Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) AFC Spring Kit Or Not...That is the ?

[Dave M]

I just ordered my new intercooler boots from Piers Diesel and thought I'd get the AFC spring kit too. I have a Piers #10 plate and 3K GSK on the bench waiting to get installed. First I want to adjust valves, check timing and replace fuel overflow valve before adding the BOMBs. I plan on going for 300-350 Hp max, occasional towing a 4 horse stock trailer (with 2 horses). I live in mountains at 3,000 feet and will travel to sea level and back when towing.



Heres my question... Will I benefit from installing the AFC spring kit? What negative effects could I get? Wait a minute. . OK. . thats 2 questions? :-laf After I ordered the kit, the guy at Piers told me I didn't need it if I'm under 400 HP. Well, now that I have it should I go ahead and install or return the AFC kit? What do you BOMBing experts think?



As my sig shows, I have a 97 215 pump... mostly stock... except for AFE Stage 1 intake and 4 inch exhaust. Wasn't thinking about DV's or bigger injectors (at least not yet ). May replace the 12cm housing and turbo if EGT's go too high.



Let me have it fellows! What are the opinions out there?

 

[boondock]

Put it in!!! It will allow you to use your full power band. Less shifting and more reving if you need to. Also if you have 4. 10 gears you can go past 80 with the stock tires.

Your pump will not defuel at 2400 or so like it does stock.



If you ever did go with injectors you would not need them with 370's as the 181's you have in there are plenty big. You will need clutch at some point if you put the plate in stock position or forward.



Egts shouldn't really be to much of a problem, mine are not bad at all and I live at 7400 feet. I can get them hot but unless I really try (0-70 run, 50-80+ etc... ) Towing they are not bad either but I don't tow heavy (3500 or so is all).



Hope that helps

 

[Dave M]

boondock[/B]

Put it in!!!It will allow you to use your full power band. Less shifting and more reving if you need to. Also if you have 4. 10 gears you can go past 80 with the stock tires.

Your pump will not defuel at 2400 or so like it does stock.



If you ever did go with injectors you would not need them with 370's as the 181's you have in there are plenty big. You will need clutch at some point if you put the plate in stock position or forward.



Egts shouldn't really be to much of a problem, mine are not bad at all and I live at 7400 feet. I can get them hot but unless I really try (0-70 run, 50-80+ etc... ) Towing they are not bad either but I don't tow heavy (3500 or so is all). Hope that helps

I have the stock 3. 54 gears, so getting up to 60+ should not be a problem prior to the AFC add. I thought thats what the 3K GSK was for ?



I hear you about needing a new clutch. I'm trying to hold off for a year, so I'll probably slid the #10 plate back a little til then. I've spent too much already on the truck this year.



I don't see the AFC kit in your signature. . do you have it in your truck?



Just what will the AFC do for me versus not having it (assuming I have the #10 and 3 K installed)? What are the benefits and deteramints of putting the AFC kit in? From my very limited knowledge here, I thought the AFC just contols the fueling at low boost. So... will adding the AFC spring kit cause more smoke at lower RPM's? I really have trouble understanding the relationship between the plate, Gov, and AFC .



Thanks for the info Boondock.



Dave

 

[boondock]

Read it wrong sorry. What is included in your AFC spring kit?



You can adjust the AFC housing by using the clicker wheel and sliding the hole housing forward. More fuel at lower RPM's brings boost up faster, there for more smoke. You can also gut your AFC lots of fueling down low. Mine is all forward, lots of smoke when I push the go peddle before the boost comes up.

 

[Dave M]

Read it wrong sorry. What is included in your AFC spring kit?



You can adjust the AFC housing by using the clicker wheel and sliding the hole housing forward. More fuel at lower RPM's brings boost up faster, there for more smoke. You can also gut your AFC lots of fueling down low. Mine is all forward, lots of smoke when I push the go peddle before the boost comes up.

The AFC kit has two big springs (one is stiffer than the other), 3 different length allen head bolts, 3 different length hex head bolts (like the AFC housing bolts) and 2 different size allen wrenches.



I assume you don't have the AFC spring kit. What you say about more fuel (smoke) at low boost is what I've heard before . Why would you want more fuel at lower boost? And, just what boost range is low here? For example, does the higher fuel at lower boost help when I'm in 5th gear not pulling hard (so boost is low)? Just trying to understand this. Sorry for the stupid questions. I'm sure this has been beat to death but I'm just having trouble understanding. Its like I have a mental block or something. :{ Its not easy for an old dog to learn new tricks :-laf but I'm trying.



