Newbie has some questions

[spaz109]

Hey folks,

I recently picked up my first diesel truck. 99 dually. The guy I bought it from told me it has a 100 hp chip in it, is there any way to verify this? I do see that it has a Van Aaken pump controller box. From what I have seen that is not the "chip" correct? It remaps the fuel? Is there really a chip in it, or do you just use a programmer?

Also, being new to diesel, anything I should look out for? I have been learning as much as I can from this site. My vp44 and lift pump are new (prev. owner said lift pump went out and took out vp44) but I don't have a fuel pressure gauge...I will be getting one of those.

My last big question, how much boost shout I be making? From my reading, I have learned boost isn't just determined by the turbo. So, I was told that it has bigger injectors, the turbo had been sent out and redone with bigger bearings, and it has a 100hp chip in it, looks like exhaust is mostly stock but it is a straight pipe. I can only get the gauge to hit 19. I thought i read that the ecm allows 23 or so. Now this is only mashing the gas in town, haven't towed with it yet, but it will pop to 18 in about half a second and hold there till I let go. Do I need a "boost fooler", where do I look to see if I already have one?

I know I sound as dumb as a box of rocks, but diesels aren't my thing. I think I could be, my ride is kind of a hot rod...let the guys I work with that have diesels drive it and they're jealus. Ask me something about my big block nova I drag race and I can talk shop.

Oh, did I mention I only gave $4,000 for it!!!

 

[ameristar1]

Boost production is relative to fuel volume, timing and load. Add fuel to the fire with larger injectors and more aggressive mapping of the computer and the boost goes up.
"Chip tuning" is a generic term to say that the vehicle has a box on it.

For your truck, since it has a VP44 on it, here's whatya do.

Take off the Van Aaken ( they are out of business ) and get a Smarty controller

150gph FASS system

Big Honkin' Air Filter (BHAF) or a good cold air kit

Big 4" exhaust system from turbo to tailpipe

Upgrade the transmission ( you will need to soon )

Get that thing on a chassis dyno and see how she's doing.

 

[spaz109]

Cool thanks for the info, Already got a BHAF (thanks for spelling that out for me - literally lol). My tranny has been beefed up as well.

Is the van aaken junk? The thing runs pretty well now.

What's the FASS everyone talks about - bad a$$ lift pump?

 

[Whit]

If the VA is still working leave it on..........they are equal to a edge box

The FASS is a real good aftermarket pump to replace the OEM piece of crap lift pump..............install a FASS then put the OEM pump under yer tire and roll over it then back up......repeat 3 times then laugh yer ass off

 

[Whit]

here ya go

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13028&highlight=FASS

 

[ameristar1]

Cool thanks for the info, Already got a BHAF (thanks for spelling that out for me - literally lol). My tranny has been beefed up as well.

Is the van aaken junk? The thing runs pretty well now.

What's the FASS everyone talks about - bad a$$ lift pump?

Naw, it's just that there is no product support, and the Smarty is the hottest thing going for the VP44, plus the diagnostic capability.

If you're feeling frisky, the Smarty is stackable with other controllers..........

 

[spaz109]

Ya that's just it, I like to tweek things...anything to make it go faster. But, I don't like to blow things up due to incompetance So, I'm trying to learn some things so I at least somewhat know what I am doing.

Today I took the new ride out for a shakedown, and blew a t clamp off. I tightened them all last night. I'm going to put a copper line to my boost gauge. It's plastic now, I think the reason it only reads 18 psi has something to do with that line. I was towing my 8600 lb enclosed up the uphill onramp to the freeway and it was still only reading 18. My half ton GMC made it to 50, the dodge did 60...and i wasn't bighting my nails the whole time. Pyro was around 1000 then i heard POW! lol Broke the band on a t clamp...no bigee



Earlier in the day I noticed something peculiar...

I am currently turning 2200 with 4.10s at 65 MPH, if I push the OD button (on or off) it goes up 200 RPMs for a second and settles back to 2200. So, with overdrive on or off it runs 2200 RPM.

The tranny was supposedly built for towing, bigger converter, internals etc. But the fact that the overdrive on/off makes no RPM difference has me confused.

I have some switches in the truck that I don't know what they do, gonna trace them tommorow. Thought one might be for lock up but I ran out to my fuse box...no jumper, just a relay in the tranny spot.


Any thoughts, does anyone have a 4.10 truck, what do you run?

 

[Whit]

1000* on the pyro.........you must be tapped post turbo.......you need to get that pre-turbo for instant and more accurate reading

 

[spaz109]

will do. and I do have O/D, just wasn't waiting long enough for it to shift