Dodge started the diesel pickup arms race in 1989 when they put a Cummins 6BT 5.9L, commonly found in box trucks and school buses in their otherwise-uncompetitive Ram pickups. The Cummins Ram’s 400 lb-ft of torque blew away GM’s 6.2L/6.5L Detroit Diesel and Ford’s 6.9L/7.3L IDI, and has had them playing catch-up for more than 30 years now.

Cummins replacing the 6BT 5.9L with the ISB 6.7L midway through the 2007 model year came in perfect timing for the Ram pickup, now facing stricter emissions regulations as well as increased competition from the Ford 6.0L and GM’s new Duramax V8. While the power bump was modest at the time, continual improvements eventually brought the 6.7L to over 1000 lb-ft of torque.

The 2007 Ram 6.7L introduced a Holset HE351 variable-geometry turbocharger (VGT) the same year that technology could also be found in the tremendously expensive Porsche 911 Turbo . A VGT has movable vanes inside the exhaust housing that can constrict at low RPMs to speed up the air around the turbine wheel, then open up at higher RPMs to flow more exhaust gases. Opening the VGT vanes to release exhaust pressure also replaces the function of the wastegate on a simpler turbo, like you’d find on a Ram 5.9L. Closing the vanes at higher RPMs will dramatically increase the exhaust backpressure, acting as an engine brake – useful for taking load off the brakes and keeping them cool when you’re towing something.

What is a turbocharger actuator on a Dodge Ram?

All of these VGT functions are controlled by an actuator box attached to the turbo – this was well before electronic wastegate actuators were common on gas cars. The VGT actuator takes ECU signals to determine when to open the VGT vanes, how much, when to close them, and also feed that information back to the ECU to make on-the-fly calculations. This actuator needs to be paired to the turbocharger using proprietary software – Cummins InSite or Holset E-Tool is what dealers would use, but there are some high-end Autel and Snap-On scanners that have the ability as well . Either way, the software is expensive to obtain and license, so you would likely have to go to a diesel specialist shop to get this work done – pairing an actuator to the turbo is not usually DIY-able.

If you have a Ram truck (or any other Cummins ISB) with VGT actuation issues, it could be either an electrical fault with the actuator, or a mechanical issue with the turbocharger itself. Trucks with deleted emissions are particularly vulnerable to VGT issues because the NOx sensor is on the same circuit as the turbo’s actuator, so damage to that wiring or an incomplete circuit can cause check engine codes related to actuator function. The VGT vanes of the turbo itself can also become stuck due to carbon buildup in the exhaust housing, especially on trucks that rarely see full throttle or heavy load. One way to test if the turbo or the actuator is the culprit is to remove the actuator, and see if you can move the VGT actuator arm on the turbo side by hand. If it moves freely, you know that it’s an actuator issue. If it does not move, then the VGT mechanism inside the turbo is most likely seized up. Keep in mind that the actuator is water-cooled, so you would need to drain the coolant to remove the actuator, not to mention getting it reprogrammed after reinstallation.

Most of the Ram turbos we sell are due to actuator failure on the original unit, but if the truck has particularly high miles, it makes sense to replace the complete turbocharger with actuator – it’s a similar amount of labor required, and you get the peace of mind of having a new turbo on the truck. Because of this, all of our complete Ram turbos have the actuator pre-paired to the turbo at our facility, so no programming is required – just disconnect the battery when you install the turbo, and after installation is complete and you reconnect the battery, you’ll be good to go.

This is a 2013-2018 Ram turbocharger without actuator - that flat surface on the center section is where the actuator fits, and that small gear is turned by the actuator motor to move the VGT vanes

This is a 2013-2018 Ram turbocharger with the actuator and speed sensor attached

Find your truck on the list below to see the turbo and actuator replacement options we have available:

All 2007-2012 Models

2007 through 2009 Cab & Chassis models were also sold as the Sterling Bullet , which is immediately recognizable as a Ram 4500/5500 with a different grill. These were a medium-duty option sold at Sterling dealers until that brand closed up shop after 2009. These turbos and actuators will fit those trucks as well.

