Project: Doitall Dodge

[DT75FLH]

How about this for a gauge set.....

0-30psi electric fuel gauge, autometer Z-series, 2 1/16"

1600 degree pyrometer/egt, with prope, autometer Z-series, 2 1/16"

0-60psi, mechanical boost gauge, autometer z-series, 2 1/16"


They make a 0-15psi fuel gauge, but I figure it would be nice to have the ability to check for +20psi for injector pump front seal safety. I plan on running the low pressure piston pump soon, plus I have been looking at using the low pressure spring in the 2nd gen larger piston dia version. That is suppose to give tons of volume with safe rotary pump pressures.

I wish they made an electric boost gauge in this series, but running the line shouldn't be too big of a deal. I think having a boost gauge capable of handling future upgrades is good. I would like something with enough range to watch for the danger zone for head gaskets around 40psi in the future.

I will have to come up with something for mounting. I guess it might be time to try and make a pillar mount with some fiberglass. I just can't think of many other areas to mount the gauges that are basically in the line of sight and that doesn't require cutting the top of the dash up....

MMMMMmmmmm

I like the autometer gauges.

my last dodge I put on the typical tranny,egt,boost (auto meters had zero issues)..and ordering them through genos garage they threw in the 3 pod a piller mount for free.

 

[Metcalf]

MMMMMMMmmmmmm.....

This should be coming in the mail soon!

 

[teleturns]

I guess my turbo whistle got you jonesin'.....

Is that the he351cw? Hopefully I'll pick one of those up soon.

 

[Metcalf]

Maybe:sombrero:

Yup, early 2007 vintage HE351CW with low miles. I had been looking for about a year for a decent deal on one. It should make a HUGE difference overall. Its basically 15year newer technology than my factory turbo. It supports a 325hp factory application and can support much more while still keeping EGTs in check. It will make 40psi :Wow1:

The factory LARGE 18.5 or 21cm housing on 1st gen dodge trucks is just a total dog. My truck barely starts to make boost before the governer spring starts to cut fuel. This is very counterproductive. The newer turbo, with its 9cm exhaust housing, should spool up almost instantly in comparison.

I'm still waiting on the McMaster order, my Geno stuff was waiting for me today when I got home from work. I'm still interested to see what I am pulling for fuel pressure and boost pressure.

Tonight after work I made a few things in the shop.....

I almost finished up the front tow points I have been working on. I made some better fitting shackle pin bushings. Then I cobbled up this little jig so I could weld everything together square and centered. It worked pretty well. One of the welds looked crappy so I will probably grind it off and redo it. I am going to need to trim my bumper mounts a bit. When I install it I will probably weld the tow point brackets to the bumper brackets to make everything stronger.

I also snapped a pic of the new easy overfill PTO cover. Please excuse the 300,000+ miles of road grime! I really need to pull the trans/tcase and reseal everything....

Making the cardboard gasket for the PTO cover a few days ago. I filed the edge of the case to make it into a round punch. No leaks on the gasket at all

 

[teleturns]

Where did you find the turbo? And if you don't mind...how much did you give for it?

If you see another one for sale let me know....I've been looking

 

[RPhil]

Thanks for the updates. I am anxious to see the results post turbo install.

Keep up with the pics of your custom work in the shop! That is my favorite part. :smiley_drive:

 

[teleturns]

Are you going to bore the wastegate out? I have heard it is restrictive due to the fact it came from an emissions motor. You can easily make it larger....

 

[Metcalf]

Tele,

I picked it up for $309 off one of the diesel boards. I couldn't do an exhaust housing and compressor wheel upgrade for anything near that. Its also 15 year newer technology or so.....

I don't know if I will bore the exhaust gate out yet. Most people that are running them on 1st gens basically just bolt the exhaust gate shut for the most part. They seem to cool down the EGTs much better at higher pressures. I might use a spring to open the gate with drive pressure at 40psi or so.

Rphil,

I will keep posting all the stuff I build if people keep posting up questions and such

I have a LOOOOONNNNNGGGGG list of things I will be doing to the truck.....

HE351 turbo, 4" exhaust, injectors, low pressure fuel pump, etc
2003 GM 14-bolt with disc brake swap with 3.73s
3.73 D70 gears in front using the old powr-lok rear diff
6-speed trans someday...looking for a deal!
ARB lockers maybe, but that would double the value of the truck!
Winch install in a replacement front cross member
Rear bumper
Ramcharger 2nd tank
new seats in the cab
hybrid soft/hard camper 'shell' with roll up sides
Finish up the bad paint job....
New crossmember for the transmission/t-case
Fix all the little leaks, maybe an IP rebuild
A decent stereo system
Fix the cruise control
Paint all the interior trim back to dark grey
Make some door panels, headliner, etc
Build a full size spare tire mount in the bed
Tie down rails in the bed
Bedliner the bed
etc
etc
etc

The list is endless.....

stay tuned, but its probably going to be like one of those long drawn out TV shows over a many year season :coffeedrink:

 

[Metcalf]

I did a little work today....

