Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) 3K GSK = soft pedal?

[esommer2500]

Installed my Piers 3K GSK today. Not too bad, kind of a PITA to see/work through the side. Think it was better than going through the top would have been.



Truck runs great, but the accelerator is quite a bit 'softer' than before. Any ideas? I set the springs at 0. 065" which was what I measured before I took them out. No problems revving to about 3400 rpm. Do I just need to learn to live with the pedal?



Other thoughts:



1. Piers instructions could have been a little better. The ones I got for the AFC spring were excellent, I guess I expected the same level of detail. Main thing was how to get the spring retainer to back off to where I could get a screwdriver on it.



2. I didn't find ANY shims. Is this normal?



3. My fuel shut-off solenoid boot is got a hole in it toward the bottom of the plunger arm. Don't suppose I can buy just the boot? (That would be too easy)



Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.



Eric

 

[stick]

Eric:

The boot can be purchased from Jefferson Diesel 504-340-5162, talk with John, he will cut a little off for TDR.

 

[illflem]

Cummins will also sell you a solenoid boot (part number SA4153) for $19. 95

 

[esommer2500]

Thanks for the tips on the boot. It looks a little worn.



How about my pedal? Live with it and quit crying?

 

[JohnE]

GSK is an art not simply an install. I use those words after talking with both Piers and Al at PDR.



I tried going down through the top, once. I quit and went back in through the side. Much easier to see and feel things.

One of goals is for uniform throttle response. I never had soft throttle so I'm at a loss.

Did you check the governor lever adjustment? I'm not sure of Sheid plate profile. My lever just slips over the nose of my #4 when I push the linkage hard.



No shims is common. The count varies greatly from unit to unit.

I also noticed the spring tension is about the same, but the stud protrusion really varies. Try setting the retainer nut so the spring stack is "just" snug.



Did you have to adjust your idle?



I love the extended rpm. Don't always need or us it, but nice to have it there.



-John

 

[drawson]

tighten each governer nut a click or two... . I had a mussy peddle to begin with and I had the governer nut too loose. Too tight make it really responsive. Too mush so it it's a manual.

 

[Kalaehina]

My fuel shut off solenoid boot was so worn, the plunger assembly just fell out, it was a late saturday afternoon so I couldn't get a new boot, and I need my truck to go to work, so I made a boot out of a piece of bicycle tube. Sealed good, moved fine and so far works fine. It was an emergency fix, I would have preferred an original part, but had to Macgyver it for now . The 3000 gsk install was fine, EXCEPT for that side plug. Gettin that thing back in was the hardest thing I have ever done on my truck. Out of a total of 5 hours, 2 were spent trying to get that plug back in.

 

[esommer2500]

I never have done the governor lever adjustment. Could the spring install have an impact on this?



I did have to adjust the idle down. It was up around 1000rpm or so, and I dropped it to about 700rpm I think. It sits just above the tick that is below the 1000rpm mark. It sounds good.



OK, JohnE says loosen the retainer, drawson says tighten the retainer. Am I just going to have to play with the 'art' of these springs? The truck runs GREAT, I just don't like the soft pedal. My main beef with my boss's 02 Duramax is that the clutch feels like the one in my brother's Eagle Talon. NO resistance. I like to 'feel' what the pedal is doing.



As for the drain plug, I took off the arm that attaches to the solenoid to the left (front of engine) of the plug. This made it a lot easier to get in and out. Also used a wobble-socket on the 7/8" plug. I do have some bruises on my arms from bending around all the master cylinder lines, etc. to get to work in there.



Eric

 

[JJW_ND]

???

I will pass on what Al with Piers said to me on the GSK. As a general rule he finds two clicks is about right or less rarely more. When you first start tightning you will reach a point that the "dogs" make contact and click each time you pass over one.



I had to loosen mine to try clear up a slight bounce at idle. I never checked how many clicks but when JohnE did mine we did not have to adjust the idle. When I loosen the retainer one click it dropped my idle. Becareful to drive the truck a little to decide on the idle. Mine idle faster the second I started it after loosening. After a short drive the idle settled down to about 600 (to low!).



I would guess if one has to lower the idle after install, the install is on the tight side (3 - 4 clicks), if one has to increase the idle one might be on the light side (1 to 2 clicks) but closer to perfect.



I still have a slight bouce (when letting the engine return to idle it drops slight lower the the idle setting and the quickly "bounces" up the correct setting) when the engine is cold.



At a recent Dyno run, my 96 5sp did not defuel even at 3600 rpms in 5th gear, operator backed out. I now have 60 lbs springs BTW.



jjw

ND

 

[JohnE]

TST says...

JJW;

I visited the TST website recently. They recommend a #10 plate to go with a GSK in the 215 hp manual Rams.



Kalaehina;

I have never had any trouble getting the side plug either out or in. The solenoid screws also give me problems.



Eric;

Lowered the idle?

Is the pedal slow to add fueling and then when you hit the <em>sweet spot</em> the fueling grabs and rpm jump quickly? Is that how you describe &quot;soft&quot;?

I had that throttle action (and despised it) when I reset my spring tension 2 clicks past snug. My idle also jumped to 1,100 or so. The flutter (idle bounce) also hit 1,700 rpm and I was trying to eliminate it by tightening the springs. I loosened the springs a click each and the flutter dropped to 1,100 PM, idle dropped to normal and throttle action is very even from idle to 2,200 rpm. The flutter only shows if I accelerate and then partial drop off throttle. It will flutter or bounce around 1,100 rpm, sometimes.



I use a piece of carpeting the same size as the battey and actually lay in the engine compartment. JJW knows my technique. It works well for me.



After I put in a #4 plate it really woke up the Cummins and makes good use of the GSK. I haven't dyno'd this combo as the TC clutch is complaining. I only dyno'd 176 hp at 3,100 rpm with the factory plate and GSK combo.



If you want, PM me and I will pass along all my knowledge on GSK install and settings.



-John

<small><em>

edit:

corrected my horsepower figure. </em></small>

 

[RBrunson]

Soft pedal

I experienced a soft pedal after replacing my oil pressure switch. I accidently knocked the spring off the pedal linkage which is near where you were thrashing around trying to get that darn cap back on. Check to see if it is missing, real easy fix if you didn't loose it.

 

[esommer2500]

Thanks for the tips.



I guess I will go back in there and back off the springs a couple of clicks.



Now that I think about it, at work we had a 95 that lost one of the springs on the underside of the accelerator and made it 'soft' like mine. I will check that as I was laying under the dash installing Bowers' high idle system. Might have knocked off a spring while adjusting the idle or reassembling solenoid, etc.



I guess I don't have any better way to describe the 'soft' pedal. It takes less effort to push, therefor I tend to rev faster between shifts, etc. . etc. It's really throwing my shifting out of whack, though I have gotten slightly used to it in the 24 hours the springs have been in. I won't have a chance (or a shop) to get back in there until the weekend, and I have to drive 500+ miles toward the end of the week. We'll just wait and see, I guess. Is it hurting anything the way it is set up now?



Thanks for all the input, 'preciate it.



Eric