416 Turbo Build and MUCH MORE!

Let me preface this post with a comment as to the planning – it was extensive. I have a great many of you all to thank for answering calls and emails, and just sharing your experience with me in general – thank you! I spent months investigating electric supercharger options, remote systems like STS, factory systems, and I finally decided on a Holset HX35 with a 12cm exhaust housing for quicker spooling. I did not care for the smallness (my opinion) of the factory turbos and since the 12 valve dodge engines have about the same engine size, I used theirs as my base platform.

Before I could install the turbo I desired though, I had to lift the cab 3 inches. While this could have been done much easier, like docfranco did, I wanted to install an air-ride cab suspension system for comfort purposes (and just because I can!). So my cab lift is a bit more complicated, but in short, my front mounts are my custom fabricated cab tilt hinges; my mid-mounts are 600# springs; and the rear mount is a Freightliner air-ride setup with my cab shocks functioning as limiting straps. I also removed my PTO as I did not use it.

I had a performance shop in Windsor Colorado do the turbo install. They hand-built the exhaust manifold for my engine and mounted the turbo. They ran the supply oil line from in between the block and the oil pressure switch (pretty clever I thought), and welded in a fitting to the oil pan for the return. The turbo was used, with only about 100hrs on it. They fabricated an exhaust outlet to tie into the factory muffler system, basically replacing the plumbing that the factory manifold did. (I will post the shop's information once I have fully vetted their work and can recommend them to the community.)

As my mog did not have hydraulics, they ran my air intake into the right side of my engine bay, in front of the passenger foot well. Do to my desire to be able to tilt my cab up in less than ten minutes, and since my cab is in constant motion, I reworked their excellent intake piping to suit my needs. I basically installed a silicone elbow and raised the air filter a little higher towards the hood. A few other thing are going to happen to enclose that area a bit more, to protect the filter from excess water or debris… Since the snorkel to too restrictive, I did remove my air canister and filter, etc, and you could certainly put your filter in that area – that is what Jay Couch did on the Magpul mog, and it worked out great.

Another thing to be aware of, I removed my stock radiator and entire heater system, and installed a high performance aluminum dual core, double pass Griffin radiator – sitting horizontally and completely protected by the front grill. This radiator is much more efficient, and like my other off road truck, I removed the mechanical fan and installed a 16” electric fan with automatic thermostat controlled switch.

This was my base system to which I added a Snow Performance Stage 3 diesel methanol injection system. This system has a computerized controller displaying EGT’s and boost pressure, and allows me to inject methanol under several conditions, one being boost pressure, and other (and more important to me) being EGT’s. I installed the pyrometer probe in the exhaust manifold, just under the turbo flange – this is for pre-turbo temp readings to ensure I don’t melt my pistons. Should my EGT’s rise to an uncomfortable level, while climbing over the mountain passes, I can add methanol and bring the temps down by a hundred or two degrees. At the moment, I do not want an intercooler, so the Stage 3 is my preferred option, but my performance shop is suggesting the intercooler – I just prefer the ability to force my EGT’s down with my injection system…

At this point, my fuel system is a stock delivery rates. My max boost is around 12-13 psi. My rpm’s are limited at 2800; and my EGT’s go up to 1050 F. I am now beginning to tune my fuel delivery… I will post more into this thread about this aspect over time.


I also re-geared my hubs with a set a Roberto Espinsoza’s fast gears. I opted for CTIS as well, and everything has been good. I will control my CTIS with an electronic military system, but I have not plumbed everything or decided on my wiring method yet . I also bought some beadlock wheels to facilitate lower tire pressures off road. I have a fear of debeading despite the hilarious youtube videos out there of re-beading with starter fluid!

I also removed my front implement mounts and bumper, and built a very heavy duty winch bumper. I did not want a winch sitting in front of my radiator blocking air flow. I also did not want the winch that high either, because of the winch angles it creates. I wanted my winch right between the frame rails, and that’s where it is. I have a 16,500# electric winch spooled with 20,000# synthetic line ready for use. I might have done things differently if I had hydraulics on my mog, but, I am working with what I got! I do have a dump bed on my mog, without a cylinder, that will get an electric driven hydraulic pump and cylinder (like that used on dump trailers) down the road. I installed an awesome crane on the bed, and you can read about that here, just look for my post.

You can take a look at various pics of things here. My mog is a constant work in progress and I am having a great time customizing it to my liking! I would like to fabricate an overhead console (I have a safari top) for radios, DVD player, CTIS controller, etc; but I want to rewire the fuse panel utilizing blade fuses and relays. I don’t want to get to ahead of myself until this is done. I am not comfortable with electrical stuff though, so I am still researching…