Lil Dog

NorKal,

The plate profile on the top end with the 100 plate may give you more HP, but with a stock turbo, you are stuck battling EGT's even though you have the fuel.

OffRoad,

The problem with the charts is that is for the plate in the stock position. Any movement forward or backward by 0.010" can affect HP by as much as 15hp. The GSK doesn't add HP per se, but it does lengthen out the range you have with the plate setup to broaden out the torque curve over the 3K mark. Some guys don't like the #10 plate with an auto as it gives the fuel a little low in the RPM range, which may cause tranny slippage due to low line pressure. Personally, the profile of the #10 is one of the most dramatic for mid range power.

offroad

When I installed the shift kit, I talked directly to Transgo and the choices made during install are supposed to have raised line pressure. I'm also planning on a better TC before a fuel plate.

I called TST and they recommended either a #8 plate without a GSK kit, or a #10 with a 3K GSK. They estimated around 300hp and 700 torque for the #10 / GSK combo on my truck but, it seems hard to believe just adding the GSK would add an additional 80hp.

They also said the #8 plate doesn't work well with a GSK and the #10 wouldn't work well without it (Auto/180 pump). I'd like to keep it easy on the transmission, but the GSK kit sounds like it would help a truck that will be towing since I wouldn't start losing power at 24-2500rpm.

What plate combo would you recommend?

Thanks.

Lil Dog

Personally, I would go with #10 and 3K GSK. My father-in-Law has it in his 95 Auto and it works really well. With the auto, a GSK is a necessity. You can hold highway speeds in direct gear with full power for the hills.

offroad

I think a 95 auto would be the 160 pump, is it stock otherwise? Ever been on a dyno to see whats its putting out? Stock auto transmission or what mods?

Thanks.

Lil Dog

Ya its only the 160 pump, the plate is just ever so slightly forward. Runs about 28 psi peak boost, so not crazy power. Probably in the 250 Hp range. The tranny is stock, with mega miles on it. The TC is giving up trying to hold it, so if you have any aftermarket TC, you would be fine. IMHO of course...LOL..

lgp9999

That doesn't surprise me at all. Horsepower is not a measurable value, it is calculated. Torque is measured, and horsepower is calculated using torque and RPM. The formula is as follows:

HP= TQxRPM / 5252

So let's say a particular CTD puts down 700ft/lb @ 1800RPM. This gets us 239.9 HP.

Let's install a GSK that raises the peak torque to 2800RPM. That same 700ft/lb of torque now get's us 373.2 HP.

This is exactly the calculation process that the dyno goes through to find HP. Once again, a dynomometer measures torque, and calculates RPM Understanding the concept of HP vs. TQ really helps understand the characteristics of an engine. If you see the a dyno chart with torque MUCH higher than the HP, then you know that it is not a high revving engine, and just the opposite is also true (i.e. Hondas... they produce decent HP in some cases, but rarely produce a respectable amount of torque - these number are so lopsided due to the high revving nature of these engines).

Now that you know how torque, HP, and RPM relate to one another you should be able to see how a GSK could VERY easily raise your HP by a HUGE amount.

wcbcruzer

Torque is what you feel. Horsepower is how long you can feel it. Roughly speaking.

offroad

Thanks for the explanation, that helps a lot. I have always understood that a high revving engine will produce more HP than Torque, and an engine like the CTD will produce more torque than HP. I have read here that adjusting timing higher will move the rpm that HP is produced at up, but I thought that a GSK would just move the point at which the governor starts to defuel to a higher rpm.

I see now that it does more than that. The specs for my engine show peak torque is produced at 1500 rpm, how much higher will a 3kGsk push that figure? I really want a Plate/GSK combo for this truck, but I'm wondering if my trans can handle it even after adding a good TC?


Your 96 has the same pump, trans, RE ratio and also appears to have the same shift kit as my truck. Is the rest of the trans stock? How does it stand up to the #10 plate and 3KGSK? Is the plate in the stock position, how are the EGT's and has it ever been dyno'd? Do you tow with it?

Thanks.

kevellis32

A lot has to do with your transmission or clutch. I have A lot more done than that and when my tranny was on its way out I could barely push 300hp

Big Dblue

So is a 0 plate anygood or is it too much fuel?

wcbcruzer

The rest of the trans is pretty much stock. I also added an aluminum accumulator piston, heavy duty 2nd gear band strut, and upgraded front servo cover. So far it's standing up fine to the mods. The fuel plate is in the stock position. Never dyno'ed. I don't really even look at my EGT gauge anymore. I don't have to worry about it. I don't tow often. When towing you might have to keep an eye on the EGT's going uphill, but overall the #10 is very driveable. The 3kGSK I have is actually the washer mod I did for free.

kas83

First off, don't pedal the thing on a dyno run. WFO or nothing at all, in my opinion. The momentary spike in EGT's will not hurt anything, trust me. If you have crazy timing or super high boost numbers, then I'd be worried, other than that, give it all it's got, that is the point after all.

As for hp numbers on other pumps, following the chart gives you a realistic ballpark. Both of my trucks have dyno'd more than the advertised chart ratings, the 97 being more of a gain. As was said before, plate position can and will greatly affect the power. A bump in timing will also greatly affect the power. If your timing has slipped, you will not see the gains.

Dyno will a plugged fuel filter, dirty air filter, slipping trans/clutch, and they will all affect the outcome. Make sure truck is in good running order, that the drivetrain is indeed transmitting the power to the ground. All basics, but many times overlooked.

I forgot to mention, my dyno runs were on a Mustang Dyno, which some say reads alot higher. Can't say for sure either way on that one.

drolex

There are other ways to calculate horsepower. Torque is also a calculation (feet times pounds). BTW, some units for torque are ft*lb and N*m, not ft/lb. I can record my speed in a WOT run and create a HP plot from the data. I can calculate other things too.

Has anyone been on the dynamometer with a #8 plate?

lgp9999

You've actually got it backward. A Mustang Dyno will actually read a little bit lower. I don't know exactly the reason as I am not a dyno expert, but they are known for that. I was on a Mustang Dyno with my car a few years ago, putting down 200whp at the time, and the operator said that it would be around 5-6hp higher on a Dynojet.

tvk

Does anybody know why they are saying at TST that GSK won't work well with #8 plate or #6 plate which i have. Is BD-power and TST #6 plates somehow different, because at BD-power they said that GSK will work with #6 plate just fine.