Back in black, with a basket case.
 

Almost a year ago I posted that I had procured a 95 2500 ram. It had (at the time) 501,000km on the odometer and was in. . . interesting. . . shape. over the last year I have learned just how bushleague a truck can be when someone sells it. Believe me, this thing was hackneyed.

Prior to owning this truck the most intensive mechanical thing I had done was replace the clutch/flywheel on my 7.3 with a single mass, and redo the glowplugs on that same truck with a deadman switch and relay. So what has been done here is. . .monumental, for me.

I call it. . .The Basket Case.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...09167866_o.jpg
(yes that shock has since been rebolted. )

I got it back in november of 2013 and this thing had all sorts of issues. oil from every orifice on the front of the engine (and a couple along the side). a transmission with no forward clutches left (lets rev at 1700 just to get moving).

So, found a wrecker with a 5 speed manual, clutch, slave/master/hydros, a rear driveshaft, and a steering column, and started into it.

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps057c9a5b.jpg

Cutting the hole for the shifter was my moment of no return. Well, one of them. Another was getting pissed off at the tranny cooler lines and taking a set of bolt cutters to 'em.


Buddy was a little worried about this transmission. the fluid was. . .we're gonna say it was bad, so we swapped that for new stuff. And the thing had some play in the input shaft, more than he woulda liked to see. But we took it to a transmission shop, and the guy there said "it'll need a rebuild soon, but it'll go for now if you're on a budget to get this truck up and going."

Fair enough.

turns out I got seriously taken by this wrecker (the only time it has ever happened). transmission had no 5th, column didn't fit, flywheel was heat checked and had cracks in a number of places. clutch disc was glazed lookin. bout the only good part was the slave/master. I still had to find a front driveshaft and worry about the transfer case, but at this point I figured "how bad can switchin an input shaft be?" (little did I know. . .)
But, it was what I bought, and I didn't have much choice. cash sale left me with no recourse. I got boned hard. time to harden da hell up and get it goin.

Much swearing, lotsa cursing, and lifting my truck with a 10 ton ceiling crane, and this happened:
Attachment 31975

the steering column was a really bad time. I was stuck on getting rid of the column shifter. that had to happen.
plus, the wrecker column was in much better shape. but it didn't match my intermediate shaft for some reason. rather than being splined, like my current one, the knuckle on the new column was keyed (round with a square edge).
So off to another wrecker. where I got an intermediate shaft that matched the new column, but still had the wrong mating for the knuckle. F***in dodge.

So. . .we got creative. We drank some beer, and figured we could frankenstein the thing together from 2 columns and 2 shafts.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...69b8ff271a1326
I don't even know which one is which and what we took off of where. I do know that we fluked it off because the knuckle that was "right" and matched up "correctly", still had a master spline that was spun 180 degrees from mine, and I thought that we put it in upside down, but we didn't. fluked it off so it sits right.

regardless, next was the T case. And oh my. . .did it need attention.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...80220382_o.jpg

main range fork was worn down cause it had long ago eaten the pads.
range selector ring was chewn and eaten.
all the bearings were hooched.
Synchro snaprings were hooched. that large one was half eaten. it's that's bent looking piece of metal near the bottom of the photo.
oil pump was busted. . .

So, after a few days on and off of finding new s*** to replace constantly, it was back together. Sealed up with anaerobic sealant and ready to go.
I put the t case up, and wired the clutch safety at -30C, in a snowy driveway, cause I couldn't get the truck into my garage, since my brother was doing heads on his 07 Hemi in there, and asking him to move was no bueno. I'm dedicated.

And so it drove! I didn't need it since we were working outta town, so it sat and waited for me, but it drove! It even hauled some stuff like my then-girlfriends car when she grenaded the motor, which I swapped for a good one a few days later. I was becoming quite the mechanic:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...57191441_o.jpg

After that I turned my focus mostly to my motorcycle, and the truck went without further repair until late July, when this came in:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n...92421770_o.jpg

Lacking the confidence to do the transmission rebuild at that point, I instead used my ambition to get the front end of the motor sealed up. I cannot fully describe just how much it leaked, beyond "2L in 140KM @2,000 rpm". it was BAD.

