Turbo Charging A Tundra!

For the gauge map sensor I am considering to install it close to the vaccum hose near the interior fuse box. I am curious about in what spot you @bflooks / @TurboKits installed it?

 

@Jego let me dig up some photos. I essentially zip tied it to the dash frame to the left of the steering column. What I didn't realize at the time of initial install was the emphasis by Innovate in the install instructions talking about how it must be mounted entirely vertically. It led me to question if that is what could have contributed to the glitch I was having with it not reading above 0.0psi and I ended up remounting it as a result of the research and troubleshooting.

EDIT FOR PHOTO: Found a better photo from the spring during my install. I moved the sensor to directly below the relay in this photo. It fit in that space, so the print faces the driver's door and uses the relay and the to support the top left of the sensor, with the zip the less than perfect part of the frame, above the remote start module (red/white/blue connectors).

 

Nice! Thanks!

 

It's easy enough to access for troubleshooting, but it's also up high and away from the rest of the mess that comes with 2 additional systems in that general area. Anyplace wilm work, though, just be mindful of that vertical requirement.

 

Just got the last of my 2k mile OCI Blackstone reports back, and the first running 5w-30 vs 0w. I'm over halfway to the 4k mile OCI I'm working on now, and the goal is to return to the 5k mile OCIs I have always run since it was purchased new in 2019. The numbers don't lie, and the first test (4/8/2024 results) was with 0w-20 on the stock/NA engine. I have zero complaints.

I took this sample from the oil drain pan, not directly from the oil pan on the truck (my fault), so I was concerned everything was going to be skewed. This is also the same oil that I had the oil cap come off (my fault) on my first trip to Maine. In total, this sample has about 12 hours of towing on it and the rest of the miles are daily driver miles.

 

Excellent!!!

 

We also installed under the dash, since you are running a vacuum/boost signal in there for the AEM controller, just split it and keep it clean and out of the engine bay.

 

UPDATE: Oct 2024 - The 600HP / 680TQ from the motor Stage 2 Kit Released and Live on our site! (Man that's a lot of parts for the $$ )

Starting at $6895.00 and making amazing power, HP per dollar The TurboKits.com Stage 2 Intercooled Turbo Kit is best Forced Induction Option for your Tundra 5.7L!!

https://www.turbokits.com/2007-2021-tundra-5-7l-stage-2-intercooled-turbo-kit-600hp.html

https://youtu.be/W1U1A-y1Z_8

https://youtu.be/wldp0p49rx8

 

i was expecting better numbers than a SC

 

They can surely bring that psi up. Just like SC manufacturers they gotta keep the engine internals inside. We certainly push the SC beyond what the manufacturer gave us. There's no stopping someone from turning up that psi with a good tune. It's only at 6.5psi. But then we're talking a built engine.

 

you see the guy on the toyota tundra owners FB page? looks like they got to close to 1000whp on stock sleeves til kboom!

 

As I understand it, the turbo is meant for Over 1000 HP and it's a matter of swapping a waste gate spring and pressing a few buttons to bump the boost up more. His 880'ish injector offering shouldn't be forgotten about, either.

I'm about to make the switch at the end of this month (injectors and pump are the only deltas) and I mentioned being thrilled to kiss 600whp by bumping it up to 7.5-8psi, and he essentially told me I'm on my own at that point because everything he is tracking says he's right up to the line of performance and reliability. The transmission is one of the concerns since 600whp would equate to over 650wtq

I appreciate that aspect. He's running a for profit business. I also appreciate that he's built the system to go much further and didn't go smaller on the turbo. Knowing there's nearly double the power still on the table is cool.

 

Where are the SC DYNOs making those #s at 6.5-7PSI?

 

Comparing dynos for peak numbers is kinda dumb, but here is some anyway! Not that any of this matters of course as it’s already been determined that these motors stock can reliably handle maybe 650-700 crank hp max anyway and this can be achieved by both setups. On the right applications (not a stock tundra engine) the 7675 turbo is good for 1,000-1,200hp, the TVS2650 SC is good for 1,000-1,200hp. The trans would never hold that power either unless you do one of Prospeeds built 4L80 swaps with motec and very few people are investing that much coin. In a nutshell, pick your preferred feel for power delivery and sounds that it makes and have some fun!




Below is a stock TRD pulley setup which was 6ish psi.