Thanks for the help.



Dave

 

[DBraunig]

the AFC spring kit is great, the springs are longer than stock but weaker. so you can light throttle through town without pumping diesel into the ozone OR you can mash it, spring collapses and Presto, every mosquito in 5 mile radius will DIE. I don't know that i saw any difference in power but it lets me control my "excessive spillage" as the state police officer put it so nicely :-laf



Dave

 

[Dave M]

the AFC spring kit is great, the springs are longer than stock but weaker. so you can light throttle through town without pumping diesel into the ozone OR you can mash it, spring collapses and Presto, every mosquito in 5 mile radius will DIE. I don't know that i saw any difference in power but it lets me control my "excessive spillage" as the state police officer put it so nicely :-laf



Dave

YEAH!!... Thats what I'm talking about! I kinda like the idea of killing mosquitos. . especially this time of year :-laf . "Excessive Spillage"... Hmmm..... It has kind of a nice ring to it. However... at $2. 59 a gallon I don't know if I'd do it too often... But nice to know you can Huh?



I'm still listening..... Oo.



Thanks



Dave

 

[JGheen]

Like Piers mentioned the AFC spring kit is only needed for moderately to high fueled engines around 400+ hp. The extra fuel from injectors will give more fuel at idling and pre-boost fueling conditions, so the kit he offers just gives you a wider range of adjustment for that larger amount of pre-boost fuel from 370 injectors, for example. Itis just a harder spring to compress so you can have more turns on the star wheel to adjust that pre-boost fuel and not blow excessive amounts of fuel while putting around town and such. A nice addition if you have lots of fuel. I plan on getting one this year as soon as I get my 370s.



Hope that helped some.



Joe

 

[Dave M]

Like Piers mentioned the AFC spring kit is only needed for moderately to high fueled engines around 400+ hp. The extra fuel from injectors will give more fuel at idling and pre-boost fueling conditions, so the kit he offers just gives you a wider range of adjustment for that larger amount of pre-boost fuel from 370 injectors, for example. Itis just a harder spring to compress so you can have more turns on the star wheel to adjust that pre-boost fuel and not blow excessive amounts of fuel while putting around town and such. A nice addition if you have lots of fuel. I plan on getting one this year as soon as I get my 370s.



Hope that helped some.



Joe

Thanks Joe. I guess when the BOMB bug hits me again and I need more power, then I'll get the AFC kit. Just wondered if anyone out there used it below 400 Hp and what the results were if they did. After I have gotten used to my #10 and 3K GSK and want more power the AFC will go in.



Thanks for clarifying that. Anyone else have anthing to add let me hear from ya.



Thanks,



Dave

 

[hsmith]

Allow plenty of time on the intercooler boots. Next time, I will pull the radiator to insure a smooth fit. Takes a little trimming on the blue ones also. The cooler outlet boot takes a little time to insure no kinking or folding. Very tight fit. No leaks now and don't expect any anymore.

 

[Dave M]

Allow plenty of time on the intercooler boots. Next time, I will pull the radiator to insure a smooth fit. Takes a little trimming on the blue ones also. The cooler outlet boot takes a little time to insure no kinking or folding. Very tight fit. No leaks now and don't expect any anymore.

Thanks for the tip on the intercooler boot installation . I'm going to do them this weekend. My duct tape is holding so far but I think new boots will work better... don't ya think? :-laf



Were you satisfied with the boots from Piers? They were very pricey from dealer... one for $110 I'm not sure what to do to eliminate the chafing of the lower boots on passenger side (the one that split on mine) that rubs against the inner fender . Any ideas on how you guys fixed that please let me know.



Thanks,



Dave

 

[hsmith]

Anything from Piers is first class. These boots will handle mucho pressures and should last a life time. The blue ones are a tad long, and I had to trim both of them.

The clamps that come with them are awesome also. Very satisfied.

 

[Dave M]

Anything from Piers is first class. These boots will handle mucho pressures and should last a life time. The blue ones are a tad long, and I had to trim both of them.

The clamps that come with them are awesome also. Very satisfied.

Thats good to hear. I missed the sale so paid full price. Thanks for info.



dave

 

[GAmes]

Dave,



Both my lower boots were chaffing. I just bent the inner fender away, that was over 200k ago.

 

[Dave M]

Dave,



Both my lower boots were chaffing. I just bent the inner fender away, that was over 200k ago.

Yeah... Thanks for the reply. Good to see how you did yours. I'm doing it right now and I already figured that out... glad to see we came to the same conclusion. I also split a 5/8 inch fuel line and drilled a few holes above it to hold it up with tie wraps.



