Bought pre-bombed truck, questions (long)

[Darel]

Hi all, this is my first post. Earlier this year my wife traded in her '97 Grand Cherokee for a '97 Ram turbodiesel (bone stock, I thought). Took it in for a routine transmission service (chg fluid, drain torque converter, adjust bands) and when I went to go pick it up the guy asked me what I'd done to it. I said nothing, yet. He said it runs too nice not to have anything done to it, and it at least had a fuel plate b/c the funky nut was broken off. OK, great I said, one less thing for me to do. On a whim he asked what the boost gauge read, I said 32-35 psi. He pulls out a chart from BD that listed your HP/torque output at a given manifold pressure, and said at that pressure my truck puts out 240 horse and 605 ft-lbs of torque.

So I call the PO, he says he's not sure, he took it back to his dealer and had a "fuel pump kit" and a lockup TC installed. Based on the way he called it a "kit" and the fact that TST advertises their fuel plates as a power kit, I believe that's what he put in. For now I'll assume the TC is TST also, since he had them done at the same time and it only makes sense to buy them from the same place.

I've heard you guys refer to the TST plates by number, anyone know what number the 230-240/605 plate is? What is your opinion on both the power kit and the torque converter? I'm glad the PO took care of some of the stuff I'd have liked to do eventually, but not too glad he didn't build up the transmission too (judging by the condition of the fluid I took out).

Also, can I expect lower mileage with this kit installed due to the increased fuel flow? After checking my speedo on my GPS I get around 15 mpg unloaded and 11 pulling my Jeep on a trailer (around 6,000 lbs). Or should I start poking around for something else wrong? I'm not exactly pleased with the mileage but it's not too much of a concern considering it's still better than what the Grand Cherokee got before we got rid of it.

Thanks a lot!

Darel

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Darel

I'm not sure if a 97' is the same but a 230/605 for a 98' auto is a #8 which is stapped on the plate it's self, I have that in mine but I don't make that kind of boost, I'm at 28lbs if you have an EGT guage what does it go to, if you don't you need it. I still have the stock exhaust but no cat and I can push EGT's in the no zone at fuel shut off in high gear. One thing I can say is that #8 really wakes that motorup I'm setting myself up for DTT VB/TQ then well try a 280/685 and/or some injectors. Look at the breakoff bolt and see if it's still there or has it been replaced, this the only hard part of the job. I have mine now were I can pull the AFC housing in 10 min if I want to make an adjustment.



Jim

 

[Bob Wagner]

wise decision

Darel glad to see you spent the $35. 00 to become a Member

 

[Joe G.]

Darel,



If you remove the AFC cover you can read the plate number. Also check the output opening of the turbo. If a TST kit has been installed the fitting elbow on the end of the little hose will have a set screw in it. You need to find out about the "lockup TC" business. A lockup TC is stock on these things. Prior to '94 it was not. Controlling the lockup is another story. Are there any non-stock things on the dash that have a switch or control setting?

 

[Darel]

Thanks guys,

I'll check out that AFC cover. Didn't know it was stamped right on it.

I do have a pyro, it usually sits around 300-325 around town, 50-600 highway. Only ever got to 950 once, pulling my Jeep on a trailer up a long mountain pass. It is post-turbo.

As far as the TC goes, TST offers one that basically replaces the stocker with a higher-pressure clutch as well as better bearings, etc. That's why I think that's the one he bought. The tipoff was the drain plug, which stockers don't have. No non-stock switches other than the pillar gauges.

Oh, and the breakoff screw is gone.

Thanks a lot!

Darel