Diesel Tuner's Blog

With so many drop-in turbo upgrades to choose from it can be hard to make sure you're getting exactly what you want, and need, out of a drop-in turbo upgrade for your '04.5-'16 Duramax. Could your stock LLY, LBZ, LMM, or LML turbo be enough to crank out the power you're looking for if you really turned it up?  Do aftermarket replacements really live up to their claims? Today we'll take an in-depth look at what you can expect out of varying levels of drop-in turbo upgrades for your 6.6L Duramax and compare them to what the your stock charger can provide. Below is the data from our in-depth engine dyno testing of a Stock VVT/LML turbo, Stealth STR, Stealth Mach 1, and Stealth Mach 2 turbo. All tests were conducted on a built LBZ engine connected to our Dyno-mite water brake engine dyno.  This empirical data was gathered under real-world circumstances, with a serious effort made to control as many variables as possible for consistency. Installation, instrumentation, and operation of this engine through a gauntlet of tests that took several weeks.

Turbo and Test Descriptions

Dyno Engine: The platform that we will be using for this test is a 2007 6.6L LBZ Duramax that received the following upgrades before testing:

• Custom tuning
• S&B Cold Air Intake
• 100% over injectors
• 10mm CP3 pump
• Head studs
• Alternate firing order cam
• Upgraded pistons
• Upgraded crank shaft
• Upgraded connecting rods

These upgrades were necessary to be able to handle the power levels that we pushed this engine to during the testing of all 4 of these turbos. 

Testing: We performed three tests to gauge the overall performance of each turbo in comparison to each other. Obviously the bigger the turbo, the more top end power. But what about all the other factors that go into creating that power like drive pressure, EGTs, air/fuel ratio, etc? What about in towing conditions and all-around drive-ability? The first test that we will present is the "Max Power" test which is your traditional dyno and power test.  This test will provide a general comparison in terms of the difference in power that these different turbo options can produce. The second test presents spool up data and will give a good visualization of the difference in drivability and turbo lag that each turbo can provide. Finally our "Tow Test" is the ultimate data provider, providing insights on key data points including EGT's, drive pressure, air/fuel ratio Ect...

Stealth 64?  Stealth 64G2? Stealth 67G2?

You finally got the okay from the wife on spending that tax return, you're thinking about upgrading the turbo on your 2001-2004 LB7.  Like any well educated Duramax owner you go to DuramaxTuner.com to check out everything you can on the Stealth turbo, but you're still wondering which is right for you.  

Now you may have the urge to simply pick the turbo with the highest peak power.  Maybe your thought process is to go immediately at the cheapest price.  To be honest, no matter which way you go, each Stealth turbo is going to be better than the stock charger. However, there are a few things we would recommend you consider before making your buying decision. It can help you save money and time in the long run, so let's dive into which suits you best.

There are a few things to consider before picking a new turbo for your LB7:

1.  What size injectors do you have?
2.  Are you going to build the engine?
3.  What is your ultimate HP goal and what do you plan on using the truck for?

We have lowered our MAP pricing on the Stealth 64 Turbo:

Calibrated Power, home of DuramaxTuner.com, has ramped up in-house production of the Stealth Turbo line.  This added capacity and volume of turbo production has provided an opportunity to lower MAP pricing on all Duramax models and allowed the Cummins 5.9L Stealth 64 to be a low price and top quality leader in it's category. 

Our Stealth 64 Turbo's are:

• Made in the USA!
• Upgraded, Drop-In Replacement!
• Quick Spooling with Big POWER!

Stealth 64 G2 Technical Information:

If you have an LB7 and are considering a replacement LB7 turbo, you want the best!  It has to be a turbo that is going to be reliable and meet your demands for performance.  You want something that is cutting edge, proven to work and a turbo that you can still drive or tow with everyday.  You need an upgraded LB7 turbo that is going to deliver.  And if you are looking for a Stage 1 LB7 turbo upgrade, you probably will look at the Stealth turbo line. 

Shopping for the best turbo means understanding what you need and what the turbo can do.  Here you can find the technical information about the Stealth Mach 1 (64) along with some insight as to what you should be looking for when shopping for an LB7 turbo upgrade. 

Other Articles About LB7 Turbo Options:

• LB7 Turbo Upgrade
• 6 Things to Know Before Upgrading Your Duramax Turbo
• How Much Boost Should My Stock Duramax Turbo Make