Any tricks on getting these boots on? Piers said don't use vaseline but use dish soap in spray bottle with water and spray the boots. I've been fighting the passenger side for 3 hours now and still don't have it! I trimmed off about 1/4 inch from blue boot. UUUGGGGHHHH! :{



I hope the drivers side is easier than the passenger side.



Thanks



Dave

 

[Dave M]

Finally got the passenger side intercooler boots on . First put the blue boot on the 2 foot piece of steel tubing between the intercooler and the turbo on the turbo side. Then put the blue boot with the steel tube connected on the tubing connected to the turbo. Next I put the intercooler boot on by itself at the intercooler. Then I squeezed the bezeebees to get the tubing (with blue boot on the other end and connected to the 2 foot tubing ) from underneath the installed intercooler boot, up onto and in the intercooler boot. That was the only way that would work.



Then I realized I forgot the clamps :{ . Geeez... . So I disconnected the tubing from the intercooler boot, added the 4 clamps (slid the clamps way up onto the upper blue boot and tie-wrapped together to keep out of the way) and squeezed it on again. After 5 hours I did one side. Phew... what a chore... . them boots were tight! :{



If anyone has a trick to make it easier on the driver side boot please let me know. I'll try them tomorrow afternoon if I have time.



Nothing goes easy for me ... . Man!... . anyone else feel as frustrated as me?



Dave

 

[crabman]

Dave M,

The P/S is a real PITA!!! Trying to aline the two different bends is/was fun too.

The D/S is much easier and if you use a vice to hold the pipes it makes it much easier. I used silcone spray on the pipes which helped a great deal. Just keep at it and think this: I will NEVER have to replace these little buggers again.

crabman

PS. I wrote up a "how-to" on installation of these boots. Do a search.

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Any tricks on getting these boots on? Piers said don't use vaseline but use dish soap in spray bottle with water and spray the boots. I've been fighting the passenger side for 3 hours now and still don't have it! I trimmed off about 1/4 inch from blue boot. UUUGGGGHHHH!



Here is a trick, take a bottle of rubbing alcohol and drill a tiny hole in the cap and use it to wet things down when you install all boots, it dries quick but you can always re-wet it, it softens the paint a tad and makes for a bond... ... ... so far it's held at 85 psi!



Jim

 

[Dave M]

Jim and Crabman... . Thanks for the tips. Especially... I won't have to do this again... . I won't have to do this again... . I won't have to do this again... . AAAHHHHH... I feel better now. Thanks for telling me the other side is easier. I'll tackle it tomorrow. I'll try your tips... . Much appreciated guys.



These boots fit tighter than... . Ah... Hmmm... . Never mind... They fit real tight. I keep telling myself they can't leak anyhow. Anyone know the torgue on these boot clamps let me know.



Thanks,



Dave

 

[Dave M]

Piers Intercooler Boots Installed

Well... I got the drivers side done. I guess I'm not too good at this, but it took another 5 hours to complete. If anyones curious it takes a 11 mm deep socket on the clamp nuts... don't try it with a wrench, it'll take forever... don't ask me how I know :{ .



I removed the windshield washer bottle and the red lead battery crossover cable. I put the blue boots on the pipe between the boots and the intercooler boot on the other end of pipe. Then I slipped the upper blue boot onto the intake horn, then squeezed the heck to get the intercooler boot onto the intercooler. By this time (with all the yanking and pulling on the boots and pipe) the blue boot ended up 1 inch above the lip on the pipe . I needed to slid the pipe up i inch further on the upper blue boot while pulling the pipe up so the lower boot (it needed to be 1 inch lower on the pipe) was on right too. After trying dozens of configurations, the only way I could slide it up was to tighten the upper clamp on the blue boot (on the upper intake horn) and tighten the lower clamp on the intercooler boot (at the intercooler). Then I took a big pipe wrench and clamped it onto the pipe and twisted and pulled up until the lower boot was further down the pipe and the upper boot was further down the pipe and then boots fit correctly on the pipe.



What a pain... . I am sore from head to toe from getting under the truck and yanking on the pipe and boots . This is too hard for an old fart like me... . But I'm glad it done now.



Wow... Its like driving a new truck Oo. . Took it for a 150 mile round trip to the big city of Kinsburg for a car show. Boost up to 26 PSI and fast quick response on the throttle thru all the gears . It was fun to drive... YEEEEHAAA! :-laf Can't wait to put the #10 plate and 3K GSK in! Oo.