I'm going to do my first performance mod to my truck.

I do not have a pyro yet and it is not in the immediate future.

98% of my driving is empty or with light load. I will have to transport a boat that weighs about 5000# before too long...

1996, auto (rebuilt but don't know what's inside it), 3.55 gears, 265/75/16 tires, no changes made from factory besides the blown-out wastegate diaphram (I'd love to find a working one).

I'm between a #10 and a #8. One fellow I spoke with wanted to sell me a 3K GSK kit and a #8 and have me slide it all the way forward. He said he did it so many times that he didn't even put pyros on trucks with that setup necessarily. I think I will use the spacing template though.

I can tow with a light foot and don't mind slowing to 50 mph or so just to be safe. Mainly I want some speed when empty as I find the truck really slow. If a #10 is safer empty, I should probably go with that.

I'm gonna do the 3K GSK, pyro, timing, valve adjustment, etc eventually, but I have been quite busy with the body and suspension on the truck lately as it was just put back into use. Need $$$$ and some time.

Input appreciated.

 

I wouldn't even slide the stock plate forward without a pyro.
If you don't want to install a pyro leave the engine stock.

The picture below is from a 12 valve whose only mod was sliding the stock plate forward, no pyro.
The owner drove it quite some time with the mod and no gauge till one day towing 4000 pounds up a slight grade with a head wind it nailed him. Engine still ran, but not very good. Repairs totaled about $2500.
You can drive like grandma if you don't want to install a pyro but then what's the sense in jacking up the hp?

 

I agree with Bill....Don't take a chance without a pyro...I'm finding that each pump is different even when comparing a 175 pump to another 175 pump in a different truck...Each will fuel different and have different EGT even if both have the same mods...

The 3K springs are a great mod with the 10 plate...But the smaller pumps could take more fueling than the 215..I ran a 10 plate but now a zero plate,215 injectors...I'm still expermenting on DV (running LC now,but you have to have a very thight AFC,otherwise you will loose performance.Going to cut 022and 024 for testing)...Don't do these mods without a pyro and boost gauage..Better safe than sorry...

 

As Bill said.....

 

OK, fair enough. I don't want to melt pistons. My engine is in awesome shape internally right now. Oil stays clean for a long time.

Should I wish, I could do the 3K GSK without a pyro, no?

I DO want to install a pyro, very much. It's just the time, money and other factors right at the moment. There is also nothing left of my dash whatsoever. I wish I had a solution for that, then I would feel better about selecting a location for the pyro gauge and boost.

OK, that being said, pyro installed, which plate would you fella's choose for my needs? With a pyro, I wouldn't be afraid of a zero but if anyone besides me drives it...

And thanks much for the knowledgeable opinions thus far.

 

Getting back to removing every square inch of the extremely flaking white paint later today. It's already back to SRW with aluminum wheels.

 

if money is the issue, i would spend it on the pyro and just pull the fuel plate out all together.

 

I was going to say the same thing.

A plate is like a cruise control for your egts. With no plate you control egts with your foot just like you would control mph with no cruise.
When/if you get tried of using your foot and watching the pyro then buy a plate.
I don't like my eyes pinned to the pyro especially when towing and have found a #10 fits my needs best. Which plate or none at all depends on what you're using the truck for.
Cheap plates that are just as good as the expensive ones are available on ebay.
Gauges show up there and in the ads here for good prices also.
Just buy an inexpensive metal 'L' shaped gauge holder from the auto parts and mount the gauges anywhere. The install doesn't need to permanent.

 

just take it out or grind it yourself bing bang free easy power!

 

Toss the plate in the top of the tool box. Plates are for chumps!

 

Makes sense.

BUT, I have read somewhere else that not having a plate in there can be bad over the long term.

Less than $30 for any plate I want shipped to the house off of ebay.

In KY there were tons of black-smokers and apparently no regulation of emissions. Here in TN they are few and far between. With no plate, I'd have to watch my mirrors a lot I suppose.

Found a Pyro complete shipped to the house for $114.00. That's a steal. I know there are good instructions on where to drill and so forth somewhere on this site. I'll search for them soon. Back to the bodywork today.

 

Once you get your new fuel plate....You could grind your old plate to a zero plate and experment with two plates..

 

The bolded statements are false. Running with no plate will not hurt the longevity of the pump. Running with no plate will not cause anymore smoke in day to day driving than you already have. AFC is the most important tool in smoke control, not the plate.

 

roger that