Help the noob achive 400+ hp!!!

[M1]

I finally got my first gen. Its a 91 w350 non intercooled. So far all Ive done is tweek the pump a little, Im not sure what a stock fuel pin looks like so I didn't do any grinding yet. My goal for the truck is 300 or so hp. Its my dd so fuel economy is key also. The truck has around 230k miles, a rebuilt head and new pump and injectors. Im not looking to spend a friggin fortune as I only paid $2500 for the truck. Any advise on what to get and where to get it would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Matt

[Begle1]

That's a sweat deal with a new head and a injection system! Really sweat deal if the body's presentable. We want pictures...

Is it auto or manual?

The good news: the manual can get a little over 300 HP with stock injectors and tweaked pump, the automatic can get close but not go over (altough it'll be considerably bit faster acceleration-wise).

The bad news: without intercoolers, these early trucks can get very excessive exhaust gas temperatures, especially loaded down with a manual up a hill... You NEED a pyrometer; they're about $150 for a good one. Just a thermocouple in your manifold to make sure that you're not putting more heat to your valves and pistons then they can handle.

I'd get one of those post haste. You need one. Followed by whatever else depending on your goals.

[M1]

That's a sweat deal with a new head and a injection system! Really sweat deal if the body's presentable. We want pictures...

Is it auto or manual?

The good news: the manual can get a little over 300 HP with stock injectors and tweaked pump, the automatic can get close but not go over (altough it'll be considerably bit faster acceleration-wise).

The bad news: without intercoolers, these early trucks can get very excessive exhaust gas temperatures, especially loaded down with a manual up a hill... You NEED a pyrometer; they're about $150 for a good one. Just a thermocouple in your manifold to make sure that you're not putting more heat to your valves and pistons then they can handle.

I'd get one of those post haste. You need one. Followed by whatever else depending on your goals.

Ill try to get some pics up for ya! The trucks got the torqueflight 727. Im glad to hear that my goal is within reach. I also wouldn't mind putting in a nice set of injectors eventually. So guages are going to the top of the list. What would you recogmend for an inexpensive guage that goes well with the factory ones? What should be the first upgrades, intercooler, bigger turbo? Thanks
Matt

[Begle1]

I like the Autometer Z-series pyrometer; I've never seen anything closer looking to the stock gauges, and Autometer's not too bad cost-wise.



However, I did have my first Z-series pyrometer go bad. But I sent it in, and they replaced it no questions asked, so I wouldn't hestitate buying Autometer again.


I bought mine from Summit or Jegs. There's a few on eBay Motors right now for good prices. You should be able to find a new one for $150, altough some places charge nearly $200.


I think that the best 1st major upgrade is a torque convertor. The stock convertor doesn't put much of a load on the engine, so no matter how much fuel the engine is set up to deliver, it'll never reach full potential. It might reach half potential...

[M1]

Thats a nice looking guage! Did the torque converter come from summit also. which one do you recogmend?
Matt

[Begle1]

When it comes to unlimited-performance, we-dare-you-to-break-'em T/C's there are four main options; ATS, DTT, Goerend Brothers, and Suncoast.

A lot of guys swear by Goerend Brothers; they have a cult following amongst the Diesel community, have the best prices for unlimited-performance T/C's, the best customer service, and a great warranty.

I got my convertor from them for $550, and it was $100 for the additional life-time warranty.

ATS are the Banks Performance of transmissions; they've been around forever and there was a time that they were the Caddies, but they're way expensive and have been having warranty problems recently. And they might not even make non-lock-ups, I don't remember.

DTT and Suncoast are both really good products too, but they're both a couple hundred more than Goerends'.

The step down from the big four is a Hughes for around $400, which is supposed to be a good unit for mild ~400 HP builds. But I've never actually heard anybody who had one first hand, so the "Hughes is a good T/C for ~400 HP builds" bit of information is kind of getting dated at this point.

And on second look that gauge I posted isn't a Z-series... The website I stole the picture from was mis-labelled.

This is a Z-series...

[M1]

Good news!!! I scored an intercooler off an 01 Powerstroke today for free. What kind of piping could I use for this? (Im a real cheap ass). Thanks for the info on the TC's, Ill put it to good use. What turbo would give me the most bang for my buck.

Hear's a pic of the truck. She's a little rough, but not bad.(sorry the lightings a little bad in the pic).

[Begle1]

If it's really a California truck and rust-free, you have a fantastic deal.

If you got a Super Duty intercooler for free, that's even more fantastic; as soon as you get a torque convertor you're going to get a whole lot of use out of that.

