Attention: TDR Forum Junkies Living at 5000+ feet elevation in Colorado, I have been trying to build a strong running truck, but have been fighting problems with excessive smoke from the get-go.
After about 6 months of running just a DD TTPM box and a 4” exhaust, I put in a set of DD-1 injectors. This setup provided decent power and not too much smoke under most driving circumstances. However, during the summer months I felt as if the smoke level was a bit excessive. I found myself in a bit of a Catch-22: if I was accelerating to keep up with traffic, I would leave everyone behind me in a cloud of smoke, but found myself ******* people off if I accelerated slow enough to keep the smoke down.
At this point, I decided that the adjustability of Edge’s Comp box would be of a great benefit in solving some of my problems. It definitely helped some, but still not satisfied I started looking for more alternatives to completing a balanced package for my truck. A reduction in EGT’s was also needed as I could hit 1500 degrees very quickly on 5x5. I started researching turbo chargers and the possibility of a camshaft.
After reading the TDR extensively and talking with vendors, I purchased a Piers HX40. I had also decided that camshaft and a slightly larger set of injectors would be in my future to spool up the HX40 as I was told that the DD1’s were not going to be up to the task. With the addition of just the HX40, the turbo definitely was much slower to spool on the bottom end (which equated to more smoke and a touchier throttle!). Once I hit 10 psi of boost, the turbo spooled quite quickly, possibly even quicker than the HX35 that came stock on the truck. The HX40 also added a good bit of horsepower on the top end! I was quite pleased with the HX40, as long as it was spooled.
I ran with this setup for some time. Several months after the HX40 install, I purchased a DD camshaft. Several days after ordering the cam, I started talking with folks at ATS Performance. ATS promised me that they would get me to my “performance dreams” while maintaining good smoke control. I was assured that the perfect package would be had, given some time and manual labor. In fact, I was told I could try every injector in their lineup until I was satisfied, at no extra charge! And if I didn’t like any of them, they’d buy ‘em back. Sounded like a win-win deal to me!
I was given a set of prototype 20% EDM injectors that they had been working on. They knew these would be BIG injectors, but I do not think anyone knew quite how large these injectors really were. I am now told these injectors are good for at least 185hp (more power given a larger turbo!) after some real testing has been done. These injectors with my HX40 made an almost undrivable combination – no joke. Even at 75mph with 10psi, the slightest acceleration would produce smoke. Modest acceleration would produce CLOUDS! The HX40 never even started to catch up with fuel that was being pored into the cylinders. I parked my truck for a few days until I could get down to ATS again. It was pretty obvious that these injectors were WAY too big. After talking extensively to the folks at ATS, it was decided that I’d try their hybrid HX35 to see if that could get me by until they could get a set of 10% EDM injectors in (still in the development phase). They gave me a screamin’ deal on the hybrid HX35 with a trade in on my HX40, and handed me a set of 10% extrude honed injectors if the turbo was not sufficient to get me by (with no deposit I might add). I figured I be putting in both the turbo and injectors, but to my great surprise, the hybrid turbo made a HUGE difference. Granted, I still felt like I had an egg shell under my pedal, but I was definitely drivable as long as I kept the RPM’s above 1800 or so. Getting the truck moving was still difficult to do without smoke, but manageable.
I drove like this for 2 weeks until I could get the cam installed. The cam made a tremendous improvement in reducing smoke. My hat is off to DD with this cam – it’s a winner! The cam is designed to spool the turbo quicker and gets 40% more air into the cylinder which effectively leans out mixture. The bottom end was improved significantly (spool occurred about 2-300 rpm sooner), but smoke was still there when getting the truck rolling. However, once the truck was rolling, I could drive the truck almost smokeless up to about 40psi if I rolled into the throttle – but would start puking smoke once the waste gate was fully opened. Mind you, this is with my Comp set on 1x1!
After driving with the 20% EDM injectors for approximately a month, I installed a set of 10% EDM injectors (approximately 90-115 hp injectors). All I can say is these things are AWESOME! I can confidently say I am completely satisfied with the performance to smoke ratio! Dare I say I am done with my drive for more power?
With the 10% injectors, I can aggressively accelerate with little to NO smoke from a dead stop at virtually any setting on my Comp. With the Comp off, this setup is smokeless at full throttle once the turbo has fully spooled. With the Comp on the lower levels, there is only a slight haze at full throttle. With the Comp on KILL and my foot to the floor, the hybrid does not quite keep up with the fuel (almost, but not quite) – but who cares about smoke at 5x5!? This setup really rips!
