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S300 Single Turbos

S300 Single Turbo Systems for Cummins

The Sweet Spot: Street Manners Meet Towing Capability

S300 single turbos are the most popular upgrade path for Cummins owners who want noticeable performance gains without sacrificing daily drivability.

Whether you're towing 12,000 lbs on weekends or commuting Monday through Friday, S300 turbos deliver responsive spool, cooler EGTs, and reliable power in the 400-550 HP range.

Quick Spool

Better low-RPM response than stock for grades and passing

150-200°F Cooler EGTs

Safer sustained towing, less head gasket stress

Street-Friendly

Maintains good daily manners, minimal turbo lag

Complete Kits

Everything included: turbo, manifold, hardware, gaskets

Popular S300 Sizes: S362 (best street/tow balance), S366 (more airflow for 500+ HP), S369 (performance-focused, quick spool)

S300 Single Turbo FAQs

The numbers indicate compressor wheel inducer diameter in millimeters:

  • S362 (62mm): Best all-around street/tow turbo. Quick spool, great low-end, perfect for daily drivers towing 10-15k lbs. Sweet spot for 400-475 HP.
  • S366 (66mm): More top-end airflow for 500-550 HP builds. Slightly more lag than S362 but better sustained power for heavier towing (15-20k lbs) or higher power goals.
  • S369 (69mm): Performance-focused with surprisingly good spool for its size. Best for 525-600 HP builds, aggressive towing, or mixed street/competition use.

Not sure which size? Contact our tech team with your truck specs, typical load, and power goals for a personalized recommendation.

Absolutely-this is exactly what S300 singles are designed for. They provide:

  • Daily driving: Quick spool from stoplights, minimal lag, smooth power delivery
  • Highway: Improved passing power and better fuel economy vs. stock
  • Towing: 150-200°F cooler EGTs, better response on grades, confidence pulling 12-18k lbs

Unlike larger S400 singles that can feel laggy in traffic, S300 turbos maintain excellent street manners while significantly improving capability.

Yes. Many S300 single turbos are commonly used as high-pressure turbos in compound turbo systems, making them a flexible upgrade path.

S300 singles are ideal for the 400-550 HP range:

  • S362: 400-475 HP (great street/tow balance)
  • S366: 475-550 HP (more aggressive towing or performance)
  • S369: 500-600 HP (pushing the limits for a single)

These power levels require supporting mods: quality tuning, upgraded exhaust, and often injectors/fueling beyond 500 HP.

Note: If you're targeting 600+ HP or extremely heavy towing (20k+ lbs), consider our compound turbo systems for better thermal management and lower drive pressure.

Yes, you should and Here's why:

  • Stock cast manifolds are restrictive and prone to cracking
  • High-flow manifolds reduce backpressure, improving spool and lowering EGTs
  • Our ported/upgraded manifolds are designed to handle higher heat cycles without cracking

Every DPS S300 kit could benefit from a matched high-flow exhaust manifold. That way you're not piecing together parts from multiple sources.

Moderate skill level required. If you're comfortable with hand tools and have wrenched on diesels before, this is a weekend DIY project.

Time required:

  • DIY installation: 6-10 hours (spread over a weekend)
  • Professional installation: 4-6 hours ($800-1,200 typical labor cost)

Tools needed: Socket set, wrenches, jack/stands, penetrating oil, torque wrench

Our kits include detailed instructions to assist with installation.

Yes. Most customers report 150-200°F EGT reduction compared to stock when towing similar loads.

Example: Stock turbo hitting 1,400°F towing 15k lbs up a 6% grade → S366 turbo stays around 1,200°F on the same grade.

This happens because S300 turbos flow more air efficiently, allowing better combustion and less wasted heat. Cooler EGTs mean:

  • Less head gasket stress
  • Longer manifold life
  • More confidence to maintain speed on grades
  • Extended engine life overall

Our S300 kits are available for:

  • 1994-1998 5.9L 12-valve: S362 or S366 (mechanical injection, simpler setup)
  • 1998.5-2002 5.9L 24-valve: S362, S366, or S369 (VP44 injection)
  • 2003-2007 5.9L Common Rail: S362, S366, or S369 (most popular platform for S300s)
  • 2007.5-2018 6.7L Cummins: S362, S366, or S369 (requires EGR/emissions consideration)

Each product page lists specific fitment details. Year, transmission, and emissions equipment affect kit configuration.

Need help selecting? Email us your truck specs: year, engine, transmission, current mods, and power goals.

The S300 and S400 refer to different compressor frame sizes in the Borg Warner S-series family. S300-frame turbos have a smaller compressor housing that flows well within the 450 to 650 HP range and spools quickly on the exhaust volumes that 5.9L and 6.7L Cummins engines produce at street and towing RPM. S400-frame turbos use a larger compressor housing that flows more air at higher RPM but requires more exhaust energy to spool — making them better suited to high-output builds and compound systems than to street and tow applications. For most Cummins owners targeting under 600 HP, an S300 single delivers better real-world performance than an S400 single of comparable compressor size.

The Turbonator® VGT replaces the standard wastegated turbine housing with a variable geometry housing that uses movable vanes to actively adjust exhaust flow. This improves spool by approximately 200 to 300 RPM compared to a fixed geometry wastegated housing, widens the usable powerband at both low and high RPM, and enables exhaust brake function on all Cummins generations — including the 5.9L engines that never had factory exhaust braking. It is available with or without the exhaust brake controller. For owners who tow regularly and want the drivability and safety benefits of exhaust braking, the Turbonator® VGT upgrade is the most capable single-turbo option in the Diesel Power Source® lineup.

The S363 is a mid-range S300 variant with a 63mm compressor wheel inducer that sits between the S362 and S366 in terms of airflow capacity and power ceiling. It is available with a 68mm or 73mm turbine housing — the 68mm option favors spool and low-RPM response while the 73mm option provides more top-end flow. The S363 covers a power range of 500 to 530 HP and suits owners who want more headroom than the S362 provides without fully committing to the S366's larger compressor. It is a popular choice on the 3rd gen 5.9 for owners who want a noticeable step up in performance while maintaining good street manners.

For a truck used regularly for towing, yes. Ball bearing turbos spool approximately 150 to 200 RPM faster than equivalent journal bearing units, which means boost arrives earlier under load — exactly when towing response matters most. They also run cooler, handle oil supply interruptions better during cold starts and hot shutdowns, and generally have a longer service life in daily and working truck use. The cost premium over a journal bearing turbo is meaningful but modest relative to the overall investment in a turbo upgrade, and the drivability improvement is noticeable in real-world towing conditions.

Yes, and this is one of the most popular upgrade paths for Cummins owners. An S300 single installed today can become the high-pressure turbo in a compound system when a large secondary low-pressure turbo is added later using the DPS Add-a-Turbo kit. This preserves the initial S300 investment entirely — nothing is replaced, only added to. The S366 is the most commonly used high-pressure turbo in compound builds because its airflow characteristics at higher RPM complement a large S400-frame secondary turbo well. Starting with an S366 single and planning to add compounds later is a proven staged upgrade strategy for Cummins owners.

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