My truck has gotten faster since sunday...............

[mattplumber]

I know it ain't much, but I've reached the point of no return with my truck. My days of trying to keep it all stock and factory are over. Since I swapped my 60 this weekend the truck is getting faster/running better by the day.

-The alignment shop got it dialed in perfect.
The truck steers, turns, corners, rides, and steers a billion times better= faster

-Replace bad/shot steering box- Thanks Rick!

-My muffler fell off monday so I sawed the exhaust off behind the cab and ran over it when my muffler hit the road and started sparking mon night.
Now the turbo whistles, spools, howls and sounds awesome. Truck pulls awesome now.

-Been having starting problems in what seemed random heat soak instances.
My pops noticed yesterday that it was ******* fuel down through the engine crossmember through one of the new holes it now has in it due to ttb drop bracket removal. Ran to a meeting and shut it off. 1 hour later it never fired. Bled it down for 20 min and got it cranked. Went home and got some $$ and went and bought a new lift pump. It was a cheap airtex but what the hell.

The truck seriously gained 40hp folks. It bump starts now with the flick of the key and sings down the street super quickly now. Trying out some expressway driving today with the 20 ft trailer we'll see how it pulls.

Amazing those 2 little things added so much. I can only imagine what a fresh pump and nice injectors would do for the old betch............

 

[DeepRoots]

shoot, take it to a dyno in Louisiana and it'll probably make 300hp.

 

[mattplumber]

Don't think it's gonna make 300. Sure wish it would though......I'm just guessing it's probably back to stock power levels. Heck the damn muffler was full of 40-50 lbs of black diesel soot. That's why I just opted to saw the ******* off and leave it be.........and I don't know much about lift pumps but replacing that sucker definitely solved some power and starting problems. I figured the old mechanical jobs just failed one day. Didn't know they could slowly degrade like that. Maybe Mel or one of the other fuel guys will chime in with their theories on pump degradation.........

 

[wmoguy]

shoot, take it to a dyno in Louisiana and it'll probably make 300hp.

!!!!!!!

 

[hesutton]

shoot, take it to a dyno in Louisiana and it'll probably make 300hp.

Good one Drew!

Matt, it sounds like you are getting your truck set up to your liking. I love my Dana 60 swap as well. Did you ever find out where your fuel was leaking from. If from the lift pump, be sure to check the oil for fuel dilution. That would be bad for the bearings.

Heath

 

[mattplumber]

Yeah heath- its gets better- then worse. The leak was definitely coming from the lift pump. I replaced it with an Airtex from car quest which is who had it in stock. Also replaced the short coiled piece of hose that goes from the hardline to the lift pump for good measure. Bled the truck down and it fired up and ran better than ever. Went to start it the following morning and it fired up with 1/2 a revolution of the engine and ran great again all day. Thought I had the problem fixed. The next morning, (this morning)- it cranked for an extended period of time then fired up and ran awesome all morning. Parked it at lunch and went with my partner to look at a job and when I got back to the truck this afternoon it cranked excessively, started, sputtered, and died. Had to bleed it all down again and it fired and ran awesome all the way back home.
It sitting right now, cooling off and I'm waiting to try to start it again. Tightened up all hose clamps I touched during lift pump R&R, tightened up on my fuel filter, and put a cap on my schrader valve at the filter head which I was previously missing.

I did check the oil too as you asked. It was black as usual, a little low, but didn't smell like diesel or look funny. I've never cared to even take a whiff of a dipstick before, but the oil did kinda smell burnt, kinda like burning coal, but i didnt take that as unsual.
What specifically should I be smelling/looking for?

 

[mattplumber]

I do know its air intrusion, but from where? Caps, returns, and all hoses were replaced month before last and aren't wet with fuel at all. Just dont want to continue replacing parts if I dont have to. Whats the best way to track down an air leak that you cant see?