Turbochargers and Intercoolers

Turbos are an integral part of today’s modern diesel engines and are a major reason that they are able to produce more power. Unlike a supercharger, which is driven via a belt from your engine, a turbo takes the exhaust that your engine is producing and puts it to good use. Exhaust enters the turbo from your headers and spins an impeller. The intake housing has one impeller and the exhaust side has another. The impeller on the intake side pressurizes your intake system and creates boost, which essentially raises the compression ratio of your engine to raise horsepower and torque.

As turbochargers are driven by exhaust, heat is an unwelcome byproduct and something that wasn’t really taken into account in automobiles till the 80s. It was then that intercoolers started to really come into play in turbocharged automobiles. An intercooler is a heat exchanger. There are two types: air to air and air to liquid. The forced air produced by the turbocharger is routed through the intercooler, where its temperature is reduced before reaching the engine. The use of intercoolers has made turbocharged vehicles far more reliable and, in the case of today’s heavy duty diesel trucks, is a very important component.

Turbochargers & Intercoolers

Remanufactured Turbos

Let’s face it - your factory turbo isn’t going to last forever. By the time your truck hits 100,000 miles, it’s seen more abuse than your gut after the company's chili cook off. Between hauling heavy loads, traversing steep grades with said loads, and all the heat a turbo is subjected to they’re bound to fail. When they do, you’re often left with little alternative but to visit your local dealer and sign over the deed to you house. Alright, it’s not that bad but you get my point. Well, cheer up bud because there actually are options and more are in the works.

The companies you’ve been looking to for your vehicle upgrades have recognized a need and are working to fill it. Remanufactured turbos are now available for Ford, GM, and Dodge. These remanufactured turbos are built to factory specs and receive the same precision and care that your favorite manufacturers put into their high performance turbos. They even offer performance versions of your stock turbo. From the outside the turbo appears stock, but inside it has been tweaked to provide more power, faster spool up, and improved efficiency.

  • 100% OEM Appearance
  • Available for GM, Ford, and Dodge
  • Precision Balanced
  • Costs Less than Dealer Supplied Turbos
  • Is your factory turbo going out? Are you looking to replace it but don't want to fork over the high dollars that the dealers want? Well look no further because BD Diesel has got you covered. These factory replacement turbochargers are remanufactured with the same precision and attention to detail that BD Diesel puts into all their turbos, and if you're looking for a little more oomph but still want that factory turbo look take a look at BD's performance line of factory turbos.

    • 100% Factory Look and Performance
    • Costs Less
    • Precision Balanced
  • These factory BD Diesel turbos give you the factory look with the performance gains you crave. BD takes the factory turbo and tweaks it internally to maximize its potential. All upgrades are made to provide better response and horsepower gains. So if you've got a factory turbo that's on its way out, check out these performance factory units from BD Diesel.

    • 100% Factory Appearance
    • Increased Horsepower
    • Increased Response
    • More Performance for Less Money

Upgraded Turbos - Why Choose One?

By definition, the amount of power that a diesel engine can make is directly proportional to the amount of fuel injected into the cylinder. In order to combust efficiently (i.e. smoke free) the engine needs air, and lots of it! About 18 times more (by mass), to be exact. This is where the turbo comes in. Its whole purpose in life is to shove air into that engine, and the more are you can shove the more efficient your engine will be. Stock turbos are chosen conservatively by manufacturers, though a little too conservatively at times. Today’s diesels are capable of a lot more and it does not come at the cost of reliability. There are many reasons to upgrade your stock turbo and they don’t all involve competition.

Better Towing Performance

- While the stock turbo may seem adequate most days, there are situations where you’ve probably found it lacking, especially when hauling heavy loads. An upgraded turbo, along with the right tune, will allow you to get up to highway speeds more quickly and maintain those speeds no matter the terrain.

Decreased Lag

- Factory turbo chargers can often be a bit laggy, taking a while for the power to truly come on. Aftermarket turbos are generally designed to reduce lag and increase the amount of usable power.

