Rokktech Crank Sensor Installed...

[steved]

Bucking a headwind running to Michigan (Go Blue!), got poorer mileage than without the sensor. Hopefully, it was just because I was running 70mph and not 65mph... average was 16. 5mpg!!!! I usually average almost 20mpg empty.



Not sure it helped my 600CTD enough to warrant the price... only more driving will get more actual mileages... might have just been the trip... will know more tomorrow on the return trip.



Definately not a huge increase.



steved

 

[TexBamBam]

Just put mine on... sounds real nice so far... hope go give it the WOT test tomorrow...

 

[BIG BOB]

Hmmm, has anyone tried the Tone Ring Mod with the Rokktech Crank Sensor installed? Wonder what the results might be!?

 

[Matt400]

I was wondering the same thing Bob. 4 deg might be doable as long as you don't add any Cetain improver. Some that were adding Cetain with the sensor experienced knock. Earlier I confused Cetain with Octain but got straightened out in a hurry

 

[67guzzler]

Yea -- With 2 degrees running biodiesel (higher cetane than petro) I'm getting a slight knock initially (like a 1/2 second) when I accelerate. Too much cetane with advanced timing seems to result in knocking. Just dumped 22 gallons of petro diesel in and the knock went away quickly.

 

[Matt400]

Who has a good lubricicity additive with no Cetain?

 

[67guzzler]

Who has a good lubricicity additive with no Cetain?

Hi Matt!



I think something like this might be what you're looking for:



http://www.priproducts.com/pridpage.htm



#ad




I've been thinking about trying it too.



Putting my bias aside, the other thing you can do is just add 1 gallon of B100 to your tank when you fill up with #2. That has a ton of lubricity. If you don't have B100 at the same place, you could fill a jug with a gallon or so and then take it with you when you fill up with #2... . Put the b100 in first and then follow with the #2 to ensure a good mix.



Just a thought... .



Hope these ideas help!

 

[Matt400]

Interesting stuff Jay,

It all sounds good. . I was reading their FAQ and when I read this:

Q: Why doesn't PRI-D boost the cetane rating of diesel fuel?



A: PRI-D uses a safer, more effective method to improve power and performance.

It sounded like a politicians answer and the snake oil flag started to wave, but who knows maybe its pretty good stuff. Our Son has to leave his CTD set for 6 months and some sort of fuel stabilizer should be used.



We don't have any B100 within 100 miles that I know of. Doesn't that stuff light off more easy which could lead to knock?

 

[67guzzler]

I agree about the PRI-D propaganda. It's very much like a politicians answer. But I went to their CLIENT & MAGAZINE RECOMMENDATIONS page and I found those comments to be more persuasive.



Regarding Biodiesel Generally -- Yes! You're 100% correct -- Bio does have higher cetane. From a study I read:



"A typical cetane number range for #2 diesel fuel is 40-45 while #1 diesel is 48-52. Biodiesel from vegetable oils have been recorded as having a cetane number range of 46 to 52, and animal fat based biodiesels cetane numbers range from 56 to 60. "



So you see when used as an additive in small doses for lubricity (1 gal of B100 to 30 gal #2) I don't think it raises the cetane many points at all. At that much of a small ratio, I don't even know it would be noticed.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I was just talking to my fuel guy the other day about soydiesel, which I've been running in rather high % (20-40)for a few months. He uses soy at about 20% in his own trucks, so he's got no reason to bash it. He said that B100 has a cetane rating in the low 40's, similar to lower cetane #2. His words "soydiesel is never a cetane booster".



Back to the topic at hand. Is anyone running the Rokktech sensor at full advance with a Juice/Attitude? I installed my sensor on Fri. and turned the attitude down to "0". Kinda leary about turning it back on. The sensor stays, but I might back it off.

 

[BIG BOB]

Back to the topic at hand. Is anyone running the Rokktech sensor at full advance with a Juice/Attitude? I installed my sensor on Fri. and turned the attitude down to "0". Kinda leary about turning it back on. The sensor stays, but I might back it off.

I am, and haven't had any knocking or pinging at all.

 

[skorski]

I installed mine the other day so far I put 100 mi on and havent noticed any fuel change . still showin around 13. 5 to 14 around town stop and go. I also am running a tag. I'm a sucker for any new gadget on the market. Going north to New Hampshire this week end towing 13,000 5th wheel was getting 11. 5 towing at 65 with and without tag will post new readings Monday afternoon. Ski

 

[steved]

Bucking a headwind running to Michigan (Go Blue!), got poorer mileage than without the sensor. Hopefully, it was just because I was running 70mph and not 65mph... average was 16. 5mpg!!!! I usually average almost 20mpg empty.



Not sure it helped my 600CTD enough to warrant the price... only more driving will get more actual mileages... might have just been the trip... will know more tomorrow on the return trip.



