bike-maker
Full Access Member
So I picked up an old ATS 085 turbo kit about a month ago, and finally got it installed and working properly.
Along with the turbo, I also put in a boost gauge and EGT gauge.
Aside from the bloody knuckles from clearancing the firewall and bruised torso from laying across the top of the engine, I got it running correctly after installing the whole mess a second time.
On the first go around, I sacrificed a 3/4" wide wood chisel to harpoon the valley pan (and yes, I did go through both layers). Took a couple quick test drives and all seemed well, then drove it to work on Tuesday night (all of 4 miles away), and when I got out, there was oil gushing out around the starter. Got in the truck to go home at 1:00 in the morning; it fired for about 5 seconds, then ran out of fuel. I then proceeded to run the batteries down trying to get it to start. Then I got to walk home....about 4 miles....at 1:30 in the morning.
The next morning, I showed up with a fresh set of batteries, and she lit right off. Seems a good night of sleep helped me realize why I went through the trouble of installing the electric lift pump parallel to the stock lift pump; great way to mask the massive air intrusion I know have due to laying across the return lines during the turbo install.
So after diagnosing the oil leak (the turbo's oil return into the valley pan), I ended up tearing the entire system back out of the truck to get to the offending grommet. Seems I mangled the valley pan pretty good when I tried to get the original CDR grommet (it suffered from a severe case of rigor mortise) out back when I did my road draft tube. Now after cleaning the area, and using hi-temp silicon on the grommet, it is sealed. I also punched 3 more holes in the valley pan to make sure the oil has somewhere to go. So the moral of the story; do it right the first time so you don't have to tear everything back apart as I did.
My original test drive was with the down pipe only, and it had a wicked turbo whistle starting at about 1500 rpm. Then I welded a piece of 3" pipe in place of the muffler, and put the exhaust back on - straight 3" pipe to a custom stainless tip off of a Prevost coach exiting in front of the right rear tire. Not so much turbo whistle now. I also turned up the IP 2 flats.
This afternoon I had the chance to give it a good flogging; I live right off of interstate 5, so I hit a bunch of on ramps. I'm seeing about 7psi of boost and about 850 on the EGT's. You definitely have to get the RPM's up to make the turbo work - at full throttle I was shifting at 3000 rpm. Left a nice gray haze out of the exhaust. As a comparison, my previous truck was a CCSB 1st gen power stroke - completely stock, same size tires, but auto and 3:55 gears (the IDI is manual and 4:10 gears). I'd say my IDI now runs just about the same as the old PSD did, the IDI might have a little more grunt down low (hard to say with the 2 trucks having different gears), and both didn't really pull hard until you got the RPM's up pretty high.
So all in all, I'm pretty happy with how she's running - the true test will be when I load the 5er on the truck and hit a few hills.
One other thing to mention; I welded a bung into the down pipe while it was out, and ran my road draft tube into it. I previously made my own Banks style adapter on the front of the IP cover. There's a little bit of steam coming out of the exhaust at idle after working the engine, but otherwise seems to be working good. I'll keep track of my oil consumption and report back. The days of people telling me my truck is on fire are now over....
Sorry for the book, just had alot to say after I've spent the last week's free time laying on or under my truck.
Along with the turbo, I also put in a boost gauge and EGT gauge.
Aside from the bloody knuckles from clearancing the firewall and bruised torso from laying across the top of the engine, I got it running correctly after installing the whole mess a second time.
On the first go around, I sacrificed a 3/4" wide wood chisel to harpoon the valley pan (and yes, I did go through both layers). Took a couple quick test drives and all seemed well, then drove it to work on Tuesday night (all of 4 miles away), and when I got out, there was oil gushing out around the starter. Got in the truck to go home at 1:00 in the morning; it fired for about 5 seconds, then ran out of fuel. I then proceeded to run the batteries down trying to get it to start. Then I got to walk home....about 4 miles....at 1:30 in the morning.
The next morning, I showed up with a fresh set of batteries, and she lit right off. Seems a good night of sleep helped me realize why I went through the trouble of installing the electric lift pump parallel to the stock lift pump; great way to mask the massive air intrusion I know have due to laying across the return lines during the turbo install.
So after diagnosing the oil leak (the turbo's oil return into the valley pan), I ended up tearing the entire system back out of the truck to get to the offending grommet. Seems I mangled the valley pan pretty good when I tried to get the original CDR grommet (it suffered from a severe case of rigor mortise) out back when I did my road draft tube. Now after cleaning the area, and using hi-temp silicon on the grommet, it is sealed. I also punched 3 more holes in the valley pan to make sure the oil has somewhere to go. So the moral of the story; do it right the first time so you don't have to tear everything back apart as I did.
My original test drive was with the down pipe only, and it had a wicked turbo whistle starting at about 1500 rpm. Then I welded a piece of 3" pipe in place of the muffler, and put the exhaust back on - straight 3" pipe to a custom stainless tip off of a Prevost coach exiting in front of the right rear tire. Not so much turbo whistle now. I also turned up the IP 2 flats.
This afternoon I had the chance to give it a good flogging; I live right off of interstate 5, so I hit a bunch of on ramps. I'm seeing about 7psi of boost and about 850 on the EGT's. You definitely have to get the RPM's up to make the turbo work - at full throttle I was shifting at 3000 rpm. Left a nice gray haze out of the exhaust. As a comparison, my previous truck was a CCSB 1st gen power stroke - completely stock, same size tires, but auto and 3:55 gears (the IDI is manual and 4:10 gears). I'd say my IDI now runs just about the same as the old PSD did, the IDI might have a little more grunt down low (hard to say with the 2 trucks having different gears), and both didn't really pull hard until you got the RPM's up pretty high.
So all in all, I'm pretty happy with how she's running - the true test will be when I load the 5er on the truck and hit a few hills.
One other thing to mention; I welded a bung into the down pipe while it was out, and ran my road draft tube into it. I previously made my own Banks style adapter on the front of the IP cover. There's a little bit of steam coming out of the exhaust at idle after working the engine, but otherwise seems to be working good. I'll keep track of my oil consumption and report back. The days of people telling me my truck is on fire are now over....
Sorry for the book, just had alot to say after I've spent the last week's free time laying on or under my truck.
