12v hp/tq and reliability question??? For 1st gen

coletrain777

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Hey all,
I am looking for some info on building a decent cummins truck for pulling/daily driving. What I am looking for is a semi-exact recipe to meet my goals so that I can know how much to budget to do it right the first time. My goals for my future truck are this:

1. I am looking to have around 300-350 RWHP and 700-750 ft/lbs tq. This would be in a SRW 4x4 extended or quad cab truck. I am more interested in the torque than the HP, this truck will not be raced or taken to the track. I do like to tow fairly heavy loads as effortlessly as possible.

2. This truck would be primarily used for everyday driving and light towing (10K lbs and under). Also, a few time a year I would like to be able to hook to a 18K-22K load and be okay egt and reliability wise (again, at most only a few times a year).

3. Would like to run 3.55 gears if this matters

4. I am not looking to sink a ton of money into trans upgrades (I am pretty easy on trucks), should I be looking for an auto or manual? No real preference here, just asking (auto would be nice...)


So here's what I am asking: What is the best recipe to meet these goals on a budget (I am a pastor and the wife is a teacher... not much $$$). The reason I am asking these specific questions is because I want to know how much it will cost me to meet my goals so that I can decide whether or not to buy a truck and go ahead. Right now I have a 1994 Ford 350 IDI turbo CC LB 4x4 with 4:10 gears. It does everything I ask it to do and is a fairly nice truck, I just would like to have more towing power if I need it. I also like modding my vehicles and that make a cummins very attractive to me (I have done about all I can to the IDI without spending some real coin for not alot of improvement).

So what are your proven (dyno numbers are great if you have them) recipes for power and reliability???
 

FordGuy100

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Your going to need:

Fuel pin
pump adjustements
Turbo upgrades (either upgrade your stock or buy larger)
Injectors
timing advance
Govenor spring

A better clutch if manual or a built auto.

I'm going to do:
M&H stage 3 Fuel pin
M&H timing spacer (different than just advancing timing)
SDX 5x.014" injectors (stage III on their site)
3200 rpm spring
Either Super HX40 or HE351 turbo.
Standard pump tweaks
Different lift pump.


That should put you there.
 

argve

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I would do as described but would only change the housing on your stock turbo to the larger housing and see if that gets you what you want then if needed look for turbo off a newer cummins. I want to say the housing is only like a couple hundred max for a new one. One big thing with diesel is remember air first but not too much because too large an exhaust will actually degrade the performance at certain rpms. I would say nothing larger than 4 inch. When I went to the 5 in stack in the bed (only change from what it was before) my performance actually went down a bit and you could feel it vs the 4 inch all the way out the back. You lose the velocity of the exhaust flow which actually increases back pressure. Also remember the air has to flow into the engine easier so using a BHAF is a good thing. Yes it will be sucking air from under the hood but trust me the air is exchanging under the hood so much that it's the same temp as outside the truck at speeds above 40 - I know this because my outdoor temp reading was taken from under the hood and if I was moving even at 30 mph it was reading the same as what was on the banks.
 

FordGuy100

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You can get a 60mm compressor upgrade for about $200 and a different exhaust housing (VE pumped cummins come with large exhaust housings, so very bad lag) for about the same as well.

HE351CW off of a 04.5-07 Cummins is a good upgrade and fairly cheap. They can support roughly 500hp on them (although thats really pushing it and EGT's would be crazy).
 

gearhead

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first off all the truck needs gauges before you do anything.boost,egt,tach,etc. all good ideas.


if you arn't gonna be racing the truck then why go for the massive hp and tq numbers?

the cummins has a reputation as being good strong engine that go atleast 500K before needing to be rebuilt.All the changes when you start cranking it up.

in the marine world even stock hp 5.9L cummins are absolute dog *****. they burn up way too fast because they are always under massive loadings.

same thing happens when you crank them up.

for towing under 10K lbs you really don't need alot of power unless you like speeding tickets.

I have an 89 Dodge w250.CTD, SRW 4x4, reg cab, 727 automatic transmission, and 3.55 gears. It has an HX35 turbo from a latter ram,BHAF, piston lift pump, the pump is turned up about 1.5 turns, and a muffler delete.

I have never wanted more hp than what it has now.I haven't ever hooked up to something that made the truck slow down slower than the speedlimit around here (65 mph) even up steep grades.

my truck is absolutely reliable.I believe that it won't leave me stranded. it doesnt have enough power to leave broken drivetrain parts in its wake.

like I said I don't want any more power.I want an overdrive,and a diesel torque converter would be nice for getting started with a load.

Im at maybe 200 hp and 520-550 lb-ft at the flywheel.along way from 300 rwhp and 750 lb-ft,but it doesnt need to be that powerful to make a good towing rig.just something to consider.sometimes less is more...not to mention that the cummins makes a ton of low end power, the ford likes to rev.Because the power delivery is different the cummins feels like it has more power because it has a LOT of low end stump pulling grunt.
 
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u2slow

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Right now I have a 1994 Ford 350 IDI turbo CC LB 4x4 with 4:10 gears.

If I had that truck, I'd be keeping it and modding it. I love the factory IDI turbos. I recently sold my '95 (a copy of your truck, but PSD) due to the pestilence and cost of an aging electronic diesel - and bought a '93 W250.

The 1st gen club cabs are small. I use it for storage mainly, or can fit two more bodies legally if required. They have jumpseats like the Chevy S10 pickups. One stick-figure-built individual could last back there for maybe a couple hours, but normal folks would be itching to abandon vehicle after 20 mins. The 1st-gen crewcab production ceased before the cummins was introduced, so you have to build one, or find one somebody converted.
 

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