Thinking about ditching your factory setup for a 6.7 powerstroke non vgt turbo is a move many diesel owners consider once they start chasing bigger power or better reliability. If you've spent any time under the hood of a Super Duty, you know the factory variable geometry turbo (VGT) is a clever piece of engineering, but it's also one of the most common points of failure. Swapping it out for a fixed geometry, or "non-VGT" turbo, changes the whole personality of the truck. It's not just about the numbers on a dyno; it's about how the truck breathes, how it sounds, and how much you can trust it when you're hundreds of miles from home with a heavy trailer behind you.
Why People Ditch the VGT
The factory VGT on a 6.7 Powerstroke is designed to give you the best of both worlds: quick spooling at low RPMs and decent flow at the top end. It does this using internal vanes that move to change the exhaust housing's effective size. The problem is, those moving parts live in a high-heat, high-soot environment. Over time, those vanes can get stuck or the electronic actuator can fry itself. When that happens, you're looking at a pricey repair or a truck that's stuck in limp mode.
Switching to a 6.7 powerstroke non vgt turbo removes all that complexity. You're moving to a fixed housing—usually a BorgWarner S300 or S400 frame—where there are no moving parts in the exhaust stream. It's a simpler, "dumb" piece of hardware that just works. For many guys, the peace of mind that comes with knowing their turbo won't suddenly seize up is worth the swap alone.
The Performance Reality
Let's talk about how the truck actually drives after the swap. If you're used to the instant "right now" throttle response of a factory VGT, a non-VGT setup will feel different. Because the housing size is fixed, you don't have those vanes closing up to build boost at 1,200 RPM. You'll notice a bit more "lag" off the line. However, once that 6.7 powerstroke non vgt turbo hits its sweet spot, the power delivery is much more linear and aggressive.
The big win here is EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) control. Fixed geometry turbos generally flow much more air on the top end. If you're running a heavy tune or bigger injectors, a VGT can become a bottleneck, trapping heat in the cylinders. A well-matched non-VGT setup lets the engine breathe freely, which often results in significantly lower EGTs when you're pulling a grade or wide-open throttle.
Sound and Aesthetics
We can't talk about this swap without mentioning the sound. If you like that classic diesel "whistle" or "scream," the 6.7 powerstroke non vgt turbo is exactly what you want. The factory VGT has a bit of a muffled, hissing sound because of the way the vanes disrupt the exhaust flow. A fixed-blade turbo has a much more distinct, crisp sound that lets everyone know your truck isn't stock. Plus, the engine bay looks a lot cleaner without the bulky VGT actuator and the complex factory pedestal.
What You Lose in the Process
It's not all sunshine and rainbows, and it's important to be honest about the trade-offs. The biggest one for most people is the loss of the factory exhaust brake. The 6.7 Powerstroke uses the VGT vanes to create backpressure, which acts as a highly effective engine brake when you're hauling heavy loads downhill. When you go to a 6.7 powerstroke non vgt turbo, you lose that functionality.
If you do a lot of heavy mountain towing, you'll have to rely more on your service brakes or look into an aftermarket inline exhaust brake. For some, this is a dealbreaker. For others who mostly street-drive or drag race their trucks, it's a minor inconvenience. You also have to consider low-end torque. If you spend all day lugging the engine at very low RPMs, you might find the non-VGT setup a bit "lazy" until the boost climbs.
The Importance of the Install Kit
You can't just bolt a 6.7 powerstroke non vgt turbo onto the factory manifold. The 6.7 engine has a unique "reverse flow" head design where the exhaust exits into the valley. This means you need a dedicated conversion kit. These kits usually include a new pedestal, oil feed and drain lines, downpipe, and the necessary piping to connect to your intercooler.
Quality matters here. You want a kit that uses robust materials because the valley of a 6.7 gets incredibly hot. Cheap silicone boots or thin-walled piping will eventually fail. Most guys opt for kits that allow the turbo to sit slightly higher or in a better orientation for cooling and maintenance access.
Tuning Is Not Optional
If you think you can just swap the hardware and drive away, you're in for a surprise. The truck's computer (ECU) is constantly looking for the VGT actuator. If it's not there, the truck will throw codes and likely won't run correctly. You need custom tuning to tell the computer that the VGT is gone.
Beyond just clearing codes, the tuning needs to be calibrated for the new airflow characteristics of the 6.7 powerstroke non vgt turbo. Since the turbo spools differently, the fueling tables need to be adjusted to prevent excessive smoke and to help get the turbo moving as quickly as possible. A good tuner can make a non-VGT setup feel almost as snappy as a stocker, while a bad tune will make the truck feel like a total pig until 2,500 RPM.
Choosing the Right Size
Size really matters when picking out your turbo. A lot of people make the mistake of going too big. A massive S475 might look cool and make 800 horsepower, but if you're using the truck as a daily driver, you're going to hate the lag. For a standard street truck, an S363 or S366 is often the "Goldilocks" zone. It gives you plenty of room to grow but still spools fast enough that you aren't waiting forever for the power to kick in at a stoplight.
Maintenance and Longevity
One of the hidden benefits of the 6.7 powerstroke non vgt turbo is how much easier it makes life later on. If you ever need to replace the turbo again, a standard BorgWarner unit is much cheaper than a factory VGT. Also, because there are fewer sensors and no electronic actuators to fail, there's simply less that can go wrong. It turns the 6.7 into a more "old school" style diesel engine that's built for the long haul.
You'll still want to keep an eye on your oil changes, though. Turbos live and die by oil quality. Since many non-VGT setups are journal-bearing turbos (though ball-bearing options exist), they rely on a constant film of clean oil to keep the shaft spinning at over 100,000 RPM.
Is It Right for You?
So, should you actually pull the trigger on a 6.7 powerstroke non vgt turbo? It really comes down to what you do with the truck. If you're a contractor who hauls 15,000 pounds through the Rockies every week, you might miss that VGT exhaust brake too much. The factory setup was designed for you.
But, if you're tired of VGT reliability issues, or if you've already started modding the truck for more power and you're hitting a wall, the swap is a game-changer. It simplifies the engine, improves the sound, and opens up a whole new level of performance. It takes the 6.7 from a complex, somewhat "choked up" engine and lets it finally stretch its legs. Just make sure you pair it with the right tune and a quality install kit, and you'll likely never want to go back to a VGT again.