I was told by numerous people that I would have to separate the fan from the fan clutch, and then pull the rad shroud and fan out separate from the rad, and then take the clutch assembly off.
sure.
sure.
regardless, all said and done (just before tearing out the cam)
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...psb77a54b4.jpg

the most parts I have ever had off a vehicle at any point.

I was originally told to use zipties to hold up the tappets. that was dumb.
Attachment 31976
this is the dumbest ass idea I've ever encountered when working on a vehicle.

this worked much better:
Attachment 31977

I think I needed some new gaskets:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n...0b78fb43fab278

I had one dirty ass motor.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...ca1480f51dc3e6


Upon putting it all back together, I reset the idle to 950 from. . .well. . .as low as it would go. the PO had said he set it nice and low, but the toolbag set it so low you had to keep the truck running or it'd die. the throttle stop didn't even touch the set screw. *head shake*.
Also managed to murder the old lift pump, so I bought a new one and deleted the fuel heater.

And then it was transmission time.
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps3e067ac1.jpg

Attachment 31978

I think it's toast. . .
Attachment 31979

Attachment 31980

Had some fun gettin it together. Put the 5th/reverse synchro hub on backwards so it wouldn't pull out of 5th hehe. tried to spin it on the bench and it'd bind. gave me a moment or two of frustration.
and the synchro rings for 3rd and 4th are apparently very close but not quite the same (maybe just wear on the clutches? I dunno). pulled them off, switched em, and I went from 4th not spinning freely, to 4th spinning freely when I switched them. So I dunno.

regardless, I have 1,000km on it now and it is flawless. buddy owns a getrag'd 1st gen and he says it "shifts like a f***in car!".

Next up is injectors from a 215 6bt (brand spanky shiny new from cummins for 190 bucks), a boost controller, and then if the pump (OEM from a 95 auto) won't feed those injectors, I'll have to make it happen. somewhere in there, I'll do a new clutch from. . .somewhere, which is able to hold what I'm doing (clutches are rated for whp right? or is it crank. . .). I'd like 250rwhp or so.

Well looks like your doing great !!!

I know the feeling you have with yours ..

I bought a 2wd short cab Long box CTD 12, Auto 2 years ago .. for 5500 .. I have since spent at least .. 3K ..

Exhaust, Manifold, BHAF, VB, Mag Tek auto pan, Rear diff bearings4.10's, then a new diff 3.55's, whole front end is way loose, Head studs, now leaking HG, the list never ends ..

Looks like Your doing it right though ..:tu:

Keep us posted for real !! :pca1:

I finally got a blowby tube (PO ripped it off). so when I bother to bolt that up I'm gonna check the blowby. if it's good. . .it's POWAH time.

Oh, and I bought a 6bt block and rotating assembly for 250 bucks a few weeks back. So if this one is blowing by bad, I'm just gonna take a few months and rebuild that while I run this thing till it's dead. machinign for the one I have should be about 500 bucks. :D thing has the oil filter housing, flywheel, oil pan, crank, tappets, and pushrods. but no cam or head. still, 250 bucks.
Oh, and a good water pump. :lol

figured I'd just toss that out there. :D

NICE !!!

Always a good thing to have a back up plan .. !!!:rocking:

Update time!

Cut off the muffler (no photos. I took an angle grinder to the exhaust, you get it.

BHAF.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...08749263_o.jpg
Waiting on a pre-filter sock from Grand west. till then, I'll be nice to it. Spooldown on upshifts sounds awesome. Throttle response is some better.

Also, this is happening.
https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...29628433_o.jpg
From on 02 chevy. 6 way power, power lumbar, heated, leather. And it all works. they should go in tomorrow. gonna retain the dodge centre seat/fold down console I figure. I like that thing.

also, big cock up at Cummins. Quote me 193 for the set of reman injectors, charge me for what I think is a set, get there, and they say I've paid for one and that my bill is a thousand bucks. F***ers quoted me unit price as set price.
so I got my money back on the one and told them to kick rocks. I can get CPP or DDP SACs with way-better-than-oem performance for a third of that. F*** that noise.

