Ok, continuing my series of reports on high elevation truck.
Received and installed Van Aakens today on two trucks, mine and my friend's. His is a stock 2001 5-speed and we put a V5 in his; mine got a R version. To the best of what I can tell, the only difference in the packages is the MAP harness: looks like the V5 has an adapter for my data plug but not for the MAP. Attaching the R version is a bit of a PITA but you only do it once.
We are at 5,700 ft right here at work, temperature is 95*, which gives an equivalent density altitude of about 10,300 ft.
Lowell's truck was first and the difference was most dramatic. The truck pretty much jumps now and one has to really mind their right foot or it smokes unmercifully. Lowell managed to leave a 100 ft smoke trail going from a stop light but figured out quickly to rev up the RPMs more and then shift, and slowly get up RPMs to about 1600, then gun it - this avoids the smoke.
Mine was less impressive in lower RPMs: I felt a lot of change there from my M1.6s alone, so the box did not add up a whole lot there. Well, maybe it did but the truck would smoke like a coal train if I pushed it at low RPMs, so I did not try to find out. When on the road, at 1,600 RPM in 4th gear, rolling into the gas pedal produces an extremely impressive acceleration with barely a haze. It is very easy to put out a smoke cloud if you upshift early and roll into it while the engine is at 1,200 RPM
Anyway, some smoke is not necessarily a curse and it clears up fast, I just need to remember to stay out of gas until the engine is above 1,600. After that it does not smoke. I will have to be careful with that when towing, I don't like to look like a moving fire emergency situation.

 

Question: the instructions for VA say that with an optional 3-position switch, the unit can be set to Off, 50% power and 100% power. How is a switch wired to use 2 wires and provide three positions? Does anybody have a connection diagram?

 

I'd like to know about that myself. Although I'd be happy with just an on/off. Bought my VA used, no instructions

 

I have a V5, and the instructions only mention off & on. I like mine too, but it doesn't make that much smoke; however, I'm all stock besides the V5. It does help with hills & pulling a 11.7K lb fifth wheel. I'm also at lower elevations than you.

 

Well, here are the two pages from my VA manual that got me thinking. The only way this can be done that I can think of is, by installing a resistor on the third contact of the switch. I would like to know what the value of that resistor is... which would also mean that one could make the VA fully adjustable by using a variable resistor. I will keep looking for schematics or for someone who owns a 3-position switch, to ask them to measure it up.
The three-position switch may be a feature of the last batches of VA boxes that they made just before going out of business. Its a shame they did

 

Mine didn't come with a switch, so I guess the 3 way is a function only with the newer unit3. I only have the two wires coming out for a switch to turn it on & off. I do have the boost fooling feature though.

 

Reading the Van Aaken instruction sheet leads me to believe that a resistor is used as you thought. Open circuit or infinite ohms gives full power and shorted or zero ohms gives zero added power. A quick ohm meter reading with the switch in the middle position will give you an idea of what size pot to try. For example if the middle position reads 1K ohm a 10K pot may work. If the reading is 10K ohm, I would try a 100K ohm pot. Generally in automotive circuitry they stay away from things much over 100K ohms because of the chance of noise pick-up problems with high impedances (>100K ohm).

 

I cant say for sure how it works, but varying resistance is probably right. The VA if I remember right is a timing box, so the only differenence I think you'll see if thorttle response and MPG. I really wish I could come that way for a few days, I'd love to see how the altitude really comes into play. Either way your smoke probably isn't because of the VA, but the smidge of added fueling can't be helping.

 

I agree! The only hold up is, I don't have the factory switch

Well, why wait? It is only a few (thousand) miles away

I would say, smoke is due to elevation mostly. Stock injectors did not smoke at all when I had them, and RV275 smoked only when pulling away from a light with a 10k trailer, even then for just a light puff for a couple of seconds. M1.6 smoke noticeably on the empty truck if you shift into 3rd into 1200 rpm and swiftly roll into it, but clear pretty fast.
With VA, there is more thick black smoke in the second scenario: it must fuel more and early, when the turbo is not up yet in thin air. This is why it smokes with stockers too, and like I said - when Lowell rolled into it, he left a black smoke trail about 200 ft long! I feel like it smokes more with stockers than with 1.6s for some reason. But then again, the two trucks are not identical: I can hear my turbo very well but Lowell's - not at all, although I know it is kicking in. They both have silencer rings installed.
I drove more tonight, it is still 90* out. I am getting used to not touching the accelerator, more like blowing on it. Even this makes my wife jump and grab the "Oh-shoot" handle, and say "I think the injectors were just enough! You sure you need that chip?!". Pretty funny, and the truck feels really light now. Lowell said, "I love it but need to learn to drive again". He's retiring soon so he will have all the time he needs for that