My friend has a 96' auto with about 200K miles. I have finally convinced him to let me tinker with his setup a bit. When he bought the truck it had a freshened up tranny with some sort of a shift kit. Feels to me like the stock converter though. He absolutely does not want gauges but he rarely tows and never over 5K. How many ponies could I get him just sliding the stock plate forward and blocking his wastegate? What about bumping his timing to say 16* so we can get him better than 16-17 mpg. He is running stock tires etc. Is the washer trick GSK worth doing in this situation? I noticed on a WOT run his truck is a dog till it shifts to OD and and TC locks up. It feels like a turbo boost when the TC locks up. How high should the RPM's be on a WOT run, his truck seems to stay around 2600 till you hit 75 or so and then they rise with the speed accordingly. Is his TC too loose, or governor spring slowing him down.

#1 How much more can I get him by moving stock plate and adjusting wastegate?

#2 Can we grind his plate at all with out gauges or should I stick with the stock one.

#3 Freebie GSK washer rig up, will it help in this situation?

#4 Timing bump to 15.5-16* good or no good?

#5 Does it sound like the tranny is running as it should?

 

I have a buddy with the same truck and about same towing situation. I ground a 10 plate, put it in stock posistion added a 3K GSK from tst and straight piped it along with a BHAF. Spent like $200 and it runs great. Shouldn't be getting hot at all. I figure if TST can sell their kits, such as the #10 plate and not say anything about it getting hot or needing gauges, then it will be just fine. That would be a huge liability for them if things did get too hot and started burning up stock motors.

Jim

 

Side note, I also drilled a 1/16 inch hole in the boost elbow in the turbo. He has a bone stock tranny and has about 35K since the mods. His timing is still stock, but if it was mine it would be bumped to lower egts and increase mpgs.

 

So can you not get much with the stock plate full forward?

Will someone explain how a gsk makes more power, or useable power? I can see it helping the very tip of topend speed allowing the motor to rev higher.

 

Stock plate forward is about 30-40 hp gain.

You are right, the GSK doesn't really make any more power, just allows you to rev higher without defueling. Makes the truck a lot more fun to drive. A GSK is about drivability more than power IMHO.

 

You are saying a 10 plate wont get hot? and dont need guages? WRONG on both accounts.... anytime you add fuel you NEED guages, and a 10 will allow alot more fuel than a stock plate. Now for not getting hot,, thats B/S I had a 10 plate and empty could easily hit 1350 on the pyro and I was boosting 35 psi at that.

 

guages guages and guages I have a 97 with a #10 plate a 3k gsk and a bhaf. I CANNOT keep my foot in it as it will bury the pyro past 1500deg.

 

why is it that everyone seems to have high egts with just a fuel plate? i have a tst #6, boost elbow, etc. and i have never seen over 900- of course my plate isn't full foward, either.

 

if the performance companies warned of possible problems or "meltdowns" how many products would they sell??? NOT MANY...i've seen a bunch of cooked electronic engines and mechanical engines and 90% of them did NOT have gauges and were not tuned more than 75-100 hp over stock...

sorry for ranting and raving, but being a mechanic this sort of thing happens where i work...with customers wanting more power (chip or turning the fuel screw), but no intake, exhaust, or gauges...and most of the time they end up paying for it...

 

All that this truck has is a dropin K&N that came on the truck. Well after the shock broke free and poked a hole in it, we rigged up my air box from my 99' so I guess he has stock paper too. So stock plate forward is 20 to 30 HP? That's perfect! Thanks for all the help.

 

I was simply stating that TST does not mention a problem with the #10 in stock position. You would think, key word think, that if it did get hot, TST would disclose that information. That is quite the liability of the company not to do so. I know a 10 plate is hotter than stock, I have gauges. BUT there are lots of people out there that do not have gauges and haven't had a meltdown.

I would never fuel around without gauges, but many do just that and look TST is still in business.

Jim

Jim

 

If you haven't driven a 12 valve with any kind of GSK, I highly recommend it. They really do bring these trucks to life. I couldnt imagine not having one.

Jim

 

first off every truck is different, that being said some trucks don't act the same with 10 plates. i haven't got my pyro past 10-1050* to the rug, although my thermocouple is in the front port and not the rear like it said in the kit.(long story) so i got guages since i researched here and it seemed like the smart thing to do because of the variables from different cpls. stock plates are set in a different position from one engine to the next, so i wouldn't take the chance. 300 for diesel manor a-pillar or 5,000 for a new motor not a hard choice for me.