Hey, I'm very new to this site....I've read about 85% of the info given here and am looking for alot of answers still. You will see me on this site alot, so please be patient!
1st: I was "given" I presume a 12cm WG turbo assembly along with I presume an HX35. You tell me. It was pulled off of a '98 I believe. The person who turned me on to it is a high performance diesel mechanic/owner of a shop here in town and suggested I try it. I purchased a 16cm non WG from him and since he had never tried the combo of the 12cm/HX35 on my year truck, he went into his "bone yard" of turbos and handed me this thing and asked if I would "try" it for him. If it worked out, he asked for me to just return the 16cm non WG...a sort of trade. The 12cm/HX35 is clean, hardly used. Check out my sig and offer any suggestions. I do plan to tweak the fuel pump as outlined on this site.
2nd: Timing... how do you do this? Is it a "must/should" do? I don't plan on using my truck for much towing. Maybe an occasional haul with my 30', 8,000 lb. trailer to go hunting once a year. This truck is mostly used as my daily commuter(90 miles a day round trip). So tell me about the timing thing
3rd: Propane. A lot of the high performance diesel shops around here do install them on the 1st generations. They said propane is very safe, just dont increase the orrifice size that sprays the propane into the combustion chamber. People that do are the ones that run into trouble. With that said, I was able to score on a used ATS Torque- Pro 2000 propane kit that came off of a 2001 Duramax. It came with an under body mount Manchester 8 gallon tank suited for this purpose. The orrifice size on the propane manifold is still the original 3/16" hole, and If I install it, I will not make it larger. It was a great deal... I hate to let it go, but I do not want to sacrifice my engine for the sake of that extra power. Anyway, I was wondering, with all the pluses I hear that pane can do for a diesel, why don't more people on this site use it? I see water/meth on some of ya'lls trucks and I have considered that, too. (I will sell my pane setup and buy water/meth if I don't install the pane. My decisions will result on what you all suggest) I would appreciate if ya'll took the time and guided me in my need to knows. Thank you! Carmyne

 

Welcome to DTR!

1: The HX-35/12 setup works really well on a stock truck or one with mild injectors. I'm not familiar with the 40 HP BD injectors, so I don't know if the 12 cm is big enough. Do like the guy you got it from said - run it and see how EGT is. If it's running too hot on the top end, go with the 16 cm housing instead. Also, if you cruise faster than 70 mph on a regular basis, the 16 cm will give better economy.

2 and 3 are interconnected. If you do the propane, do not advance the timing or crank the pump up. A little propane goes a long way, you got good advice on not playing with the orifice size. The problem with propane is that it lights before the diesel and causes a spike in cylinder pressure. Add advanced timing to that and you are now developing peak pressure before the piston hits TDC. Cracked pistons or a blown head gasket are the result. I'm not saying "Don't run propane" or "Don't advance the timing" - just don't do both.

If you can get propane cheap (under $2.00 a gallon), you will come out ahead on the mileage. You burn in propane approximately what you save in diesel, so the propane has to be a good bit cheaper than the diesel to make it worth the trouble. You will have to fill the propane about every other tank of diesel.

Timing will help with mileage, maybe 1 or 2 mpg running on the highway. Timing on a 1st gen is done by loosening the injection pump and rotating it clockwise when viewed from the rear. Most guys separate the stock witness marks by 1/8". Remember, only do this if you decide not to do propane. If you can get propane cheap, the propane will save you more money.

 

wannadiesel, thanks for the very useful reply back. I'm now ready to continue with the BOMBING process. Y'know, after I posted this last tread I crawled under the truck to see if I could read the numbers on the turbo assembly to find out what exactly I have that the dude gave me. I have the TURBOCHARGER FAQ printed out and I do not see any of those numbers listed, maybe you can assist me in identifying. The Intake Compressor side of the turbo is a goldish green in color with the WG actuator plumbed with hard pipe right back into th largest width of the "snail shell " portion of the compressor housing body, meaning the actuator is barely seen because it is under the turbo assembly when mounted. Numbers visible to me are:HOLSET 3593085-04.

 

sorry, didn't get to finish my reply. The exhaust housing, which is clamped to the compressor housing, is much smaller than the 18.5cm that came stock with the truck. It's numbers are: 3592470. Please help with identification. Carmyne

 

It sounds like a stock turbo off an early 24 valve truck. It will run pretty good for you. What kind of EGT are you seeing and how much boost do you see?

 

wanna, what would give you the idea that it is from a 24 valve? What year do you suppose? Carmyne

 

Oh, BTW, that sucker whistles loud... sounds like a jet ready for take off

 

The hard plumbed wastegate line. Not sure on the year exactly, probably '98 or '99. After that they went to a different exhaust outlet on the turbine.

 

Hard plumbed wastegate line should be '01 or '02