[tractor_boy]

I dunno, but I've never seen a cummins send a fireball out the exhaust pipe. can you make it do it when ever you want??

That's the first time I have ever seen it do that, I saw it in the mirror and it scared me pretty bad. I didn't do it on purpose. However I have seen a few videos of 12 valve pulling trucks that will send up an orange fireball out the stack right after they let off the throttle after a hard pull.
When the engine is above about 1800 rpm and is being fueled just ever so slightly, but without a load on it, it will pour out white and blue smoke. This will happen on acceleration with a cold engine quite easily unless I either really step on it, or just don't rev it high at all. I'm not entirely sure why and am still trying to figure it out. What happened in the video was I was in 4th, let off the throttle at the bottom of our hill, donwshifted to 3rd, and then slowly got back on the throttle. You will notice a puff or two of white right before the fireball and black. I think there was vaporized fuel (white smoke) in the pipe and it got ignited when the hot black stuff reached it. Shouldn't have downshifted as it revved it pretty high. But my brother was in the back and just happened to catch it on video.

 

[DieselSchlepper]

I read this whole thread this Am. You have a nice build. You need to get your fueling under control. I don't know the details of how to fix it but you're getting way to much and it comes on at partial throttle levels so there is too much. I would keep an eye on your oil to make sure your dilution levels are not too high. You could be damaging your bearings. If it were mine I would not drive it much until I found out and fixed.

 

[dan85]

I know this question may seem like a no brainer to to most of you but I am pretty much self taught when it comes to mechanics and have only started tinkering around in the last couple of years. I am wanting to do this but in a 90-95 F150 (have yet to buy the truck) and am wondering do I just leave the stock computer in place to run the ABS or what ever else may go through it?

btw nice job. Wish I would have seen this thread a week ago I was in CDA with a friend and would have loved to see your truck.

 

[tractor_boy]

No problem. 4 years ago I probably knew less about cars than anyone on this site now. I bought my ranger senior year of high school and I think I have come a long way since. Everything I know now was picked up by tinkering and trying. Mostly on other people's stuff luckily. A tractor mechanic and a car mechanic even thought it might be ok to hire me.

I would think a F150 would be fairly similar to a ranger, but not certain. My ABS computer is still plugged in. My vehicle speed sensor (what gives the ABS module a signal) was originally run off the transfer case, and I was able to mount the stock sensor directly into the new NP205 transfer case. My PCM ( what controlled the V6) is still in place, I just snipped all the extra unneeded wires off the harness.

If you're ever in the area again, come by and I'm happy to meet up.

Chris

 

[tractor_boy]

I read this whole thread this Am. You have a nice build. You need to get your fueling under control. I don't know the details of how to fix it but you're getting way to much and it comes on at partial throttle levels so there is too much. I would keep an eye on your oil to make sure your dilution levels are not too high. You could be damaging your bearings. If it were mine I would not drive it much until I found out and fixed.

Thanks.
There is absolutely no dilution of the oil at all, I've been keeping a pretty close eye on it. As far as the extra fuel goes, why yes that is a very nice problem to have, and the solution is a set of compound turbos. In the works lol. The popping might be an injector or the pump, although every shop I talked to said it's not a pump problem. New marine pattern injectors are in the mail.

 

[dan85]

Thanks, you have NO IDEA how much I have been losing my flipping mind trying to find this out.... My original plans were to do this to my 2000 F150 and retitle it as a "kit car" to get around the emissions bs... but after looking at all the early and mid 90's fords getting I kinda started leaning more towards the older body style (and its cheaper to just buy another truck). One day the 2000 will get a cummins but not any day soon. Again I appreciate the info and I will definetly get a hold of you next time I'm over there (or just make to drive to see your truck )

 

[wbdave]

do u have or can u take some pics of ur turbo/ exhaust pipe? im looking at my current set up and routing the exhaust is looking like a dilema at the current time lol. did u make a custom pipe off the turbo like u did with ur manifold? got a 7.3L starter to clear frame rail, hoping it doesnt get stuck in position when starting...guess ill find out haha

Dave

 

[DieselSchlepper]

Didn't the pics show that some of your turbo runners are different lengths? If so, what about unequal pulses affecting turbo air flow?

 

[65ShelbyClone]

I don't think that would make a measurable difference over equal length in this case and certainly wouldn't cause the fueling problems.

 

[tractor_boy]

Didn't the pics show that some of your turbo runners are different lengths? If so, what about unequal pulses affecting turbo air flow?

Yes, they are unequal length. Personally, I think having an equal length header is a bit over-rated on a turbocharged engine. Pulse scavenging kind of goes out the window when you have easily 40 psi backpressure, wouldn't you agree?

I know the difference in flow between this header and the stock manifold is huge. My HX35 seems to spool about the same as on 24 valve 6BT trucks that I have driven, and I kind of think a lot of that is due to my header.