New OEM Holset Turbo w/ Actuator & 1 Year Warranty - New Genuine OEM Holset HE351VE Turbocharger With Actuator For 2007-2012 Dodge Ram 6.7L Cummins Diesel TUR-102058-HTN

Holset Factory Remanufactured Turbo w/ Actuator & 1 Year Warranty - Genuine OEM Holset Remanufactured HE351VE Turbocharger For 2007-2012 Dodge Ram Cummins 6.7L TUR-102058-HTR

New Aftermarket Turbo w/ Actuator & 2 Year Warranty - New Turbochargers Direct Replacement HE351VE Turbo With Actuator For 2007-2012 Dodge Ram 6.7L Cummins Diesel TUR-102058-TDN

Remanufactured Turbo w/ Actuator & 2 Year Warranty - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM HE351VE Turbo For 2007-2012 Dodge Ram 6.7L Cummins Diesel TUR-102058-TDR

Remanufactured Actuator w/ 1 Year Warranty - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM Holset HE351VE VGT Actuator For 2007-2012 Dodge Ram 6.7L Cummins ISB ACT-100001-TDR

Holset Factory Remanufactured Actuator w/ 1 Year Warranty - Genuine OEM Holset HE351VE Remanufactured VGT Actuator For 2007-2012 Dodge Ram 6.7L Cummins ISB ACT-100001-HTR

2013-2018 Models

There are two turbochargers available for 2013-2018 trucks – one for 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, and another for 3500 Cab & Chassis trucks, as well as Ram 4500 and 5500. The Cab & Chassis trucks have mild aerodynamic changes that trade top-end power for low-end response. Both of these turbos still use the same actuator and installation kits.

2013-2018 Ram Pickup Turbochargers

New OEM Holset w/ Actuator & 1 Year Warranty - New Genuine Holset HE300VG Turbocharger With Actuator For 2013-2018 Ram 2500 3500 Cummins 6.7L Diesel TUR-102656-HTN

Holset Factory Remanufactured w/ Actuator & 1 Year Warranty - Genuine Holset Remanufactured HE300VG Turbocharger With Actuator For 2013-2018 Ram 2500 3500 Cummins 6.7L Diesel TUR-102656-HTR

New Aftermarket w/ Actuator & 2 Year Warranty - New Turbochargers Direct Replacement HE300VG Turbo With Actuator For 2013-2018 Dodge Ram Cummins 6.7L TUR-102656-TDN

Remanufactured w/ Actuator & 2 Year Warranty - 2013-2018 Ram 2500 3500 Cummins 6.7L Diesel Remanufactured OEM Turbocharger With Actuator TUR-102656-TDR

2013-2018 Ram Cab & Chassis Turbochargers

New OEM Holset w/ Actuator & 1 Year Warranty - New Genuine OEM Holset Turbocharger With Actuator For 2013-2018 Ram 4500 5500 6.7L Cummins TUR-102744-HTN

Holset Factory Remanufactured w/ Actuator & 1 Year Warranty - Genuine Holset Remanufactured Turbocharger With Actuator For 2013-2018 Ram 4500 5500 6.7L Cummins TUR-102744-HTR

Remanufactured w/ Actuator & 2 Year Warranty - 2013-2018 Ram 4500 5500 Cummins 6.7L Diesel Remanufactured OEM Turbocharger With Actuator TUR-102744-TDR

2019-2021 Ram 6.7L Turbochargers

New OEM Holset w/ Actuator & 1 Year Warranty - New Genuine OEM Holset HE300VG Turbocharger For 2019-2021 Dodge Ram Cummins 6.7L TUR-103654-HTN

Remanufactured w/ Actuator & 2 Year Warranty - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured OEM Holset HE300VG Turbo For 2019 2020 & 2021 Dodge Ram Cummins 6.7L Diesel TUR-103654-TDR

New Aftermarket w/ Actuator & 2 Year Warranty -   New Turbochargers Direct Replacement Turbo With Actuator For 2019-2021 Dodge Ram Cummins 6.7L TUR-103654-TDN

2013-2021 Ram 6.7L Turbocharger Actuator

New OEM Holset - New Genuine OEM Holset HE300VG Electronic VGT Actuator For 2013-2021 Dodge Ram Cummins 6.7L ACT-100002-HTN

Remanufactured - Turbochargers Direct Remanufactured Electronic Turbocharger Actuator For 2013-2021 Dodge Ram Cummins 6.7L ACT-100002-TDR

Holset Factory Remanufactured - Genuine OEM Holset HE300VG Remanufactured Electronic VGT Actuator For 2013-2021 Dodge Ram Cummins 6.7L ACT-100002-HTR

We offer a lot of replacement options for these trucks – new or remanufactured, aftermarket or OEM Holset, and with or without the actuator. That’s in addition to what we also carry for the Ram 5.9L, Ram 1500 3.0L EcoDiesel V6, other commercial trucks with the Cummins ISB and all the PowerStroke and Duramax trucks as well. Contact us for knowledgeable assistance finding the correct turbo for your vehicle!