Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) #4 plate?

[Matthug]

I cannot find any info on the #4 plate from TST. It's not in their chart listing the power gains. Has anyone used the number 4 plate in their 94-95 manual transmission truck? If so how did you like it? Is it best in the stock location or slid forward a little?

Judging from the gains from plate to plate I would guess this plate would give about 120 HP and 300 torque? Does that sound about right? The number 5 plate is 95 HP and 255 torque. That would be really sweet and about the power I want.

Thanks!

 

[Cooker]

On a 180 pump I think the #4 was rated at a 290HP plate. The 175 and 180 sespond to plates similarly so I would guess it to be about the same in your 175. I'm not sure of the torque.



The #4 has more midrange than the #5 but similar peak HP.

 

[surfbeetle]

I did the #5 last year and love it. Sure, you can always want more, the 4 is probably better, but TST states that #5 was the most that the stock clutch could handle and I didn't want to worry about my original stock clutch.

 

[MUDDY]

i dynoed my 180 pumped 97 w/ the #4 and the dyno was b4 i installed the 3k gsk. 330 rwhp/860rwtq. Oo. only other mods were exhaust and a bombed transmission. #4 was stock location.



they say the #4 is compatable with the gsk where the 5 and 6 are not. i do expect the #4 be hard on a stock clutch and towing i do have to watch the pyro esp at high alt



i run a #10 in it for towing the big 5er as my turbo is still an hx35/12

 

[TJarecke]

I have a 97 auto with a #8 full forward. Would the #4 be a good upgrade for me or would the #6 be better. I don't have much smoke and my egt's are because I don't have the 3k in yet so it doesn't rev past the factory setting. What do you all think?

 

[MUDDY]

I have a 97 auto with a #8 full forward. Would the #4 be a good upgrade for me or would the #6 be better. I don't have much smoke and my egt's are because I don't have the 3k in yet so it doesn't rev past the factory setting. What do you all think?

if ya are gonna do the gsk dont do the 6. do the 4 or if ya worry bout the egt do the 10

both compatable w/ the gsk.

 

[TJarecke]

Isn't the #10 generally a manual trans plate? Why is the #6 not compatable with the 3k. Obviously I am not disapointed with the idea that I should go with the #4, because I like power, just wondering why.

 

[vssman]

I'm running a #4 in my set up. It'll get hot if I really try - that's empty. I have yet to tow with it so I can't really say how hot it will be with any load on it. The 4gsk definately added heat. It wasn't too bad at all prior to that (that was my last upgrade). Keep in mind that the "cut" on a #4 at mid RPM is actually deeper than a #0 as it is farther back than the normal vertical spot on most plates. Oh... It's a good plate for tailgaters :-laf

 

[Matthug]

I did the #5 last year and love it. Sure, you can always want more, the 4 is probably better, but TST states that #5 was the most that the stock clutch could handle and I didn't want to worry about my original stock clutch.

Thanks. Only mods right now are 4'' exhaust, gauges, and the starwheel turned all the way up. Don't worry about the clutch I'm doing that before the plate install. Right now I need to swap out this WH1C piece of crap in favor of my bro's HX35 off his truck since he upgraded to a super 40. The nice thing is it has a turbo master already on it so adjusting boost is cake.

I have a set of 300 injectors waiting to go in after the turbo install. After that I gotta fix the KDP and bump the timing. Then finally the plate goes in, after thats in and I'm used to the power I'm thinking DV's. Oh, almost forgot GSK in there somewhere, but they look like a PITA to install.

With those mods does the 4 plate sound good for me? Right now I'm thinking I may go with the 5 or even 6 plate because with the 300 injectors and only an HX35 it may get toasty. I'm not looking to upgrade the turbo, I just want a solid 300-350 RWHP with safe EGT's. I *may* occasionally tow 8000 pounds once or twice a year so I am bearing that in mind.

 

[Jim Fulmer]

they say the #4 is compatable with the gsk where the 5 and 6 are not



Sorry but that statement is for those that do not know what is going on... ... ... . they will all work, just at different RPM level's and different HP level's..... rack travel. A #4 is a low end kick you in the **** plate. I like a #10 for towing and EGT control and a #5 or 6 for HP and topend.



Jim

 

[MUDDY]

that was the info from tst that they werent compatable



we put a #5 in a friends 180 pump then soon after a 3kgsk. he lost low rpm power after the gsk for some reason,,so he sez. changed to a #10 and he's happy now. i called tst and quized em and got the answer that gsk doesnt work that well w/ a 5 or 6. dunno

 

[Jim Fulmer]

that was the info from tst that they werent compatable



we put a #5 in a friends 180 pump then soon after a 3kgsk. he lost low rpm power after the gsk for some reason,,so he sez. changed to a #10 and he's happy now. i called tst and quized em and got the answer that gsk doesnt work that well w/ a 5 or 6. dunno

My Signature is correct! The reason it didn't work is because the Gov arm rides too low on the plate with Gov springs in it, raise the Gov arm nose to nose with the plate and it will fly. The last one I did probably make 100-150 extra HP doing this.