TADA!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...52716641_o.jpg

Few little things to do with mounting I need to figure out more. But they are in there and power works on the drivers side. Gotta run a new 30A circuit from the fusebox (I believe there was room in there for it) for the passenger side.

Nice now I know they will work in my truck .. I am gonna go find me a wrecked Chevy ( wonder if the ones from an escalade will work ? :humm:) .. and be super comfy and warm !!!! :tu:

How was the mounting of those chevy seats? And how do they compare to the stock second gen seats?

It's always nice to see someone else's troubles!!! Cummins sold me a defective head gasket that took my engine out with it... it leaked oil into the #3 cylinder and scored the crap out of it... I've had the tranny out 4 or 5 times now, first the 5th gear nut, then the 5th gear snap ring, then the clutch, then the 5th gear stipped the teeth, then the input shaft broke... The tranny I have now seems to be alright.. I don't know how many times I've lost all my coolant.. first a water pump, then a fan blade came off and slashed the rad, then a head gasket leak. I've also had my rearend spin a carrier bearing, can't seem to keep the rear wheel bearing tightened right. finally got pizzed off enough at the front wheel bearings I put Ford knuckles with standard bearing there, that's a relief... it goes on and on.

I put Rx7 seats in mine, nice deep buckets which work great for a skinny bastard like me.. not power seats, but I'm OK with them, they're certainly better than a dodge seat that got bagged out by a 400 lb guy.

^^^Pics of RX7 seats??

Tried to get one now but it's too darned dark.. They're from a 1985, all grey cloth which matches my interior perfectly, the side bolsters are perhaps a little high, mine is getting a bit ripped from sliding in and out. it wasn't too hard to remake the mounting for them either, I scrapped the dodge sliders as well.

The mounting is a little interesting. It is close. My truck is a single cab and the seats are out of an extended cab. Dodge ran a stepped flor in the single cabs in them days and chevy's 5th gen trucks use a flat floor in the ext cab trucks.

So I took the bracketry off the front of the dodge seats wjhich allows them to mount a flat tracked seat on a stepped floor. It's just a trapezoidal bracket they rivet to the seat rail.

I took that off, drilled a couple of holes, and mounted it to the chevy rails, into the OEM dodge cab holes (again, surprised it lined up, or came close).

The rear mounts are a little different. they are off by about a half inch or so. I've got something figured out for that but I need access to tools I don't have at home.

Sounds like a bunck of fun .. I will weld my stuff together .. But I'm looking now .. thanks for the inspiration .. :choochoo:

so cummins western canada sold me 4 sealing washers instead of 6, and 2 of them were the wrong size for my filter housing.

so now I'm pissing fuel everywhere.
f*** Cummins Western Canada. Oh, and they charged me 25 bucks for those 4 washers that shoulda been 6 and half of them are wrong.

On the upside,
https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...4b&oe=54F3E352
https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...21187875_o.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...26802005_o.jpg

Dunno when it'll go in for machining. I need injectors and a clutch and to re-seal the front of the engine first (that's a good 3 day weekend once everything is bought. . .it's just. . .1200 bucks worth of stuff during slow season now.

It'll probably take a year for me to get this engine done, but when it's done my truck will be.

I know the feeling you get when dealing with Cummins.. Note, for many parts, go to Kenworth instead of Cummins, same genuine part, less money! (go figure!?),... Saved $200 on a complete gasket kit that way.
Those copper washers are VERY expensive.. I know I got 2 sets of injector washers and it was $70 or something. Meanwhile in my rebuild kit I have about 2 dozen of them that I can't use anywhere.
I've had good success (in a pinch) of not using any washers on the fuel filter housing,.. better than bad washers at least. You can also cut them out of gasketing material as long as you don't strongarm it when you tighten it.

