First post- timing, mpg, mods

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Don't know if my signature is right- About a month ago I bought a 97 cc long box 5-speed 4x4 265's all stock. Then I found this site by accident and am now hooked. #ad
I have been reading like crazy (time really flies by). Anyway I love this site and appreciate all the advice and info. The first thing I did was straight pipe the exhaust. Man did that sound good outside the truck, but inside there was a nasty reverbaration at just below and above 70mph or 2000-2100rpm. My muffler guy suggested a twister can(5" can about 2' long with auger flighting inside and about a staight through 1" piece of pipe in the center of the flighting). That can by itself cut the noise down to almost stock but there was still a slight reverb in the cab again. So the muffler guy put a used glass pack in front of the twister can and sound in the cab is back to stock levels and I still have almost a straight pipe flow. (All for a measly $95) Ok-then I went with everyones advice and installed a pyro (post turbo)and boost guage. (ISSPRO and pillar mount) Pyro temps are 500-600 at highway speeds, 600-700 pulling a loaded 4-place snowmobile trailer. Full boost is about 20-22. (Is this normal for stock?-diesel mechanic said 16 was tops for stock) I also installed stainless rocker panels. Looks great. Today I had my timing checked by the timing light method- 13. 3btdc. After about 3 hours of pulling the timing gear off and putting it on only to be at 17. 8 or 12. 5 and then 16. 7 and yadda yadda we finally got it on 15. 3 My milage pre timing change has been 16-17 empty at 70-75 mph. Loaded it has been 13-14 at the same speeds. I will be hoping for better milage but won't know for a week or so. Next I am thinking about a cam plate- leaning hard for the TST 280hp.
I really love this truck. I've never called a pick-up a truck before but this thing is definately a truck by my standards.
Oh another thing I started running Stanadyne fuel treatment also after reading some posts and listening to my diesel mechanic swear by it. After I added it to the tank it sounded quieter and smoother. Just started using it a couple days ago so I don't know if it improved the milage any. Ok this is getting too long. Thanks everybody. Dodge Cummins rocks #ad

Jim

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Jim

 

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It sure sounds like you are on the right track Jim. The max boost for a 12V stocker is about 18 PSI, but that's not cast in concrete so it varies some. It just depends on where the waste gate opens and if someone has been messing with the adjustment.

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Joe George
Eureka, CA

'95 2500 CC auto 4X4,3. 54,Combo EGT/boost guage,custom switch panel,PacBrake,TST #5,BD valve body,Automatic motorhome steps on both sides,Foldacover hard bed cover,Cummins chrome kit,Black steel grill guard,Front hitch receiver

 

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Thanks Joe.
Ok - slowly getting the hang of this.
Got my signature figured out now.
Oh yeah, another thing that was helpful was the tire to gear ratio chart link so I could figure out my actual milage with the slightly larger than stock tires.

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97,2500,CC,long box,4x4,5-speed,3. 54,265's,ISSPRO guages(pyro-boost)pillar mount,15. 3btdc, Lund X-steps coming,tonneau cover coming,cam plate next, where does it end?

Winter fun 99 Polaris 700 RMK heavily modified
Wifes sled 00 Pol 550 Trail
Summer fun 94 ZX-6 Ninja
93 Suzuki RM 125

 

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JIM,
Go for the TST 280 plate, you won't believe what this plate will do for your truck #ad

I have this same plate in my truck and love it!

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1997 2500 Ext Cab 4X4,5 spd,3. 54's,Pac brake,Rancho 9000's,Centerforce clutch,K&N airfilter,Missing
Cat,Isspro gauges,TST #11 plate (280hp/680tq),AFC medium spring and Jardine 4" exh.

 

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snos fun
How do you check the timing with a light? Did you use one of the Dile type timing guages to set it or just move it some an then check it again with the light?
Welcome to the site.
steve


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95,2500,auto,410;2-WD
Gear Vender Overdrive
tst #5

 

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Jim:

Welcome to the TDR Website.

You are right, this site is "addicting!"
It also has alot of great members and
VERY knowledgable people many of whom
I am proud to call my friends now.

As Joe told you, "you are on the right
track. " I would also recommend the TST
280 cam plate to you. You bought a "good"
base truck and that plate will "up the
power alot!"

I use the "Stanadyne" fuel supplement
in my truck also and can report very
good results with it. I have the 370
Diamond B injectors in my truck and
I do have a "slight" smoke problem.
The fuel supplement has helped that
alot.

Anyway, good luck to you Jim!

