Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) GSK or Fuel Plate

[mfunderburgh]

I am trying to figure out which next bomb will give me the most bang for the buck. I have my stock plate slid all the way foward on my pump now and am wanting to turn some more power. I have looked at going with the #4 plate or #0 plate but am wondering if I should get a governor spring kit first and just grind that stock plate flat. I can rev to 3000rpm now but I don't feel much power out of those last 600-800 getting there. Will I notice much of a power increase in going with a #4 plate slid foward a little over my current setup. Also where should the 370's and delivery valves fit into all of this.



Matt

 

[JohnE]

<b><small>&quot;GSK or Fuel Plate&quot;</small></b>



BOTH

 

[Dennis Garrett]

Doesn't matter what you do to it, it just won't rev without the GSK. Without the GSK, I peaked out at 275 RWHP/675 torque, at 2300 rpm. By the time I was at 2700 rpm, the numbers were down to 90/180, it fell like a rock after 2400. After I put in 215 injectors AND the 3K GSK, on the same dyno, I peaked at 300 HP/700 torque at 2600 rpm, but it curved down very slowly, and was still putting out 220/500 at 3400 rpm! (This was with an automatic, in locked up "D", overdrive turned off. )

 

[drees1]

If you have not modified your turbo, or wastegate, or put an AFC kit in I would do that first, or with the GSK. If you tow with the 5 speed, the GSK will get you into a better rpm after the shift. Here is what I would do.



GSK then Plate and AFC control, then turbo and injectors. You should not need delivery valves in a '96 215 engine. With all that you should dyno at 400+HP. 700 Ft-lbs is it for your stock clutch. Do the clutch before the turbo and injectors. The GSK, plate, and AFC control are nice mods for the money. From there it gets expensive. Enjoy



P. S. Pyro and boost gages first, that goes without saying.

 

[JohnE]

OK

Now that we have the single and simple opinion (approach) out of the way you can have the long story.



I started with 3K Governor spring. What an improvement over stock. Really nice to have the wider RPM range for shifting and just plain driveability.



I added a #4 plate.

WOW! I love the truck. This is with the #4 FULLY back. I plugged the wastegate and still have to watch my EGTs.



As far as the RPM

I could get 3,000 rpm out of the stock governor springs in 3rd gear locked. I knew it was rather flat on the fueling.

With 3K springs and stock plate I got good fueling to around 3,000 rpm and then it rev limited at around 3,500 rpm.



A flat ground plate will get you in EGT trouble in the higher RPM.

(A #4 plate gets <b>me</b> in EGT trouble. )



I think the consensus from others (on this thread and in general) is the buttomometer will vote for governor springs first.



<em>edit:

I assume you have an auto pump in your truck. This probably means you have less than 215 hp injectors. If you want a pecking order here's my suggestion

1. GSK

2. Plate

3. Injectors

Probably time for a SBC clutch.

4. send pump to Piers for an update.

5. Tires

6. Tires

7. Tires

 

[mfunderburgh]

3000 or 4000 GSK

Yes, I do only have the 180hp injectors since the truck was orignialy an auto but I did take care of item #3. 5 when I converted the truck to a manual I went with a SBC. Sounds like the GSK is what I should be looking at next but I am just going to have to decide on 3000 or 4000rpm now. From what I have read it seems like a lot of people have got them through Piers and I was wandering if the Enterprise Engine kit works as well since it's not much of a trip to go pick one up there.

 

[JohnE]

Go ahead and get the 4k springs. You can leave off the smallest spring and make it a 3k set. Doing the 4k will mean 60 lb valve springs, too.

TST also sells kits and they are next door. I don't know where Enterprise sources their spring kits.

I also forgot an AFC kit. That would be around 2. 5 on the original list.

How hard was the manual swap? I'm considering dumping my auto, too.

 

[mfunderburgh]

transmission conversion

I did the transmission swap back in Novmber and so far I am glad I did the conversion. Between college, farming, and trying to do the conversion it took me about three weeks to get everything changed over. I think if I had a good list of what I was going to need ahead of time I could have got everything together ahead of time and done the conversion on a weekend. My local dodge dealer was no help on getting any of the parts and I ended up getting dang near everything from EE. After waiting on things like flywheel bolts for two weeks at the dealer I finally just drove out to EE where I originaly had bought the NV4500 and he had everything I couldn't get at the dealer. I will be putting a post up sometime in the next two weeks on here about the whole install with a good list of everything needed for the swap as soon as I get some time to dig out all the receipts and my notes.

Matt



P. S. Get a dodge shop manual before doing anything