Cam Plate Install

[Ross]

I am planning on installing a #11 TST cam plate in my brother's 97 3500 this week. The instructions seem pretty straight forward, although I'm sure there are some lessons learned out there from some of you guys who have done this before. If any of you have some pointers or "don't do what I did's", I'd be much abliged. I'm a reasonably skilled mechanic, and don't think I'll have any problems, but I've learned to ask for help BEFORE rather than AFTER!

By the way, where can I buy the "hand impact driver" to remove the knock off screw on the pump plate?

Thanks again.

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98 QC 3500 4X2 ISB 5-speed; 10-level Competition PowerMax; DD Stage II's; 4" exhaust turbo to tip; Luk ProGold; K&N; Amsoiled; Pillar Mounted Boost & Pyro; etc. , etc. ,

[This message has been edited by Ross (edited 04-16-2001). ]

 

[illflem]

The hardest part is removing the tamper proof screw. The way I've done it on several trucks now is to use a left-hand drill bit( turns counter clockwise when drilling). The bit catches and unscrews the screw. It helps to tap on the screw with a drift first to break the paint. Seems that many times the paint is holding the screw in more than the torque.

 

[sewman]

I put a slot in the tamperfroof screw with my Dremel & turned it right out!

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94,4x,#4TST 16cm. ,5spd,4. 10LSD,35"BFG A-T,Bushwacker Flares , A-PIllarGuages,Southbend clutch,straight ex. ,RS9000.

 

[Nate Skate]

DITTOs on the dremmell tool idea. Bought the impact wrench, torx bits. Beat the (&*%*&^% out of it, nothin worked until I dremmeled a groove to fit a big flat screwdriver. Presto, I even called TST and suggested it, must not have implemented it in their instructions. Hope it works.

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96 Ram 2500 4x4 cc, 130,000 miles and counting, TST 280HP,K&N,Cat&muffler tag team fought w/torch, torch won.

 

[**ICEMAN**]

throw away the guide plate that lets you install the new plate in the same position as the one coming out. set the new plate full forward,,,it will save you a trip back in there to do it later!!! egt gauge????

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94 2500 4x4 SLT,auto,187,000 miles,3:54,brilliant blue/silver,tst 250/635 set full forward,star wheel wide open,air box ported,pump turned up 20%,k&n,gauges,cat gutted,
2001. 5 3500 4x4 q-cab slt,auto,8900 miles,3:55lsd,brite silver,tst power max 3 adjustable,j-hook,3 gauges on the a-pillar,2" tuff country front leveling kit,vinyl graphics,dee zee runnin boards,both have 12k hitches&15k's in the beds,30ft fourwinds 5er,(MY RAMS) http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1360183&a=10142301

 

[Ross]

ICEMAN:

My brother's coming over right now as I'm typing this. We're installing the pyro tonight, and the plate tomorrow. I figured it would be interesting to baseline the EGTs before we put in the plate.

What does sliding the plate all the way forward do?

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98 QC 3500 4X2 ISB 5-speed; 10-level Competition PowerMax; DD Stage II's; 4" exhaust turbo to tip; Luk ProGold; K&N; Amsoiled; Pillar Mounted Boost & Pyro; etc. , etc. ,

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Don't slide the plate forward on a 215 hp 12 valve. The egt will get too hot above around 2400 rpm--under sustained pulling you will see it on the pyro, whereas you might not get quick enough response to see it when accelerating an empty truck in the lower gears.

 

[JJW_ND]

Along with the plate. . .

Any tips on AFC spring kit?

Use Medium spring with 96 215hp 5sp and #11?

jjw
ND

 

[Jeff Burke]

Ross, you don't really need the impact driver, you can just use a rachet and tap it with a hammer while you turn it. If that doesn't really appeal to you, J. C. Whitney has them as well as a lot of auto parts stores.

JJW_ND, talking with Mark at TST, he does not even recomend the spring for applications under 300 hp.



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'96 4x4 Auto, Ext Cab, Long Box, Kitty Be Gone, TST #6 Plate, AutoMeter Pyro and Boost Gauges, Jannetty rebuilt transmission with Pro-Torque Convertor

 

[Strick-9]

The camplate install should be fairly straight forward. The breakoff screws are harder to extract on the newer trucks than they were on mine. I always start with a torx bit and a hammer. Just tap the bit down into the center hole on the screw while turning the bit with a wrench.

When that doesn't work, I just use a chisel and tap the edges until it breaks loose.

You'll figure it out.

I have a tip for you on the AFC spring kit though. I've installed two kits and neither kit eliminated smoke and kept all the available power. There was always a trade off. This weekend I had to tweak a '97 3500 because he didn't want ANY smoke.

The trick is to remove the orifice from the TEE fitting on the back side of the AFC housing. The hole is about 1/32". I drill that hole out to 1/8". This will allow you to tune out ALL the smoke and keep ALL the power.

-Chris

'94 2500 4x4 auto w/ DTT TC and VB, TC saver, high flow delivery vavles, gov. spring kit, modified AFC spring kit, pump mods, jardine 4" exhaust.

 

[**ICEMAN**]

ross,,just did a buddies 98 5-speed with a 250/635(not sure what# plate that is) and set it full forward(more hp)and turned the star wheel all the way in,,set afc housing full forward also. he is not in trouble with egt's but he is only towing a landscape trailer and a bed full of mulch. the throtle responce is greater from mid thru full throttle as joe d stated. he is seeing 30 lbs boost

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94 2500 4x4 SLT,auto,187,000 miles,3:54,brilliant blue/silver,tst 250/635 set full forward,star wheel wide open,air box ported,pump turned up 20%,k&n,gauges,cat gutted,
2001. 5 3500 4x4 q-cab slt,auto,8900 miles,3:55lsd,brite silver,tst power max 3 adjustable,j-hook,3 gauges on the a-pillar,2" tuff country front leveling kit,vinyl graphics,dee zee runnin boards,both have 12k hitches&15k's in the beds,30ft fourwinds 5er,(MY RAMS) http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1360183&a=10142301

[This message has been edited by **ICEMAN** (edited 04-17-2001). ]

 

[mikepvg]

Joe
Whats your opinion on sliding the 175hp 12V plate fwd?
Mike
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94 2500HD 5sp 4. 10LSD 4X4 RWAL w/GearVendor OD, K&N Oval w/ Pre-Filter, Straight Exhaust, Geno's Fumotovalve, AW-Direct Idle Controller, DiPricol Boost/Pyro/Fuel, Mag-Hytec Rear, 124K miles. Halon Protected, NRA Member. V1.