Low Oil Pressure... The struggle Continues

[kickdheney]

So $500 dollars later I get my truck back from the muffler shop.... They bent and welded the up pipe and installed a new down pipe. But she still runs like a dog.I was expecting a huge performance boost going from a N/A to a Turbo IDI but it doesnt even really compare to my 7.3 NA idi van with the E4OD. My stock oil pressure gauge is reading pretty low but i dont know how accurate it is. I am going to install an aftermarket guage that reads PSI, any suggestions there as far as the best place to hook in and brand preference? The t19 seems to grind when im shifting too, feels like it should accelerate a lot more for how high it seems to rev. Im gonna hook up a crappy boost gauge that i got from the Horror Freight so i can check my boost until I get a better gauge. Ill update with results. Any recommendations for gauges and pods in general?

 

[Thewespaul]

You won’t gain any power just adding a turbo. You need to increase the amount of fuel being injected to see any sort of gains. I usually spend the money on a good pyro, like an automater then cheap out on the boost gauge. Glowshift makes a gauge pod that can be used on your truck.

 

[nostrokes]

Autometer or autogauge make decent gauges at good prices. My sidewinder has the factory gauge plumed into the oil feed block for the turbo so I tee'd into there for my mechanical gauge but I don't know what your setup is so it's hard to give good advice for that. I don't have a pod, I just made a mount for under the ashtray for the 2 gauges I put in. Going to redo it to move my pyro down there too someday.

As wespaul said you need to increase the fuel delivery to get the best out of the turbo. Mine is up one flat on the screw as per the install instructions. You must get a pyro gauge installed before you start messing with the fuel so you don't burn it up. A boost gauge would be helpful too either permanent or temporary till you get it setup.
Mines not a hot rod but it will get up and go pretty snappy for how big and heavy it is.

I don't have a lot of experience with the t19 but my brothers 85 gasser seemed to grind a little too. Maybe syncros getting worn?? I'd change the fluid and check out the clutch.

 

[kickdheney]

All right i guess ill start working on turning the pump up. I just put new gear oil in the tranny so should be good there. Its the tranny that came with the engine that im using my old t 19 didnt seem to grind so much... Ill try bleeding the slave too if that doesnt work then ill throw a new clutch on.. ive been thinking of swappin in a zf5 but i dont know how much work that will be. Just put on the boost gauge. At idle i was getting 0 lbs boost as i was accelerating i was getting 2-3 lbs boost in 1st and 2nd and part of 3rd gear. At the end of 3rd i was getting 3-5 lbs. and at top end of 4th i was getting 6-7 lbs boost. Could be a boost leak at the cracked intake bolt hole. I think my oil pressure gauge is broken by the way. It reads nothing the entire time its running.... could be a

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

Best place for oil pressure gauge is on the block. Drivers side, bout halfway down all the way across are 4 brass plugs at the mains. They are square headed little buggers and hard to get to. Be smarter than me and use a small 12-point socket, that will let you turn them with a wratchet. Or for that matter a small ratcheting end-wrench, they are 12 points too. Pretty sure the plugs are 1/8 NPT. Maybe 1/4 but it's been a long time . Either way any half decent oil pressure kit will have both adapters.

If you plug your gauge into one of the easier places to get to (off the turbo, or stock oil pressure sensor) youll get a lower reading than you would get at the block.

 

[kickdheney]

I guess after further research people are saying that the ats 085 only avgs between 2-8 psi. That just seems a little low to me.

 

[Macrobb]

6.9s can't handle much boost - the head bolts are the weak link.
7 Psi of boost is enough to give you 50% more power than stock, with sufficient fuel. No fuel = no boost.
Also, timing and fuel system - if it hasn't been replaced in the last 100K, it's probably time for a new injection pump and injectors. They will run for longer than that, but the timing curves get messed up and everything goes to the retarded side which really hurts performance and fuel economy.

Also, if you /do/ start pushing it, want more power than the few PSI you can safely manage... Get a set of ARP headstuds. That will up the limit to around 20 psi, more than enough air to burn every bit of fuel your IP can produce with it maxed out(In HP, this is somewhere around 200-220 to the wheels, 280 to the crank. Vs around 100-ish to the wheels, 170 to the crank N/A... on a good condition N/A motor)