I've got a 96 cummins turbo w/ auto trans & K&N drop in w/145k mi. It is still totally stock. We recently bought a 34 ft 5th wheel. It pulls it Ok I guess but I would like to know that I have the power to get up and go if I wanted to.... My tranny is giving me some probs right now, I think it's clutch pack about to go out. So I plan on spending $1700 on getting rebuilt soon(rebuilt back to original). I plan on having this truck until it dies. I also DONT have alot to spend. and I can turn wrenches! I've asked a few people what I should do. So far heres what I've been told..............
1 - 4" pipes from turbo back = 10HP

2 - Bank's said- 90HP= 4" exhaust, fuel meetering plate & wastegate = $1309.00

3 - Dr. Performance said- 90HP= swap out injectors and pump = $1600 + 300 labor

I would like to get 70-90 more HP w/out loosing gas milage (if this is even possible). I dont want to go too radical with this, I'm not racing or anything.... Any suggestions? PLease Help

 

#10 plate= free, grind it yourself, 16* timing, 4" straight pipe, and get rid of that K&N and install a BHAF or a cmplete intake. When you rebuild your tranny maybe you could get a heavy duty torque converter and valve, these would help you during towing alot.

 

First off If you plan on keeping the truck til she dies then I highly suggest not rebuilding the transmission back to original! You will just have it go again on ya IMO. I would spend the money on the tranny before spending it on that other stuff you wanted.

I think you could easily get 70-90 hp without spending 1309+1900=3209
I'd do like ***** said, grind the plate, get rid of the K&N. The I would buy a 4' exhaust from someone other then banks who will be much cheaper. Then with all the other money you have left throw it into the tranny and you won't have to worry about it again.

 

I would go ahead and beef up the tranny more. You never know how hard the bombing bug will get you. A #10 plate, like Willy91 suggested, would be the way to go. Gauges would be a good safety precaution. With my plate all the way forward, i can hit 1200 degrees if I floor it, but once the turbo spools, it'll back down to 800 degrees. My truck has the same pump as yours so your egt's would be close to mine, but you never know. To make a long story short, if you add fuel, get some gauges (pyro and boost).

Edit: Go to www.sourceautomotive.biz for cheap parts like exhaust. Thats where I got mine from. Rip has good customer service, too.

 

OK, first, what do you mean by grinding the plate? (be patient w/ me... this diesel stuff is new to me) 2nd, what should I do or have done w/ the tranny? order a performance one or have someone reputable rebuild with heavy duty components? and thanks for the replies!!!!

 

Grinding the plate means changing the profile of the fuel plate in the injections pump to allow the govener arm to fuel differently and add horsepower. As for the tranny I would suggest calling around to several different tranny companys to see what they think. I would Highly recomend Dave Goerend www.gbtransmissions.com He is a great guy to work with and builds an awsome tranny.

 

*****, thanx for the patience..... Is the fuel plate easy to get to and can anyone w/ common sence and basic mechanical knowledge do this task? Do you have any links to diagrams so I could see what I will be getting into? I do remember someone saying that I could take the stock plate and just slide it all the way forward. Is this basicly what you guys are saying?

 

In my opinion this mod is very easy to do. I'll look around and see if I can find any diagrams to help you. I would suggest grinding the plate to a #10 profile instead of sliding it.

 

Scroll down this thread for plate profiles. https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...=plate+profile

Heres what I've done to mine so far, without spending much more than time, except for the very important gauges, http://www.dieselmanor.com/gauges/ga...dge-isspro.asp
Homeground #100 plate, stock position (will slide forward when trans mods are done) Homemade boost fooler, (needle valve in wastegate line to bleed off pressure, allows 30+ psi) Turn starwheel towards motor at least 15-20 clicks. 4" straight pipe from the gutted catalytic converter back, no muffler.
Planning soon, timing to 15*-16*, 3K gsk or the washers on the springs trick (use search), 4" downpipe coming, into 5" stacks, and will be installing a shift kit soon.
Use search and you can find out how to do all these mods. Also check this site http://www.dodgeram.org/support_pgs/diesel_ix.htm for more info.
And definately, upgrade the trans when you R/R it, they barely hold the stock Cummins torque, and can't hold 70-90 more ponies. Many vendors sell upgrade kits for the DIYer that have better clutches etc. Also replace the wasteful stock TC.

 

70-90 HP increase will push a stock automatic to the limit. Especially the Torque Converter. Stock they're good for maybe 250-260 HP. Trust me, I found out the hard way.

You need to get a set of gauges if you're wanting to add HP. You can put the Banks kit together yourself for a lot less $. A properly adjusted #10 plate with the boost elbow, either a 3K gov spring kit or the washer trick (search the 2nd Gen performance section) and a 4" exhaust system (if your exhaust temps are getting high) will get you where you want to be. You won't believe the difference in how your truck will run. Your mileage shouldn't suffer too much if you can keep your foot out of it. (Ha, good luck!)

Have fun

edit: Looks like Racer9 beat me to it. Listen to him, he's a smart guy.

 

On a stock auto all i will ever do to them is just slide the plat and housing full foward and turnn the starwheel.

give me a call im only bout an hour away and ill be in abilene tomorrow (sat.)

325-200-8847

thanks
Jake Staton

 

www.rpmoutlet.com has some awesome prices on autometer gauge kits ($189 2 gauge and $229 3 gauge) they also have good prices on exhaust. Get your tranny taken care of and some gauges then a fuel plate, GSK and exhaust if needed, if you don't mind a little noise, a 4ft piece of 3" pipe flared on the ends to replace the cat and muffler works good.

Here is some links for tranny places
http://www.dieseltrans.com
http://www.htstransmissions.com
http://www.goerendbrotherstransmission.com/index.html

Hope this helps...Josh

 

First of all banks products are way overpriced and overrated for our trucks

I know, when i first bought my truck it came with the powerpack.. and i thought it was the baddest thing around, till i found out it wasnt much over 300 rwhp, well lucky me this thing came with the truck, then the power evolution started, starwheel, plate forward, then i went to a 100, BHAF, and then timed the truck, and now 370 injectors goin in. GOOD LORD.. tehre is so much more u can do to ur truck for cheap for 90 horses or so..

My suggestions for just that gain? well get soem gauges first, build up the trans second..

and for 90-100 horses add

injectors (370s)
push the fuel plate forward
adjust the starwheel
time the injector pump to 16-16.5 degrees
exhaust? i had and still have a banks stinger in the yard. dont need it i just strait piped my truck....

be prepared tho, ur truck might get a lil smokey if u do these mods, but count on an easy 50 rwhp increase on the injectors alone....

 

Right now I'm looking at some gauges.. Pyro & booster. How high do the gauges need to read and do they come w/ everything needed for installation?

 

It all depends where you buy them from..

A pyrometer is simply your exhaust gas temperature gauge, or EGT for short, where it reads is all dependant on your fueling setup and so forth, BUT the probe does need to be tabbed right on the manifold. NOT THE DOWNPIPE like my truck has it.. its in teh process of getting moved... The boost gauge is simply a reading of how much boost your turbo is actually pushing.

any good company will get you some instructions, if not look on this site.. or on dodgeram.org, and look at some instructions..

Rick