City Diesel Reman Turbos.

Has anyone used the remanufactured turbos from City Diesel? Truck is a 2017 SRW 3500. In a recent thread, i posted the error codes that were thrown, and they point to a faulty VGT actuator, and possibly a new turbo. I dont know at this point if I need a new turbo, but I wanted to get some opinions on possible replacement turbos. The City Diesel unit is available now, and comes with an actuator. Just the actuator is 1-2 weeks out if I order today. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks!!

 

I don't think there would be any issue with their units. I've put an actuator on mine before last Christmas. Well made unit compared to the factory unit. Iv you have another ride, pull the actuator off and see if you can move the vanes. Might be able to get away with less coin. I ordered mine through Genos and it said 3 - 4 weeks and got in 2 weeks!

 

A fellow I work with bought a turbo from them last year for a motor home. He was extremely satisfied.

 

I believe Geno's garage also sells the City Diesel Actuator you might want to check Geno's out for availability.

 

You can order the actuator, do not open the box, check your turbo once you have the old actuator off, and if the turbo does need to be replaced, you can send the actuator back as a credit towards the turbo. But the box for the actuator has to have the original seal, unopened box. This is what both the instructions say and Geno's told me when I did mine about a month ago.

Jim B

 

Does the actuator come with all the gaskets needed, any other seals needed to complete the swap. I'm getting 2 codes U010C and P226C. Clear codes and all is well for a week or more than the U010C again at startup. Clear code again and good to go for another week or so. Did this clear code thing 4 times, time to make some repairs. P226C never came back. Boost seems ok and eb works.

 

The only complaint I know of with the City Diesel actuators is if you don't let the actuator go through it's process of calibrating each time you start the truck. If you don't let it do it's calibrating, you may encounter a weaker exhaust brake.

It should be a habit on any diesel truck to turn the key/push the button to "Run" and wait at least 5-10 seconds then start it. I do that with any diesel. In fact, it's a force of habit from all of the diesel vehicles I drive that I do it on everything. I feels weird not to do that.

Otherwise, it appears to be a robust unit.

 

I have been very happy with my City Diesel actuator, and have not bothered with waiting for it to calibrate. I think it does that pretty quickly, however.

 

We've replaced twelve Holset actuators with City Diesel actuators since we started using them in September. They are all working perfectly, not one issue, and I GUARANTEE you a school bus driver isn't waiting for the actuator to sweep before starting their bus.

@Diesel85 , was this "complaint" something that you experienced or something you read on the web? This is how rumors start. Sort of like the article in the TDR mag that said CD had a "programming issue" causing the exhaust brake to be ineffective after a cold start. When I read the article, I immediately went to Jesse at CD and he said that the problem ended up being a low voltage issue on the fellows truck.

 

My younger son replaced his actuator on his 2013 this Jan after the old one failed. I can guarantee he does not wait for the actuator to do a calibrate as you have stated. He uses his remote start on his truck when he walks out from work and starts it immediately. I asked him how the truck is running, and it said it has been night and day since he replaced his actuator. And his exhaust brake is on 100% of the time even upon start up.

 

"Does the actuator come with all the gaskets needed, any other seals needed to complete the swap."
It does come with seals, new bolts and the tool needed to get the old one out and the new one in.

 

It's a true plug and play replacement! Hardest part is draining all the coolant and double checking for dry surface before installing new unit. Have over a year on mine now, 3500 are a bit more difficult do to shock tower, the 2500's are easier to get at and replace. Order one up and get it on!

 

Yup. I wound up drilling a hole in the shock tower to access that last bolt. And I still had to cut it off with a Dremel tool!

 

Same thing on this end! Was glad to have a flex shaft for the Dremel Tool!

 

What exactly is the “tool needed” to get the old one out and new one in? I’m on my 2nd CD actuator and I never got a tool with either one of them.

 

You’ve had to replace a CD Actuator?

 

The City Diesel comes with the 5mm hex bit to remove and replace the bolts. The 2 of the bolts go through housing before going into turbo. Those 2 are exposed to the elements and can become pretty difficult to remove, hence the use of a Dremel Tool to get in the tight space! Once 1 cut through the offending bolt, the heat generated allowed it to be remove by hand! On the 3500's, a small hole needs to be drilled in shock tower to get access to the one bolt. No blockage on the 2500's. Might want to replace radiator hoses at the same time if they haven't been done as you'll need to drain coolant.

 

When my son replaced his actuator on his truck (2500 model), he stripped out one of the 5mm hex (internal) on one bolt. He used PB Blaster on all exposed surfaces and let it sit overnight but one still stripped. So, my advice is to have a DREMEL tool handy to cut off either the mounting surface of the actuator or the bolt head and then remove the strip fastener. Since there is no core charge, he cut the actuator surface and just scrap the old component, this was his easiest way of dealing with the stock fastener.

 

You might check out my discussions in Issues 114, 115. City provides high quality bolts--grade 12.9 (stockers are only 8.8) and they are also plated to be rust-resistant. Before cutting off the bolt head, I'd try rust penetrant and then drive a Torx bit into the rounded off hex recess, perhaps with an impact driver that you hit with a hammer and it turns as it is driven in harder.

 

A bit of lapping compound in the allen head will help it grab, too.