ELECTRONIC TURBO ACTUATOR UPGRADE ('07.5-'12, 2500/3500/4500/5500) ***PLEASE READ THE DESCRIPTION***
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Ram Diesel Electronic Turbo Actuator
Ram Cummins Electronic Turbo Actuator
Ram Diesel Electronic Turbo Actuator

ELECTRONIC TURBO ACTUATOR UPGRADE ('07.5-'12, 2500/3500/4500/5500) ***PLEASE READ THE DESCRIPTION***

Item #: CM-ACT12C1
*Backordered: 1/15/2025
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  • About This Product
  • Reviews
  • Install And Tech Information
  • Videos

Description



THIS TURBO ACTUATOR IS SELF-CALIBRATING. NO CALIBRATION NEEDED.


IMPORTANT NOTE!
This part is non-returnable once product box seal is broken. It is your responsibility to properly diagnose a turbo problem before ordering. Improper installation can and will damage the turbocharger. Also, if your truck has around 200,000 miles or more, then the odds are high that you need to replace the turbo as well. It's not worth ruining a good actuator with a well used turbo that has 200,000 miles of soot build up.

Before you buy, check to make sure the gear that the actuator moves on the turbo is free. If this gear cannot be easily moved by one finger, you will need to replace the turbo. If you feel any resistance do not order this part. If you do feel resistance it will cause this actuator and any other actuator to fail.

***THIS PART CANNOT BE RETURNED ONCE BOX SEAL IS BROKEN*** IF YOU HAVE CODE P226C, THIS WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.


    With the Variable Geometry Technology (VGT) turbocharger in the '07.5-'12 Ram Turbo Diesel trucks, everything changed when it came to servicing it. To work on it you needed training, expensive tools and you couldn't test the actuator, so as a DIY-er truck owner you were left with replacing the turbo which is expensive.

    City Diesel worked to fix this. Step one was to develop an actuator tester that anyone could use. Shortly after they released it, more affordable rebuilt turbochargers started showing up. However, there was still a problem because the actuator has to be calibrated to the turbocharger and you were not able to simply replace an actuator. This means you either have to pay a fee to get the actuator calibrated at a shop that has the correct equipment (average price $200) or buy the entire turbocharger even if the actuator was the only problem.

    The cost-effective solution: the creation of a new actuator. It is what we call a half-shell: you replace all the electronics, including the circuit board and motor, and reusing the half of your actuator that only contains gears (the "gearbox"). There is no calibration required and no complicated installation. Again, what this means to you is that you have a viable, cost-effective option for replacing your actuator when you have a problem.

    • Cost effective solution.
    • No need for expensive tools or a trip to the dealership calibration.
    • It wipes the vanes/self-testing on every key cycle, preventing soot and carbon buildup.
    • The actuator motor has almost twice the torque: This makes it more difficult for the vanes to freeze up and gives you faster throttle response.
    • The actuator was designed from the beginning to work well with EFI-live aftermarket tuners.
    • Does not interfere with exhaust brake operation.
    • Replacement actuator to turbo mounting gaskets included.
    BEFORE YOU BUY:
    Check to make sure the gear that the actuator moves on the turbo is free. If this gear cannot be easily moved by one finger, you will need to replace the turbo. If you feel any resistance do not order this part. If you do feel resistance it will cause this actuator and any other actuator to fail.

    Compare the actuator installed on your truck to the images in the 4th photo above. Some customers with 2007.5-2012 trucks have found that the turbo on their truck was replaced at some point with an OEM turbo from a 2013-2018 application. (If your 2007.5-2012 model year truck does have the 2013+ turbo installed, then order the turbo actuator for 2013-2021 applications: part number CM-ACTKIT2013).

    ***THIS CANNOT BE RETURNED*** IF YOU HAVE CODE P226C, THIS WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.

Reviews

Write a review
A lifesaver
Nov 23, 2019  |  By Rey Ito
This product works exactly as advertised. A couple of months ago, I replaced a seized turbo on my 2008 3500 6.7. From day one, exhaust brake did not work and it randomly stalled. I traced the problem to a defective or uncalibrated actuator preinstalled on the replacement reman turbo. Final straw was when I stalled and could not get the engine above 1000 rpm without it blowing smoke. DPF and all EPA mandated equipment is still intact. I placed my order and was notified that it would be on backorder until November 26. It got here sooner than that. November 22, to be exact. The new actuator comes with all necessary screws and seals. Coolant was drained. Failed actuator removed. New one assembled to the old housing. Coolant replaced. Check engine light cleared and I started it up and got it to operating temperature. No check engine lights or faults. I have the ALFAOBD scanner. Old actuator was locked at 80% closed. New started at 60% and varied dependent on load and engine speed. I did not have to use the Calibrate VGT function on my scanner. I highly recommend this turbo actuator if your existing one has failed and the turbo does not have the moving vane ring seized. Thanks Geno's for offering an alternative to a turbo replacement. A turbo replacement is a lot of money and either 4 hours or more shop time to replace. I did it myself once and it took longer than 4 hours without lifts and engine hoists. Dealer took a week including the time to get the turbo. Utilizing the upgraded actuator was one of the simplest and quickest repairs I have done to date.

Like the other guy said
May 25, 2020  |  By Eric Tegethoff
I bought a problem truck with an unknown delete tune and my faults changed from a lift pump and baro sensor to turbo control actuator and fuel actuator faults when I updated the tune. Made no sense. The turbo and actuator looked recent So I was hesitant to drop the money on this. But after reading the other review it encouraged me I may have the same issue he had. I pulled the actuator to check the turbo I was moving freely and ordered this up. I replaced this and my fuel actuator. Fixed me right up. Now all I have left to fix is a battery temp sensor fault and get a DPF on it for inspection. This diesel emissions stuff is for the birds.

Install and Tech Information



Download Actuator Installation Instructions.pdf

Download TDR - 6.7L Variable Geometry Turbo Review.pdf

Download TDR - Turbo Actuator Failure & City Diesel Replacement.pdf

Download TDR - The City Diesel Turbo Actuator Revisited Part 1.pdf

Download TDR - The City Diesel Turbo Actuator Revisited Part 2.pdf

Videos

Description of this product starts at 5:30.



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