Buying '03. Tuner and Xfer pump???

[BDaugherty]

OK. Tomorrow I'm picking up my "new to me" '03 2500 QCSB 4x4 with the HO engine and 6spd. It's high miles, but great condition and price. I already have money set back for a South Bend street dual disk, tuner, and lift pump. I have pretty much decided on the TST PowermaxCR with R49. Now I just have to decide on a lift pump. I'm leaning towards a Raptor 100.

I welcome opinions and suggestions on those three mods. Also, where is the best place to purchase the above products?





**Edit** Bought the TST. Now I just have to decide on the lift pump.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I hated my TST Pmax because of all the codes it threw. The last straw was the display going blank. It won't make as much power but I much prefer my Smarty Jr.

 

[BDaugherty]

Thanks for the input. Maybe the code issue will be worked out by now. How do you like your Fass 95? I looked at the new Fass with the variable flow rate referenced off of a boost signal, but the price seemed a little steep and there was very little information on how it worked.

 

[Prairie Dog]

The FASS has been trouble free for 50K miles. My only complaint is noise but I understand they are much more quiet now.

 

[JJPage]

For your new lift pump, I would call Richard at Glacier Diesel Power. He stocks several different pumps, and will totally set you up with a system that's right for your application, with complete and easy install instructions. He will also always be available if any assistance is required.



I believe you will enjoy your TST, still love mine, however I do like my Smarty better now, that was not always true. Jess

 

[BDaugherty]

I brought the new truck home last night. It has been converted to the in tank pump. Not having 1/4 tank issues is a very high priority. What's the best route to avoid that? Also, I looked at Glacier's webpage and I will call them today or tomorrow. The seem to have a pretty good price on the Raptor pumps. Now I just need to decide if I need the 100 or 150 to supply the Powermax CR that I bought.

 

[TCDiesel]

Mechanical Pump is the way to Go... ALL electric PUMPS fail ,Some take months others maybe 3-5 years. . regardless of the maker. . Mechanical will out live the engine. either install 2 electric pumps (Backup or tandem)flip the switch . . or Mechanical. I personally have 2 pumps on every diesel unit I own and 1 Mechanical.

 

[cerberusiam]

Not having 1/4 tank issues is a very high priority. What's the best route to avoid that?

Don't use a draw straw. Get an upgrade tank cannister with larger lines and plumb all your fuel return back to the cannister.

 

[TCDiesel]

X 2 on the canister. . the hassles the straw creates is just NOT worth ease of installation

 

[BDaugherty]

So would modding the stock module with a kit such as the one AirDog sells be the same as buying a "modded" module?

 

[JJPage]

I brought the new truck home last night. It has been converted to the in tank pump. Not having 1/4 tank issues is a very high priority. What's the best route to avoid that? Also, I looked at Glacier's webpage and I will call them today or tomorrow. The seem to have a pretty good price on the Raptor pumps. Now I just need to decide if I need the 100 or 150 to supply the Powermax CR that I bought.

If you have an intank retrofit, and it was done correctly, you may be set already because they seem to be fairly trouble free. As far as the last 1/4 tank of fuel not being able to draw, you will just have to test that aspect yourself.



With a stock CP3 injection pump, it really does not matter which lift pump you run, you will not be able to meet the fueling demands of the TST with settings much over 5/2, thats level 5 power, level 2 torque. The CP3 simply cannot keep up.



If you raise the torque level over 2, your fuel rail will run dry before you can utilize the demand of a higher power setting. Quite a few folks used to run the TST on 3/3, 4/4, 5/5... shooting themselves in the foot, tax the CP3 too early down low in the rpm, and it can never catch up. I dynoed enough times with several different versions of TST, 5/2 was always the best result.



Jess

 

[BDaugherty]

If you have an intank retrofit, and it was done correctly, you may be set already because they seem to be fairly trouble free. As far as the last 1/4 tank of fuel not being able to draw, you will just have to test that aspect yourself.



With a stock CP3 injection pump, it really does not matter which lift pump you run, you will not be able to meet the fueling demands of the TST with settings much over 5/2, thats level 5 power, level 2 torque. The CP3 simply cannot keep up.



