jeepsuck

I am looking for a relatively cheap mod that can get me some MPG's and maybe a little more power while im at it. i would like to be able to fine tune the motor but unfortunatly i have absolutely no idea how and there are no Cummins inclined people around to help me.


is there something i can do with the turbo to get it to give me more boost and\or more low RPM boost? if boost is basically free power (aside from the gas it takes to get the thing spinning) if i have a more efficient turbo the benefits would be two fold -more power + better mileage- correct?

so far the truck has a Banks Intercooler and a Banks Wastegate system. i have absolutely no idea what's better about the Banks Wastegate system than the stock. i've tried calling Banks but the stupid rude lady there put me on perpetual hold. its also got a banks exhaust system of some sort. all i can tell is there is a banks muffler. i dont know how much else of the exhaust system it is non-stock, as i've never seen stock to compare to.

any input would be greatly appreciated!

wannadiesel

You already have the best all-around housing on there, the 14 cm wastegated housing is one of the good parts of the Banks kit. It gives you much more low end boost than the stock housing would have. You can improve the low RPM airflow into the engine somewhat by upgrading the compressor to one with a wider efficiency range. An HTT Stage III would be a good move for the future, although the added mass of the larger compressor might slow spoolup until you add more fuel.

More boost is not necessarily a good thing. In order to get boost we need to cause backpressure on the exhaust. (nothing is free/can't have your cake and eat it too/no free lunch, etc.) If your EGT's are OK you have enough boost for now. Do not expect power from boost. Fuel is what makes power, not air. Air just allows us to burn fuel, so unless your smoke never clears don't expect HP gains from more boost.

Fuel economy - free up airflow as much as possible on both the intake and exhaust side. The less restriction the engine has to work against, the less fuel it will use. The Banks exhaust is better than stock, but there are 4" systems available. However, it will take a very long time to pay for an exhaust with the fuel savings. A BHAF is a good option on the intake. For economy purposes, cold air is actually a detriment.

Advance the pump timing to 1/8" from stock, that will have the biggest impact for $0.

Another big free MPG trick is running your tires at max inflation pressure. Not real comfortable, but it works.

jeepsuck

i have been contemplating the BHAF for quite some time and my biggest beef is simply the fact that i dont like the idea of a big ol' air filter just sitting there in the engine bay without a home. i've seen some of the boxes you guys have made and i do like the look of the diamond plated boxes but unfortunatly they must be fabricated and at this point i lack the means.

how is cold air a detriment to economy? what you are saying is if i got rid of the box and just lay a filter in the engine bay that my fuel economy will actually increase? i am assuming that this is because with a less dense air charge i am not able to burn as much fuel? does my first gen acclimate to different air pressures and adjust fuel input accordingly?

thanks for the input!

wannadiesel

Cold (below 50 degrees F) air hurts combustion efficiency at low loads (like highway cruising). It is good for max power, and good for EGT. During the winter you will do better on fuel economy to pull air in from under the hood. Removing the stock cold air duct and taping up the hole in the cores support would be fine for winter use. A winter front will help as well. With warm air you will burn the small amount of fuel needed for cruising more efficiently, so the engine will need a little less fuel to do its job. I just noticed you are in Southern California - so none of this really applies to you.

Lower restriction will help fuel economy due to a decrease in pumping losses.

Got a couple of pieces of 2 x 4 and a vise? The BHAF mount/drip shield doesn't have to be fancy, I've seen them made out of an old "Stop" sign.

Fuel input is mainly controlled by your right foot. The pump can feed more fuel when there is more air pressure (boost) in the intake manifold, but it will do so only if you ask for it by pushing on the accelerator harder.

jeepsuck

well if a drip shield and something to hold it in place is all i need then i suppose it would not be incredibly hard to fab up some quickie box. in my mind it was funcioning cold air intake box. you are right about the socal, and too cold air is very rarely an issue, but if i go out to the local mountains the air could possibly be well below 40*F. it would be nifty to have some sort of mechanical door that would block cold air in such circumstances.

once again my ignorance is strong with the force, and i do not have the slightest clue as to how one would go about adjusting the injection timing. i really need to get a book, but i have been disapointed with haynes and chiltons in the past and i have had trouble finding a FSM. when you say adjust timing 1/8" from stock, what exactly would i be adjusting? i am only farmiliar with timing on a gasser. my diesel knowledge is as of yet still pitiful. which is obviously why i am here!

