First of all I want to say this looks like quite a site. I have lurked around a time or two here and have been impressed by what I have read.

I have owned my pickup for at least four years maybe more. Just turned 350,000 miles two weeks ago, I really like this truck.

Problems, I suffer poor fuel mileage. I spend a bit over $400 a month feeding this beast, it is used for work, and as a car. I do not care to invest in another engine, insurance and license. That leads me to believe I should look into changing the gear ratio to 3:54. If I do that 3:54 would put 4th (direct drive) at about the same speed that overdrive is now with 4:10.
I pull 29-32K trk and gooseneck combined in the fall hauling grain and various times during the year. I don't think starting a load is going to be a problem with the higher gear ratio because I can start out in low side run threw the first five and come back and hit three and four again. Currently I run threw 5 on low and hit four and five on high now making 7 gears it really works well but cannot put a rookie on it. Thoughts

16lbs of boost under load, is that normal or low with marine injectors. I have stock turbo and pump settings. I have severe smoke, would 16 cm turbine housing help me out much?

Thanks Jon

 

get a used WH1C or HX-35 off of a 2nd gen and go with the 3.54's. I have never had a prob with towing with them and 33's when I had my 5spd

 

First off, welcome aboard! Sounds like you have some good ideas for fixing your problems. Running 3.54's will help the milage, and they aren't too bad from a stop. I ran a set with my 35's, and they turned em just fine. 16 lbs is pretty low for boost, I'm putting out around 25 with the stock turbo. If you have a lot of smoke, then you have enough fuel, just need more air to let it burn. A 16cm housing would help it spool quiker, but to get more air packed in there it would help to get a larger compressor wheel too. There are all kinds of threads about this stuff. Have fun!

 

1. one big question... do you have a pyrometer? if not you need that right now!
2. If you do have one what are the temps at?
3. did the smoke get worse recently and your fuel mileage dropped?
You could have an air leak, that could also account for the boost.

with all stock settings and injectors anywhere from 12-15lbs is the average. with the "marine injectors" you should be seeing increased boost even though you have everything else stock. Tell us a little more about when you see the smoke and if it ever clears. I would guess that you have an air leak somewhere between the turbo and the motor. a disgusting air filter could cause this as well, but it'd have to be REALLY bad, lol.

 

When is the smoke? If it's only until the turbo spools, you can pick up a bunch of mileage just by backing out the smoke screw and running the star wheel up a bunch. You want to make your pump adjustments in the opposite direction of guys who have stock injectors.

If the turbine housing is stock it'll make matters worse, go to a 16 cm.

Bump the timing 1/8" too.

The "marine" injectors are possibly a big part of your mileage and smoke problem. Does the truck haze at idle?

 

I do not have a pyromiter,

Smoke showed up after instaltion of the marine injectors about two years ago

Just before the injectors were put in I was runing around 5 lbs of boost, I had cummins air check the intercooler, and pipeing and they said it was fine. I have had thaughts of doing it again to doubel check them tho.

After the Marine injectors my boost went from 5 +- to 16 lbs. I have sever smoke from idle to mid thottle when I finaly build my bost then it clears to a mid hase under load. Under normal driveing I can kinda keep the smoke under controle with my foot.

Also when pulling a loaded trailer at highway speeds hills do not seem to bother the truck, it pulls down and boost builds like it should and i do have some hase but not a cloud. Thanks Jon

 

Dang, you must of cut teeth on a spur cut tranny to shift like that!

You run through all 5 in low then bump the x-fer to HI and hit 4th & 5th? My transfer case isn't that slick. Granted mine's an auto but my dad's is the gutbag and I can't image that footwork.

Me thinks your boost should be higher too. I can hit 25 psi with mine now. Stock should be more than what you're doing. Something is limiting and the smoke is tell tale...

 

Adjust the pump like I suggested and get a 16 cm housing. That will clear up most of the smoke and will help the mileage a great deal. Bump the timing too.

 

KRB, no fancy foot work involved, leave your foot off that darn clutch!
Don't get me wrong you don't want to put a rookie in there and tell him how to do it as he will tear the heck out of things, but I have driven enoughf machines with crash boxes that I can make a smoth shift out of about anything.

Thanks for the help men I appriciate it. Jon