 

I think the point is, you can buy a turbo kit for a Tundra, bolt it on, and off you pop with more power per dollar than what you get with a supercharger kit and the canned tune that comes with it.

 

This is true, IMO the supercharger kits cost more because you’re paying for OEM fit and finish for a kit designed by a team of engineers. Someone has to pay the engineers. Whether or not that’s worth it is for the prospective buyers to decide.

 

@TurboKits is essentially an integrator who gets to pick from across the market, so in a sense, they have outsourced their engineering to the many, many industry leaders they've chosen for their kits (less the plumbing, MAF sensor, couplers, etc). I like the flexibility it provides since it's a modular system that makes FI as customizable as a suspension setup. Use a different IC, use a different turbo or WG. I like having no vendor lock as a result and it will be cool to see what happens as there are more adopters. The current price point isn't exactly horrible, either.

That all said, there's def some downsides when compared to those big names on the blowers. There's no emgine warranty offered. It wasn't a dealer bolt on. It doesn't have the 15'ish years of support on this platform.

I'm not sure any of it matters at the end of the day. Having FI and >500hp in a sleeper is just plain awesome. I don't think the grins and smiles are any more or less between the two.

 

@bflooks
@Jego
What did you guys wanted to accomplish when you first decided to go turbo instead of SC?
Granted, I think earlier (2.5G and earlier) Tundras are later to the turbo party, but it also got me thinking of why.

I am used to turbo in a sedan/race car type, you know, go 700hp and blow head caskets and pretty everything else along with it.
But those weight maybe 3000lbs-ish? Or might be even less, weight reduction and all that (driver reduction not considered....)
But those Tundras are heavy as hell..... I think almost all trucks with some type of mods, plates, anything, tips over at 6000 lbs? give and take...
We are almost twice as heavy as those so call "street legal race cars" and also built like a brick (aerodynamic ain't passing for sure)
What was the plan of achieving?

I actually did reach out to @TurboKits when they first announced the Stage 1, and during some discussion they said they are working on Stage 2 and that should sit above 500hp for sure.
I mean, currently at 380-ish horses is fine, sometimes uphill or overtake can be a pain, so those 500 horses should be nice to have in the reserve just in case you need it, and also when I tow once in a while
Then of course, I have health issues known back then that I knew was gonna wipe out my bank to take care of (and just recently did....) so I had to turn down their generous offer and watch you guys build and have fun.

Sure, some have put 1000+ ponies on a Tundra, but we are not building a straight line race truck, right?
We are building a all-around capable (maybe minus the straight line, just too damn heavy) truck that can handle everything we throw at it, and some.
But blowing the transmission plus an engine might not be what I have in mind with FI.....
Later down the road I would love me some stage 2 or even higher to get me over that 500 hump that would allow me to have more than enough reserve power as a sleeper Tundra, let's hope that happens and the price will be within reach.

Happy Friday everyone! Doesn't matter if it is turbo or SC, we are here to enjoy our trucks, stock or modded, or flying planes.....lol

 

TL;DR response here: https://www.tundras.com/threads/turbo-charging-a-tundra.115951/page-44#post-3728383

Placeholder for my reasoning: budget, locality to the developer, tons of power where I wanted it, easy adjustability with a built in mechanical fail safe, and the desire to contribute.

Placeholder for why now: I assume because SC was offered at the dealership it got the early jump (as it should have). Having a factory tune def helped, right up until the unlock. Since the unlock, it's an open door to the market for other options and it makes sense to have attention since the platform has such a long run. I'm surprised it's only a few companies so far.

BL: A lot has happened since the TRD SC went to market and I think it is good to have competition.

 

Good question. Few months ago, before this Turbo kit was available, I started to see the need to add more HPs to my Tundra. Using the Tow/Haul Mode didn't feel that much after adding bigger tires and the weight that came with the 6 in. lift kit, sport/roll bar, powered running boards, semi bumper with a hidden winch, among other minor stuff. The price for the SC was 7k so I literally held the horses at that moment. In the beginning of March of this year @TurboKits released this kit for the first time. At that moment they were looking for like 2 or 3 DIY guys who want to work with them by giving feedback on the whole process from the install to the tuning to the driving, etc. Also, they were offering about $1,000 worth of extras and some discounts as well. At that moment I saw a great opportunity to make something different and learn about it at the same time. The need for more HPs, the starting price for this Turbo kit and the lovely sounds it generates were the 3 main reasons for me. I don’t have experience with SC but based on what I saw on reviews the SC is a great option and a proven technology for Tundras with a good warranty. There is plenty of data about SC on Tundras too. The time will allow us to provide more feedback on the Turbo stuff. But so far @TurboKits and @bflooks provided great data and feedback that adds a lot of value to this new system. I am very excited about this install, and I can't wait to have everything set. It is taking more time than I anticipated due to unexpected personal situations but I will do it including stage 2!

