Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Need Power

[Bseg]

I'm just about ready to break loose with the green stuff. I was pulling my boat (20 foot ski boat) this last weekend and was really mad when I could barely pull the Altamont pass at 60mph coming back from Tracy, CA. This is a steep grade but I felt like I had no power at all. In fact I had to floor it to keep it at 60. Unfortunately I have a stock auto trans and don't have the $ to upgrade it right now. What can I do to get some more power out of this dog? I understand that the fuel plate can be changed and this is good for a little h. p. but I don't know how much I can add without going through the trani. I still have the EGR valve and have another intake off a 96 that I plan on putting on when I remove the EGR and make any other changes.



Thanks.

 

[ralley]

How many miles do you have on the transmission?



I started by adding a #8TST plate which works great.

As soon as I added the plate the transmission started slipping when towing the trailer so I had to get a DTT valve body installed.

I only have 38K on the truck.

I haven't found a grade yet that slows me down.

 

[J.R. Adkins]

Do you have gages? Also check your chargeair boots for tightness. If you have gages what is your max boost @ WOT?







J. R.

 

[Bseg]

I don't have gauges yet. I was considering changing the plate on the pump but am concerned about the trani holding up. What is the most h. p. you can bump up to without causing the trani to go ballistic? Or would I be better off taking care of the trani first and then go for more h. p. ? One other thing I don't quite understand is how you can add more fuel to the engine and not compensate with more air. My truck feels as though it's got too much fuel when I tow up a steep grade and the only way to get it to rev up higher is to take it out of overdrive. Once you do that it shuts down at 2700 rpm because of the governor. I've been reading about timing and am curious if the timing is changed at the same time you modify the pump plate? Thanks for all the help. I know I'll eventually get there, it's just time and $

 

[J.R. Adkins]

Power to the ground!

If it were me I would do the trannie FIRST! In the meantime check your boots and get some gages. These will help to diagnose(sp?) the problem.







J. R.







Edit for spelling.

 

[Bseg]

I guess the next question would be, what do I need to do to the trani? I realize that some guys go way out there and change the torque converter and completely rebuild it. Is this necessary? I have 70k miles on it right now and so far it's been fine. I don't mind putting a little $ into it but I don't want to have to spend several thousand $ on the trani alone.



Thanks.



P. S. I do need to get some gauges, just been too lazy to buy them and then install them.

 

[J.R. Adkins]

Re:Trannie

PM TDR member jwillams3, he just did the trannie thing in his rig. Also talk to Briarhopper. He is a really nice fella and has a shop in KY. (not the jelly):-laf







J. R.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

After doing a DTT transmission in Dear Old Dad's truck. . I think he will be plenty happy for a while with the power it is making and putting to the ground.



All I have done to his is a custom ground plate (not any more wild than a #6 or so... ) slid forward a bit, Piers' 3000rpm Governor Spring Kit, and backed off the AFC all the way. We can pull our 24' boat (7000#) up any hill at any speed..... the only thing holding us back is the traffic.



The stock transmission in his truck was hating life with the boat and the increased power. With the DTT - it's a whole new truck. No slippage, no delays, no more lag than stock (89% TC), and line pressures are WAY better than they used to be. He originally didn't like the idea of dropping a lot of cake to fully rebuild the transmission, but when he gets back from vacation soon - he'll be able to drive it after I put 1000mi or so on it... . and literally feel the difference. I'm VERY happy with it, and it's not even my truck!



Mine's next!!



Matt

 

[Bseg]

Did any of you suffer poor fule mileage once you changed the fuel plate? Do you need to adjust timing too? About how much $ does the trani mod run? I noticed that some people are running 4:10 gears, I've got 3:54's, will I still be able to get this thing to pull?

 

[Blakers]

Since your transmission does not have many miles on it and hasn't been subjected to a BOMBed engine yet, I would consider just putting a triple disc torque converter and new valve body in it without a complete rebuild. You can go with an ATS or Goerand Brothers TC and VB for about $1500 (ballpark), plus laber to pull it and put it back in.



3. 54 gears should be just fine IMO.



From what I've seen here most guy's mileage has not changed a whole lot after adding a plate - some improved a few, some decreased some, but in either case it is not a big deal. Not like it totally ruined their mileage.



I'm just putting in a new transmission this afternoon. Decided to take the $$ plunge as my stock TC is slipping under load.



Good luck,



Blake

 

[FL70CAT]

GET RID OF THE EGR NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is detrimental to Mileage,Durability and Power.



Then you want a set of gauges before you start tampering with fuel delivery, better safe than sorry!