03 - New 60hp Injectors - Lost MPG?
 

Hi:

2003 3500 QC 4x4 Newbie here. A few months ago, I replaced the worn out stock injectors at 184k with a +60hp set from USA Freedom Diesels out of Montana. I don't have any complaints about driveability or power, but I sure am disappointed with my mileage ever since I put them in. This is at idle, and under normal driving unloaded. Mild air box mod, No Cat, free exhaust, Edge EZ

The first thing I noticed after installing them is that the exhaust smells worse at idle than when it had stock injectors, like it's not burning efficiently. No smoke, just stinks. I had the Edge EZ at #3, but have since backed off to #1 in order to try reducing the fuel consumption because I saw some haze under acceleration and soot collecting on my bumper. Running #1 doesn't seem to make a difference.

Since I am relatively new to CTD engines, I am asking for suggestions on what I can do to get my mileage back. I've been searching and reading some of the posts, but nothing seems to describe my experience. Isaac at USA Freedom Diesels offered to replace the 60hp nozzles with stock ones, but what a hassle that is and I really want the extra fuel/HP when I pull my 5th wheel camper...I just don't need the injectors wasting fuel at idle/part throttle cruise. Mods? Stack Boxes? Tricks? What is there available to me that will modify the injector duration?

Or do I wait for EFI Live like everyone else?

You might be waiting for EFI for a while. Its sounds like efi might not do the the 03's. Last I heard they have postponed the development for the 03's. If you just changed your tips how do you know if your injector bodies are good?

The injectors have less than 3000 miles on them. Pretty sure they are good. Truck has no issues other than bad mileage. Why don't I average 20mpg on the hwy like all the other posts I've read? Will the tone ring mod help? Add a box to the EZ? Need a starting point...

Get rid of the Edge EZ, it is bad on injectors because it is a pressure box. Next, Get a Smarty. Finally, get a new turbo to be able to use that extra fuel you have. 62/65/13ss. IF you have a stock auto tranny, it will need to be upgraded also. Modding can be expensive.

So it appears that I put the cart before the horse, so to speak? Sorry, but I am trying to learn all this and so far it's not gone very well.

So apparently buying 60hp injectors doesn't do anything without supporting mods to handle the extra fuel....wish I had know that beforehand. [dummy] Is a smarty and UDC the answer to making these injectors work? If not, who is a good contact for a set of stock nozzles? I'm pretty sure I am not going to get a rebate if I send back the +60 nozzles to USA, so I might as well get what I can for them....

bigger nozzles will usually mean lower mileage. Smarty and UDC can help get the mileage back if tuned correctly. The 03 has a smaller he341 turbo that is really not up to handling much more than stock power. You may have to get the turbo... but not entirely necessary yet. x2 on getting the edge out for the reasons listed above.
60hp nozzles doesn't seem like a lot, but with the right mods/tuning you could see well over 500 hp with them.

Hi Zoo...Thanks for the pep talk. I wasn't looking to make crazy horspower numbers when I decided to buy those injectors. I was under the impression that the boxes killed stock injectors, so I thought I was being safe by buying 60hp ones to use with my EZ. Does the EZ advance injector timing at all? What does it really do?

I ran quad and 40hp F1 for 160,000 and my mileage didn't drop. The only other mod's I had diy air box with K&N filter and I added a boost elbow set to about 44 lbs. Which ran pretty good on a stock tranny. I still think your mileage drop is a bad injector body. Maybe bleeding fuel on the return side. Get a Smarty S-06 with UDC. You can tune it to what mod's you do.

An easy turbo upgrade that is cost effective, is getting a stock turbo off of a newer truck. I took a turbo off of an 04.5 and installed it on my 03. It's not a huge turbo difference, but for $200-300 bucks it is definately worth it. You can even install turbo's off of 07 and newer if you get the manifold with it. Just have to get the electrics to run the turbo brake, which would be nice to have. Ebay has one for bid right now for $200. Also, I put on a Banks intake with super scoop. The turbo and intake combo, for the price, is awesome. The Smarty is def. the way to go. I put the Jr. on mine. Read the forums, there are different configurations you can do on each level to make the engine run better. My particular config. runs best with the smarty on sw3 and everthing default. I went from 13mpg in town to 16.5mpg consistantly. You may want to run some Seafoam cleaner through the tank a few times, or some Diesel Kleen. For the price of a bottle, it can't hurt.

There are 3 ways to increase power electronically: Timing, pressure and duration. Of those 3, pressure is the hardest on injectors and can shorten their life. you do not want to turn on an aggressive pressure box and run it all the time.

The EZ is a pressure box. Some of those tunes did use some timing-- you would have to contact Edge with the serial # to know for sure.

If reliablity is what you desire, dump the EZ. The smarty is not only infinitely more tunable to exactly what you want, but if you decided you wanted to use extra pressure for a dyno event for instance and tune it back out later, you can. Smarty uses all 3 ways for power and allows you to choose which and how much of each as you desire.

I think the suggestion to get the HE351 is a good low budget improvement for you.

Another vote for Smarty--a Smarty SSR is going to work wonders for you if you want efficiency first and power second. You can clean up those injectors with a little timing and shorter duration at low loads without sacrificing any power when you want the truck to work. I've been rather pleased with the flexibility it offers, most people who chip a truck aren't looking for better mileage.

An 04.5-07 turbo is a cheap, simple, and very effective upgrade too.

Bustedwrench your not running UDC yet?

Thanks for the responses everybody.....I like tinkering with my truck and would like a decent horsepower upgrade as long as I got the 60hp nozzles. I might as well use them then .....sounds like I am on the hunt for a newer turbo and will pick up a Smarty.

Now...which Smarty to use with UDC? Do I really need to control rail pressure? I read that the Jr doesn't allow that parameter, but I like the price versus the full feature box.

So I found a used, recently updated Smarty Jr. for sale and bought it. :thumbsup: Currently I am running the SW2 setting. I am sure I will be happy with it the more I play with the settings, but I am looking to the DTR gurus for suggested settings for:

1) Best Tow setting

2) Best MPG setting unloaded

Note: +60 injectors, FTE exhaust, Air box mods, 31" tires, 3.73 gears, no boost elbow (yet), stock turbo (feel free to comment on mods I should be doing!)

Just want reliable power when I need it, MPG when I don't. I don't need to beat the porsches at the lights (ha), so I am not worried about trashing my trans.

There is no one "best" setting. The damnable thing about these trucks is that they all react a little differently-- some very differently-- to minor tune adjustments. Play with it, write down your observations and mileage.

For a lot of folks, just leaving it on sw3 with max timing provides best mpg. without a tranny upgrade, you probably don't want to tow with this.

For trans safety, sw2 is better. (ok, so stock is best for trans safety, but the Smarty Jr was made with the stock truck in mind)