It took me a helluva long time to build my engine, I had it pretty much completely assembled in mockup stages several times to check clearances, etc... I figure it was about a month of evenings spent on it.
What are you going to do to this engine? I would recommend a stg 3 cam and clean up the port bowls at least.. When you put this much time and effort into something you might as well do it now!

I have no idea what I'll do with it, or where I'll go. Was thinking 400hp at the crank and any supporting strength mods it needs to do so. But I don't think the NV4500 will hold that, so that's a problem.
what do you mean by stage 3 cam? port bowls?

It could be a really wasteful thing as this mill has no cam/valvetrain/head. it's a block and rotating assembly. However, I need my truck, so I can't just pull the stuff I don't have off of my current engine. meaning that minus fuel system/clutch/accesories, which is easy to switch over, I need to buy everything that isn't there. Timing gear drive case, all the hardware, everything.

so for this mill, I have a head, valvetrain, cam, headstuds, oil pump, pistons, all the hardware for the bottom end (as I don't want to be re-using bolts from a potentially high mileage mill) and more other shit to buy. I already know how it'll go. I'll get this machined, get the crank ground and the bottom end bearings, along with the hardware for the bottom end, and it'll sit for about 6 months while I collect cash to go about buying a head (which will have the oiling and cooling updates for cyl. 6 done. must research further), a valvetrain, pistons, and a cam.
then that'll go together and it'll be another couple months waiting for more small shit. like I said, it's gonna take a year in all likelihood.

Are you sure you need to grind the crank? I had one that came from a forklift with HUGE hours on it and it just got polished.. If it didn't spin a bearing from getting antifreeze in the oil it's pretty rare for them to need a regrind,... The machine shop will know anyhow.

I think 400hp at the crank is a reasonable number for the NV4500 if you don't go for bigger torque numbers below 2000 RPM, where the 6cyl has a lot of rotational vibration (that's the tranny killer)
I got my camshaft from Colt Cams, they're in Abbotsford (somewhat local). If you can get at least the timing cover , then you're able to get it mostly together... since you can't put the cam in before the cover is on.
I went with a higher compression piston (from a non intercooled application), and shaved .010" off the top to make up for the deck of the block being milled so I didn't need a thicker head gasket. The higher compression makes them start a little easier in the winter, and also is good for fuel mileage.
I have oodles of used head bolts (stretch gauge says they're just fine) if you need them, but I'd recommend head studs of course.
Here's an approximate price list of what it cost me to build my engine
I found a sleeved and machined block, with a rebuilt head and polished crank (pre-94 style timing cover), with a new set of Mahle pistons for $1500 (I couldn't resist)
Reground camshaft with new lifters and retainer plate $700
Complete Cummins gasket kit and oil pump ~$1100
Complete bearing set ~$300 (Clevite Mahle)
Head studs ~$500-650 depending on brand and where you get them
I think rebuilt heads are about $600, then I spent about 12 hours porting mine.
If you want to rev much over 3000 RPM OR use a jake, add $160 for valve springs
That will get you an engine that's ready to be put together, Might still want other injectors, governor spring kit, and a clutch, but all that can be done after the engine's together.

I have about 4000 kms on my new mill, and my last trip to Kamloops and back it seemed to start to really be broken in, with my 4.10 gears I'd nicely do 110, it only needed about 7psi boost to do it, and I put 520 kms and still have over a 1/4 tank.. That's really good for my truck, especially when I wasn't driving slow.


What are these oil and cooling updates on the head?? I haven't heard of them. Another option you have is to put a 24V head on it and get new injector lines to still use the P pump!

the NV4500 Will take 600 all day .. no worries there .. ( big input and DD lutch and you will be fine ..

Porting the bowls is smoothing out the cumbustion bowls of the pistons ( mirror smooth helps the flame front move more rapidly and gets a cleaner burn :c:

Stage 3 cam will help with low end power and spool twins/Compounds faster and help MPG as well .. need to check /Verify Piston to valve clearence and all that though to make sure the pistons dont assist the valves in closing .. :argh::td:

Firstly, replacing the input counts and having to deal with the transmission, to me. when I say an OEM NV4500 I mean one with stock sized shafts and bearings and whatnot. Clutch is a given.

