Recently I've been waking my 93 d250 up a little bit and am looking to continue with low cost/simple mods. However, I know just enough to know how much I don't know, and want to get some second and third opinions; or any info on things I might need to do in tandem with this particular upgrade. I tow trailers a lot, but rarely more than 6 tons and the truck has 350,000 miles on it. Any information (or someone who knows where to get the housing for cheap) would be deeply appreciated.

 

I have heard that going from a 18.5 to 16cm isn't worth the money but I haven't tried it myself. On my old w250 I went from a 21 cm to 16 and then to 12cm. Going to the 16cm it lowered the egt's 150f and it lit around 1700rpm. From 16 to 12cm I did notice a small diffrence in spool up but it ran hotter in the top end. If I find a 16cm housing cheap ill throw it on and see if all the rumors Ive heard are true. I like the 16cm because it cools good, has decent spool up, and keeps the drive pressure down.

 

dont waste your money on a 16

 

I went with a 14CM wastegate and I like it. I turned the fuel screw a bit It enabled me to merge into traffic alot better but it's no hot rod. I have an auto trans/3.54 gears and with 4" exhuast and bigger intercooler on highway i have seen 23 mpg. The 14cm WG isn't real cheap but I think there is a 14 non WG .

 

I like the thought of putting a 14 on there maybe. Should I think about getting an egt gauge, or maybe new piston rings though? I know it will spool up quicker, but does it increase boost overall? I want to make sure to avoid any possible dangers to the engine. Thanks for your input on this everyone.

 

An EGT gauge should be one of the first things you do.

 

hey-Hey!!!,
I have 16's on both my 1991 and 1990. I'd hesitate to conclude that his 1993 has an 18.5cm housing 'cause both ov mine had 21's. On damage, if you don't turn up the pump much I think a non-WG'd 14 should pose no threat to turbo integrity. I say this after reading of many folks who've wired up the WG on a 12cm and stuck it on a motor with a turned up pump and not seen flying parts. If the 14's weren't so expensive I probably would have at least one. I got my 16's used for $100 and that is nearly a 2-for-1 on a new 14.
cheers,
Douglas

 

I saw the prices on the 14cm housings. What makes them so expensive?

 

Gauges before mods. Boost and pyro at the very least, you won't know what you're working with otherwise. As for the 16 I went from a 21 to the 16 and it works beautifully on my auto rig, it spools very nice and since its an auto once it lights it stays lit. It even spools the stage IV compressor well enough; granted at the time I was planning bigger injectors and whatnot and now that I'm not I wish I'd gotten a stage II or III, but that’s another topic. If you have an 18 the 16 isn't worth it, a WG 12 from an HX-35 would be the most economical bang for your buck; a 12 will always be better than a 16 on a stick.

 

My 16cm on my 93 automatic spools almost instantly. I plan on never (been 18 years so far) running over 25lbs of boost. Not looking for 400+HP but just one strong running Cummins.

 

My 93 D350,3:54,5 Speed has the 16cm and it responds like a gas engine.
Good for me.