Hey y'all,
Okay, so after a lot of head scratching, I decided to go ahead and take the timing cover off, as well as perform a full service. And boy, it's a good thing I did. PO had the injection pump 180 out, so that explains the hard start, and smoke like a freight train. Got that fixed, replaced all 8 injectors, GPs, and return hoses... when I changed the fuel filter, there were MAGGOTS in it! All eight GPs were fried, and the trans pan bolts were so loose that I could take them out with my fingers. Got the new trans filter, Lucas treatment, and trans fluid put in, as well as New oil and filter. Okay, that's out of the way, so why does it feel sluggish like it has ZERO power? Is there a modulator for the trans that need replaced? E4OD... I can literally put my foot to the floor, and it takes forever and a day to get up to speed, the trans shift points feel a little off, like it has to be fairly high rpms to shift out, no slippage or anything. Could I be in need of a torque converter? And I can barely hear the turbo... Any one know what the bulb number is for the roof marker lights? My "grocery list" of issues it's dwindling down, but nowhere NEAR gone... and I'm in need of all 4 door panels (po never handed them over like he swore he would). I know i can go to LKQ and pick them up, but being that I'm military, I can never seem to make it there before they close. Does anyone have a set they'd be willing to sell? Anyway, I know I'm babbling, so I'm gonna close out for now... thanks in advance -Dusty

 

Maybe the po turned the pump down to stop the smoke. Could be some thing to do with your power/boost issue

 

Okay, I don't have a pyrometer yet, would it be safe to turn up 2 flats? And the pump looks like it's never been molested, the Orange paint is still on the bolts

 

Turn it up, as long as its not smoking you should be safe, but definately put the pyro on the to-do list.

 

i would only turn it up 1 flat at a time.

 

Okay, so I went ahead, and turned it up one flat... a little more ***, and turbo... I also found that the throttle cable was stretched, so I got that as well... before I got home and got these attended to, I took it out on the highway, and took forever and a day to get up to 45, and struggled to get past 50, the trans kept shifting in and out of overdrive, and no guts whatsoever going up a slight grade, absolutely NO top end power... until I get a pyrometer, boost, trans temp set, and arp studs, I don't wanna mess with turning it up too much more... this is my daily, and sometimes I REALLY need to go over 50... lol... lack of fuel reason for no HP/torque?

 

first check the timing. it should be around 10 degrees advanced if i remember correctly.

 

When I had the cover off, I matched up the y with the cam gear, and set the housing mark about a dimes width to the passenger side. I know it ain't no powerstroke, but I think it SHOULD still have SOME sort of get up and go. When I start it very first thing, it has no guts until the cold timing shuts off. Idles like a dream, starts with no fuss. And I'm not sure if the temp gauge is lying, or not, but on our trip to pick up the nieces, it ran COOL... like was reading a quarter up the gauge. Could this go along with the fuel being turned down?

 

no power at all until the timing advance turns off sounds like the timing is too far advanced.

 

Check, so I'll retard a dimes width? And there's no smoke at all driving, but high idle is a lil black smoke

 

you have to find someone with a pulse adapter to properly set the timing.
moving the pump a bit is just a guessing game, because you do not know what it is currently set at.

 

As far as the internals on the pump, you are correct... the PO stated that the pump was less than a year old, but I'm not sure if I can trust that, but as far as gear timing, I was dead on the mark...

 

Okay, the lack of power was from the rocker arm that controls the advance solenoid, the slide wheel wasn't tightened. Now another issue. After she warms up, I'll be idling at a light, and get a massive power surge, like she's ready to roast the 38s... then she'll idle like a dog, and if I don't keep my foot on the accelerator, she'll die. And then be a real bitch to start back up. I know I've gotta replace the fuel filter (again, more maggots, and globs of goop floating in the fuel), but what else can cause this surge, and then die? New TPS, fresh oil, fresh turbo bearings and seal, month old fuel filter. And the fuel smells a lil strange. Green like diesel, but a hint of something else... fryer grease, maybe? Should I go ahead and boil out the tanks, and blow out the lines? On my test drive today, the filter light came on, and then it slowly died, done that a couple times. I got to a parking lot, pulled the filter, dumped it, and blew through it, put it back on, no more light, but the surge, and then die. I'm at the end of my ropes here. Thank the insurance gods for roadside assistance

 

You've got fuel problems.
First thing I'd do is get a jerry can of diesel and some fuel line. Hook the fuel line between the intake of the mechanical fuel pump(pass side of engine, below the vacuum pump) and just stick it into the can. See how it runs. You may even try this for a test drive too, with the can strapped into the bed.

If this fixes the problem after a bit, you need to simply drain/clean the tanks and everything from there to the filter.
If not, your IP pump needs cleaning and/or replacement. One trick is to pull the water separator, dump it out, and refill with ATF. Plug it in, start the truck. Run it till it starts to smoke badly. Shut it off and wait overnight. Start it and run it hard until everything is cleaned out.