Got my Brian Block built KTA special 14mm pump on and running tonight. Start to finish took me 6 hours. Haven't driven it yet, I still need to get the fuel line holders bolted up, drop the timing down a hair and turn the fuel screw in more so my idle isn't at 300rpm. It wouldn't have taken so long if I would've cut off the stubborn pump bracket, thats in the way of removing the run/stop solenoid, prior to pump R&R. Also had to install the 89 VE fuel supply line (had a 93 VE pump with 93 fuel lines). Reason for this is the two had different throttle lever setups. Then the blasted fuel drain banjo at the back of the pump didn't want to thread in for nothing, probly took me a half hour just to get that in . Swapped in the newer shutdown solenoid from the 93 VE, along with the full fuel screw since it has a 6mm head vs. the flat screwdriver head only on the 89 pump's fuel screw. Makes it easier to play with the fuel screw .

Also couldn't figure out why it wouldn't start at first. I bled each injector 3 times and it still wouldn't keep running. So I hooked up the throttle linkage and gave it some throttle, then tried starting, ZOOM!! That was it, idle was way too low. Let off the throttle and idle dropped below 500, and it died. So for the meantime, I just used my throttle lock, another nice feature of the early rigs , allows one to idle up a few hundred rpm. Did that so I could check for leaks, let it run etc. So I should have more info tomorrow, hopefully I can get everything bolted down, take it for a spin and NOT lift the head or melt my 35 .

 

I'm interested to hear the results after you get a chance to drive it some.

 

come on, bill. it's tomorrow already. i don't have any more fingernails.

 

Let us know ASAP, Bill. (too bad we don't have that stick poking smilie)

 

 

he must be out there having too much fun, eh?

 

Well I tuned on it for awhile today. Got the idle set with the low idle screw and not the fuel screw. I kept turning in the fuel screw and seemed like I was going to far, probly not, but got it to idle at 650ish, then bumped it up with the low idle screw to 750-800ish. Got everything bolted and tighten down with no problems.

Test drive: definately more bottom end power (with higher timing than before), 1st, 2nd have more pep.
Bad news: I've blown past the limit of the stock clutch. Won't hold anything over 2000rpm in 3rd or 4th at about 32psi. Feels like the rear end is bucking, and the tach bounces real bad above 2k. So sorry guys, I can't give ya an accurate account for this pump/turbo setup until I get a clutch. SUCKS! I guess I should've figured this, since I was already at 750ft-lbs to the ground. More updates to follow.

 

How much smoke does the thing make compared to before? Is the smoke controllable? From the little testing that you did, how are the driving manners compared to without the KTA pump?

 

Previous pump settings: starwheel removed, so plenty of off idle fuel/smoke. Homemade ground fuel pin, deep as aftermarket pins. Ground afc lever. Afc spring present as well. I had as much smoke as one would want at anytime. Smoke controlled with go pedal.
New pump: stock fuel pin set to deepest setting, stock afc lever, starwheel in place and at the top, afc spring present. All this to control smoke. It controls it fine. Not as much smoke as before off idle. Boost builds much quicker, even with these sluggish afc settings. I can just imagine the throttle response, power etc, with the starwheel down a bit, and ground fuel pin. Brian says to run a stock afc lever to control bottom end smoke. Of course for most of us this won't be possible since we don't have a spare stock pump laying around, I did though.
I haven't done enough testing, ie driving to work or highway speeds to describe any manners yet. I will say the truck is much peppier than before. Surprisingly too with these afc settings. Before if I ran it this lean it would be a laggy dog, well compared to rich settings.

BTW, snap-on.com has free shipping on orders under $500 right now. I suggest a must for the toolbox is the pump wrench sp144. Well worth the $28. Nothing against a homemade bent or S wrench, but even with this wrench it can be tough to get on/off the 3 nuts. I'm glad I got it, why fight it. Another must is an extendable pencil type magnet pickup tool. I used my 36mm fan wrench to turn the engine over. Also a simple Craftsman steering wheel puller(the small straight one) did the job of pulling the pump gear. Then just remember all bolts on the engine are metric. I have a bunch in my toolbox from spare parts, junkyard finds etc. If you don't wanna go to the parts store for the correct bolt to thread into the pump gear, you can remove and use two of the bolts that hold the intake horn/grid heater to the head.
Couple of things I did different than the book or how me and Greenleaf did it last time. I did not remove the injection lines completely off the engine, just off each injector and back of the pump. Removed each fuel line holder, this way I could just move back the lines at the pump for pump R&R. Then not worry about which line goes where etc. Didn't have to remove fan and clutch or fan shroud either.

 

sounds good, bill.

 

I think a hx35 equipped truck would do good with this pump setup. Especially you hybrid/htt stage 3 guys. I put about 50 miles on it last night mostly highway. It definately makes the truck more fun to drive. Starting to feel like a class 8 truck/ less smoke - more power. Haven't seen any quirks or bucking issues that I think Stomp experienced at first. I think a worn governor was the culprit. Brian said mine looked fine. Another thing he did was upgrade the plunger return springs. Said they come from a higher app.
The truck is much more powerful idle to 2k rpm. It's cool driving with 1/4 throttle. Feels like I have the power I used to have at 3/4-full throttle now at less than half throttle.
I'm not sure if the clutch was slipping before. It could've just been the rearend bucking. Reason is I left the fuel stop and headed down a nice [U]flat[U] straightaway, and seemed like it didn't slip. This will take more time/driving to figure out. I really wish I knew if the PO put in a button clutch or if its stock.
Better get one while they last . I think this proves they'll do fine on a hx35 truck, and we all know what it's cable of with a set of twins .

 

So can the pump be de-tuned enough (full power screw) to control EGT's with a small single turbo, like an HTT Stage III?

 

I'd say so, thats what I've experienced so far. I see no reason why a hx35 rig can't use this power potential. Then upgrade at a later date or not at all, keep it that way. Although I doubt it, the bomb bug won't let ya:laugh:. FWIW, I have a PDR HX35, which I believe has an upgraded 58mm compressor wheel vs. the 56mm stock 35 wheel.

I'll have a fuel pressure gauge plumbed in the near future and I'll see how well the piston LP keeps up with the 14mm pump.

Swank, what are ya waiting for??? Knock the dust off that thing and put it together!!

 

ohhhh, don't you worry. been a little hectic lately though. and i don't have a shop anymore. now it's more like a shack (behind the house). but i won't have to do any work for other people. i'm planning on putting the 14mm on soon, then start working on the vgt twins.

glad it's worked out for you. when are you gettin the new turbo? oh yeah, and the new clutch?

dave

 

Thanks for the info, Bill. I gotta find a rebuildable core and get crackin'. Somehow I don't think the KTA Spl. and a ground AFC lever are compatible...