Current mods are below. The plan is to go with 4" turbo back exhaust (obviously) and either Mach 1 or 1.6s with my V5 box (timing only). I might consider installing the AFE intake horn if it will give some torque benifits.

Anyone have any experience towing with exhaust, intake, timing, and mild injectors - or a mild injector and combo timing/fueling box with fueling off? I don't want to be concerned with EGTs while pulling grades and was thinking with the above mods I'd be around the 300-325 RWHP / 700tq range. Also, I do have a boost elbow and would like to keep the stock HX35 as long as I can. A fueling box will come later with a turbo upgrade.

Anyone have any input for getting some better towing power while maximizing the efficiency of the stock turbo? All I wanna do is hold 55-60mph on a decent highway grade and have a little power to spare.

Thanks very much for reading.

Mike.

 

With the DD2 injectors (90 hp) I'm running now, if I leave the TST off, I don't have any EGT issues. This combo worked well with my stock turbo as well. Now with the bigger turbo, I pull with the TST anywhere from 2-5 depending on the load.

 

Thanks. How was your towing power and TQ with the stock charger and those injectors? What weight did you tow?

Thanks, mike.

 

The EZ (or Smarty) and DD2s put out right at 350hp, don't remember the torque. In that config, I towed everything from little utility trailers up to 35' dual tandem flatbeds loaded with hay (17 rolls at 1500lb/each).

The only time I ever saw temps peak was if I stayed in 6th way too long trying to pull when I really should have dropped to 5th (3.55s hurt on the highway with a load unless you're moving fast).

Also, if your boost elbow is adjustable, make sure you keep max boost under 35psi. Any more than that and you're just pushing hot air.

 

Good stuff. So If you ran DD2s and I run Mach 1s (or DD1s), stands to reason my HP would be a little less than yours - say 325 or so. That works. Was your HP reading taken on a dyno?

Mike

 

The DD2 were rated at 90hp, the Mach 1s are 65hp. But the Mach 1 is a better injector than the DD2 (newer technology). Another factor to consider is that with my HO (at the time), I got more benefit from injectors and less from fueling boxes. I would say that your HP would be slightly lower, but it would be hard to quantify how much.

The ~350 number was taken on multiple dynos. I ran an EZ before I had the Smarty. I made dyno runs with the EZ/DD2 combo at different dynos and always made 340-345. With the Smarty/DD2 combo, I would make 345-350.

 

I would not get too excited with a stock automatic. If you tow above some 5k# it won't be happy, especially in the hills. Besides, VA-V5 is not a timing only box, it does both fueling and timing, so I turn mine off completely for towing in the mountains. However, my Mach 1.6 give me enough power without getting too hot. I tow 10k# in CO but I have a manual tranny; you will have to be even more careful with an auto.

 

WOW! That's a new one on me, thanks Paul.. everything I've read says the V5 is timing only. I even called the factory a couple years back (when they were still in business) and IIRC a guy there said it was timing; but I can't remember . Not that I'm doubting what you're saying but is there any literature anywhere that says it's fueling too? If so, that would be kinda cool - I wouldn't need a fueling box.

Thanks, Mike.

 

I am pretty sure that 60 Hp can not be added on timing alone. Any site that sells VA says that it is a timing / fueling box, for example:
http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/s...smartbox-r.htm
http://www.gautoparts.com/product_p/va-sbxx.htm

"The extra power is achieved by carefully increasing the fuel delivery and advancing the injection timing. Advancing the injection timing also serves to reduce Exhaust Gas Temperatures (EGT's) which remain close to stock levels with the van Aaken SmartBox™ fitted."

Also, the amount of smoke it will put out if you lug the engine a little bit is much greater than without it, which suggests that it does add some fuel early. This latter feature is what makes me turn it off in the mountains. On high plains (or lower elevations that my 5,000-10,000 ft) towing with VA on 50% might be the way to go but does not work for me in the Colorado summer. Driving empty, VA is really nice.

 

The 60 HP is added lower in the power curve. None of the boxes like the EZ etc pick up much total H.P at whatever speed the engines make it peak at, the 60 HP is picked up because it comes on sooner, or lower in the power band.

 

The XZT+ from quadzilla picks up 60 peak HP at or around 2800 RPM