Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Novice Fuel Plate Mods

[pwerwagn]

A dremel will work fine to grind the plate.

once you take the afc cover off, you will realize what "full foward" means.

 

[JAmos]

There are nineteen 5. 9s here @ school. It's kinda like a R&D test grounds.

Have a volunteer grind his plate flat and then let everyone try it out. Just don't fight over who goes next. :-laf :-laf :-laf



Last night I gutted my afc and am going to town to get screws(I hate break off screws). Its now just an empty housing. I left the diaphragm in to seal to the diaphragm area of the housing. I'm going to plug the port on the manifold and on the afc, then see how she runs.



Jordan

 

[Forrest Nearing]

you don't need to plug the port on the AFC housing... just leave it connected, it's not going to hurt anything. I've run without an AFC spring before.



with 370's and a flat plate in a 215 pump, it was just retarded... it made a lot of smoke, but it slowed the truck down, so I put the spring back in and tightened it up a little.

 

[BTighe]

think about it... 1st gen CTD's didn't even have a wastegate...



as long as you aren't running so much fuel that you overboost, there's no problem. don't run it over 35psi.



Forrest

would a #11 plate in a 215hp pump run enough fuel to overboost?

how would i block the w/g. i dont want it to be permanent. thanks

wouldnt it be harder to overboost a 1st gen cause of the size of there turbine housing.

 

[McCRam]

Btighe. On my 97, I took the rubber hose off that connects the turbo to the afc line. I got replacement hose, so I could put the original back on, cut it in two, and blocked the ends with a bolt. I put the hoses on the afc line using hose clamps. I have never seen more thane 33 psi on my 97. The only mod I have made is sliding the stock plate all the way forward.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

yes, it would be harder to overboost because of the bigger housing...



my point is, Cummins says "don't block the wastegate"... but you don't magicly destroy the turbo by doing so... as long as you're not overboosting, you'll be fine.



I would just get an adjustable boost elbow for $10 and be done with it... it'll allow you to block it off or adjust it to whatever.



you probably won't overboost w/ just a #11 plate.



Forrest

 

[BTighe]

thanks for the input. learning alot since i joined and loving it. where is the best place to pick up the boost elbow. is the bd and the tst the same?

 

[TrqMonster]

I dont think you would overboost with an #11 either. I pulled the plate completly out and for awhile I was getting 45 PSI. #11 is not super aggresive, but when I installed mine it was very noticable. It is worth every penny if you want a moderate gain. I went with the #11 because I had the stock clutch still. Had it positioned in the stock position for about a day then moved it all the way foward. Clutch slipped, so got a new cluth and pulled the plate out. Havent stopped modifying since. Its addictive.



Like Forest said, dont go past 35 PSI or so and no worries.

 

[BTighe]

the reason im going for the 11 plate is that people have told told me the 10 plate is a little hot for towing. i dont tow heavy but i want to keep temps low. will the 11 plate defuel at the top? are there any shortcomings of this plate and if so can they be fixed with a grinder. i only want to buy one plate so im gonna do it right.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

the #10 defuels more than the #11...



one thing you gotta realize is that you can set any plate up forward or backward of stock to tailor it to your transmission/clutch and or EGT levels...



Forrest

 

[BTighe]

so then i should choose a plate based on where it adds power rather than #'s alone. i pull a cargo trailer daily and i dont usually rev passed 2250rpms so im not sure that the top of the plate defueling would affect me much. im lookig for power in the 1500-2250 range.

 

[JoshPeters]

OK... . My thoughts. EGT's... can get warm... even hot... but DO NOT keep them there. The HX35 that is on our trucks is probably one of the most durable out there. I know I've barked it well over 100 times (I know I know) as well as overspooled it to the point where it should have taken off! I have a boost elbow, not like it matters. I have tied my wastegate WIDE OPEN, and could still overspool it.



I do agree with buying a plate. If you are going to tow with it, it's easier to just put the plate in and go. No experamentation to make sure your EGT's are ok. Take the stocker, and grind a bit. Put it in when your buzzin around town. See how you like it. Then you can play a bit and find a comfortable medium and run with it. Save the plate you bought for a core. It's easy enough to get your "core" out of it. Send it in for an 0 plate... . twins... . etc.



Plugging the wastegate will only help once you get past about 18psi. The truck stock was set up to not go past 18psi.



Josh

 

[TrqMonster]

A GSK is also something to consider if defueling is an issue, however TST doesnt recommend a GSK with a #11, or at least they didnt when I bought mine at TiM last year. They said you need at least a #10.

 

[JoshPeters]

From what I have read/heard the GSK's do well with even numbered plates. (coinsidence?) 10, 8, 4 and 0. The 6 is the only one that Does Not fit that mold.





Josh

 

[JAmos]

Pretty happy with my #6 and gsk.



Jordan

 

[JoshPeters]

Another thing to consider..... a 3k GSK and a 10 plate on that 913 pump will set you up pretty nicely in the HP range. Just add 370's and your mid to high 300 range. Your EGT's can get pretty hot with that set up, but with a deft touch on the throttle they can be kept in check.



The 10 plate and a 3k GSK is probably Piers favorite set-up. It's a great all around plate, and the GSK really makes it come alive!



Josh