1st Gen. Ram - All Topics Discussion for all Dodge Rams prior to 1994. This includes engine, drivetrain and non-drivetrain discussions. Anything prior to 1994 should go in here.

2wd 12v poptop Ramcharger

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Old Sep 28, 2025 | 08:23 AM
  #451  
oliver foster's Avatar
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From: vermont
I have been taking a bunch of test and tune drives between pump adjustments.

I finally have the pump tuned well so the turbo lights pretty quickly. I had been adjusting the AFC spring so tightly that I had a flat spot in the fueling. It had enough fuel to start out ok, with the smoke screw turned in a bunch, but then it took too long to over power the AFC spring setting and build boost. This left me a lag until 15 PSI. I finally backed the smoke screw all the way out, which is how I discovered the AFC spring setting was too tight.
With out the help of the smoke screw setting, it was a dog and I could not get it to build over 5 PSI of boost coming up a steep hill in D. On the road it would build boost slowly but was drivable.

I ended up doing a bunch of adjustments and followed by test drives till the turbo had much less lag and at just under 10 PSI, starts to hit hard.
I took it to a SMALL local car show yesterday which only had a dozen rigs in it. I was literally adjusting the AFC spring and talking to people while working under the hood during the show. One kid told me he though it had the worst paint of any rig at the show when he first walked by… but after looking at it for a while he realized all the work that went into it. He then told me he now thinks it was the coolest rig at the show. That made me smile. Stuff can have peeling clear coat and still be cool.

I am going to take it on a foliage ride with my girlfriend, and NJTman and his wife are going to join, later today.

But first I have some more firewood to stack.

I have 3000 miles on the build now.
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Old Sep 28, 2025 | 11:27 AM
  #452  
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From: The Thumb
Glad your getting the pump tuned in better, probably makes it way more enjoyable to drive. I don't know nuthin about the P-pump stuff but your afc must be similar to the star wheel on a VE? What size injectors you running? My 5x12s are not keeping up, totally clean at wot no matter the pump adjustments.

The car show scene is a lot of fun, the "kid" and most people don't realize that there is more work in your truck than just having something with pretty paint. Personally I dig seeing something that has survived 40-50 years and is still in good shape with faded, rusty or peeling paint. Makes it more interesting.
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Old Sep 30, 2025 | 07:27 AM
  #453  
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From: vermont
Originally Posted by 78PopTop
Glad your getting the pump tuned in better, probably makes it way more enjoyable to drive. I don't know nuthin about the P-pump stuff but your afc must be similar to the star wheel on a VE? What size injectors you running? My 5x12s are not keeping up, totally clean at wot no matter the pump adjustments.

The car show scene is a lot of fun, the "kid" and most people don't realize that there is more work in your truck than just having something with pretty paint. Personally I dig seeing something that has survived 40-50 years and is still in good shape with faded, rusty or peeling paint. Makes it more interesting.

Yes the AFC housing holds the AFC spring which is adjusted by tightening or loosening the star wheel. With the P-pumped motor the AFC housing itself, can also be slid forward or backwards making a bunch of fueling changes on top of just starwheel adjustments. I feel the P-pump has a lot more ways to tune, or screw up your fueling setting if you are not paying a lot of attention to what you are doing.

I have 5X12 injectors as well. I am totally clean burning once my turbo lights. I guess it could use more fuel up top, but at 40 PSI and more than enough power on hand for a RC driver, I have left it alone. I have spent hours and hours trying to tune the low end power, the turbo lighting and the pre / low boost smoke. The EGTs also hit 1600 for a split second on full WOT pulls. Sounds like enough fuel on the top end to me.

I do get a kick out of people that walk right past a killer paint job to check out something cool, but old and maybe a bit ratty. Then other people who will walk right past the old cool ratty stuff to check out the killer paint jobs. Different stokes for different folks. Haha!

At the Street Rod Nationals I had people walk across the showfield to check out my Ramcharger, because they heard the Cummins motor as I drove in. They needed to see what was up. They literally walked past a Ford GT40 without giving it a second look so they could spent 15 minutes checking out my Cummins conversion.
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Old Oct 4, 2025 | 10:25 AM
  #454  
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From: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Ollie's Leaf Peeping tour

Ollie and the leaf ride

Country roads
Country roads
Jesus saves.
Jesus saves.
Taking turns
Taking turns
Taking more turns
Taking more turns
Hot Rod Ollie
Hot Rod Ollie
Glorious leaves
Glorious leaves
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Old Oct 4, 2025 | 10:27 AM
  #455  
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From: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Poor camera operator....


But here ya go

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Old Oct 4, 2025 | 11:18 AM
  #456  
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From: vermont
Thanks T-man!
Now BHD, KRB, 78 PopTop, nothingbutdarts, nonrev and U2slow can now check out some pictures.
Did I miss anyone else that is still here reading and posting on the 1st gen section?

I could hear my Ramchargers exhaust while rolling into the throttle on your video, but noticed there was not even a light haze coming from the exhaust. That is why I spent all my time tuning the pump. I wanted a turbo that still spooled without the smoke. It was much harder to find the sweet spot with a 215HP P-pump with a fuel plate, delivery valves and larger injectors....than say our VE pumps.

It was a great day out on the road checking out the fall colors. We put almost 200 miles on that day rolling through the NEK.
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Old Oct 4, 2025 | 05:49 PM
  #457  
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From: NE Wa
Originally Posted by NJTman
Poor camera operator....


But here ya go

https://youtube.com/shorts/iIsGsHYgL8w?feature=share
Looks like fun was had by all. Everyone (me included) enjoys any and all pics that are posted for our enjoyment and it looks like it was a very beautiful day to boot. Thanks again NJTman for the pics and vids
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Old Oct 4, 2025 | 11:10 PM
  #458  
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From: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Btw... This thread is 8 years old.....

😃
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Old Oct 5, 2025 | 08:48 AM
  #459  
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From: vermont
Originally Posted by NJTman
Btw... This thread is 8 years old.....

😃
Time flies when your having fun.
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Old Oct 5, 2025 | 10:35 AM
  #460  
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From: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Originally Posted by oliver foster
Time flies when your having fun.
freaked me out when I realized
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Old Oct 5, 2025 | 10:37 AM
  #461  
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From: Land of the Toxic Avenger

beautiful day
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Old Oct 6, 2025 | 04:23 AM
  #462  
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Yay! And a video even! Thanks guys.

NJTman, looks like you were always behind, following...
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Old Oct 6, 2025 | 06:51 AM
  #463  
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From: Land of the Toxic Avenger
Originally Posted by KRB
Yay! And a video even! Thanks guys.

NJTman, looks like you were always behind, following...
correct-a-mundo, Chachi.

Love breathing stinky diesel exhaust
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Old Oct 6, 2025 | 11:08 AM
  #464  
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Still here lurking and enjoying the updates and technical advice.
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Old Oct 12, 2025 | 09:29 AM
  #465  
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From: BFE, Pennsyltucky
It looks like you guys had a nice tour. Oliver, I still haven't messed with the AFC on my RoadTractor. The haze still persists at low to mid throttle. I have been learning how to drive it, so I don't envelop the road behind me in a black cloud, unless I chose to of course.
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