Jim

 

[John L]

Isn't the #10 generally a manual trans plate? Why is the #6 not compatable with the 3k. Obviously I am not disapointed with the idea that I should go with the #4, because I like power, just wondering why.

I had the tst #6 plate & 3k gsk in my 180 CA pump and It caused a really touchy throttle at 1800 rpms. I tried to adjust the springs but the problem wouldn't go away. I called TST and they told me the same story, "#6 isn't really compatable". They suggested the #4 and the problem went away.

Warning... . I'm one of the guys who doesn't really know what's going on, so no advice just my expercience... ...



John

 

[Matthug]

Thanks. I may go with the 6 plate because I want more power ASAP but I need the stock clutch to stay intact for now. I don't have the money for upgrades this time of year but I can swing $200 for the plate. 3KGSK probably won't happen for a long time and if/when I do it I will upgrade to the number 4 plate at the same time.

 

[MUDDY]

ive been told it is ok to slide the #4 back a bit to reduce power. same w/ the 10. if this is so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,why not get the 4, slide it back the correct amount, then drive it till ya ready to do clutch. at the time ya chnge clutch then move the 4 to proper location. no hassle with trading plates

 

[Matthug]

ive been told it is ok to slide the #4 back a bit to reduce power. same w/ the 10. if this is so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,why not get the 4, slide it back the correct amount, then drive it till ya ready to do clutch. at the time ya chnge clutch then move the 4 to proper location. no hassle with trading plates

Sounds like a great idea to me, can anybody back that up? Just to clarify so I don't screw up, when you say to push the plate back for less power does that mean toward the firewall?

 

[surfbeetle]

ive been told it is ok to slide the #4 back a bit to reduce power. same w/ the 10. if this is so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,why not get the 4, slide it back the correct amount, then drive it till ya ready to do clutch. at the time ya chnge clutch then move the 4 to proper location. no hassle with trading plates

Now why didn't I think of that? It is a good idea. Yes, slide back towards the firewall for less power. When you install the plate, the TST kit shows you how to put the new plate in the stock location. I would seriously consider marking that location (with a scribe mark or the like) on the plate and pump so that you have a future point of reference.



When you do the plate swap, the kit tells you to remove the hard fuel line that goes from the filter to the injection pump because it's in the way. Rather than remove the hard line and reinstall, I suggest replacing the hard line with the new part that supercedes the old one, it has a braided stainless center section. It's much easier to work with. I did my plate and a few months later, the hard line sprung a leak, had to replace it anyways with the new line.

 

[Matthug]

Excellent, I will do that then. Should I put it all the way toward the back? I will have 300 injectors installed also so bear that in mind that I'll have more power already and want my clutch to survive temporarily.

Where can I get this fuel line? Sounds like a good idea anyway I've heard that stock line is too small anyway. Thanks!

 

[surfbeetle]

The fuel line is the same diameter as the original, the difference is that it is flexible. I got it from Cummins Cal Pacific (the local cummins dealer). Here's the link to my original post



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142520



sorry, I don't have the part number.

 

[Matthug]

Thanks.



I did a little playing around today, took the AFC off and checked everything out. I slid the stock plate forward, it was most of the way there though. I have a couple questions though, first one is the AFC housing. I've heard sliding it does something, so I slid it all the way forward, was that the correct way? Also, on the back of the AFC was a dust cover, so I took the 2 screws out holding it in and found a nut/screw assy that adjusts. Me and my bro were experimenting with it with the air compressor feeding air into the AFC, it seems the arm inside the AFC comes in all the way at 16 PSI boost give or take. So, by turning this screw out the whole way I was able to get the arm to move into full position by 10 PSI or so. I'm thinking this would be better for response and switch it over to the plate's control at a earlier boost. Is this thinking correct? I've never heard this screw discussed before in all my searching, I wonder why?

With all these free mods I did today it feels better with the old butt meter, definitely more response and low end power. Slight increase on the top end but it was mostly low end power gained. Slight puff of smoke on initial WOT but clears up quickly.

I wasn't adventurous enough to grind the stock plate as of right now, I'm not sure about doing that yet I would hate the screw it up and be stuck then until I buy a plate and it's shipped here. So what I'm gonna do now is let the stock plate slid forward, install those 300 injectors and let it go until I get a good clutch in to either install a #4 plate or grind the stocker.