If you raise the torque level over 2, your fuel rail will run dry before you can utilize the demand of a higher power setting. Quite a few folks used to run the TST on 3/3, 4/4, 5/5... shooting themselves in the foot, tax the CP3 too early down low in the rpm, and it can never catch up. I dynoed enough times with several different versions of TST, 5/2 was always the best result.



Jess

I thought that the retrofit was not any different than the '05 and newer in tank pump and that the difference was in the plumbing to connect it. That said, do you think it would be just as good to save my $400 and stick with the in tank retro? I was planning to add the TST and run it on the stock in tank pump and then add a raptor so that I could compare rail pressure readings.



Bottom line, my mind is not made up and I appreciate the advice.

 

[TCDiesel]

Vulcan has the module modded Modified liberty fuel module

 

[BDaugherty]

TC, what's the difference (besides price) between buying a modded sending unit versus modding the one I have? Either way I will be pulling the bed for the install.

 

[TCDiesel]

The the unit is touchy... If you feel comfortable modding yours no problem. . remember you don't have the bucket catcher with in tank modules. (In tank pumps) need to be gutted. When we now drop tanks we add 1 Draw tube and 1 return port for Auxiliary filtering... If you want the cats Meow thats the only way to filter fuel with without all the hassle Direct injection filtering creates. You keep the factory filter canister.

 

[cerberusiam]

That said, do you think it would be just as good to save my $400 and stick with the in tank retro? I was planning to add the TST and run it on the stock in tank pump and then add a raptor so that I could compare rail pressure readings.

The in-tank pump should get you to around 450 HP before it will start running short of flow. That could be dependent on the plumbing also but its fairly consistent.



What Jess is saying is once you go to high on the TST the CP-3 itself is the problem. There is a limit to how much fuel the CP-3 will provide to the rail irredardless of LP. Run the duration too long on the injection event and the rail pressure will never keep up. At that point you need to replace the COV and FCA to flow more fuel, beyong that its a modified pump.



Where you spend the money will controlled somewhat by how you want to drive and use the truck.



You can mod the cannister yourself, I think there are some kits to do that, or just buy it already done. Its a matter of preference.

 

[BDaugherty]

My intention is to use a Raptor 100 pump kit which comes with parts to mod my in tank pump module. It's much cheaper to mod my own, but if I have problems with low fuel pickup, I would gladly buy the earlier style pickup and sender. I guess I should talk to my friend working at a Dodge dealer make sure if he ever does the in tank upgrade that he saves me the stock sender/pick assembly.



I installed the Powermax today. I haven't been able to test it much due to cam and crank sensor codes and a leaking overflow valve on the fuel rail. I will buy a new valve Monday and then see about making the Powermax run right. I think there might be a problem in the wiring harness because it is perfect without the Powermax harness, but gives codes with the powermax harness hooked up and with the Powermax computer or jumpers in place.

 

[cerberusiam]

The cannisters are all the same, its how they are modded that makes the difference. Aside form getting the pickup tube to the bottom of the cannister and getting a large enough area on the bottom to stop the whirlpool effect, the returns lines need plumbed back into the cannister to keep it full.



Once thta is done you will have no problems with low fuel pickup unless the level is just too low. One problem with the Raptor is there is no return off the pump. All you return fuel has to come back thru the stock return lines which are not sized correctly for the flow that can occur.



The FASS and AD return off the pump and the and the stock location. There is a lot of fuel reutrned from the pump to help keep the cannister full. In that aspect they are better suited across a flow range. The Raptor should work fine until the CP-3 is the issue though, just not seperating the air and returning it to the tank.

 

[BDaugherty]

OK. Lots of good stuff here, but to back up a few steps... . if the TST doesn't work out, what tuner to go with. The smarty is well respected for what it does and I think I could install a smarty with egt, rail psi, and boost in an "A" pillar for about $1200. How does the Quadzilla Adrenaline with Pulse monitor compare to the other tuners out there? I really like the digital gauges built in to the tuner. At half the price of a Smarty and regular gauges, it seems like a great value... if the tuner is decent. Your thoughts?