Definately not a huge increase.



steved

Well, determined the sensor was NOT at fault... I tanked up at the OH TurnPike Service Plazas for two tankfuls... turns out IT WAS THE FUEL!!! Got back into PA to a place I normally get good fuel and have put 110 miles on this tank... the gauge hasn't even moved off full... I averaged between 15 and 16. 5mpg with that junk fuel... now things are looking more "normal. "



Usually about 85 miles it starts coming down off full, so time will tell... won't be driving the truck much this week since I will be pulling both driveshafts out tonight and having them balanced this week to get rid of the dreaded vibration!!!



steved

 

[TTubb]

Milage Check

I installed my sensor 9 days ago. I drive 27 miles to work one way each day on the freeway. I had been checking my milage with the overhead, resetting at a specific checkpoint and checking at the off ramp. I used the overhead because of the variation in filling, however my overhead runs about +1. 1 to hand calculated. Speed was set at 65 mph using the cruise control. Traffic is very constant and I am able to maintain a very controlled run the entire way or I do not use the results.

The results:

Pre installation - Avg 22. 2 mpg

Post installation - Avg 23. 11 mpg or a 4% increase in milage



My truck is a 2004. 5 2500 SRW shortbed 48RE that is bone stock. Tire pressures are set at 50psi F&R and I am running Rotella Syn 5/40. The truck has 31,000 miles. Hope this is useful. Terry

 

[scottmcd]

sounds good, need to read more about it. . Scott

 

[Cattletrkr]

I called Edge yesterday and as expected they don't know much about the Rokktech sensor. About all they could tell me is that they do have customers running it with no probs and that 2* shouldn't be enough to cause any probs. Before I calle dEdge I turned my attitude up to "1" and couldn't hear anything bad. It does seem to have a little more puch than before the install. That may just be me since I drove it for 500miles with the box off. EGT's are definently lower. Pulled a 1. 5+- mi. hill in 5th (direct) with my foot to the floor and a descent load (23-24K trlr), and the EGT never got up to 1200*. Max was right around 1180*. Before installing the sensor, I know on a hill like that I would have easily cracked 1200*, which is my own personal backdown point.



Can't really tell any mileage difference. I fill up at home and I don't have a meter. Overhead is on drugs. Used to be able to use it as a relative point, now it's just fubar'd. A couple months ago it started reading ridiculous #'s. Said I was getting 15-16 with a trailer and Attitude off. Empty last weekend and Attitude off I was supposedly getting 22mpg. Both those #'s are 5mpg high.



At higher RPM engine is smoother. Very nice for pulling in 5th.



EDIT: How do I know if what I'm hearing is just a different engine sound than before or a ping? Will a ping be pronounced and leave no doubt? My engine does sound different, not bad, just different.

 

[RKerner]

I was just talking to my fuel guy the other day about soydiesel, which I've been running in rather high % (20-40)for a few months. He uses soy at about 20% in his own trucks, so he's got no reason to bash it. He said that B100 has a cetane rating in the low 40's, similar to lower cetane #2. His words "soydiesel is never a cetane booster".



Back to the topic at hand. Is anyone running the Rokktech sensor at full advance with a Juice/Attitude? I installed my sensor on Fri. and turned the attitude down to "0". Kinda leary about turning it back on. The sensor stays, but I might back it off.

I hear a bit more ping than usual but nothing to get alarmed about. The ping doesn't change on 1 or 0 so there doesn't seem to be an excess stack up of timing at normal throttle openings.



Another way to look at this gizmo is that it makes up for tolerance stack-up between the crank woodruff key slot, balancer slot, tone ring threaded hole position, tone ring attach bolt hole positions, tone ring stamping accuracy, cast crank sensor bracket attach holes to the block, block to casting threaded hole position and finally the machined crank sensor receptacle hole.



The whole 2 degree thing is analagous to twisting an old fashioned distributor for a gas engine, or twisting an injector pump a tad. I'm not totally sure but this minor of a change won't affect the longevity of the engine, IMHO.



YMMV

 

[steved]

EDIT: How do I know if what I'm hearing is just a different engine sound than before or a ping? Will a ping be pronounced and leave no doubt? My engine does sound different, not bad, just different.

I had the same... "what was that?" everytime it made a new noise...



They indicated that knocking was the major concern... I would hope I could hear knocking... and that ping could be compensated for by retarding the sensor... but I agree... is a "ping" like that of a gas engine under load with low octane fuel??? Or is it just more "rattle" than normal... does it only happen under load?? Does it happen constantly?? How much is "detrimental"? Or is it just a noise thing that has no ill effects??



There are a lot of variables... anyone know exactly what a knock and a ping sound like in a CTD?



steved

 

[JEly]

I got mine today and installed it and the first thing with mine was the stock sensor was nice and snug in the hole and the new one had a lot of slop--------I mean I could move it before I tightened it down so Im not sure if it is in the right spot. My truck started and ran fine--------it does seem like it has a liitle more low end but how it mounted up bothers me.



JIM

 

[RWood]

the slop is how you can vary the amount of advanced timing. Take a look at you directions and it will tell you what position advances the timing the most.