 

Did you, by any chance, weighted your whole truck dry with all above equipment?
Just wondering, cause just reading that sounds like you are either over the 6500lbs mark or close to 7000......

 

Not yet, but I would like to know it. I have to find a place here in PR to weigh it.

 

I did. Depending on day/people, 5800-6200lbs without wdh or trailer. I am 1/2.done with my edited post above.

 

Aside from the turbo and people, what else do you have on the truck?
Trying to gauge a baseline for comparison.
Speaking of which, I should find a CAT scale to do mine, too. Just for giggles.

 

275/70/18 E-rated Falken Wildpeak AT3W (x5)
Front and rear cat theft prevention plates
Firestone air bags and cradles
RAS HD
10x10 pop up canopy
Tool bag
Gator tri-fold tonneau cover

The tires and plates are the heaviest items. I don't think the 5.29s and Power Trax add enough weight to matter.

 

Hey Guys, been driving cross country, brining my mother, some stuff she wanted moved and her car from CT to NM. We had originally planned to take the Tundra, for an EPIC towing test, but unfortunately by the time we accessed what we needed to bring. It just wouldn't fit and we needed a large uhaul and car trailer. Anyway, I am at the airport now and will be back at it tomorrow, I'll get all of these responded to as soon as I can. Thanks!!

 

Okay, TL;DR response:

- My approach to this endeavor: https://www.tundras.com/threads/turbo-charging-a-tundra.115951/page-25#post-3527222

- My baseline when I started this journey should it help bring things full circle: https://www.tundras.com/threads/turbo-charging-a-tundra.115951/page-26#post-3533112

- Scaled, unloaded weights vary between 5800-6200lbs (lightest I have seen is 5620).


I had been watching the kit get developed since 2021 and was glued to what Ken and Jesse were doing. I couldn’t help but think “why hasn’t this happened until now?” and I thought Stage 1 was a clean install. I also thought it would yield everything I needed because I only wanted a nudge for towing purposes. My research showed that strictly for towing purposes, a turbo is the better option. This is not Tundra specific information, but days of research about general FI & towing setups. With towing being my primary use case, that’s how I fell into the turbo club.

Being sticker shocked at the cost of entry for a SC, I didn’t think I’d be able to go FI. (The General Supercharger Thread has great discussion on costs and options, and I encourage anyone researching to go read that thread, too.) Before Ken needed his truck back and the project went quiet for a while, I had reached out to Jesse after realizing he was in CT (I’m in MA) about being a beta tester. Well, he remembered that and pinged me when the Stage 1 kit was available. We worked out a deal knowing that I’d be putting this kit through paces he hadn’t yet. My proximity to him and his fabricator meant we could all work together as we beat the shit out of the kit. For me, it just made sense from a budget and support perspective, for a solution that was supposed to be the best for my intended use case (strictly towing). Reliability was the top priority for me so we built a crawl/walk/run schedule based on my planned camping trips and locations, and when he started talking about the flexibility of a TC setup and how quickly I can drop to a mechanically controlled 1.5psi of boost, I was absolutely sold and sort of jumped in feet first. I had flexibility in my schedule to do it, and I felt the desire to contribute to not only a company launching a product, but to the community for having another option. Someone had to be first, so why not me?

