level with their rigs, we've included this handy-dandy chart as a guideline to choosing the correct turbo. There are many factors that contribute to how a turbocharger will react, including gearing, weight, torque converter stall speed, and engine speed, as well as driving style. If you expect a quick spool-up and good street manners, go smaller rather than larger on the chart. If you want to spin the engine faster and are looking for power at the sacrifice of some drivability, go larger rather than smaller. And finally, if you're towing all the time or looking for lots of horsepower, nothing beats a set of twin turbos.