SecondlyL
This one has at least 1 good score mark in it, as I recall. The bearings all have heat marks. methinks she was started at about -45 with 15w40 oil in it and ran without oil pressure for a few minutes. There is an exterior water jacket crack below the frost plugs (well, it looks like one, my machinist will check it. I doubt it's actually cracked as the frost plugs aren't pushed out. Looks like a casting mark to me)

I didn't really think a guy could keep the big torque numbers down low with a single turbo anyway.
Abbotsford is much more local than most places I've been checking out. by that I mean that they are actually part of Canada. What kind of temp rise did you see from the higher compression?

I could use a 24v head w/ 12v injector lines?
seriously? hm. . .

I'd already have injectors. the engine I currently have in the truck needs injectors. It came with 5x.009s and I'm going to 5x.012s I think. they're 500 bucks from thoroughbred or industrial diesel. If they'll fuel it well enough with proper tuning to the fuel pump I'll use them rather than buy a second set for no good reason.

I luckily already have the block. The machinist I use is good, and cheap for little guys like me. I don't know if he has all the tooling, being an independent, to do the block machining though. I don't know if I NEED new pistons, but I'm probably gonna get em anyway.

Edit: for the rebuild kit, I was thinking something along these lines:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Dodge-Cummins...1b3db6&vxp=mtr
Truthfully I am completely in the woods about this. Never done an engine rebuild. Hell I'm a carpenter, I pound nails for a living, and don't get paid enough to do it.

I have no experience with Victor head gaskets (I did have a cummins one fail and wipe out my engine though). The rest of the gaskets from Victor would be good, and same with the bearings. I find the price (by the time you get it here) is uncompetitive to what you can get it for from Kenworth though for genuine parts, if that matters to you.

Honestly, with as much as you're going to have to do to that block you have to get it going, I'd look for another complete engine.. I found a complete running '93 with 200,000 kms for $1200 on craigslist... I believe the 5.9 was used in a lot of combines, etc, and since you're in the best place to look for one!

When I was speaking of porting the bowls, I didn't mean the piston bowls, I meant the valve bowls, which are under the valves, the castings are quite miserable there and there's a lot to be gained with just a little bit of work.

Yes, abbotsford is local to anyone in Canada ;) If you have a good machinist, I'd skip buying the cam gear retainer from Colt ($100) because it's a glorified washer that your machinist can make in a few minutes.. It just won't be stamped "Colt Cams". They have reground cast cranks (what I have), or billet cranks (a bit more money).. I am not going to rev the snot out of my truck, so I'm OK with the cast one.. New lifters are essential though, but they do regrind those as well... They were out of stock when I wanted them so I just got new ones.

As for turbos, I have an upgraded hx35 (60mm inducer) and I managed to snap my tranny input shaft, rest of the tranny is stock other than the upgraded 5th gear nut. I may go to a BD Super B (they're also in Abbotsford)

I'd just get new ones.

I have no plans of revving this thing past 3 grand, frankly. if my idea of 400 crank hp is not possible I'll scale it back. I'd sooner put that money into a webasto or espar engine heater anyway. I live in a place where -40 is not uncommon. winterization is a big deal. that's why the timing won't be too further advanced and why I'll probably be running dual block heaters and an oil pan heater until I cna get that diesel fired engine heater.

The nice part about rebuilding this is that firstly, I learn things.
secondly, I can do it in stages. where I might not have the 1500 needed for a running used engine (which I also don't know the condition of internally) I will, at numerous times, have the 400 I need for head studs, the 90 for bearings, etc. I don't know. . .I have it, I bought it for the clutch and flywheel (dude wanted 125 for a decent clutch/flywheel, gave me the block/rotating assembly for another 125).

Plus, diesel engines ain't cheap here like you'd think.

It depends on the price you're going to have to pay to collect all the little parts like front cover, head, etc...

I never rev my truck over 3K, I haven't put it on the dyno, but I think I'm getting close to 400 HP now.

