phantom 309

i have already decided on my tranny but i have also been considering getting a smarty. however, from what i have seen it seems like more hp=more problems. i have the money to upgrade but i dont have the money for a new engine am i right or do i need to be set straight?

COUNTRYBOY

A smarty wouldn't hurt...

xtoyz17

You have a LONG way to go before you need engine work. Turn up the wick!

megacabdad

If you do decide on it...

You will wonder why you waited so long to purchase it.

Just because you have it doesn't mean you all the sudden need to go drag racing or sled pulling, (even though you may want to!)

But it really does make driving you truck a much more enjoyable experience.

jgiachino

If built / used responsibly and with common sense, a reliable modded truck is easily achievable...and worth it for the improved driving experience....

You just have to balance concern for breakage with addictioin to power / modding.....i'm shooting for 550hp as a target (guessing i'm in the mid to upper 4XX's) pre turbo / arson 2.

Good luck...if you're really concerned about it, get your trans built and get a smarty jr.... +100 hp, no added pressure, great egt's with stock turbo.....and absolute minimal risk of breakage.....and a very fun driving experience.

bigwheels94

Look at the truck in my sig. It has been modded starting with a Quad XZT since it had 1K miles. Look at it now, with all the stuff I've got, & It's over 56K miles, & I expect to go another 1/4 million miles from here. Don't worry about the engine, just the drive train, & tires.
Oh Yea. Be prepaired to drive, & grin at the same time the first time your truck fryes the tires @ 50 mph when your passing someone in a ricer!

phantom 309

so with the smarty what would you recomend me putting the setting on?

jgiachino

Just start off slow and learn the different levels and what they offer....if your the type that puts it on the highest level and thrashes.....dont do anything until you get the transmission built (doesnt seem like you are, but had to say that).

with a stock trans i'd stay at level 5 (90 hp) or below....no brake / boosted launches.....stock or mild tq mgmt settings....cant go wild tq mgmt (low end fueling) or that'll cause some issues....start at level 3, you'll love it, then when your comfortable move to level 5, but i think that's borderline, so pay attention to any trans slippage.

For Smarty Jr. go with level 2 (70 hp)...think level 3 (100 hp) might be pushing it...

phantom 309

well i plan on taking care of the tranny, my main concern now is everything else. fuel pump, injectors, ENGINE and im not sure which smartty setting is going to add safe power

Mocho

That is concerning me about my truck to. Had a Bullydog for the last year, the power is nice but I rarely use it and worried it might be hurting my truck, and be better off getting rid of it. What about people having injector problems etc? I know a lift pump is in order as more fuel is needed, but that's a given anyways. I mean my truck isn't getting near hot, never seen over 1300 ever, but i'm still really worried. The power is nice, but it's not worth having problems.

jgiachino

If you keep the rail pressure setting on 1-3, the pressures dont exceed stock, just ramp faster...so you control "protecting your injectors"...if you run the revo or tnt, it caps rpm at 3300 i beleive.....tnt/r is higher and would require valve springs....

Think the fuel pump is worth it....better filtration protects the injectors..and smarty can definately drain fp if it's on kill with tq mgmt, rail pressure and on a higher level (7 or 9)....


In the end, the settings allow you to set safe levels for your motor.....hell, you can run 4 levels (from stock to break stuff) on rail pressure, timing, tq mgmt and 9 power levels.....i cant see it being any safer than that unless you lack control :-) The mid range settings (130hp, moderate pressure, moderate tq mgmt and default timing) are all solid settings that arent pushing it...at least according to my rail pressure, boost, coolant, egt guages and the 45k i have on my truck.....now i've personally run the beta's/ other with lots of pressure, so i do plan on getting f1 injectors (so i can have don inspect them and ensure they're ok)...but that was my choice to run higher pressure, and i plan to address to ensure no issues.....

There's been a lot of smartys out there for quite a long time....i'm sure they can break trucks if used irresponsbily (no supporting mods and put on max levels across the board), but it's not like there's a ton (if any) of posts on smarty breaking motors....although have seen a few on stock transmissions...IMHO if common sense is used, and the levels set according to the supporting mods, they're as safe as any based upon available adjustments.....start at lower settinggs and adjust upward until you reach your comfort zone.

bigwheels94

Just a FYI. These B series engines are also in boats. That is what I do for a living. They are rated for 425hp in the exact configuration our truck engines are. The block & head are made in the same factory. With a few internal mods they are running @480hp too. These engines are duty cycled for 1 HOUR out of EIGHT hours @ WOT at those hp levels, & in a boat the load on them is allways there. Inj problems with proper filtration is allmost unheard of, & I have yet to see one blow a bearing, or a rod, that had oil in it. I would worry about your trans long before I worried about the engine.

Dan Marino

i love reading posts like yours.

phantom 309

is this common? my truck has a little bit of blowby when its warmed up and has been driven, even if its just for a little bit. but it doesnt have any when i first start it up?

cameroneod

I wouldn't worry about it. I run mine hard every day. RKL puffer tune (non stack) with the puck on high. Most people will tell you its a bad idea, but my truck has been running like that without a hitch for 60k miles.