Smoother Performance

- Some factory turbos can seem like an on/off switch; you're either on boost or off. Aftermarket turbos can offer a smoother, more linear power/torque curve helping to reduce the whiplash effect.

Better Reliability

- Many of us have tuned our diesel rigs to gain a little extra power. Stock turbos have some additional room for increased power but they can easily and quickly reach their peak. Once this happens, efficiency begins to drop and temperatures start to rise. This creates a snowball effect as the turbocharger system is a big loop. Compressor discharge temps increase, creating higher intake and exhaust temps, which creates even higher compressor discharge temps which, well, you get my point.

To put it simply it’s better to have an upgraded turbo working below its potential than a factory turbo working at its max. You’ll get more capability, more reliability, and more fun!

  • Banks developed the Quick-Turbo in conjunction with the Holset turbocharger and Cummins Engine companies to eliminate sluggishness "out of the hole" and produce h3 acceleration. The Banks Quick-Turbo produces massive torque right from idle, achieves a higher peak faster, maintains more boost through the power band, and doesn't over boost. The exclusive Banks BigHead® wastegate actuator prevents "wastegate blow-open" by keeping the valve seated at higher pressures, increasing mid-range torque and top-end power. Banks corrects boost-level limits with a high-boost compressor wheel, built for higher boost levels without compromising turbo performance.

    • Quicker Spool Up
    • Reduced Lag
    • Produces Massive Torque
    • Doesn’t Over Boost
  • The ultimate upgrade for classic diesels is a Sidewinder turbocharging system. Banks wastegated Sidewinder turbo unleashes gains up to +82 hp and+143 lb-ft torque. You'll hardly recognize Ol' Betsy: with Banks' turbocharging technology onboard, she'll tow up the grade 53% quicker, and provide up to a phenomenal 29% fuel economy improvement at that. No smoke!

  • If you’re looking for big power, faster spool up, and everyday reliability, look no further than the high performance BD Diesel turbocharger line. BD Diesel manufactures high performance turbos for GM, Ford, and Dodge diesel pickups. Designed to deliver the power you want with the reliability you need, you can’t go wrong with any of these easy-to-install units.

    • BD Diesel Turbo Thruster Upgrade Kit
    • BD Diesel SuperMax Turbo Kit
    • BD Diesel Super B Single Turbo Kit
    • BD Diesel Super B Twin Turbo Kit
    • BD Diesel Super B Special Turbo Kit

Intercoolers

As the heat exchanger of the modern turbo system, intercoolers play a very important role in helping maintain reliability. Factory intercoolers can tend to be restrictive and sometimes ineffective when it comes to big power applications, which is why so many aftermarket intercooler options exist. Aftermarket intercoolers both flow more and cool more, allowing you to make more power safely.

  • Increased Cooling Capacity
  • Increased Flow
  • Increased Air Density
  • Thicker, More Robust Cores
  • Better MPG
  • aFe Blade Runner Intercoolers represent the next generation of intercoolers. The Blade Runner intercoolers utilize a 3" bar and plate design that outperforms OE style tube and fin core designs. The end tanks are constructed out of 3/16" TIG-welded aluminum plate tanks that incorporate three multi-directional vanes, efficiently directing air flow through the entire core for maximum cooling. The Blade Runner intercooler also comes with 4 1/8" pre-tapped ports for easy gauge installation as well as other auxiliary input options. The Blade Runner Intercooler is tested at 200psi, which is perfect for the high boost applications. In recent testing the Blade Runner intercooler produced a 200 degree temperature drop and a 100 degree EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) drop, as well as increasing air flow by 30%. This unit also comes with the aFe intercooler tube for additional air flow gains. Don't waste your time and money on modified factory intercoolers. Invest in the aFe Blade Runner intercooler, the most sophisticated intercooler design on the planet.

