robfitz

Before I jump to conclusions and blame the Xzillaraider, yank it out and send it back let's see if anyone can help me understand what happened... it was a bit un-nerving.

I recently recieved and installed my Xzillaraider Standard box. The install was pretty straight forward and didn't take long at all.
The 1st use of the truck after the install was a trip out of town on a campout with my Boy Scout troop. I was traveling with 4 other vehicles.
After getting out of town and just before jumping on the highway we all stopped to make sure we were together. We were all accounted for and ready to go.
Up to this point the truck had been running fine with the Xzillaraider set to the 60hp setting. In the city traffic I hadn't had a good oppotunity to really test the box but I could tell there was a difference.
Well as we were pulling onto the highway I had to get moving in a hurray to get ahead of some oncoming traffic to stay with my group, so naturally, I put my foot into it.
WOW! The truck took off like a rocket, leaving a 100 yards of black smoke behind... really cool, until just as I was easing off the throttle and POW!!! Things got wierd. The engine all of a sudden sounded - different. Kind of like an old gasser that you've gotten too hot and loaded down too much and the valves are clattering like crazy. Then the check engine light came on. I immediately turned the Xzillaraider to 30HP and the truck lurched, kind of like I had turned the key off and on real quick. I turned the box all the way off, which cause nothing strange. Just about as quickly as all this had happened the engine went back to it's normal sound and I cautiously turned the box back up to 60 with no ill effects. Because of the situation I did not stop until 90 miles down the road. I checked the codes and found that it had thrown two
P0191 & P0251 - both fuel related.
The truck ran fine the rest of the way on the 60 setting. Matter of fact the next day when I started for the 1st time the engine was quieter than I ever remember it. It ran fine on the trip home.

Soooo... can anyone help me out with a theory of what the heck happened?
Did I experience what it's like when the engine de-fuels?
Do you think, under the same circumstances, minus the Xzillaraider, that I would have had the same thing happen?

I do have EGT, boost and trans gauges but was too busy watching behind me and never noticed what they read when this was all happening.
Any ideas would be appreciated. I bought this box because of all the praise I read about it here on DTR but if it's going to cause the truck to wig out any time I need to use the extra power it will have to go.

qzilla

Without knowing all the detail it is tough to give an exact diagnosis, but I will try.

The 0251 is most likely a fuel regulator code. This code shows up if the regulator has a problem or if the cascade valve were to pop. I can tell you that the cascade did not pop because the truck ran normal afterwards.

I am guessing that you either had a piece of trash slow the fuel flow down (not likely) or you need to change your filter. You could also have a weak lift pump, but I doubt that as well.

Anyhow, what happens is that you jump on it and it asks for fuel, if the regulator does not get the fuel it thinks it needs then you get the code. When it does this it also thinks it is not getting the right RP so it sets a rail pressure code. 0191 is just a generic rail pressure code.

The truck thinks it needs more fuel so it ramps up and when we see the ramp up we go to a low table to keep the rail pressure from going high.

Setting a code is not normal with the box, but the box does not stop a code from being set if it needs to be. The codes help us diagnose the problem you had. Would this have happened without the box, I doubt it. It should not happen with the module, but sometime small things can give you a problem. You may be able to run wide open from here on out on 100hp setting without ever having an issue, but you never know. IF you have 7,000 miles or more on a fuel filter you probably need to get it changed, and that probably contributed to the problem.

If you have product on enough trucks you are eventually going to have an issue here or there. If you will call us on Monday morning we can get the full details and go from there. Your CEL will go out on its own if the condition does not come back. Usually 4 keystarts and moving the truck 10ft will do it.

Hope that helps.

Quad

saint

I already know that this is a stupid question, but when you throw a code, what does that mean? Where does it show up? Fandangled computers...

John Rodriguez

Check engine light. You can use a scanner, or there is a method of holding the trip meter with the engine off to get the codes.

Dodgezilla

Mine's been running fine but I really got into it yesterday and although it was running awesome I too got the strange loud clatter from the engine(truck was not fully warmed up). I let off the pedal and it quieted down and even my wife commented on how strange it sounded. I had positive fuel pressure although it was not a lot. My truck has done this on occasion before the Quad box but it was louder than I have heard it before. I made another hard pull later on and the noise did not occur but the engine was fully warmed up that time. . .

The good thing is that on a hard pull to 95 mph my max EGTs were only 1100 degrees.....

Hey Quad!!! Is there a problem with me running my Boost elbow with your box. I didn't feel like pulling it off yet but I will if it's going to cause me problems....

RamWheelsBy4

saint,

To view trouble codes you turn the key from off to on three times. Do not start. Look at the OD readout. If any trouble codes are set they will display in order for a couple of seconds. When the display of codes reads "done", all, if any trouble codes have been displayed.

Berak

I've used the 60 and 100 hp settings and I haven't noticed any smoke at all? Is that normal or should I be seeing some black smoke??

Lightman

Berak I don't get any appreciable amounts of smoke either - the quad box and the 305/555's are very clean burning. The only times I've been able to see any is on 100hp at night if I floor it from a stoplight , I can see a little smoke in the headlights of the car behind me in the right lane. If you have the std box you will have slightly less smoke than the race.

spdiesel

Sounds like you may have a loose connector. Check the fuel pressure sensor connections in particular...the custom molds Quadzilla and Dr. P use do not make the best connections, so they could come loose.

robfitz

qzilla, thanks for the feedback.

The fuel filter has almost 8500 miles on it so I'll change it tonight. The CEL is gone now as well. I'll give you a call just to follow up.
Other than the one incident, I like the box. One way or the other I'll probably keep the box... I was raised in Vegas which makes me a risk taker by nature.

Dodgezilla

I get some smoke on the 140hp setting....

qzilla

It is not a loose connector. I do not use the same plug as the Dr P box does. My plugs cannot come loose.

robfitz

I checked all the connectors and found everything tight and clipped in place. A connector being loose would seem to me to be pretty remote, concidering it only happened once and only under load.
I did speak with someone at Quadzilla. No real reslolution but he was surprised at all the smoke. He said it shouldn't smoke but maybe a puff until the turbo spins up. Even without the box my truck has alway smoked when I put my foot into. Nothing like the smoke I saw the other day though. Both the fuel and air filters have about 8500 miles on them and mostly city driving so I'll change them and see if it makes a difference.
Bottom line, the tech at Quad said if it happens again call right away and we'll figure something out.

spdiesel

Quad, I guess I was mistaken, the connectors I have seen on your box and Dr.P’s look identical, I guess there is a subtle difference, that makes yours make a positive connection and not allow for hooking up backwards.

Robfitz,

If your truck all of a sudden starts rattling and throwing out massive amounts of smoke shutdown immediately as you are spiking the fuel pressure rail with max pressure, which may cause engine damage. This can happen if the fuel pressure connector comes loose or if there is an issue with fuel modification inside of any pressure box.

dodgezilla04

I have had the quad standard for 1 month now and I love it. Towed the travel trailer, 9k lbs, this weekend. Started on the 30 hp setting, no problems, went to 60. much better, went across the hood canal bridge headed west. anyone who has gone that way knows after crossing the bridge, there is is very steep hill 1 mile long in a 60 mph zone, up from 40 with constuction on the bridge. stomped the pedal, lost traction(rain), feathered the pedal, got traction and was gone!!! Max boost was 41 psi, max egt was 1200, reached the top in excess of 70 mph!! last time pulling the trailer that way stock, egt was over 1300 and I backed off of the pedal. IT actually lowered egt. must be the added air of the additional boost. Towing mileage was up as well. I am very pleased with the results. Thanks Quad