Sur5er

Well, the deeds have been done


Got the truck back on Monday and have been adjusting to the new sounds, feels, and smells. For those of you that flew in helos you know exactly what I mean. If you haven't, it's like waiting to hear something go bump in the night. The good news first: Mileage increased by over 2.5 MPG on just a short 104 mile run that was part feeling it out, part local and part highway @64mph. Not sure how much is due to the grid delete, 60hp nozzles, the Banks techni-cooler, the cam, the summer grade fuel, or the settings on my Bully Dog GT. Over the long haul I will work up some data on the fuel and different BD settings.

Something to watch out for when adding a grid delete or doing any work on the intake is the lack of clearance between the #1 Injector line and the grid heater. There isn't much clearance there with the stock grid heater anyway (something to check) but the larger size of the grid delete may cause the injector line to touch it. The sound that the line makes will make your heart stop. It sounds like a valve hitting the top of the piston, high pitch metallic and harmonic. Near as I can figure, the intake (horn, delete and manifold) act like the body of a guitar and amplify the sound of the start/stop motion of the fuel when the solenoid opens and closes. You could "feel" the noise when you touched the line and it wasn't a happy sound! I removed the #1 line and using a high speed rotary file, cut a .060 deep relief in the delete housing. I had also fabricated an additional bracket to attach to the line using the spare #4 injector line components. Noise gone and the line feels just like the other 5. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BEND THE INJECTOR LINE AND DON'T CHECK FOR LEAKS WITH YOUR FINGERS.

I had been getting an overboost code 0234 but I believe it was due to me incorrectly setting the wastegate pressure when I modded the solenoid. Boost pressure will run up to 39psi and the light will pop on. I adjusted the set screw to keep the boost below 30psi and no problems so far. The BDGT has a defuel setting for boost pressure so I may bring that setting down to 30psi too and make sure it works properly!

The engine has a totally different sound at idle and on the road. Idle is very smooth, no loping, no shuddering. Power is almost linear. Hard to explain but it feels like the engine just keeps pulling and the power band is idle to 3500. Turbo lights off much faster, very little smoke..............just a haze. The Banks system is nice. The intercooler was cool to the touch after a 50mile run.....amazing!