Well, I pick up my 97 12V 2500 extended cab 5sp 4wd pickup this weekend..I've been a lurker here for awhile. Anyway, I gave $10,500 for the pickup and it only has 147k on it. It has the typical vacuum seal oil drizzle and there is some light surface rust above the wheel wells.

Anyway, what I'm looking for is a start to BOMBing this thing. I've been a lurker for awhile and kinda have an idea on what to start. I was thinking about starting with sliding the stock plate full forward and installing my own homebrew BHAF. Then, ditching the mufflers and going straight with the stock exhaust. I will have to take the EGT out of my daily driver (1983 Mercedes 300D Turbo Diesel) haha. What are you guys doing in terms of boost? Keep in mind that this truck is equipped with the 215HP pump. I'm looking for some bang for buck mods to start, then grinding the stock plate and putting the 16cm turbine housing and going 4 inch. How difficult is a GSK kit to install? I've been searching for some good pages that list a howto on sliding the fuel plate forward...anyway thanks in advance.
You guys have helped me pick the perfect truck for my needs. My only regret is that its not a 98.4 those opening rear doors sure would be cool. Oh well.

 

I manage to do my own GSK. Went in from the top. A magnet is you friend. Not to bad if you are mechanically inclined.

http://www.flex.net/~triplem/new/govspring.htm

http://www.piersdiesel.com/TechGSK12V.htm

I have hit over 40 psi on my truck. To much for the stock turbo, but I don't do that often at all. 30 psi is nice.

 

Cartman:

The first recommended modification is to get a set of gauges - boost & pyro as a minimum. Install the pyro pre- turbo.

That way when you start to do your mods you will have a baseline to compare against and will not run the risk of burning up the pistons due to high EGT.

Also, the other first recommendation is to tab the KDP before doing anything else. If that comes loose, the damage can take a while to repair.

After that, have fun bombing!

John (DH)

 

Yeah I had planned on ordering the KDP tab kit from TST...
I want to put my gauges in the a-pillar and I already have an autometer cobalt EGT all I need to get is the matching one for boost. Any specific location on the manifold to put the bung for the EGT?

 

Here ya go. This is from Piers Site. Good luck

http://www.piersdiesel.com/TechPyroInstall.htm

John (DH)

 

cool. wish my EGT used a compression nut..mine just has a thru hole with a 6/32 set screw to secure the thermocouple probe to the nut... for monitoring boost is there an easily accessable port on the intake? I think I'd rather know intake manifold pressure than just the pressure from the wastegate port on the turbo itself...or am I wrong?

 

There is a port on the drivers side of the engine on the air intake manifold (just to the front of where the elbow from the intercooler pipe crosses over the injection lines that can be tapped. It is located directly behind the injection lines as you look at the engine from the side. You can remove the plug in insert the fitting that should have come with your boost guage.

John (DH)

 

get a pyro and boost gauge and then do whatever you want....the pyro and boost will constantly inform u...its fun from that point on with a 12 VALVE infinite adjustabilty