I forgot to answer about the EGT's with the higher compression.. Since I did so many changes at once, it's hard to say.. They're a little higher now than before, even with the improved airflow, but by the same token my last engine had stock injectors.
I haven't found turbo spool improved with the cam, but the engine is much happier to rev and far more efficient at highway speeds now.

fair enough.

For now, I have to delay the wiring of the seats to next weekend since it's turkey day here (to the non-canuckian members here, RX7 knows this of course), but i got two brackets made up to level out and lower the outrageously high seats, and mounted one of the back bolts on each one for extra stability. Got the wiring all figured out (amazingly, a chevy dealer here actually printed off the wiring diagrams I needed! even after I told em the seats were going into a dodge!)
so next weekend that'll get all done. debating on whether to do injectors/clutch, clutch/engine seals, or injectors/engine seals on this motor first. . the cheapest is clutch/seals. . .should probably do that. . .

re: turbo: I think an HX35 would do what I'd want. I have a WH1C right now, it runs the same PSI but the construction is a little different. a reman HX35 from a decently reputable place is something I wouldn't hesitate to buy.

Bit of an update.

Bought MOAR GASKETS. Gotta find a heated shop and then we'll see how this goes. I was toying with buying a cam first, since a mild cam I can just drop in and see how she does, but that may not happen now.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...9afa805eae2666

Did balljoints on the pax side since they were clicking. that required an oxy torch to burn em out. It was fun times.

headlights quit last sunday. I think this is the perfect time to get rid of the garbage farmer wiring toggle switch on the dash, and go back to OEM switches. so I got them ordered and the headlight housings ordered since mine are well past due.

getting a black sport bumper from a 95 to replace my chromey one. Also getting a black grille, to be painted one colour or another at some point, since mine is cracked (don't. . .don't ask how I pooched the bumper and grille. . .).

And finally, kinda toying with the idea of a leaf spring swap for the front end in the spring. Complete with a Dana 60 from a late 80s Ford, if I can get one that is correctly geared. I'm thinking Superduty springs for nwo since they are "nicer" than the springs from a first gen. I would go with the first gen Dana 50, but I wanna keep the 60 series capability, and get manual locking hubs. plus, the Ford diff will have kingpins.

Hellyeah.

I think I'll have to regear whatever I find though, since it doesn't look like Ford offered 3.55 gears. That's less of a problem if the carrier size and bolt pattern of the 60 stayed consistent for the duration of it's use. if so, I can re-use my current gearing form my current 60.

400 horse is extremely easy to attain. Full fueling mods, exhaust, intake and a turbo on a stock truck will put down 400. Maybe even more. The experience I have is with a truck that had far too much turbo at the time so more power could be attained with a proper size for stockish fuel like a 60 or 62 instead of a 64 in the case of my buddy. 500 is just delivery valves and injectors added to the 400hp mod list. These engines make power super easily if you know how to do it and tune.

what the hell is "full fueling mods"?

Afc modifications, fuel plate grind, and tuning. Add a gov spring on that and a turbo and pretty easy to lay down 400 on a stock truck. Best friend out down 405/850 on that, crazy carls full 3.5 intake piping and a htt exhaust manifold. And the turbo was a bd special. If it was a killer it likely woulda put down more since the turbo would have been more suited for the fueling. Now with dv's, 5x14 injectors, electric fans and a stuff afc spring and full billet trans it's likely putting down 500, still gotta hit the rollers. All simple bolt on parts. Stock fuel system. Stock timing, and hg. And stock valve springs only revving to 3200rpm

If I gotta rev the thing out to 3200 rpm to make that power I ain't gonna bother. I keep my truck under 2250 99.9% of the time. I'll throw the 5x12s I want at it, the boost it needs with an adjustable WG and boost gauge, some timing (only mildly, since it has to be able to start where I live), and maybe a cam (I have the front of the engine off often enough, pissing around with this POS timing case).

