Bolting Compound Turbos Onto A Duramax LB7
Engineering an effective twin-turbo kit for a late-model diesel engine requires exceptional forethought and serious metal-fabrication skills. In our Dec. '09 article "The Duramini" we told you about Dmitri Millard's '01 Chevy Silverado. Back then, his 6.6L LB7 used a big, single turbocharger and nitrous to run the quarter-mile in 10.8 seconds at 128 mph. Millard, who is never satisfied with good enough, wanted to improve on this performance and made the decision to step up to a set of 1,200hp-capable compound turbos.
| duramax Twin Turbochargers engine
Two turbochargers are better than one when it comes to taking advantage of an engine's full potential. So when we caught wind that the Duramini was under the knife at Pacific Performance Engineering (PPE), we wanted to take a look and give Diesel Power readers the inside scoop on just how this setup is installed.
The Cost Of Twin Turbos
PPE sells this twin turbo kit for $13,500. To call this a completely bolt-on affair is not quite accurate, because every installation is a little different. Installing this kit took two guys two weeks to complete. The process was slowed because they had to wait for parts to arrive, but the truth is, installing twin turbos on a Duramax like Millard's is a big undertaking, especially when you don't cut corners and make sure everything-including the electronics and accessories-fits correctly.
