[rascellian]

Sorry in advance for the long post.

I have a 2013 Ram 3500, deleted and mildly tuned, but everything else is stock (full truck details are below). I'm having to replace my exhaust manifold, and I'm thinking about upgrading the turbo and exhaust brake while I'm at it. I have 116k miles and I hear the stock turbo actuator likes to crap out.

I've been talking to BD Diesel, and their salespeople have been very helpful. They're recommending their Iron Horn kit, part # 1045294, which has the S364SXE turbo. They recommend exhaust brake part # 1027343 to go with it, which they say uses the factory button.

We travel full-time and over 50% of our miles are towing a 16k 5th wheel. We put it under heavy load. This summer was spent in the Rockies, next summer will be in Alaska, etc.

So my question is, will the S364SXE non-VGT turbo provide good towing performance? My understanding is that they take longer to spool up, but provide more power once they are spooled up.

BD Diesel says it will be fine, but I'd like other opinions.

With the stock turbo I frequently have it at 30-35psi climbing long grades, so more power at the top end is good. However, I often end up climbing steep grades from a dead stop, due to traffic jams or red lights, so I need the low end power as well.

Truck details:
- 2013 Ram 3500 dually
- Deleted and tuned with EZ Lynk and GDP tunes. I have a SOTF and tow in 400hp (per GDP's recommendation). The rest of the time I flip it to 520hp, but honestly, I don't have to. I care about towing performance, not street performance.
- GDP says they do have tunes for this turbo / exhaust combo
- The tune also has a mild transmission tune, mostly the line pressure and shift points.
- I plan on getting a built transmission and upgrading the head studs before Alaska next summer
- Everything else is stock

Sorry again for the long post. Any advice is appreciated. I want to be sure I'm making the right decision before I drop 3k on upgrades

 

[HeavyTwo]

I have exactly what you are looking at.

The system spools faster then stock, pulls much harder then stock, and has insane power at speed. Un-loaded I can go from ~60 to 120 real quick, plants you in the seat the whole time.

I pull many trailers, in fact my first pull with the new turbo was a 40ft container. No lack of power.

I even got the Exhaust Brake (EB for the remainder of this thread unless other wise noted by ** and reason for change of EB). The EB does NOT sound like the factory VGT. Honestly I prefer the VGT EB, as it sounds like a big rig. The BD EB kinda sounds like a jet when engaged. I don't think the dash readout of Braking HP is accurate any more though. It's kinda hard to get the EB adjusted just right. You can set it too strong, then during cold starts, it'll cycle off- and on, based on intake pressure. ( The truck with disengage the EB if the PS hits ~65 or so PSI).


I have GDP tuning. It did take me a little while to convince them I have a NON VGT turbo, but yet NEED VGT enabled. to control the BD EB module.

 

[Mono06cummin]

I had a 12 with the Borg 364.5 sxe 2nd gen with the bd in-line 4” EB here’s a vid that’ll link you to my others... In this one I was grossing 32k with our camper headed to the scales. Have a few others of driving around and pulling around Canada around 30k probably... G56 with 3.73s

https://youtu.be/r9Vc3L9HA3A