TST PowerMax3....Good or Bad?

[SCREAMNEAGLE]

I am looking into some upgrades. What I have found out, it seems to be the way to go with the 275 injectors. My buddy is trying to talk me into a Banks kit. The Banks seems to be a lot more money for the same results. Please help with some of your experience.

 

[LSMITH]

I all depends on how much power you want and what you do with the truck. Know full well that you have about 9 to 1 odds that anything on top of the 275 injectors will need a new clutch to hold it. If it were me I would get a set of DD2 injectors and a DD TTPM http://www.dieseldynamics.com/ . The TTPM is a DD tuned Edge EZ, with timing and fueling suited for the larger injectors. There have been enough reports and dyno sheets posted from the 2's and EZ or TTPM that show around 380 rear wheel HP that it is undeniable. If you have never driven a bombed CTD it will blow your mind how much power that really is!!!



You should be concerned about EGT and cylinder pressures with the ETH as well, it seems that they like to run a tad hot right out of the box and headgasket failures with the big boxes seem to be really high compared to the ETC when coupled with medium and larger injectors.



In my opinion the Banks kits are good quality and make some serious power, but are quite high priced. The combo I suggested will run you about $1200-1400 bucks with analog gauges included and doing the install yourself. I really doubt you could get half that gain from Banks for the same money. The Banks kits are complete with everything you need, but DD will also give you a complete solution too. Regardless of Banks or other company I think you will need a clutch to hold it.



My honest opinions, hope it helps.

 

[HiPerf360]

Powermax or Bluechip FMS would get my vote.



Banks has a quality product but the only person I would reccomend it to would be an old man that likes t spend too much money and go slow.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I love my Powermax3. If you buy the one with the remote display you can set an automatic defuel point based on EGT (you get to set where it defuels). One thing to keep in mind as Howard said above - you WILL definately have to buy a new clutch if you want to use all the power that the PM3 will give you. Depending on what power level you want to run at you don't need to upgrade the injectors. The street level PM3 will give you approximately 120 hp and 300 ft/lbs over stock alone.

 

[rubberneck]

injectors

screamineagle, i have an eth also as you can see from my sig. I installed dd3's at about 1800 miles and i can not even stand to drive the truck with stock injectors anymore. IN my opinion, you will get more useable power from injectors on an eth than anything else. I have a powermax 3 competition, and it hauls buttt, but egt's are way out of control (for a stock turbo)

I would tell you that on my truck, the powermax (stacked on to an edge ez) with stock injectors runs about the same (seat of the pants feel) as my truck with the ez and the dd3's (no pm3) the difference is the injectors run cooler by about 2-300 degrees. Add injectors pm3 comp and the ez and look out, it flat hauls , however i have ordered a bigger turbo to cope with the egt's



Basically what im trying to say is you cant go wrong with DD injectors, i find that egt's and smoke are very controllable with my stage 3's even while towing, however i live at sea level, so take your altitude in to consideration. stage 2's might be more appropriate. With stage 2 or 3 injectors, you will not fing a banks equiped 6 speed that will hold a candle to you power wise. the other thing to consider may be an edge comp box. in the comp, you get a timing and fueling box all in one with the advantage of in cab controllable smoke sub levels.



ONCE AGAIN BE WARNED your stock clutch will melt, no doubt about it. but hey all you have to do is call peter at south bend, and he will put the power to the ground. Be very carefull, you are about to come over to the dark side, and there is no getting out.

 

[E7mack96]

ETH and PM3 with 275's

I, too, own a eth with the above. If boost kicks in below about 1900 rpms, you will SMOKE the clutch. I drive in position #9 and have to be very careful with the go pedal. As a side note, I am saving for the Southbend clutch.

 

[Briar Hopper]

I love mine, I have the Competition version, though it has been re-programmed temporarily for a different fueling curve and duty cycle. It's a very versatile design. The built-in gauges in the new remote are flat-out cool, saves you the trouble of buying and mounting individual gauges. If you already have gauges, then it's a feature you don't need.

Definitely a better choice than Banks. Banks has quality stuff, but it's not enough speed and power for the money, for most of us.

 

[Bigsaint]

I also have the TST comp. box, piggybacked to the Edge EZ. While I normally run with just the injectors and the EZ, the TST is a real kick in the pants when I turn it on. Depending on what your future BOMBing needs may be, I suggest trying the Edge EZ alone first, should keep you happy for awhile. Get some gauges in that rig, at the minimum a egt (pyro) and fuel pressure gauge. If you want more than the EZ, upgrade your clutch and hog out your stock banjos with either Ray T. 's modified banjos or Weber fittings. Then try larger injectors and if they are not enough add the TST to the mix. I think you will pretty happy with the EZ alone on the ETH, going above that will require expensive mods. to the drivetrain, larger turbo for all the usable power with the big injectors and a better air filter set up ( your choice).



Which ever you choose, be sure to check your FP before any mods. , we've had too many failing lift pumps to risk the death of your injection pump. A heavy hitter like the TST comp. will tax your fuel flow with a good lift pump, so you need to keep an eye on those psi's for sure.



Forgot to add... the egt's run pretty hot on the ETH stock, adding just a set of 275 injectors will only compound the issue. If you get the EZ box, it has a boost module built in and comes with a boost elbow that you connect to the HX35. This will allow you to make more power with lower egt's than stock. Prime example, when my truck was stock with just gauges, I could hit 1300 degrees pre-turbo with very little effort on a good climb. After I installed the EZ box and boost elbow, my boost went from a stock 19 psi's at WOT to 28 psi's at WOT and the egt's never climbed above 1050 on the same climb, while going at a much faster rate. Just something else to consider. Most of the boxes out there now have a boost module built in, if you are going to try a fueling box alone on the ETH, be sure that it has that option.



Scott W.

 

[MikeR]

The Banks seems to be a lot more money for the same results. Please help with some of your experience.

False!!! Not the same results! You'll get about 40 more hp from the $700 TST than from the Bank$$$$ kit.

Banks kits are good quality and make some serious power

Another false... sort of. Yes, Banks does make some quality products, but to call it 'serious' power... it is not! Sorry, 2500 bucks does not give serious power. A mild power upgrade, maybe.





I'll wont' tell you what to buy, but I'll tell you what won't work. I love my Powermax3, but I only call it a fun box and usually leave it turned off. I agree that you will get better driveability and egt's from a set of DD2's or 3's.



-Mike

 

[Todd T]

I wouldnt trade my PowerMax3 for any other box

 

[Wiredawg]

TST PM-3 Adjustable! Yeh Man!

Hey guys:



I'm real happy with my TST PM-3 adjustable. The in-cab controller let's me haul tail empty and adjust it down to tow my 5th wheel.

And, Mark Chapple is a really good guy who takes care of his customers.



Wiredawg