If you've been feeling like your truck is a bit sluggish lately, upgrading to a bd turbo 6.7 cummins setup might be the best move you ever make for your rig. Let's be honest, the 6.7L Cummins engine is a legendary powerhouse, but the factory turbocharger—that variable geometry unit (VGT) we all have a love-hate relationship with—often leaves a lot to be desired once you start asking for more performance.
The stock HE351VE turbo is great for quick spooling and that built-in exhaust brake is handy, sure. But as these trucks age, those sliding nozzles inside the VGT tend to get carboned up and stuck. Suddenly, you're looking at a massive repair bill just to get back to "stock" performance. This is exactly where BD Diesel steps in. They've spent years figuring out how to make these trucks breathe better, and their turbo options for the 6.7 are some of the most reliable on the market.
The Problem with the Stock VGT
Before we dive into why the bd turbo 6.7 cummins options are so popular, we should probably talk about why the stock one fails. The VGT is designed to act like a small turbo at low RPMs and a big turbo at high RPMs. It sounds perfect on paper. In reality, though, the soot from the diesel exhaust builds up inside the moving parts.
If you spend a lot of time idling or driving around town without letting the truck really "work," that soot turns into a sticky mess. Eventually, the turbo can't adjust itself anymore. You'll get a check engine light, your exhaust brake will stop working, or worse, you'll lose all your boost when you're trying to merge onto the highway with a heavy trailer. It's frustrating, and honestly, it's a bit of a design flaw that most 6.7 owners eventually have to face.
Enter the BD Screamer
If you want to keep things simple but still see a massive jump in performance, the BD Screamer is usually the go-to choice. What makes this bd turbo 6.7 cummins option so cool is that it's a "drop-in" replacement. This means you don't have to hack up your engine bay or buy a bunch of custom piping to make it fit. It bolts right up to the factory manifold and uses the factory downpipe.
The "Screamer" is essentially a modified stock VGT. BD takes the housing and machines it out to fit a much larger, more efficient compressor wheel. They also work some magic on the turbine side. The result? You keep your exhaust brake functionality—which is a huge deal if you're towing heavy—but you get a lot more airflow. It's significantly louder than the stock unit (hence the name), and you'll definitely notice that crisp whistle every time you step on the gas.
The best part about the Screamer is that it doesn't require a radical retune of your truck's computer. It plays nice with the stock electronics while giving you that extra "oomph" when you're pulling a hill or trying to pass someone.
Stepping Up to the Iron Horn
Now, if you're tired of the VGT life entirely and want something bulletproof, you're looking at the Iron Horn series. This is a completely different beast. The Iron Horn kits move away from the variable geometry design and switch to a fixed-geometry S300 or S400 frame BorgWarner turbo.
When you go this route with a bd turbo 6.7 cummins kit, you're saying goodbye to the complicated moving nozzles that get stuck. You're trading that for old-school reliability and massive flow. The Iron Horn kit includes a high-performance T4 exhaust manifold, which replaces the restrictive stock manifold that's known for shrinking and cracking over time.
Why go non-VGT?
You might be wondering, "Won't I lose my quick spool-up if I ditch the VGT?" It's a valid concern. However, BD has spent a ton of time matching these turbos to the 6.7 engine's displacement. Because the 6.7L engine has so much natural torque and exhaust volume, it can actually spool a fixed-geometry turbo pretty quickly if it's sized right.
The trade-off is simple: you might lose a tiny bit of bottom-end snap, but you gain a massive amount of top-end power and lower exhaust gas temperatures (EGTs). Plus, the reliability of a fixed-vane turbo is unmatched. There are no electronics or sliding rings to fail. It's just raw air-moving power. Just keep in mind that if you go this route, you'll lose the factory exhaust brake, so you might want to look into an inline air brake if you do a lot of mountain hauling.
Keeping EGTs Under Control
One of the biggest reasons guys look for a bd turbo 6.7 cummins upgrade is to manage heat. When you start adding a tuner or bigger injectors to a 6.7, the stock turbo just can't keep up. It becomes a bottleneck. The air getting shoved into the engine gets too hot, and the exhaust can't get out fast enough.
I've seen trucks hitting 1,400 or 1,500 degrees on the EGT gauge just pulling a moderate grade. That's "melting pistons" territory. By switching to a BD turbo, you're increasing the volume of air moving through the system. More air means a cooler burn, and a bigger turbine housing means the exhaust can escape without backing up. It's common to see a drop of 150-200 degrees in EGTs just by swapping the turbo. That's the difference between having to back off the throttle and being able to maintain your speed all the way to the top of the pass.
Installation and What to Expect
Installing a bd turbo 6.7 cummins isn't exactly a thirty-minute job, but it's not a nightmare either. If you're doing a Screamer, it's a direct swap. You'll need some basic shop tools, a good set of sockets, and probably a lot of PB Blaster for those rusty manifold bolts.
If you're going with the Iron Horn kit, it's a bit more involved since you're replacing the manifold too. You'll want to make sure you have new gaskets and maybe even some upgraded manifold studs while you're in there. One thing people often forget is the oil feed and drain lines. BD usually includes what you need, but it's always smart to double-check everything before you start tearing the truck apart.
Once it's installed, the first thing you'll notice is the sound. It sounds like a real truck again. The throttle response feels "cleaner," if that makes sense. It's not just a big cloud of soot followed by a slow climb in speed. The power comes on smooth and stays there through the whole RPM range.
Is It Worth the Investment?
Look, a new turbo isn't cheap. You're putting down a decent chunk of change. But if you look at it as an investment in your truck's longevity, it starts to make a lot of sense. If your stock VGT is already acting up, you can either pay the dealership a fortune for another "meh" factory part that will probably fail again in 80,000 miles, or you can get a bd turbo 6.7 cummins upgrade that actually improves the truck.
For the guys who use their trucks for work—towing campers, horse trailers, or flatbeds—the peace of mind is worth it alone. Knowing that your EGTs aren't going to skyrocket and that your turbo isn't going to seize up in the middle of a long trip is huge.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, the 6.7 Cummins is a fantastic engine that's just a little bit choked out from the factory. Whether you choose the drop-in Screamer to keep your exhaust brake or go for the heavy-duty Iron Horn setup to maximize reliability, a bd turbo 6.7 cummins upgrade is one of those modifications you'll appreciate every single time you turn the key.
It's about making the truck work better for you, rather than you having to worry about the truck's limitations. If you want more power, better cooling, and that sweet turbo whistle, it's hard to go wrong with what BD Diesel has put together for these Rams. Just make sure you've got a good tune to go with it, and you'll feel like you're driving a brand-new pickup.