ChrisLib

You could also just let the BHAF "rest" on the fenderwell or secure it with some heavy duty wire ties. The important part of the BHAF is the amount of air it will flow VS the stock box, not so much the "cold air" aspect of it (altho cold air makes more HP`s). Like Wanna said, air supply only needs to be enought to burn the fuel at hand, so if your running stock injectors and mild pump tweaks the stock turbo should be fine. It`s when you get into the heavier pump mod`s and larger injectors (POD`s...+ ???? new stuff coming?) that you`ll have to start thinking of more air. Your pyro gauge (if you don`t have one it`s a MUST) is you`re best indicator of how much air you have...or need. Shoot for around 1300-1400 deg F or less @ max output and your golden. If you find the pyro creeping ( or shooting as was my case...see sig) you will need more air, and then your options are many. IMO get some gauges on it if ya don`t have em, make a few good pulls and report back, there`s TONS of knowledge on this site...way more than I have, everything I just wrote is based off of stuff I learned here.

jeepsuck

thankfully the PO who installed the banks kit had a set of gauges installed as well . i have RPM, Boost, Oil Temp, and EGT. i have never seen my pyro read over 800, and is usually back below 300 about 10-20 seconds after i throw it in park, if it hasnt gotten there already. the probe is mounted pre-turbo. so far i am happy with my EGT's and i dont want them to become a problem. im not sure if the pump is turned up at all by the PO. honestly i hope not just because i want the truck to be in as close to stock form as possible so i at least know where i am starting from. im not Moneybags and i need this truck to last the length of the financing; yes, i did finance a first gen! that should give you an idea of how deep my pockets are!
anyway my point is, if i do any mods i want to be sure they wont be likely to comprimise the sound reliability of my truck, and i dont have a couple grand to throw at the thing. i dont need to race around or dump thick clouds of soot in the faces of liberal tree hugging kalifornians! although it would be tons of fun, i need this truck to last, which is precisely why i went with a first gen CTD! i believe i am starting to rant, so...

Bushy

My suggestion on this one is a bit more basic....
You can get a high flow filter like an AFE that will drop right into your stock airbox. (My suggestion is to use something like the AFE or other high quality filter and NOT to use the K&N like I did.)
Then do what alot of us guys have done...drill some 2 1/2" holes in the air box. I've done a set of 2 or 3 just above the cold air intake, 2 or 3 further up just before the top or " twelve o-clock' position...then another couple sets of holes down the back side of the airbox were it faces the firewall.
After I'd done that, it occurred to me that all I had to do was cover up the holes that faced forward and let the filter draw air from the firewall side..that would provide warmer engine compartment air during the colder winter months and prevent the likelyhood of cylinder cool-down being an issue when in city or highway driving...
Cylinder cooling also a possible issue when you have larger injectors and tweaked up pump since your push alot of fuel into the cylinders right from the "just off idle" all the way to WOT.
I used some screen door screening and a glue gun to cover the outside of the airbox to keep the bigger particles and chunks of dirt from entering the filter canister.
Works real good for me and, it's a lot cheaper than a full system for now...

pb.....

jeepsuck

i like the idea of a high flow filter that fits in the box. being in socal i dont really think the air being too cold will be a concern, but as you said, i can always just punch some holes in the box.

what is everones beef with the K&N? supposedly, it has a high CFM rate. the only problem i can think of is if you dont maintain it properly it becomes clogged beyond practical cleaning and if the oil dries out it ceases to function properly. my truck had one on it when i got it but it ended up being so filled with bugs and other crap that i couldnt clean it out well enought to re-use it. i tossed it and picked up a fram. kinda wierd throwing away a $100 air filter!

jleonard

Many say that they get dust etc thru the filter ....it deposits on the compressor blades and that is the tell tale sign.
I've been running a K&N for 4 years and haven't had that happen....I check it regularly and my intake is all clean.
I guess it depends on the driving environment.
Jay

wannadiesel

Quickie timing how-to:

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...30&postcount=2