Standalone Pulse-Width-Modulated turbo

[Dura-Stroke-MIKE]

So i was thinking the other day, how would i hook up a VGT off of a Detroit 60 Series to work as a standalone component?

So it uses air pressure to control the sliding ring, and thats varied by a VPOD (variable pressure operating device) that uses truck air. Its normally hooked to the ECM (obviously) with a PWM ground to vary the air pressure...

I was wondering, how could i use this as a standalone device?

Originally, i was thinking a rheostat or potentiometer, but those would only vary resistances/voltages but not modulate the ground...

Would i have to make my own chip to work off of varied voltage and output it as a duty cycle? A sort of A to D converter?

Im starting to think that this may not be a feasible option.

[Oliver]

Might even be able to use a modified signal from your ecu thets PWM kinda like the govenor pressure solenoid signal or what not. Need something that is modulated based on load.

[1000EE-Monarch]

Don't forget that to do it "properly" you will want to monitor fuel pedal position, engine RPM, boost pressure, possibly drive pressure, and turbo RPM (to keep from blowing it up).

The controller will run the turbo based on a "map" off there input parameters.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about doing this sorta thing, but haven't been serious enough about it. I'd use either an industrial PLC (programmable logic controller), or one of the many microcontrollers out there eg. Basic STAMP, Arduino (sp?), etc. All of those can be programmed to "read" the input parameters, do whatever math or "map" lookup and control the turbo though outputs.

[Dura-Stroke-MIKE]

i was kinda thinking of making it fully manual. just leave it like halfway closed for city driving, getting a good response time, with a little rise in backpressure, and then leave it a little more open on the hwy where i could still push like 5-10 psi with very low backpressure.
Put yes this would require a plethora of gauges.

[Dura-Stroke-MIKE]

Don't forget that to do it "properly" you will want to monitor fuel pedal position, engine RPM, boost pressure, possibly drive pressure, and turbo RPM (to keep from blowing it up).

The controller will run the turbo based on a "map" off there input parameters.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about doing this sorta thing, but haven't been serious enough about it. I'd use either an industrial PLC (programmable logic controller), or one of the many microcontrollers out there eg. Basic STAMP, Arduino (sp?), etc. All of those can be programmed to "read" the input parameters, do whatever math or "map" lookup and control the turbo though outputs.

Ill have to look into those PLCs and STAMP (no idea) because im not familiar with those at all. Analog im fine with, but digital is a little confusing for me.

But then that jus brings up the question of, why dont i just eliminate the VPOD completely and make some sort of analog pressure controlling device?

[1000EE-Monarch]

If you're looking for a direct manual control, why not just do it mechanically. As in an old choke cable or something like that?

I don't think you'll be very happy with the results. The VGT turbo set at any one particular setting will either be very laggy at the bottom end, or have a tendancy for excessive drive pressure and overspeed at the top end. You will find yourself having to constantly adjust your VGT setting.

Having said all that, that's the conclusion that I have reached based on a lot of thought and absolutely no experiance. Heck I may be completely wrong!

Here's some links to microcontroller and PLC realated stuff:

http://www.parallax.com/tabid/295/Default.aspx
http://www.arduino.cc/
http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Programmable_Controllers

Any one of these three options, and countless more, with the some external electronics (input interfacing, some sort of output driver for the solenoid or stepper along with some other misc stuff) will do the trick and if done correctly will be as good or better than a Fleece VGT controller. As far as I know Fleece drives a stepper motor VGT like the Holset off a 6.7 Cummins and uses info though OBDII for fuel, RPM, boost pressure, etc. So it works on a 24V VP or CR but they have yet to come up with one for a 12V or anything else.

[Dura-Stroke-MIKE]

looking at this, it seems like a daunting task, and i would be better off just doing twins or something like that.
One of those things that is easier said than done. I would much rather fab some brackets and collectors up to make a twin setup than i would program a VGT controller....

damned computers. yeah ill just have a choke cable, much easier lol

Thanks for all the links alex

[1000EE-Monarch]

Hell, why not make your life easy and just put a cummins in that Ford.

It's a lot easier to tinker with different turbo setups on the cummins....

If you do try the choke-cable VGT control, I'd be really curious to hear how the truck behaves. You can also add a wastegate actuator and use the VGT like a wastegate.

[Dura-Stroke-MIKE]

Hell, why not make your life easy and just put a cummins in that Ford.

It's a lot easier to tinker with different turbo setups on the cummins....

If you do try the choke-cable VGT control, I'd be really curious to hear how the truck behaves. You can also add a wastegate actuator and use the VGT like a wastegate.

But then its just another come-apart. Boring. EVERYONE has come-aparts and there not exciting, theres nothing special to it. No ingenuity, no real hard labor. Just another run of the mill "i dont want to have to work hard, so i put a cummins in it" deal. When i see/hear/read about 1000 horse come-aparts im not impressed. 1000 horse powerstrokes, now thats something that im impressed with, because it takes a hell of a lot more work to do that.
Now a tick modded 7.3 theres not too many of those. Granted there are some, theres not a lot. Im going to have to custom fab a lot of the parts on it. But fab work doesnt bother me.

[1000EE-Monarch]

Didn't meant to start a cummins vs. ford thing there!

I know what ya mean as far as following the path less traveled.

One of the projects I'm going to continue persuing someday when I have the time and place is seeing how much power I can get out of a Detroit 6V-53. Yes, a 2-stroke V6 diesel. For now it's in storage and it's so buried with other big heavy stuff it would take me a couple of weeks just to get it out!

Before I got into the cummins thing I was pretty darn serious about building a daily driver with that old beast in it.

[old man dave]

Ever consider using a Procharger?  May not be one of the ultimate horsepower setups but probably enough streetable horsepower for the average guy.

[Dura-Stroke-MIKE]

Didn't meant to start a cummins vs. ford thing there!

I know what ya mean as far as following the path less traveled.

One of the projects I'm going to continue persuing someday when I have the time and place is seeing how much power I can get out of a Detroit 6V-53. Yes, a 2-stroke V6 diesel. For now it's in storage and it's so buried with other big heavy stuff it would take me a couple of weeks just to get it out!

Before I got into the cummins thing I was pretty darn serious about building a daily driver with that old beast in it.

I had no intention either. I was simply saying that cumminssss dont impress me, so dropping in a cummins is only after my 7.3 explodes to a non-repairable state.

Those 2-stroke detroits are badass, you can run 100MPH backwards but they dont have much in the low end TQ department... just big turbos really, the blower is just to start it.

Ever consider using a Procharger?  May not be one of the ultimate horsepower setups but probably enough streetable horsepower for the average guy.

Eh, not really what i was looking for. Granted there rare, but its just not a route i had planned on going. Im real picky lol

[1000EE-Monarch]

The detroits are heavy and very limited but darnit the sound and the smell of detroit diesel smoke is worth it. I'm just dying to do experiments with advancing the exhaust valve timing (and also the injection, both run off the same cam) and other silly stuff like that.

And as far as running in reverse they won't make much power that way (timing would be all screwed up not to mention the blower works better blowing then sucking) but hell seeing smoke coming out of the air filter has got to be fun. I never tried mine in reverse (yet).

[Dura-Stroke-MIKE]

Those are out of the old GMs right??

next project, an 8v-92

[1000EE-Monarch]

The 6v-53 I have is out of an M113 personnel carrier