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John_P

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Red '96 4x4 2500 Auto 3. 54, TST #5, Major Pump Mods(By "Scheid Diesel") 370 Diamond B Injectors, Gov. Spring kit, AFC Spring kit, Banks Exhaust, Prime Loc, Cummins Chrome Kit, Pro-Torque Converter, BD Valve Body, BD Pressure Loc, Isspro Gauges, Sendel 16" Alum Wheels w/ 33" BFGs

 

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Thanks R. ebel- I believe I will go with #11 when the funds are available! I see that you have an upgraded clutch- did the plate make you smoke it or did you just do it for more durability? (Just wondering- I know tst claims you don't have to change the clutch for that plate but it is getting close to the clutches limit)

Steve- my details were a little sketchy- we put the light on it, then pulled the gear off and replaced it, put the light on it again, and so on. The first timing change we accidentally went backward- so the timing went to 12. 2 or something. Then we thought we knew where to go next then over timed it at 17. 8. It doesn't take very much of a turn on the crankshaft to make 1* of timing change- plus there is a lot play in the gears (backlash) and if a person didn't roll past tdc and come back to get that play out you could be a long way off. It just seems to me to be a hit or miss kind of a thing. My mechanic said they could have designed it a lot easier to change by making the pump itself turn instead of pulling the gear off. That way you could time it with the motor running- that would be simple eh?

Thanks John- just thought of a thing the diesel mechanic told me. Don't fool with those plates or any of that other add on stuff. He only pushes Banks kits and stuff. But with so many happily plated up Cummins drivers here I don't see how he can tell me that unless he just wants me to spend a lot of money with him? He's pretty knowledgable though, and he is even a member of TDR. Just seems to me that I would get more bang for the buck with a plate change, and that is what I plan to do.

Thanks

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Jim Bartsch

97,2500,CC,long box,4x4,5-speed,3. 54,64000 miles,265's,ISSPRO gauges(pyro-boost)pillar mount,15. 3btdc, Lund X-steps coming,tonneau cover coming,cam plate next, where does it end?

Winter fun 99 Polaris 700 RMK heavily modified, Wifes sled 00 Pol 550 Trail
Summer fun 94 ZX-6 Ninja, 93 Suzuki RM 125

 

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Jim,I'll have to side with your mechanic on the Banks kit. A cam plate will just be the start of your mods,after you add it your EGTs will go up,and you'll need a bigger turbo and exhaust system. You would have been ahead with the Banks in the first place,which comes with the cam plate,gauges,turbo and exhaust to boot. Anything you aready have they will leave out of the kit and knock some bucks off. Good mechanic you've got,listen to him.

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95' 25004X4,AT,Driftwood,Banks Stinger,Warn fender flairs and running boards(work truck)
95 3500,5 speed 3:54,BD E-brake,Driftwood,Banks&Psycotty,34,000 GCVW apple and tractor hauler(works harder truck)



[This message has been edited by illflem (edited 01-16-2001). ]

 

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JIM, My clutch was bad when I bought the truck, found pieces of the clutch lining material in the bottom of the bell housing. My guess was that the previous owner got the truck stuck in mud really bad (found mud inside the frame rails, on top of the trans, etc. ) and smoked the clutch. It's is also my understanding the TST#11 plate is right at the edge for the stock clutch. You should be OK as long as you're not into sled pulling, burnouts or other activities that are hard on a clutch.

EGT's - With the #11 plate I found them to be very managable with the stock turbo. At WOT in 4th or 5th gear the EGT's would climb above 1300*F but only when the RPM's were above 2600. Full throttle pulling below 2600 RPM is not a problem #ad
The powerband is so wide with the #11 plate you can simply shift when the tach hits 2600 and the EGT's are getting to warm.

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1997 2500 Ext Cab 4X4,5 spd,3. 54's,Pac brake,Rancho 9000's,Centerforce clutch,K&N airfilter,Missing
Cat,Isspro gauges,TST #11 plate (280hp/680tq),AFC medium spring and Jardine 4" exh.

 

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Ok the plate is $2-300,4"exhaust$440
16cm turbo housing $150 total$900 +-
How much is Banks ? twice as much
so you might as well buy the parts separate
as your funds allow & save the money for a clutch #ad


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

 

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Ok the plate is $2-300,4"exhaust$440
16cm turbo housing $150 total$900 +-
How much is Banks ? twice as much
so you might as well buy the parts separate
as your funds allow & save the money for a clutch #ad


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

 

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Thanks illflem- I understand the banks package concept but I don't agree with their big price. As long as I've got gauges I can keep bad stuff from happening to my motor.
Plus - What sewman said - thanks!

R. ebel thanks for the info. I was wondering about egt's with that plate, but you told me before I had to ask - cool #ad

I promise I'll take it easy with the clutch #ad