Overall, I don't really know. it'll get done as it gets done. Right now I'm at half hours for winter at work, and I still need to buy my webasto since plugging in is soon gonna be not possible. Then it's the front end swap. another 50HP would likely keep me happy for a while, since then it'd at least be, on paper, where my powerstroke was.

I also don't know how you can call a modified AFC, different injectors, a gov spring set, and the other things you listed a "stock fuel system".

my concrete goal has always been, through all my bouncing around and theorizing, 200hp, at the rear wheels. so I need about 300 at the crank. So that's likely a set of 5x12s, another 10 pounds of boost capability, and maybe a cam/exhaust manifold cause I'm vain enough to want them. to me, then I have the exhaust side covered, I have something that might make my cummins sound less like a moose farting in the wind (hopefully the cam helps a bit) and i have the fuel & air side covered. Plus, that should keep me from seeing a huge drop in fuel economy. since that still matters. I made 21 grand last year.

Cummins have all their pull past 2000 rpm. And cams don't really have any use under 2000 rpm. Unless you going super mild which is kind of a waste of money and really won't help. A 181/208 I believe is as mild as I'd go for any performance gain. By stock fuel system I mean stock lift pump and ofv. It makes 400 horse at 2700 and torque a 1900, on a dyno you Rev it all the way out. Myn hit 4000 on the dyno but my power was made much lower. The gov spring is more for speed of fueling and usable rpm. The stock set up is super slow. Having a 3 or 4 gsk makes it much much more responsive. And as for timing I run 22 here in canada and it starts fine in - 30c. If it sits 8 hours in that it's not happy but I always plug it in.

You won't need any parts at all to make 200whp just tuning and modding the afc. All free. Just do the afc mods, grind a 0/100 plate, get a boost elbow if your keeping the hx35 get a 3000 gsk since your against having usuable rpm. And adjust everything to desired smoke/ response levels and you will be around 250-300 wheel. Nearly for free minus the gov kit, and boost elbow.

not interested in running a boost elbow over an adjustable wastegate. Yeah the elbow is cheaper. but an adjustable gate is 200 bucks, and I can play with it to get it where I want it. The elbow just makes the turbo run whatever it does so feel like running, to my understanding. How am I supposed to get a good fuel/air mix like that? that's not to say that 5x12s will be inadequate, but will they be ideal for when the turbo decides to run 30psi of boost cause the WG ain't opening?

I don't mean to be obtuse. I just. . .am such a way. It has to make good sense. and a boost elbow is to me like my headlight wiring was.
It's a farmer fix.

My fuel pump is worth a months salary to me. I hope you understand why I am not keen on ripping it off and grinding down bits and pieces of it on a bench grinder.

edit: wow this post makes me sound like such an asshat. please don't take it as such.

after a quick search I see that adjustable elbows are available. this is something I had missed. thank you for pushing me in the right direction while I kicked and screamed. :D

However, i am lost over the "useable rpm" bit. if I don't use more than 2250 in my daily life, why would 3500rpm be "more useable"?
What I really want to avoid with higher rpm and power that uses that higher rpm is moving the powerband out of the range of rpm that I normally use. My truck spends it's life between 1250 and 2,000rpm when unloaded. 3rd to 4th usually happens at 1650, with the resulting 4th gear coming in at 1100 or so. Some folks say I'm lugging it, some don't. I'd imagine it's not great for the motor mounts, but when it's -25 and the truck ain't all that warm yet, I am more concerned with not revving out my cold engine, than I am with putting a little extra vibrational load on the mains.

dammit I really should READ all of the posts before I respond and put my foot in my mouth!

I'll take this into consideration. I had thought that camming it would move, or rather keep, the powerband steady. while I do know that you wind it right out on a dyno, I want to avoid moving the powerband out of my normal range of operation.

regardless, this post explains more than I had thought and I should have taken to time to READ it. I apologize for coming off like a dingus.

