TST PowerMAX

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Yeah Baby, Yeah!!!! I installed my TST PowerMax over the weekend (waited forever to get it) and whoa!!!! This truck runs like a screamin' banshee. The RPMs climb so fast through the gears, it feels like a muscle car with a close ratio 4-speed! (well, ok, not quite) The kit is top quality with great instructions. The install was a breeze. I already had the 275 hp injectors and exhaust mods, but still needed more. I can honestly say that this is the last power modification I'll ever need. I guess I'll start saving my money for clutches and trannys! I'll post more data as it becomes available i. e. , EGTs, MPG, durability, etc.


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1998. 5 3500 QC, 2X4, 3. 54 limited slip, 5-spd, K&N, ISSPRO pillar mount pyro & boost, 275 hp injectors, 4" Dynomax Race Flow exhaust, Clarion CD, Rockford Fosgate power, Kicker solobaric, Husky floor liners, Capri Rodeo Delux Cabover, AWESOME TST POWERMAX!!

 

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Ross,

I just installed a Powermax in my truck last weekend. Wow! it really rips now. Watch those exhaust temps when towing. You can easily exceed maximums and have to back off a little. I can see 4" exhaust is in my future.

Does your PowerMAX cause a strange flutting of the engine when you let off the gas. The fuel light on the powermax fickers a little when doing this.

Sean

 

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Ross, I am anxious to see what kind of mpg you get with the TST. Especially with the Capri on top and ? horses in tow. BTW, what kind of trailer and how much weight do you pull? Ninearrow

 

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Ninearrow:

My trailer is a 99 S&H Elite 4-horse Bumper Pull. It is about 23 ft long, 6. 5 ft wide, and 7 feet tall (inside height), with a hay rack and generac generator on top. Overall hight is 10'3". The trailer is pretty heavy empty, due to triple wall construction; smooth outside, smooth inside, insulation in-between. It weighs right at 8000# empty, plus 1000# per horse, plus 1000+ for gear, hay etc. , puts the trailer at approx. 13,000 pounds fully loaded. The truck weighs 6880, and the camper about 1800 (so they tell me). Gross combined I'm somewhere between 22,000 and 23,000 pounds.

Prior to the Large injectors, I would get no worse than 10. 1, and no better than 11. 5. Since the injectors and power max, I have removed the camper for the winter, so I'm not sure what my mileage will be. However, over the weekend, I took the truck, trailer, and 2 horses (about 17000) on a little 600 mile trip. I could accelerate up any hill (and usually did, for the heck of it), drove between 75 and 85 mph (depending on the smokies), and got between 10. 4 and 11. 2 mpg. I have all the power I've ever wanted. Any more would require too much driver discretion! So far, I'm very pleased. I just hope she holds together a long, long time.

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1998. 5 3500 QC, 2X4, 3. 54 limited slip, 5-spd, K&N, ISSPRO pillar mount pyro & boost, 275 hp injectors, 4" Dynomax Race Flow exhaust, Clarion CD, Rockford Fosgate power, Kicker solobaric, Husky floor liners, Capri Rodeo Delux Cabover, AWESOME TST POWERMAX!!



[This message has been edited by Ross (edited 09-27-1999). ]

 

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I just got off the phone with Mark at TST. It was a pleasure to speak with
him. He is an extremely knowledgeable guy. He said the fuel light
flicker, as far as they can tell, is caused by the Cummins computer! The
Cummins 'puter pulsates the fuel signal to the pump when you let off the
throttle, intermittently, for no apparent reason. The PowerMax is
amplifying it and making it more noticeable. It shouldn't hurt anything.
At this time there is nothing that can be done, but they are working on a
way to "mask it out" with their box. Mark said they quit offering their
off road version of the PowerMax becuase this problem was even more
pronounced. Instead of pulsing 40 hp it was pulsing 80hp.

I also talked to him about my Very High exhaust temps above 2500rpm. Were talkin' 1400 or more if I don't let off the throttle. He
said in all their testing they havn't been able to get their box to give
exhaust temps much above 1200(pre turbo). The only times they have seen
EGT any higher is when people have installed larger injectors (which I don't
have). When I told him about the altitude where I am running the Truck
(5000-12000ft) he said that could be the problem. They (obviously) can't do
their dyno tests at 8000ft. He did say that at Cummins they have a vacuum
chamber that they put motors in to dyno them at various altitudes. He said
the ISB can take an EGT of 1350 without problems. Cummins has tested the
ISB operating at 1350 EGT for 1000 hours. That's 41 days or so, straight!
That is one tough motor!

Anyway, Mark said they are constantly working on improving their box and
were willing to send me a newer version, in a few weeks, that doesn't
overfuel as much at high RPM's but still gives you as much power.


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98. 5 2500 QC LB 4x4, white.
Cummins 24v w/ TST PowerMAX1
SnugTop, JJ Stainless Running boards

 

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Sounds good to me...

I checked out the TST sight and there was no mention of the unit.

What is the part number and what did it cost??

Thanks
Larry


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'99 2500 C. C. SLT,4X4, Auto, SWB, Forest Gr. /Driftwood, Tow Pkg. , Smittybilt S. S. Nerf Bars, Factory Tow Hooks, K&N, Mag-Hytech transmission, Dodge 3 Pc. Bug-Flector, 7 7/8 coats of wax. . Yes Sir That's My Baby!!

 

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Sean

Did Mark use the term overfuel?
Also if you are not going to "overfuel" as much, and maintain the same power level, what is going to change?
I am simply trying to make the point that fuel = power, and when you add fuel you are not necesarily overfueling, you are just asking for more power, i. e. , pushing the right pedal.
Next thought, if you are going to use less fuel with that box, how do you maintain the same level of power?

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98. 5,24v,3/4 ton,2wd,lsd,5sp
blue box hp enhancement

 

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hvac,

Sorry it took so long to respond... I've been on the road.

No, Mark did not use the term "overfuel". He said something like "it wont add as much fuel". As far as I am concerned all computer boxes or cam plates do one thing. Add more fuel than stock. Isn't that overfueling?
About the power... At those high revs, it obviously would have less. He meant that the power in the rest of the powerband would be just as good or better than the current box.

Sean

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98. 5 2500 QC LB 4x4, white.
Cummins 24v w/ TST PowerMAX
SnugTop, JJ Stainless Running boards

 

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I've been around diesels all my life and have determined the term "overfuel" means anything done to the pump that causes more fuel to be injected than stock.

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Sean and Ninearrow
It's just that Dr. "P" was preaching to a bunch of us guys one day and every other sentance had the term "overfueling" in it. This is a dirty word as he used it. He was absolutly spitting as he told us what idiots we were for considering such options. He was particularly unkind when telling us how he felt about Mark Chapple. So I was hoping that Mark was not justifying Dr. Reptile's opinion. I prefer the term I've heard used with regard to the isb engine "increasing the fueling state". Sounds kinda yuppie doesn't it, but it doesn't remind me of Dr. Jerk. I guess you could say this is my problem.

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3/4 ton, 5 sp, lsd, 2wd, qcab, guages, Scotty sys. Rhino liner, Blue Box hp enhancement