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HEAVY TRUCK TURBOCHARGERS

Detroit Diesel and Caterpillar
Class 8 Turbo Rebuild Service

A blown turbo on the road costs a tow, a bay fee, and days of lost revenue. Boost Lab, Inc. rebuilds the turbochargers on the engines that move American freight: the Detroit Series 60 in all three displacements, the DD13 and DD15, and the Caterpillar C10 through C16 including the ACERT twin-turbo systems and the 3406E. Single units for owner-operators, volume programs for fleets and shops through our dealer program. Nationwide ship-in service.

DETROIT SERIES 60DD13 / DD15CAT C15 ACERT TWINSCAT 3406E / C12 / C13GT4294 / S400 / K31FLEET + DEALER PROGRAMS
Start Your RebuildNationwide ship-in service. Questions? Call 813-443-0531

Engines We Cover

The turbo hardware varies enormously across these engines and emissions generations. Here is the map.

011987-2011

Detroit Series 60 (11.1L, 12.7L, 14.0L)

The most successful Class 8 engine of its era, and out of production, which means dealer parts channels are thinning. Turbos across the run include the Garrett GT4294 on 11.1L and 12.7L engines, the GT4502V on 14.0L DDEC V, BorgWarner S400-family and K31 units on 12.7L and 14.0L, and the Holset HE531VE VGT on later 14.0L trucks. All rebuildable.

02DDEC IV / V

Series 60 12.7L (GT4294, S400, K31)

The 12.7L is the heart of the used Cascadia, Columbia and Century fleet. The workhorse 171701/171702 S400 family and the BorgWarner K31 (172743) are the common wastegated units, with Garrett GT4294 on many DDEC IV trucks. Million-mile engines routinely go through two or three turbos; rebuild the core instead of hunting scarce new stock.

032007-PRESENT

Detroit DD13 (BorgWarner B3G VGT)

The DD13 runs a BorgWarner B3G variable geometry turbo in hard vocational duty cycles. VGT mechanisms carbon up and stick, and actuators fail independently of the cartridge. We rebuild the unit and evaluate the actuator honestly rather than selling you both automatically.

042008-PRESENT

Detroit DD15 (Asymmetric and Holset HX55)

Early DD15s carried a Holset HX55; EPA10 and later trucks run Daimler's proprietary asymmetric turbo with a wastegate across EPA10, EPA13 and GHG17 calibration generations. Part numbers change by emissions tier, so send your engine serial with the unit and we will verify the configuration.

051993-2007

Caterpillar 3406E, C15, C16 (Single Turbo)

The legendary Cat single-turbo big bores. Most run wastegated Garrett and BorgWarner/Schwitzer units, and many trucks have been upgraded over the years. These cores are getting valuable: rebuild what you have, because the casting you own is proven on your engine.

062004-2010

Cat C13 / C15 ACERT (Twin Series Turbos)

ACERT's series twin-turbo arrangement runs a high-pressure and low-pressure unit in sequence. The system doubles the failure surface: one sick turbo drags the other down, and diagnosing which failed first matters. We rebuild ACERT twins as a matched set and inspect both even when one looks healthy.

FLEETS AND REPAIR SHOPS: DEALER PROGRAM

If you run trucks or fix them for a living, our B2B dealer program covers wholesale rebuild pricing, priority turnaround, and core banking so a rebuilt unit is ready before your truck is in the bay. One dead turbo is a repair; a fleet is a pipeline. Contact sales@theboostlab.com to set up a dealer account.

Part Number Reference

Verified Garrett, BorgWarner, Holset and Cat numbers with Detroit Diesel OEM crosses. Heavy truck turbos are serial-number specific: always confirm against your engine serial. Search by any number.