It's all good. I just don't like to see people get miss guided or spend unnecessary money to achieve simple goals. The gov springs make the fueling faster. So your stock truck now maxes out at 25-2800 now but power is lost much earlier. With a gov kit you don't need to use that power, but it makes the rpms before it much more affective and faster. Believe me I hardly ever use over 2500 on the street unless I'm playing around. But the spring makes the fueling much more affective. That mod alone will dramatically increase the feel of power. If you have the means to do valve springs or can control your foot to 3200 ish a 4 gsk is the way to go. They are a bit touchy with a stick but a very fun mod. If not you can get a 3 gsk and install it tight to max out around 3200 ish. It doesn't force you to use that rpm but it makes the power band much wider. As for the afc mods and tuning, watch some videos. It's really quite easy and once you open it up you will realize how simple it is. In all it took me about an hour to do the afc mods and cut a plate on my buddies truck and wow what a diff. Along with the gov spring it was easily 275-300 before the turbo. This is on a 180 truck mind you. As for 5x12's they will wake it up a bit but all that fuel will be lost in an hx35. I personally would just clamp the gate for now do the mods and gsk and see how you like it. Without spending to much. I'm a strong believer in doing things once. Just save for a turbo around 60mm or even build a hx35/40 hybrid, some 5x12's and you can make a solid 400 horse with a 3gsk and work towards head studs. I really wish I could talk to guys like you on the phone or on person to give advice and steer you in a good order of operation to achieve your goals. I understand not everyone is looking for a drag monster and some just want a solid 3-400 horse. Which is very attainable. Just don't go spending 300 dollars on snake oil hp gains like cold air intakes and stuff. Money is best spent somewhere else. If you ever are interested in a good chat I don't mind a phone convo one evening to give you some good advice.

Where are you located? you said "Canada" and that makes you closer than most. You said "-30" and that makes you generally in either MB, SK, or AB.

I'm likely getting a boost controller and elbow as a Christmas gift. My friends know that a gift given toward the Basket Case never goes amiss, and those things are cheaply done. the rest will likely wait till spring as I fix a little thing here or there on the truck during winter. By the by, I'm a bit of a performance n00b but i'm not a total dweeb. I'm not expecting my BHAF to be giving me 45HP. :D

I'm a framer. when it cold, we don't work. Winter is always a bad time. I cannot wait to have my Journeymans ticket and get a job where I am not always outside freezing my dick off, or out of work.

Side note, the Basket Case has headlights again, and will be getting it's black bumper this friday!:jump:

I see why my headlight switch didn't work. . .
https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/...83827875_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...04639206_o.jpg
I also see why that toggle switch the P.O. just decided to wire in on the dash got so hot. . .not pictured is the fact that the wiring goes from the battery. . . to the switch. .. to the lights. No fuse. No relay. Nothing. Not like I coulda burnt my truck down or anything.

so, I ripped out the farmer wired circuit (god I really am starting to dislike farmers, considering I bought this headache from one of them), and wired tings together with stuff like. . .solder. . .and cool little accessories like. . shrink wrap.

end result?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n...b096f60d63b50f

I'm from winnipeg Manitoba. Gets pretty chilly here that's forsure. I wouldn't even bother with an elbow or anything. Just un hook the gate. You aren't really producing enough fuel to make any dangerous amount of boost. Better to spend the money on a set of delivery valves or even a crazy Carls intake horn. Or a gsk

The gsk would be in the same price range as a boost elbow and controller thingy. About 100$ is a gsk. Donno if you have exhaust yet either but if you haven't done the dp or anything just save up. Since your goals are pretty modest I'd save up for a super b or a killer b from bd. they come pre wastegated, excellent product and their kits include a hx40 dp in the price. Some fuel mods, timing and the turbo you'd be very happy with minimal money.

Could I not get a turbo from BW and save the hassle of paying BD markup on what is essentially an S300?

Ya forsure the thing tho is they almost all come t4 and with varying housing sizes depending on size. And no wastegate. Which isn't bad. But to run say a boxish s360 you will have to have t4 adapter or manifold, get the tightest t4 housing which I believe is a .9 that's devised unless you can find the rare .83, make sure the fuel plate is tuned so you don't over boost unless you get an ext wastegate and manifold to support one as well unless you plan on a custom dp