I think that this thread on DTR should be pretty helpful when it comes to installing that baby.

I don't know what piping would be best; I know of this site that sells mandrel bends and tubing, but it'd probably be easier to just raid a local exhaust place for what you need.

The H1C that comes with the truck is good to about 350 HP; with the intercooler you could stretch it out a bit farther. The most popular thing to do with the turbo is to get an HTT compressor upgrade to deliver more air at RPM, and then whatever exhaust housing you want (most commonly a 12 cm wastegated housing off of a later truck's HX-35; the smaller housing helps spool up a lot, while the wastegate only results in a slight top end restriction over the stock housing).
The step up from a H1C (or HX-35, which is a glorified H1C they use on the 2nd gens) would be an S300, HX-40 or any of the exotic turbos from a dozen companies...
But most people who need that much air realize that an S300 costs $1100 new, and that they can get an HT3B off of a semi for $400 and then put the other $700 into headstuds and O-rings and have a compound turbo set-up that's good for 60+ PSI and 800 HP...

[nooblet]

Is that really a W350? SRW one tons are so cool, thats a real good find if it is. Nice truck, keep us updated on its progress.

I didn't know non-intercooled 91's came with the intercooled grill, thats wierd.

Chris

[Begle1]

I think his truck is one of those black sheep that were cobbled together out of whatever pieces were left over right after the plant retooled.

It has the intercooled grill with no intercooler, and it has the later model KSB which I think came out in 91.5 too. But it has a 727 still.

Oh, crap on a stick... If the later model KSB came out in 91.5, that probably means that he has a full blown 91.5 engine, complete with 7mm injectors and 21 cm housing. If that's the case, lower the stock-injector capability from 300 HP to 250 HP and move some turbo mods up a few notches on the priority chart.

They wouldn't be mean enough to make a truck with a 3 speed, 7 mm injectors, no intercooler, intercooler grill and 21 cm housing, would they? That's just cruel...

Still a ridiculously killer deal, especially with the 4x4 which I hadn't noticed before.

[TWorline]

It may be that the injector pump has been replaced. My 92 pump was replaced in 94 under warrenty, I know what you are thinking -what about the lines, injectors and head? Well I do not know. May not even be the same engine it left the factory with.

[dpuckett]

Ok, to clarify, since I have experience in this area.

ALL 91s got the same grille, whether they were intercooled or not. My 91 had the same grille as my 92s and 93s, just a litlte more room up front.

ALL nonIC engines had the same parts, as they were from the same CPL- 0804. That means the piston driven vacuum pump with the pods on the side and bottom, bigger injector lines, and higher flowing injectors.

For tubing for the intercooler, (make sure the tanks are metal and not plastic. If plastic, it's worth what you paid for it), see if the outlets are 3". If so, get some piping and elbows, hump hoses, and clamps from a 2ndGen, along with an intake horn, and put it in.

Might look into a OD tranny to complement the 3.07 gears. Some gusy get killer MPGs with the 3.07s/OD combo, others, not so much.

Daniel

[M1]

If it helps you guys figure out what this truck is I have a receipt from the po for 6 injectors part#3802038rx from rgw equipment sales. I searched around on a few sites and couldn't figure out which ones these were.

The intercooler has no plastic! I also found a source for the rubber elbows and couplers I will need for the insall, and I think I will be using exhaust pipe to go with them. I also am going to make my own intake horn (I love making stuff!)

I also found an article on the Old Smoky BHAF mount! So I think I will do that at the same time. As of now I have a K&N in the stock air box. Would that be big enough to be considered a BHAF?

I also want to do 4" pipe turbo back. Who has downpipes for this truck? I haven't been able to find one yet.

As far as the tranny goes. Im not sure if I want the od. Is it worth it? Are the 727's real crappy? As of now Im turning 2300 rpm at 65. Way too high IMO. But, I want to run 35's with a small lift so that will bring the rpm down some. I realy want to change the suspension being that this is the worst riding vehicle I have ever drove (and ive had some real bad ones).

Anyways... Ive decided I like the price of the georend tc, so thats what I will do when money permits. As far as turbos Im not sure. A friend of mine may have a fac. turbo from a 98 24v for me. I was thinking I could get that and do an upgrade to it. Injectors?Propane?Water/Meth? Im realy getting into this!
Thanks!

Matt

[TWorline]

M1:

There is a post in this forum titled 4" downpipe, start there for your 4" exhaust.

[M1]

M1:

There is a post in this forum titled 4" downpipe, start there for your 4" exhaust.

Im an idiot. I just looked at that the other day!