Volvo D13 Turbocharger Guide: Holset HE451VE, Symptoms & Replacement Options

The Volvo D13 turbocharger on most highway trucks is a Holset variable geometry turbo, the HE451VE, with a sliding nozzle and an electronic actuator. The same 12.8L engine is sold by Mack as the MP8, so the turbo is the same part in a Volvo VNL, VNR or VHD and in a Mack Anthem, Pinnacle or Granite. This guide covers how the D13 turbo works, the versions PT Turbo lists, the symptoms of a failing one, and the choice between the actuator, a rebuild and a replacement.

The Volvo D13 is not fitted to Freightliner trucks. A Cascadia runs Detroit engines, which use a different kind of turbo: see our Freightliner Cascadia turbocharger guide.

How the Volvo D13 Turbocharger Works

A variable geometry turbo changes how fast the exhaust reaches the turbine wheel, so one turbo can respond quickly at low engine speed and still flow enough at full load. Holset does this with a sliding nozzle. A ring that carries a set of fixed vanes slides in and out of the exhaust passage in the turbine housing. When the ring closes the passage down, the gas speeds up and the turbo builds boost quickly. When it opens, the turbo flows freely. The vanes themselves do not pivot.

The ring is moved by an electronic actuator bolted to the turbo and commanded by the engine computer. The actuator reports its position back, which is how the engine knows when the nozzle is not where it was told to be. The same mechanism raises exhaust pressure to drive EGR flow and supports the engine brake, so a nozzle or actuator fault shows up as EGR faults and weak braking as well as low power.

D13 Turbo Compound

The D13 Turbo Compound (D13TC), offered in the VNL from 2017, adds a second turbine in the exhaust after the turbocharger, and Volvo fits it with a fixed geometry turbocharger instead of the variable one. It does not compress air: it is geared to the crankshaft and returns exhaust energy to the engine as power. The turbocharger on a D13TC carries different part numbers from the standard D13 unit, so it is ordered by the number on the tag.

Volvo D13 and Mack MP8 Turbos PT Turbo Lists

Turbo	Type	Listed for
Holset HE451VE 5499741H (new) and 5499741HX (remanufactured)	Variable geometry, electronic actuator	Volvo D13 and Mack MP8 trucks
Holset HE500WG 3786244H	Wastegated	Volvo, Mack and Volvo Penta D13
Holset HX55W 4031099H and 4031100H	Wastegated	D13 in Volvo construction equipment (off-highway haulers)
Holset HE500FG 4033835H	Fixed geometry	D13 in excavators

The versions do not interchange. Order by the Holset number on the turbo tag, and have the engine serial number ready if the tag cannot be read.

Common D13 Turbocharger Failure Symptoms

Stage	Symptom	Likely cause
Early	Slow response, slow to build boost	Nozzle ring starting to stick with soot, boost leak
Early	Occasional VGT position codes	Actuator fault or a nozzle that binds part of the way
Moderate	Low boost, derate under load, weak engine brake	Stuck nozzle ring, failed actuator
Moderate	Black smoke, poor fuel economy	Nozzle not closing, EGR fault, boost leak
Severe	Whine or grinding from the turbo	Worn bearings, wheel touching the housing
Severe	Oil in the charge pipe, blue smoke	Worn bearings and seals, restricted oil drain
Critical	No boost, metal in the intake	Compressor or turbine wheel failure

On this turbo the nozzle and its actuator usually give trouble before the bearings do. Soot and carbon collect on the sliding ring, it begins to drag, and the actuator can no longer put it where the engine asks. Our pages on VGT turbo problems and actuator failure symptoms describe the pattern.

Actuator or Turbo? Check Before You Buy

A position fault does not say which part failed. Three checks separate them:

• Command the actuator through its sweep with the diagnostic tool. If it stalls or reports a position it has not reached, the actuator or the nozzle is at fault.
• With the actuator off the turbo, move the nozzle linkage by hand. It should travel smoothly from stop to stop. If it binds, the nozzle is carboned and a new actuator will fail against it.
• Check the shaft and wheels. Play you can feel in and out, contact marks on a wheel or oil in the compressor housing mean the turbo itself needs a rebuild or replacement.

A replacement actuator has to match the turbo part number and be calibrated to it after fitting. An actuator that is bolted on without calibration sets the same codes as the one it replaced.

Replacement Options: New, Remanufactured or Rebuild

Option	Price at PT Turbo	Best for
New turbocharger	$1,554 to $4,120 (5 listings)	Trucks that cannot wait, or cores too damaged to rebuild
Remanufactured turbocharger	$3,883 (1 listing), including a refundable core deposit	Trucks with a rebuildable core to send back
Rebuild of your own turbo	From $575 (price list)	A sound core with worn bearings, seals or a stuck nozzle

Prices are read from the live catalog and the shop price list; the wide range for new turbos reflects the difference between the wastegated versions and the variable geometry HE451VE. For a rebuild, our turbocharger rebuild service inspects the core and confirms the price before any work starts. Every rebuild is VSR balanced and carries a 12-month unlimited-mileage warranty, and turnaround is 3 to 5 business days after inspection.

Not sure which unit you have? Contact PT Turbo with the numbers from the tag and we will match it before you order.

Installation Tips to Prevent a Repeat Failure

• Find the cause. A turbo that failed from oil starvation, debris or exhaust restriction will fail again if the cause stays on the truck.
• Replace or clean the oil feed line and check that the drain is clear. A restricted feed line is the most common reason a fresh turbo fails early.
• Clean the charge pipes and the charge air cooler if the old turbo passed oil or metal.
• Check the air filter and intake tract for leaks. Dust erodes compressor blades.
• Confirm the EGR valve and cooler are healthy. The turbo and the EGR system share exhaust pressure on this engine, so a stuck valve or plugged cooler loads the new turbo the way it loaded the old one.
• Prime the turbo with clean engine oil before the first start.
• Calibrate the actuator with the diagnostic tool and confirm the nozzle reaches its commanded positions.

Related guides: the Volvo VNL turbocharger guide by model year, the Mack MP8 turbocharger guide, the Volvo D11 guide and the Volvo D12 guide. For costs across engines, see turbocharger replacement cost by engine.

Price ranges in this article are general estimates to help with budgeting, not PT Turbo quotes. Our current prices are on each product listing, and our rebuild prices are on the turbo rebuild price list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What turbocharger does the Volvo D13 use?

Highway versions of the Volvo D13 and the Mack MP8 use the Holset HE451VE, a variable geometry turbo with a sliding nozzle and an electronic actuator. The D13 Turbo Compound is the exception: Volvo fits it with a fixed geometry turbo. Some off-highway and marine versions of the D13 use wastegated Holset turbos such as the HE500WG and HX55W.

Which trucks use the Volvo D13 engine and turbocharger?

The D13 is the 12.8-liter inline-six in the Volvo VNL, VNR and VHD. Mack sells the same engine as the MP8 in the Anthem, Pinnacle and Granite. It is not used in Freightliner trucks.

What are the symptoms of a failing Volvo D13 turbocharger?

Slow boost response, VGT position codes, derates under load, a weak engine brake, black or blue smoke, and a whine or grinding noise from the turbo. A stuck nozzle ring or a failed actuator causes most of the early symptoms; noise, oil and shaft play point to the turbo itself.

Can I replace just the actuator on a Volvo D13 turbo?

Yes, when the nozzle moves freely and the shaft and wheels are sound. The replacement actuator has to match the turbo part number and be calibrated after fitting. If the nozzle ring is seized with carbon, the turbo needs cleaning or a rebuild first.

Further reading: Learn more about variable-geometry turbochargers.