Hi, i'm new and bought my truck just s few months ago it a 89 7.3 . I was told that my pump might be turned up but i'm not sure how to tell any ideas? I've read all about how to do it but i don't want to try it if it has aready been set up.

 

You will want to have a pyrometer installed anyway to watch the EGTs. Get that done, if your pump has already been turned up you will see EGTs up to the 1150* range, black smoke when pedal down with a load. If you never see black smoke your not likely turned up unless you have a good turbo pushing lots of boost air.

 

I do see black smoke under load but my EGT's are around 300 when cruiseing and 600 when pulling. I have a pyro already. Is there any way to tell by the adjuster on the pump if it's been moved?

 

Check out Zigsters page...... Ziggster's page

If the IP is still sealed then it could be stock, but may have been turned up at the rebuilders. Kind of a catch 22..........
If you turn it up at all yourself ensure you do NOT....bottom it out.

You'll feel it if you bottom the screw out. Just turn lightly. 40-60deg should be no problem though. Actually, you'll still have a good amount of travel after that point, but start out right around 40-60.

The reason for not bottoming out the screw is -
When you turn the screw in you're increase the piston travel length in the pump (inside the charging chamber) Good thing? Yes, more fuel. BUT, if you turn that bugger in too far, (bottom it out) the pistons will actually have too long of a travel, and as soon as you go to WOT, they'll start to compress the fuel before the discharge ports line up with charging chamber. In a nutshell, instant hydrolock. The input shaft for the pump will shear clean off.

 

cj60jeep,
Welcome to FTE and the IDI diesel forum.

Where is the thermocouple located?
Black smoke and 600 degrees pulling do not sound right.

 

it's located behind the turbo. There isn't alot of black smoke in my opinion but there is some. This is my first diesel pickup so i'm unsure about this kind of stuff and don't want to start messing with stuff without knowing. I like this forum site you guys know alot. My cousin told me that i don't want the EGT's to get above 600.

 

ya, when measuring the EGT after the turbo you lose about 300* of the actual temp, its probably more like 900*,

idk... Dave s. knows alot more about this stuff.

 

With the thermocouple after the turbo, 900 degrees would give you and EGT of about 1200 at the exhaust manifold.

900 for short durations would be fine, but if you are pulling a long grade with a heavy trailer, 800 to 850 would be better numbers.

 

so if i want to read more acurate EGT's i should move the thermo couple to the manifold? With the temps i'm running it would be safe to say my IP is turned up. Would the EGT temp change much with the exaust. I'm running 3" to dual 5" stacks.

 

My opinion on pyrometers is this.
The pistons are the first thing in your engine that will fail from excessive EGT's.
So in my opinion, the thermocouple should be as close to the pistons as possible.
The second thing that high EGT's will damage is the turbo.
So the thermocouple should be before the turbo.

My thermocouple is mounted in the #8 exhaust port. (rear cylinder drivers side)
When I was running stock 7.3 turbo reman engines, I found that stock fuel settings at stock boost pressures made it easy to exceed 1200 degrees, and that was with a 3" exhaust and no muffler.
This was a reman 7.3 turbo engine, so the fuel may have been set a bit higher than stock, but not much if it was.
Max boost pressure was about 9 PSI.
Since I did not run a muffler, and I had the downpipe plus about 3 feet of 3" pipe before my exhaust split to dual 3" stacks, the EGT would probably been higher with a stock exhaust.

So if you max EGT is only 600 degrees, I think the IP is set below the stock fuel delivery rate or you are loosing more than 300 degrees to where the thermocouple is now.

Larger exhaust lets more heat out of the engine, which drops the EGT.
Cooler air into the turbo also decreases the EGT.

I have a ram air intake, which I have found can decrease the EGT about 150 degrees from what I would be running if I just let the ATS filter box get the air from under the hood.

 

THank you ! All of you have helped me alot. This has to be the BEST forum site EVER.

 

Not meaning to be a pest but i have to ask or if i screw up my wife will have me neutered.
So my thermo couple is behind the turbo on the pass side and it's reading about 300 deg. cooler?

When i'm doing 50mph my rpm's are at 1600 and the EGT's are around 250-300 deg.
and if i lay my foot into it i get a faint trace of black/gray smoke.

I have the old Banks kit unless they still sell them with the aluminum square filter boxes.
The most i've seen is 10 psi on my boost gauge.

I just want to be certain not to fry my motor but my brother wants to race me at the local drags and i think i'm gonna need all the help i can get. I'll be against racing his 01 duramax.

 

Dave S.
Is there a reason you chose the #8 cylinder specifically or is it for convenience of routing the line?

cj60jeep,
Just race him for about 200K miles, keep the pressure on him and his Duramax will fall apart.

 

haha, good luck with the race!!!

Dave i know your getting a lot of ?s.... but would he be able to put on an inter-cooler to lower his EGT? i wanted to do that to if it is possible.

 

For me, The position on the drivers side between the back 2 cylinders in the manifold was easy to get to. I drilled the hole, then tapped it, and installed my probe. It was easy, and provided me with the best protection. I figure, if I am protecting my pistons, then my Turbo is fine. Good Luck,
James