Showing 14 resultsClear search
Turbo PNModelOEM PNApplicationNotes
714788-5001 / 714788-0001 to -0007Garrett GT4294 / GTA4294BNS23528065 / R23528065, 23522188, 23522189Series 60 12.7L DDEC IV/V71mm inducer; also upgrade for Cat C12/C13 singles
714789-0006 to -0009Garrett GT4294 variants23528070Series 60 12.7L, rating-specificSister family to 714788
171701BorgWarner S400S06123515635, 23516431Series 60 12.7LAlso crosses Garrett 466713-9001
171702BorgWarner S475 (S400)23518588, 23518597, 23523197Series 60 12.7L 500-550 hp, 2000-2008The classic non-wastegated workhorse
172743BorgWarner K3123524103, 23528062, 23525463Series 60 12.7L 1998-2007FMW billet wheel; also fits Cat C12
57849882005BorgWarner (GT4502V-class)Crosses Garrett 758204-0007, 752389 familySeries 60 14.0L DDEC V/VIVerify by engine serial
Tag-specificHolset HE531VE (VGT)Verify by engine serialSeries 60 14.0L late trucksShips with actuator; calibration required
13879880050BorgWarner B3G (VGT)Daimler DD13 service PN by tierDetroit DD13Vane carbon and actuator failures common
Serial-specific by emissions tierDaimler asymmetric / Holset HX55EPA10 / EPA13 / GHG17 PNs differDetroit DD15 14.8LSend engine serial; early trucks ran HX55
10R-2407 / 10R-1887Cat ACERT high-pressure (Garrett 741154-xxxx)233-1589, 233-1592, 233-1596, 251-4818/19/20, 229-8828/29Cat C15 ACERT 2002-2004 HP unitWastegated upper turbo; later trucks differ
10R-1888Cat ACERT low-pressure232-1805, 231-6616, 232-1811, 291-3997, 245-7113Cat C15 ACERT LP unitRebuilt as a matched set with the HP turbo
20R-1177 / 10R-6305Cat ACERT SDP high-pressureCat reman channelCat C15 ACERT single-drive-pulley trucksBall-bearing HP unit
0R-6170 / 0R-6689Cat single (S4DS/S410 class)Cat reman channelCat 3406E / C15 / C16 single turboRating-specific; verify serial prefix (6NZ, MBN, BXS...)
UTW7801GarrettDetroit marine channelDetroit Series 60 marine conversionsMarine-rated Series 60 unit

Why Heavy Truck Turbos Fail

At a million miles, everything is a wear item. These are the patterns that put Class 8 turbos on our bench.

0101

Oil Supply Problems at High Hours

Extended drain intervals, soot loading, and worn oil pumps thin the margin the bearings live on. Journal bearing wear at high mileage is the default heavy truck failure: shaft play grows, wheels touch housings, and efficiency falls before anything dramatic happens. Caught at shaft-play stage, the rebuild is routine.

0202

VGT Sticking and Actuator Failure (DD13, HE531VE)

Variable geometry mechanisms coke up in EGR-heavy exhaust. Vanes stick, derates follow, and electronic actuators fail on their own schedule. Often the cartridge is healthy and the fix is a cleaned, freed mechanism and actuator work, which is a much smaller bill than a full assembly.

0303

ACERT Series-Twin Cascade Failures

When one ACERT turbo starts shedding oil or losing efficiency, the second unit ingests the consequences. Replacing only the obviously dead unit leaves a compromised partner in the system. We inspect and rebuild ACERT twins as a set for exactly this reason.

0404

Exhaust Leaks Stealing Drive Pressure

Cracked manifolds, blown gaskets, and loose clamps bleed off the exhaust energy that spools the turbine. The truck feels like a lazy turbo, the pyro runs hot, and fuel economy sinks. Verify the exhaust side before condemning a unit; we will tell you honestly if your core tests healthy.

0505

Foreign Object Damage

Failed air filter housings, broken clamps, and debris from a previous engine failure chew compressor blades. On the turbine side, dropped valve material and injector trouble hammer the wheel. FOD-damaged wheels unbalance the assembly fast, but housings usually survive and the core rebuilds.

0606

Wastegate Wear and Boost Complaints

Wastegate bushings and actuator diaphragms wear on the S400 and K31 families, causing low boost or boost creep that gets blamed on the cartridge. Every rebuild includes wastegate evaluation and setting the actuator to spec.

Heavy Truck Turbo FAQ

My Series 60 is out of production. Can you still get parts?

Yes. The Series 60 turbos are Garrett, BorgWarner and Holset units with strong rebuild parts support even as complete assemblies get scarce through dealer channels. Rebuilding your core sidesteps the sourcing hunt entirely.

Do you rebuild both ACERT turbos or just the failed one?

We strongly recommend the pair. The series arrangement means one failing unit contaminates and loads the other. We inspect both and give you a straight answer on the second unit's condition; sometimes it genuinely only needs seals.

How do I know which DD15 turbo I have?

By emissions generation: early trucks ran a Holset HX55, EPA10 and later run the Daimler asymmetric unit, and part numbers shift again at EPA13 and GHG17. Send your engine serial number with the repair form and we will verify configuration before work begins.

Can you handle fleet volume?

Yes. Our dealer program covers wholesale pricing, priority turnaround, and core banking for fleets and repair shops. Email sales@theboostlab.com to set up an account.

My truck derated with a VGT code. Is the turbo dead?

Not necessarily. Stuck vanes and failed actuators cause most VGT derates, and both are serviceable without replacing the cartridge. Ship the unit in and we will diagnose which it is before quoting.

How do I ship a Class 8 turbo to you?

Start at repair.theboostlab.com. These units are heavy: band them to a small pallet or double-box with solid foam, drain the oil passages, and cap the openings. Ship to Boost Lab, Inc., 37833 Pineapple Ave, Unit A, Dade City, FL 33523.

Related Turbo References

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