Cummins Turbo Rebuild Service

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Nationwide mail-in service. 12-month unlimited mileage warranty. In-house CIMAT VSR balancing on every rebuild.

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Real Failures We See
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PT Turbo rebuilds and remanufactures Cummins turbochargers in-house at our San Bernardino, CA shop. Every unit goes through a full teardown, OEM-spec or better parts replacement, CIMAT VSR balancing, and final quality inspection before it ships back — backed by a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty and nationwide mail-in service.

Best For

Dodge Ram 5.9L and 6.7L Cummins trucks
Cummins ISB, ISC, ISL and ISX truck engines
Agricultural and industrial Cummins applications
Marine Cummins diesel

Shop Cummins turbochargers in stock at PT Turbo →

About Cummins Turbocharger Rebuilds

PT Turbo has been rebuilding Cummins turbochargers since 1978, from the Holset HX35 and HE351VE units on Dodge Ram pickups to the larger HE400 and HE500 series found on ISX over-the-road trucks. We completely disassemble each unit, inspect the shaft, bearings, compressor and turbine wheels, clean the VGT mechanism, replace all worn components, and balance the rotating assembly back to factory spec before it ships.

For most Cummins owners, rebuilding is the smarter move. A factory replacement Holset can cost two to three times what a quality rebuild runs, and the original housings and castings on your unit are often in better condition than aftermarket replacements. If your core has good housings and an intact center section, rebuilding restores OEM performance without paying for parts you do not need.

Common Cummins Applications

Dodge Ram Pickups

5.9L Cummins 12-valve and 24-valve (Holset HX35, HX40)
6.7L Cummins (Holset HE351VE variable geometry)
Common-rail 5.9L trucks (2003-2007 HE351CW)

Cummins On-Highway Truck Engines

ISB and QSB midrange engines
ISC and ISL medium-duty applications
ISX and X15 with HE400VG, HE451VE and HE500 series turbos

Industrial, Agricultural and Marine

Agricultural Cummins engines in tractors, combines and irrigation power units
Industrial gensets, compressors and off-highway equipment
Marine Cummins diesel, including QSM and 6BTA propulsion engines

Common Cummins Turbocharger Symptoms

Excessive shaft play, where the compressor wheel rocks or touches the housing on a 5.9L HX35
Oil leaking from the turbine or compressor side, often showing as oil pooling in the intercooler piping
High-pitched whining or a siren-like wail under acceleration, indicating worn bearings or wheel damage
VGT actuator sticking or throwing codes on 6.7L HE351VE and ISX units, causing limp mode or surging
Low boost and sluggish acceleration, frequently from a stuck unison ring or worn vane geometry
Overboost spikes that trip the ECM, common when the VGT vanes stick in the closed position
Black or gray smoke under load when the turbo cannot reach commanded boost
Bearing failure with metal contamination, often following oil starvation or a failed feed line

Real Cummins Failures We See in Our Shop

On 6.7L HE351VE units, we frequently see the variable geometry unison ring seized with hardened soot and exhaust carbon. The vanes can no longer rotate, the actuator stalls, and the truck drops into limp mode. We bead-blast and free up the entire nozzle assembly during the rebuild.
The 5.9L HX35 and HX40 turbos come in with worn journal bearings and excessive thrust play, usually from extended drain intervals or sled-pulling and aggressive tuning that loads the thrust bearing hard.
On ISX HE400VG and HE451VE turbos, we see VGT actuator and sliding nozzle failures where soot packs the sliding sleeve solid, producing erratic boost and active regen problems.
We regularly find oil-coked center sections on Dodge units that were shut down hot without a cool-down, baking the oil and destroying the seals and bearings.
Marine and agricultural Cummins turbos come in with compressor wheel erosion and corrosion from salt air or contaminated intake air, requiring a fresh wheel and full balance.
On aftermarket and performance S300 and S400-style swaps, we see over-speed damage to the compressor wheel from oversized injectors and a tune pushing the turbo past its safe map.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my Cummins turbocharger be rebuilt?

In most cases yes. As long as the housings and center section are not cracked, we can restore a Holset or aftermarket Cummins turbo to factory performance.

Do you need the whole unit or just the core?

We prefer the complete turbo including the actuator and VGT components so we can test and calibrate everything together. Send the whole unit when possible.

Is a rebuild cheaper than buying a replacement?

Almost always. A quality rebuild typically runs a fraction of a new factory Holset, since we reuse your good housings and castings.

Do you balance the turbocharger?

Yes. Every rotating assembly we rebuild is balanced to factory tolerance, which prevents the whine and premature bearing wear that comes from an unbalanced shaft.

Do you accept nationwide mail-in turbos?

Yes. We rebuild Cummins turbos for customers across the country every week. Ship us your unit and we turn it around and send it back.

What if the damage is too severe to rebuild?

If a housing is cracked or a wheel is beyond saving, we tell you up front and source the correct replacement components rather than shipping a compromised unit.

What is the difference between the HX35 and the HE351VE?

The HX35 is a fixed-geometry wastegated turbo on earlier 5.9L trucks, while the HE351VE is a variable geometry unit on the 6.7L with an electronic actuator that controls the vanes for boost and exhaust braking.

Why does my 6.7L turbo stick and go into limp mode?

That is almost always the VGT unison ring seizing from soot buildup. We clean and free the entire nozzle assembly so the vanes move freely again.

How long should a rebuilt Cummins turbo last?

A properly rebuilt and balanced Cummins turbo with good oil maintenance and a cool-down habit will typically match the life of a factory unit, often well over 150,000 miles.

How to Identify Your Cummins Turbo

The identification tag is typically located on the compressor housing, bearing housing, or center section of the turbocharger. It usually lists the model number, assembly number, and serial number. If you’re not sure which Cummins model you have, send PT Turbo a photo of the tag and we’ll help identify it before you ship anything.

PT Turbo Warranty

12-month, unlimited mileage warranty against defects in parts and workmanship
Final quality inspection on every rebuild: leak test, visual inspection, actuator or wastegate function check
In-house CIMAT VSR balancing with a balance report included
Nationwide mail-in service — you don’t need to be local

Why Customers Choose PT Turbo

Rebuilding turbochargers, including Cummins, since 1978
In-house CIMAT VSR balancing on every unit, not outsourced
Full housing sandblasting and OEM-spec or better parts replacement
Inspect first, quote before work begins — no surprise charges
Nationwide mail-in service from our San Bernardino, CA shop

PT Turbo Inspection Process

Every turbocharger goes through the same evaluation before any work begins:

Initial evaluationcompressor wheel, turbine wheel, shaft, bearing housing, VGT assembly (if equipped), actuator, and seal surfaces are checked first.
Complete disassemblythe turbocharger is fully torn down and every major component is inspected individually.
Cleaningcomponents are cleaned to remove carbon, oil residue, rust, and contamination.
Measurementcritical tolerances are measured against OEM specification.
Reassemblyrebuilt using new wear components matched to your specific model.
CIMAT VSR balancingthe rotating assembly is balanced in-house, with a balance report included.
Final inspectionleak test, visual inspection, and actuator or wastegate function check before shipment.

No work begins without your approval. You receive a quote after inspection, not before.

Pricing

Most rebuilds require inspection before final pricing. Standard rebuild pricing depends on the turbo model, parts availability, wheel condition, shaft condition, housing damage, and whether upgrades are requested. PT Turbo inspects every turbo and sends a quote before any work begins — no surprise charges.

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