I’d like to give a huge thanks to all of ATS for their help and patience with my project.
After about 6 months of running just a DD TTPM box and a 4” exhaust, I put in a set of DD-1 injectors. This setup provided decent power and not too much smoke under most driving circumstances. However, during the summer months I felt as if the smoke level was a bit excessive. I found myself in a bit of a Catch-22: if I was accelerating to keep up with traffic, I would leave everyone behind me in a cloud of smoke, but found myself ******* people off if I accelerated slow enough to keep the smoke down.
At this point, I decided that the adjustability of Edge’s Comp box would be of a great benefit in solving some of my problems. It definitely helped some, but still not satisfied I started looking for more alternatives to completing a balanced package for my truck. A reduction in EGT’s was also needed as I could hit 1500 degrees very quickly on 5x5. I started researching turbo chargers and the possibility of a camshaft.
After reading the TDR extensively and talking with vendors, I purchased a Piers HX40. I had also decided that camshaft and a slightly larger set of injectors would be in my future to spool up the HX40 as I was told that the DD1’s were not going to be up to the task. With the addition of just the HX40, the turbo definitely was much slower to spool on the bottom end (which equated to more smoke and a touchier throttle!). Once I hit 10 psi of boost, the turbo spooled quite quickly, possibly even quicker than the HX35 that came stock on the truck. The HX40 also added a good bit of horsepower on the top end! I was quite pleased with the HX40, as long as it was spooled.
I ran with this setup for some time. Several months after the HX40 install, I purchased a DD camshaft. Several days after ordering the cam, I started talking with folks at ATS Performance. ATS promised me that they would get me to my “performance dreams” while maintaining good smoke control. I was assured that the perfect package would be had, given some time and manual labor. In fact, I was told I could try every injector in their lineup until I was satisfied, at no extra charge! And if I didn’t like any of them, they’d buy ‘em back. Sounded like a win-win deal to me!
I was given a set of prototype 20% EDM injectors that they had been working on. They knew these would be BIG injectors, but I do not think anyone knew quite how large these injectors really were. I am now told these injectors are good for at least 185hp (more power given a larger turbo!) after some real testing has been done. These injectors with my HX40 made an almost undrivable combination – no joke. Even at 75mph with 10psi, the slightest acceleration would produce smoke. Modest acceleration would produce CLOUDS! The HX40 never even started to catch up with fuel that was being pored into the cylinders. I parked my truck for a few days until I could get down to ATS again. It was pretty obvious that these injectors were WAY too big. After talking extensively to the folks at ATS, it was decided that I’d try their hybrid HX35 to see if that could get me by until they could get a set of 10% EDM injectors in (still in the development phase). They gave me a screamin’ deal on the hybrid HX35 with a trade in on my HX40, and handed me a set of 10% extrude honed injectors if the turbo was not sufficient to get me by (with no deposit I might add). I figured I be putting in both the turbo and injectors, but to my great surprise, the hybrid turbo made a HUGE difference. Granted, I still felt like I had an egg shell under my pedal, but I was definitely drivable as long as I kept the RPM’s above 1800 or so. Getting the truck moving was still difficult to do without smoke, but manageable.
I drove like this for 2 weeks until I could get the cam installed. The cam made a tremendous improvement in reducing smoke. My hat is off to DD with this cam – it’s a winner! The cam is designed to spool the turbo quicker and gets 40% more air into the cylinder which effectively leans out mixture. The bottom end was improved significantly (spool occurred about 2-300 rpm sooner), but smoke was still there when getting the truck rolling. However, once the truck was rolling, I could drive the truck almost smokeless up to about 40psi if I rolled into the throttle – but would start puking smoke once the waste gate was fully opened. Mind you, this is with my Comp set on 1x1!
After driving with the 20% EDM injectors for approximately a month, I installed a set of 10% EDM injectors (approximately 90-115 hp injectors). All I can say is these things are AWESOME! I can confidently say I am completely satisfied with the performance to smoke ratio! Dare I say I am done with my drive for more power?
With the 10% injectors, I can aggressively accelerate with little to NO smoke from a dead stop at virtually any setting on my Comp. With the Comp off, this setup is smokeless at full throttle once the turbo has fully spooled. With the Comp on the lower levels, there is only a slight haze at full throttle. With the Comp on KILL and my foot to the floor, the hybrid does not quite keep up with the fuel (almost, but not quite) – but who cares about smoke at 5x5!? This setup really rips!
I’d like to give a huge thanks to all of ATS for their help and patience with my project.
