Well I am still saving coin before I go look at the trucks and do some tradin, anyways. I am hopin to luck into a second gen dodge. Be it 12 or 24V IDC, I just wanna dodge. The guy I am doing business with, all he does is work and soup up dodges. Anyways, I am doing some writing and figuring, for if I get a P-Pump truck or a VP44 truck.

As I am int he VP section I want to ask some questions,and give you guys a idea of what I plan to do so I can get some advice.

Now the truck I plan on just having as a toy and a sports car per say. I just wanna have fun.

First thing I plan on doing is the guy I buy it from, if the truck is a Automatic, getting a Spare 47RE for it, and build it up as I can so I can swap it in when the time comes, but lets press on.

My first performacne upgrade I want to do is a Smarty. I have heard there are a few different places to get them from where they have some pretty good custom hot tunes, anyways, I plan on a smarty cause I have heard they are all around in general real good stuff about them but I have also heard that there economy tune is super nice too,

From there I plan on a exhaust, then accumulating the parts for a turbo and manifold upgrade, a good intake plenum (Thinking about getting a Tunnel Ram intake plate, and a intake horn) Injectors, and a Edge Drag Comp, and Fass/AirDog. I plan on doing the Fass/AirDog first as to not starve my VP44, then do everything else, so that I am not just throwing a ton of unburnt fuel into the air. I figure this would all be a good base of how I should do it. The trucks mainly gonna get driven, hooked to a sled twice a year, and the occasional drag race. I dont plan on it being abused all the time. I have a few other things I am tinkering with, and playing with in my head, but I hope to get advice.

Mainly I wanna know if my steps/process is logical

Also is there any better 'Stack' I could go with, with the smarty? I wanna be able to build power sooner, but I dont wanna be that annoying Jackass who smokes people out at every stop when he takes off.

I also am open for any advice, CONSTRUCTIVE ADVICE anyone wants to give me about this. I am all ears, and want to not waste my money.

 

I would change the order you do things, but this is just me.
The first thing I would do, and the first thing I did, was an Aftermarket lift pump. FASS and AirDog are both good units. $500-$600 up front saves $1100+ down the road.

Now that you fuel system is in good condition, it's time to watch what the engine is doing. Gauges can be done in mechanical form, or part of a fueling box. An Edge Juice with Attitude (EJWA) adds up to 125 RWHP, and comes with the gauges most people use. The most important gauge is fuel pressure. When it drops off, your looking at that $1100+ VP44 injection pump again. Pyrometer and Boost are also very important to have, as well as transmission temperature if you have an automatic.

Air flow, very important. Engines are nothing more than air pumps. A good stage 2 intake, or BHAF, and 4" exhaust really help out the air flow.

Fuel system is in check, she's breathing better, and you now know it with your gauges. So now you need to make a decision. Beef up the tranny so its safe for the power your about to add, or add the power and hope for the best. Even a Smarty, rated at about 65 HP, can tear a stock 47RE apart. A valve body and torque converter help significantly, but a full rebuild is the best if your building a sports car. If you want power first, hold off on the Smarty and get a fueling box. If you went with mechanical gauges, I'd use an Edge Comp. They fuel hard, and smooth. If you want the all in one package of power and gauges, an EJWA.

From here, fuel, gauges, air flow, trans, and fueling box, add the extras that make it better. A better turbo, a manifold, injectors, intake horn/plenum, all the extras can follow. The items previous to these will really wake up that 5.9.

 

RAW, I appreciate your quick reply, and I guess I should show my knowledge some so you can save some time typing (I know most this as I am a Diesel Technician) But I appreciate you stepping in, and I have been reading, and what you are saying makes more sense. I am asking this cause I love to build stuff, is there any way to do a DIY fuel system?

I ask cause I know some guys run holley pumps (Blues or Blacks forget which one) and I would love to build my own fuel system.

