I just purchased a 97 2500 with a 5spd. Stock exhaust had fallen off sometime ago, so i put a 4" turbo back kit on to get through inspection. Then i ran into a guy who basically bugged me for weeks to turn up the pump on my truck, so i gave in.
I know he turned the star wheel alot, and turned 2 screws in the back of my pump. I drove the truck from his house to mine, and it did have alot more power than before. I have not driven it since then because my boost and egt gauges have not come in yet, and i do not want to melt any pistons. So here is where my questions start. First do you think i should get the pump turned back to stock and buy the TST power kit? Or install the gauges and go from there?

Thanks

 

i wouldn't worry to much about the afc it's just low boost smoke, and once you get a plate it's really just more of a fine adjustment. one of the screws in the back pf the pump is the governer arm adjustment, not sure on the other but from what I know somthing not to be messed with by the inexperienced.

Theres only so much a home mechanic can do to a pump with bolt on mods (gsk fueling plate delivery valves increase rack travel) but there is not a fuel screw like on a ve pump

 

I think the other one is rack travel, but I'm a dumb 24V guy.


I'd recommend you grind a #100 plate yourself using instructions found on this site. The 1997 5-speed trucks already have the big daddy pump (the 913) which came on the 215hp engines. So you won't need delivery valves unless you're going for some serious heat.

Then go a hair bigger on injectors-- 300s are good. 370s are very hot and smokey, but they CAN make some big power (700hp+ has been seen with regular 370s).

jmo as a dumb 24Ver

 

Thanks for the help, i would like to keep it around 300hp and very reliable. What kind of egt temps should i be looking for in the upper gears? I searched around but everyone runs different temps up to 1500. I was thinking 1100 or so, but i have no idea. Thanks