Truth in advertising, my requirements have changed ever so slightly since the start. Me having the intercooler was always part of the agreed upon plan, but me going full Stage 2 wasn’t. While the 4’ish psi I’ve been running (on stock fueling) has been a huge improvement for towing, the mountains occasionally leave me wanting just a touch more. That, and I caught the Dragy time “bug” from the SC guys after going to cruise nights with my father and being asked about numbers and such. I decided with the only delta between my install and Stage 2 being injectors and pump, the bump up to Stage 2 was worth the cost of entry. With the Blackstone results showing the motor is fine after 8k miles and the water methanol consumption is very manageable and having more flexibility in fuel delivery with Stage 2, I’ll be swapping the mechanical springs out to a 3 or 5lb instead of the 1.5. That will be my new mechanical baseline, and the electronic controller will let me go wherever else I want to. Having that much flexibility in the system has always been one of the parts that appealed to me the most. The springs are zero cost, and the electronic boost controller can be adjusted (or shut off) on the fly. That combination puts me in a fantastic position for towing and will make me most able to do so safely, even if an issue arises, since I can be dropped from controlled boost to mechanical in less than 5 seconds, from the driver’s seat, while in motion. All of this adds to the "why" for this kit.


Regarding a consumer level turbo kit being available now vs 15 years ago like the SC, I have to say it is all about the tuning. Because the SC was offered at the dealership it got the early jump (as it should have) as having a factory tune def helped drive that solution as THE solution, right up until the unlock. Since the unlock, it's an open door to the market for other options and it makes sense to have attention since the platform has such a long run. I'm surprised it's only a few companies so far.


A lot has happened since the TRD SC went to market and I think it is good to have competition. Both technologies are well proven for performance, one is just newer to the Tundra 5.7l scene. I don’t think there is a right or wrong option here, as again, >500HP in a now “old” platform is awesome. I’m just personally curious to see where the TC solution goes from here since someone with more resources than myself will be able to take it places I simply can’t ever consider with my truck. Maybe that’s Jesse as an enthusiast, maybe it’s Turbokits.com as a company, maybe it’s someone else, IDK – but I’m anxiously awaiting those stories. I just look forward to the discussion changing away from testing and doubting to more fun topics like how much a TB coolant bypass impacts a TC vs a SC, or seeing if a new catback exhaust on a TC Tundra sounds and performs the same as it does for the SC folks. The data confirms a TC is a viable option for the platform and I’m excited to finally move on to more fun parts of it all.


Final note, big thank you to Jesse @TurboKits for everything. Not just for my install, but for looking across your vendors and finding (or developing) solutions to keep things moving forward for the platform as a whole. Thanks for not using the thread as a giant sales ad, thanks for being open and honest in the discussions, and thanks for making it easy to write about this entire experience. The good, the bad, and the ugly are documented for all to see, you handled it all with grace, and I hope it helps people make informed decisions going forward.

 

Solid, is this guy local, I'd love to see what he gets on a Mustang DYNO. The TVS2650 really pumps some air, Impressive! Very similar in results which is in line with the max flow rates of both the 7675 charger and the TVS2650. Power under the curve is nice as well with a majority of the RPM range above 500WTQ on both set ups. The turbo peaks out more on the TQ side, since boost comes on with the motors natural power band, but apples for apples, this is a GREAT comparison. Thank you!

SAE J1349 is from my understanding Motor/Crank HP. Which would be in line with what the TRD blower can flow. Nice gains from the factory set up to inj and tune as well. I don't think these are wheel HP #s tho.

As we build our new TRD Pro project. I will make sure when we are on the DYNO we do more styles of runs. Our focus for the stage 2 release DYNO, was repeatability and consistency. We would start the DYNO monitoring at 2500 RPMs and roll into it until about 2K in 4th, listen for the TC lock and then roll to full throttle, so we were 100% TPS by the 2500 RPM start of the run. I am sure if we played with start times and got more "stabby" with the throttle, we could see torque and boost come on a bit lower.

Either way, ANYONE who has an SC, understands the absolute pleasure you get driving a Tundra with 500+ HP. Regardless if it's making the venerable SC whine or the jet fighter sound of a Turbo. Just knowing that when the noise starts, so follows the power, is enough to enjoy driving a boosted tundra for 100s of 1000s of miles! Heck, I play with the throttle for no reason when I am driving, just to hear the turbo whistle up and the BOV vent off. LOL

Thanks for the input.

 

Dude!! Speechless... Been a joy working with you on this journey as well!!

Not really sure I would have even come close to saying it all better...

 

I had a wild dream, and in that dream money wasn't a problem, I would love to install both SC and TC.....
Now, that's a dream, because I am pretty sure that engine bay ain't got enough space for all that, plus the heat would trap itself there, too....
Better stick to just one....