Not a way to start the New Year
 

I am having some problems with my cummins. I blew up the stock turbo about two months ago. So I pulled the head and saw that the cylinder walls were fine, but the top of 5 & 6 piston was beat on a bit, but nothing major. Well I went christmas shopping for myself this year.
Installed:

2007 head - O-RING, hamilton springs, push rods, and billet cam.
Goerend Tranny
HTT 62 stainless
ARP 625's @ 155TQ LBS
Banks Intercooler System

HERE is the problem, my 2003 is POPING really bad even before I blew up the stock turbo,from 2500RPM to redline. Now with the newer additions its even worse, 1st gear is super super bad, it jars your head around. 2nd,3rd,4th i can still feel hesitation in the RPM range but the poping is slightly noticable. If I boost launch the truck, it just falls on its face (doesent even break tires loose) in 1st gear with all the poping, and it really takes off when it shifts second gear.

I have tried REVO, REVOTNT, and the bucking/poping was just CRAZY. I went back to the BETA and although slightly smoother, still very present. If I go back to stock, I can kind of notice it, but it is definelty still there along with the flat spots in the RPM range espically nearing redline. IF I run SW 8 or 9 it pops in all gears, just the worst in 1st.

Rail pressure never falls below 15K, and it will crawl to 25k under WTO, and idles @ 4k. MY egts will hit 17K super fast, maybe 8th mile, and stock settings they wont break 12K.

Injectors are a few months old, breand new, and EDMed to 75HP over. MY airdog might be the issue, It is always loud, like its sucking air. I have checking this thing SOOO many times. The nuts on the quick fitting are even slightly rounded off becaiuse i made sure they were super tight, and I can drain the tank to alomst nothing and it still pick up fuel, so its NOT a draw straw issue. Maybe a bad seal? But would this cause all of these issues? And my low end guage reads 15psi all the time, but that doesnt mean volume is ample.

AND THE IDlE IS ROUGH[verymad] No DTC codes present

The idle being rough suggests something else is going on than programming. With the new stix, your idle should be quieter and smoother.

The popping I have experienced that you kind of describe is timing related. Too much. Using Smarty TNT, try timing 3 and timing 4 and see if it improves or goes away completely and report back.

i might not know much about how the programmers maps are but it seems like a tuning issue. the cam and bigger turbo might be an issue? cams usually give rough idles and make cars sounds loopy at idle. you might have to have it custom tuned with the big mods you have...

I tired ALL smarty settings and REVO, REVOTNT and back to BETA, even going back to stock it is still present, and the rough idle never leaves.

Head GASKET?
 

there is no residue on the oil filler cap, and the truck doesnt overheat...Whats the easiest way to check for blown headgasket? I just replaced the head and new gasket with a Oring Kit and 625's @ 155tq lbs not even a week ago. BUT I did overheat the truck when I first did eveything, I drove it down the block trying to get the thermostat to open up so I could finish adding the 6 gallons of coolant. The needle SHOT up, and the truck even threw a reduced power because of overheating code almost instantally before I could get back home, I just pulled over and let it cool down drove , a few blocks and then let it cool down, it took me about 10 min to get back home which was only 1 or 2 miles away. I just figured because cummins puts the water temp sensor on top of the motor its easly subjected to steam, and didnt think I did any damage. The needle would hover around the 250Temp mark, then fall back down, then go back up. And I knew I already added 3 gallons of water

BUT THE POPING and jerking was there all before i even blew up my stock turbo and did all this work, before I replaced my injectors. And EGTS have ALWAYS been an issue with this truck.

with setting your computer back to stock it wont work either because you can not have stock fuel program maps with the mods you have. way to much air is being moved into your motor. cams really throw off fuel maps.

The rough idle might be because of this, im not following you to well. BUT it has poped for a LONG time. Before Injectors, about the time of the airdog and smarty 8 or so months ago, then injectors when south a few months later, so I got those replaced and 2 weeks later I blew it up.

Maybe a cp3 issue?

But how would Rail pressure sit steady @ 4k for idle and crawl to 25K. All injector o rings are new, coppers, and cross over tubes. BUT I am already ahead of you, I will have a new stage 1 cp3 here from Wicked on friday or sat.

The cam will not make your engine idle rough... diesel engine cams do not behave the same way gas engine cams do.

Like I said above, the rough idle is not from programming. There is a chance you have blown a headgasket... A dropped valve seat will also behave that way though I really doubt that is it.

What about the High EGT's with both heads and Turbos? This head is off of an 07 with 20K miles, new 110# springs there might be an issue with the head, not to sure but like you said not probable. The gasket is new and the 155tq lb studs will fight fatigue very well. I am lost right now. I dont know where to go or what to do. The truck only has 200 miles on it since i put everything back togeather.

I postedon CF On what I think your issue is. What kind of HG did you use and you deck your head?

You need to check for combustion gases in the coolant. Do not drive the truck until You figure it out! Its most likely that you won't find any coolant in your oil because it will burn in the cylinders

Its just a 98.5 to 2002 cummins gasket. But the Oringed head and 625's are really tough to beat. Hamilton diesel said they decked the head.

You can call me if you want.Pm me and I'll give my number