And the more I read the more I find that people only shy away from the Edge Drag Comp box for TST PM3, which seems to be the better. But I have no experience.

I plan on a BHAF, actually, using my PSD roots was going to do a 6637 filter, wouldn't that be fun no?

But if I get a automatic tranny, I plan on getting a spare 47RE, and going to build it using 48RE internals, and trying to add more clutches where I can. VB and a TC are a must.

Side Note: I am hoping when I go about a truck he has one that is a standard. Whats the average power rating of the NV4500 and NV5600? Just curious. I plan on a south bend clutch if I get a standard trans, which is my preference.

As for gauges, I know they are needed, but I am so use to the PSD, where all you need is Boost, Pyro, and Trans. But I am glad you brought up the fuel pressure. May I ask where I should hook up the fuel pressure gauge so I have it as a safety for my VP? And what should the lowest it should ever read be?

And is there any article I can read to get a idea of what the average VP44 can handle? Cause I want to tinker when I can and get more power, but I know, or here a lot that the VP44, have some limitations on HP to where its just a guessing game to how long they wil last.

Again, thank you very much RAW for your quick reply. I am still open for others thoughts and suggestions.

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

Hope this merges post if not sorry for the double post cause it wont let me go back and edit a second time. Anyways I been reading more about stacking and such and i read something I just want to know about. A Guy swears that for the best power he is using a TST MP-3, which is just a fuel box, a Van Aaken, which is just a timing box, and a Smarty. Swears it is a great well rounded stack, now not he has a Compounds, Water/Meth, Gauges,a dn everything. Is this true?

 

I did my own fuel system, the raptor pump came with 1/2" lines, I added the sump, kept stock fuel filter canister but removed water seperator and drilled out the bottom so it's 1/2" NPT with a barb, and ran the vulcan big line kit to the vp44. I also drilled the filters out of my connector tubes, everything else is in my sig... alot of guys on here do their own take on the systems... The holley pumps you mentioned are "ok" but are by no means the best thing going. and as far as hp limits of a vp- some say about 700hp fuel only, but monster and dragonflow vp's have made 1000hp

 

It could work, I don't see why not. Seems like a lot of playing around though. The Smarty can add some very aggressive timing, coupled with another fuel box it could get dangerous. I don't see the point of running too many electronics. I'd start looking at more mechanical fuel adders, pump and injectors, before another electronic device. All depends if you want to push buttons, or just feather the throttle.

 

I would much feather the throttle, but I think my problem stems from the fact my true tinkering on diesels is from playing with a P-Pump, and I am also use tot he thought like PSD's where they need some kind of chip to really get the fuel, so I guess I am intrigued by the thought that I could get some power, with some electronics, but I am also smart enough to know that to take full benefits of electronics, it would be in my best interest to make sure I have injectors that can flow all that fuel and enough Turbo(s) to feed it. I also plan on running water/meth, to help keep it cool, I also plan on running my own custom mix of 75/25.

I am going to do more searching and look at upgrades for a 24V, but he is a question. I have a Cummins P-Pump sitting in a box in my bedroom, would I be better off to do a P-Pump conversion on it and save myself some headache? I know you can get a complete kit for 1700 w/o Pump, and I know my timing should be set at about 18-20* for street use.

 

If you were to do a P-Pump right off the start, you may save a lot headache and money in the long run. Replacing the VP44 and lift pump is that $1700 for the kit just like that.

 

Well I am trying to feel it our cause My plan would be to upgrade the exhaust, and intake first, like you had recomended, then I could have my pump sent of to DPE, get it done up, get the conversion kit, and I have a F150 I drive, so I could let the cummins sit as I swap. I Figure a P-Pump swap would save a lot of headache and a lot of replacing parts. But I dont wanna do something stupid ya know?

 

Exhaust and Intake would be a good start. They will work for you regardless of the fuel system you choose. But, I think you do need to make a choice before you go much further. VP44, or P7100?