I installed the Geno's banjo bolt. This was a nice piece, its has 4 large fuel ports.....

Then I built a super high tech gauge mount. This is the little 0-15psi pressure gauge I am using to test the fuel pressure....and boost pressure later. The 4-5 psi shown is the idle fuel pressure. I think the .004 pressure snubber is a little small. There is ZERO gauge bounce with the fuel pump, but I am a little worried the pressure response is a little slow.

Next I finished up the front tow points....

I welded in the sleeves for the shackles....

3/4" shackle test fit.....

I did a little measuring on the bumper brackets and marked out the area that needed to be removed.

Cut out the bracket with the gas-axe and ground it smooth.

Here is the new tow point installed. The tow point only extends a few inches ahead of the frame and is rounded on the leading edge to help is slide over things if I was to hit it. I will be welded the tow point brackets onto the bumper brackets to make one unit.

Here is what the front bumper looks like with the shackles installed. Now all I need it a new front crossmember that doubles as a winch mount.

 

[Metcalf]

The results of the fuel pressure test where interesting.....

The truck idles with 4-5psi of fuel pressure. If I really romp on it the fuel pressure will drop to between 3.5-4psi. So, I just don't know. The pump isn't starving for fuel and going down to zero psi or anything.

So, once I was home I pulled the pressure gauge sending line off the fuel pressure banjo bolt and swapped it over to the intake manifold. I plugged off the fuel pressure port and went for another drive.

To my surprise the truck is building boost. I can do 14-15psi or so? I don't really know if this is normal or not. The truck doesn't really smoke at all. The only real mod is that I rotated the fuel pin to a deeper position. I did a little test loop that included a 1500ft rise from 6500ft to 8000ft heading out of town. The truck seems to get up to 12-14psi on the highway. I never saw the gauge peg or anything. These pressures where at the port in the intake manifold...or basically the head itself.

I'm guessing that my truck is basically a dog. I live at about 7000ft and have a basically bone stock truck pushing heavy 38" tires with 3.54 gears......

I think the large factory exhaust housing is hurting me a lot? It is either a 18.5 or 21cm housing. Its just WAY too laggy. The truck basically builds boost late because of the big housing. To make it all worse the stock governor spring starts to defuel the truck right when the truck starts to build boost. You can see this pretty easily on the pressure gauge when you listen to the motor while driving it.

The HE351 is on the way! That should fix the laggy turbo problem!

 

[lstzephyr]

My truck builds right around 14-15psi on the highway here as well. It has the fuel pin spun around, and a 366 governor spring. It only really seems to pick up speed at higher rpm, so I would say install the governor spring.

My turbo doesn't seem laggy at all really. My truck does smoke pretty bad whenever I'm full throttle. I've been meaning to turn down the smoke screw but I don't use full throttle very often so I have just left it.

 

[Metcalf]

At least I am not that far off then. I need to order up a spring tomorrow!
I'm gonna get a low pressure piston pump coming too....

I think with the newer turbo I will build boost MUCH lower, hopefully just off idle

 

[SChandler]

IIRC, the Cummins spec for boost is 16-19 psi on new trucks for the 89-93 Dodges. I know that when I got my 92, bone stock 16psi was all the turbo would push. I suspect that at 7000ft and 14-15psi, you are within spec. My 92 was built Feb. 92 and had the 21cm housing on it. They switched back to the 18.5 late in the 92 model year due to complaints about the motor being doggy. I found on mine that adding some turns to the fuel screw really made a difference. Note, I'm not talking about the smoke screw, but the full fuel screw on the back of the pump. The one you have to take the collar off of to get more than 1/2 to 3/4 turns out of. I went +2 turns or so on that and made 25psi and had a much more responsive truck. I eventually switched to a 16cm housing, full 4" exhaust, BHAF, and a DDP fuel pin and know I see 30-32psi max boost.

 

[Metcalf]

I'm guessing I have the 21cm. My truck was built in 4-92.

The 14psi or so reading is at the intake manifold, so 1-3psi for the intercooler loss? I think I am at a normal level for a mostly stock truck at 7000-8000ft....

I might play with the pump more after I get some real gauges. I need to call up autometer and get some coming...

 

[SChandler]

My boost gauge is run to the tapped port in the intake manifold as well. I assume that the spec for the original motors was at sea level (or whatever level Indiana is at, since that's where the Cummins plant is at). At 7000ft, you're going to show slightly lower levels of boost since there is less air to compress. Real gauges are nice, no more guessing at what's going on is :wings:.

Edit: You can verify which size turbine housing you have if you crawl under the truck, behind the passenger front tire and shine a light up on the back of the housing. The size is stamped on the back of it in small numbers. A mirror up top might be easier to use to see the number.