 

[tractor_boy]

I pulled the engine and transmission at the end of last week, and took the pump into a shop in Spokane. They're gonna pop the expansion plugs out of it and check for cam/lobe wear on cylinders 2 and 3 inside the pump, and if that's good they may replace delivery valve springs if they're weak. Then they'll bench test and balance it for me. Should get all the kinks worked out that way. I talked to more pump guys and we came to somewhat of an agreement that the problem is definitely something internal to the pump, and that the timing on cylinders 2 and 3 is trailing by maybe 10*. My fingers are crossed that it's a cheap and easy fix.

Before tearing it apart I did another leakdown test on the engine just to make sure I wasn't losing any compression. The cylinder I was worried about, #3, was at ~5%, #'s 1 and 2 were 2%, and 4% was at 1%. So the rings have seated quite nicely after 10,000 miles, and the #3 intake valve is sealing better all the time as it wears in. Rather than it burning as I feared it would, it's seating quite nicely.

 

[tractor_boy]

do u have or can u take some pics of ur turbo/ exhaust pipe? im looking at my current set up and routing the exhaust is looking like a dilema at the current time lol. did u make a custom pipe off the turbo like u did with ur manifold? got a 7.3L starter to clear frame rail, hoping it doesnt get stuck in position when starting...guess ill find out haha

Dave

Sorry your post slipped through somehow, I hope you're still at a point I can help. I'll definitely try to get you a pic or two this week when I'm out at the shop. I ran a sharp 90 down and in toward the engine block right off the back of the turbo. Then once I got around the A/C box I ran more of the same (3") down and back toward the rear. Right after passing between the transmission, frame and cab floor, I went up to 4" and took that out behind the rear tire using the tail pipe from an '03 Cummins Dodge pickup. I have several supports for the exhaust along the section of 4", none on the 3". Supports are welded diredtly to the frame, no rubber isolators. I used 4" stainless flex tubing to take up the movement between engine and frame. No problems with any of it. It sounds awesome outside the truck. It sounds like nothing inside the truck.

 

[fte]

Did you extend the return line at the tank sender to reach to the bottom of the tank? If not the fuel will foam up, possibly causing your issues.

 

[tractor_boy]

Did you extend the return line at the tank sender to reach to the bottom of the tank? If not the fuel will foam up, possibly causing your issues.

Yes, both the pickup and return are at the bottom of the tank. I plan to pull the tank this week too and fix a defective fuel level sending unit.

 

[twiisted71]

I've heard this from several sources but have a hard time understanding WHY?? You've got a fuel line that's what, 3/8" for a return. Unless you are extremely low on fuel and its dropping from the top of the tank down right beside the pickup tube why would you have aerated fuel going to the engine??? You don't sit around at the gas station waiting on all the little bubbles (foam) to pop do you? I don't I hop in and drive off. and the stations I go to use a lot bigger line than 3/8" and they put out a helluva lot more fuel than the return line on anything I drive.

 

[fte]

I've heard this from several sources but have a hard time understanding WHY?? You've got a fuel line that's what, 3/8" for a return. Unless you are extremely low on fuel and its dropping from the top of the tank down right beside the pickup tube why would you have aerated fuel going to the engine??? You don't sit around at the gas station waiting on all the little bubbles (foam) to pop do you? I don't I hop in and drive off. and the stations I go to use a lot bigger line than 3/8" and they put out a helluva lot more fuel than the return line on anything I drive.

All the semi-truck manufactures run the return lines to the bottom of the tank, there must be good reason.

 

[twiisted71]

I wonder what it could be. I mean surely they would rather have the coolest fuel possible going back to the engine, so why put the heated excess fuel back right by the pick up? Or do they route it to some other part of the tank? Or is it merely a convenience to have both line at the same insertion point? Perhaps they put both at the bottom to keep sediment from congregating at the pick up tube?

 

[vandever metalworx]

Didn't the pics show that some of your turbo runners are different lengths? If so, what about unequal pulses affecting turbo air flow?

runner length really doesn't matter on a street truck I have yet to see a stock cummins with equal
length runners from the factory.
about two years ago we made a equal length header for my freinds 99 24V we dynoed the truck before
and after with everything the same with the exception of the header the truck made 20hp more with the header
but it was all upper mid to top end and lost bottom end and spool up.
on the street.
hope this helps

 

[tractor_boy]

Just talked to my pump guy a bit ago. He checked it out, moved the timing pin location for me. He didn't have to move adjust anything at all, said it's a great running pump. SO, I go pick it up tomorrow. And I probably still have the same popping and blue smoke issue. Oh well. Not sure what it is now. Maybe those marine pistons just give me too low of compression.

Thoughts guys? I feel like we've tried everything.

 

[laport2]

i happen to own a 1997 ranger and am tired of all the wires and sensor bullshit that comes with gas engines these days. I have a few questions for the lift are the front shocks the same rough country ones? does it handle that weight ok? and for the rearend. how is that holding up to the torture of the torque monster?