    • 3“ Bar and Plate Design
    • 3/16” Aluminum End Tanks
    • Tested at 200psi
    • Increases Air Flow up to 30%
  • The stock intercooler has an inferiority complex. No wonder — it’s smaller than the Banks Techni-Cooler in every aspect: boost tubes, core area, inlet/outlet, and even the end tanks. Most competitors use poorly designed sheet metal end tanks and provide inadequate flow volume, but Banks improves airflow into and out of the intercooler with big mandrel-bent 3” boost tubes. Large, rugged, high-efficiency cast end tanks won’t rupture under high-boost conditions. A huge inlet and outlet, plus a 25% larger core area results in a whopping 34% improvement in volume. Removing restrictions and improving airflow lowers boost air temps. This increases the density and oxygen content of air entering the engine, which amplifies power, lowers exhaust gas temps (EGTs), and improves fuel economy. And when EGTs are tamed, the tuner doesn’t need to limit fuel delivery so you get higher continuous, useable power and more power at any EGT. Very cool!

  • BD Diesel Cool-It Intercooler

    The stock intercooler has an inferiority complex. No wonder — it’s smaller than the Banks Techni-Cooler in every aspect: boost tubes, core area, inlet/outlet, and even the end tanks. Most competitors use poorly designed sheet metal end tanks and provide inadequate flow volume, but Banks improves airflow into and out of the intercooler with big mandrel-bent 3” boost tubes. Large, rugged, high-efficiency cast end tanks won’t rupture under high-boost conditions. A huge inlet and outlet, plus a 25% larger core area results in a whopping 34% improvement in volume. Removing restrictions and improving airflow lowers boost air temps. This increases the density and oxygen content of air entering the engine, which amplifies power, lowers exhaust gas temps (EGTs), and improves fuel economy. And when EGTs are tamed, the tuner doesn’t need to limit fuel delivery so you get higher continuous, useable power and more power at any EGT. Very cool!

    • 3“ Bar and Plate Design
    • 3/16” Aluminum End Tanks
    • Tested at 200psi
    • Increases Air Flow up to 30%

Intercooler Upgrades Tubes

To complement your upgraded intercooler, it's important to address the intake tubes flowing into and out of the intercooler. After all, what's the point of upgrading your intercooler if you’re just going to limit the flow to it? Factory intercooler pipes are designed to work with the vehicle’s factory intercooler. Their diameters are small and their bends aren’t exactly designed to offer the best flow.

Upgraded intercooler tubes offer:

  • Increased Flow
  • Increased Horsepower
  • Increased Torque
  • Reduced EGTs
  • Work well with both stock and upgraded intercoolers
  • Eliminates the potential for cracking
  • aFe Blade Runner Intercoolers represent the next generation of intercoolers. The Blade Runner intercoolers utilize a 3" bar and plate design that outperforms OE style tube and fin core designs. The end tanks are constructed out of 3/16" TIG-welded aluminum plate tanks that incorporate three multi-directional vanes, efficiently directing air flow through the entire core for maximum cooling. The Blade Runner intercooler also comes with 4 1/8" pre-tapped ports for easy gauge installation as well as other auxiliary input options. The Blade Runner Intercooler is tested at 200psi, which is perfect for the high boost applications. In recent testing the Blade Runner intercooler produced a 200 degree temperature drop and a 100 degree EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) drop, as well as increasing air flow by 30%. This unit also comes with the aFe intercooler tube for additional air flow gains. Don't waste your time and money on modified factory intercoolers. Invest in the aFe Blade Runner intercooler, the most sophisticated intercooler design on the planet.

    • 3“ Bar and Plate Design
    • 3/16” Aluminum End Tanks
    • Tested at 200psi
    • Increases Air Flow up to 30%
  • Increase horsepower, torque, and fuel economy with this upgraded intercooler intake tube from BD Diesel. Stock intercooler intake tubes are restrictive and prone to cracking, especially under increased boost pressure applications. With the BD Diesel intercooler you get increased durability and increased flow, so it's a win win.

    • Increased Power
    • Increased Flow
    • Increased Durability
    • Reduced EGTs

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