Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Engine Not Pulling Right.... Questions...

[Wingate]

I friend of mine has a 94 model w/5 speed that doesn't seem to be pulling like it should. The engine has a TST torque plate on it, not sure which one, but it uprated the engine to 280hp/675 ft. lbs. When he hits a hill the truck loses speed. He said he gets plenty of black smoke, and he's cut out the cylinder and said all 6 holes are lit. The air filter is clean, the fuel filter is new, the fuel is known to be good.....

He tried pulling a trailer with the torque plate and it pulled horrible. He never pulled a trailer before the torque plate so I don't know if the problems started before or after the install. He has no boost gauge... but we may have to temporarily install one.

I feel like its not getting enough boost, although I don't know what the spec. is for that engine. All I have to go by is that my CR hits 34psi. but I think the mechanicals only hit about 18-20 psi??????

Is there an adjustment for the wastegate? if so, can somebody post a link to the instructions for doing so?

Also, it seems that I've read on here something about installing the plate "foreward" or "stock position"??? If there are different configurations for the t. q. plate, somebody please explain.

Well, and while I'm at it, what about the AFRC... he said he adjusted it "up and down " so I'm sure its jacked up... . I'm gonna try and help him fix it next weekend, but I'm looking for some good info to go by before I break out the wrenches... i hate to blindly just start twisting on things...

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!

 

[snappy]

Hi Wingate. It is not easy to help your friend without more information and some questions. When the TST plate was installed, was a boost elbow installed at the same time. If it was, then generally no wastegate adjustment is necessary. Boost and pyro gauges are needed to tell "what is going on". Sliding the plate forward gives more power, but I would install gauges first.

What's the weight of the loaded trailer? How big is the hill? What gear/rpm and at what speed is the hill being climbed at? John

 

[AMink]

Start cheap. Check all the connections for the intercooler hoses. Boost may be down because of a leak or poor seal. That would explain black smoke. Has it always been low on power or is this recent? If he has a different plate, it could be there just isn't enough air to burn the additional fuel.

 

[HCannon]

AMink's idea is the place to start. I had the same problem with a 97. It turned out to be a small hole worn in the air hose going to the intercooler low down on the driver side. There is a sharp edge on the fender that had rubed a hole in the hose.

 

[Wingate]

aahh. . i c. . as for the boost elbow... no he did not install one. . I agree, gauges will usually let you know whats going on but he has none. I'm probably going to do a temporary install just to see whats going on. Wish I could temp. a thermocouple and see what the exhaust is doing... I'm SURE shes HOT!!.

I have no clue if it was doing it before the torque plate due to him just recently buying the truck. I don't think he pulled his horses before installing the torque plate. The trailer was just a stock trailer with two quarter horses and there really isn't a hill around here that should have killed him @70mph with that load.

What is the spec for IMAP at full speed/load? If I knew this #, and install a temporary gauge, I could pretty much tell whats going on. Although I haven't seen it, I'm thinking that the wastegate has mechanical linkage, so I hope its adjustable.

Thanks for all the replies... Any other ideas?