94 CTD General Help Newbie

[dgmustang1995]

I just bought my friends 94 Dodge 2500 5speed CTD truck with 93000 miles. It has 3 inch turbo back exhaust and a modified stock fuel plate. Im not very sure what he did to modify it but i believe it was ground by a diesel shop. The truck starts and runs great. Here is the problem when you accelerate on the truck hard,it smokes very black. Actually it will smoke if you lug it around also.Recently it was having a problem at idle it would come and go with no real reason, when idling it seemed like it was missing like a gas engine would do. It seems like where the acs cover over the fuel plate is it leaks....diesel? The truck is in very very good condition and want to last for a long time. Also the truck WILL NOT rev or make power over 2200 rpms. I am planning on fixing the kdp before it happens in the next week. So I guess what I am asking is if you have any ideas to resolve my problems? If I were to install a different fuel plate(aftermarket) is that going to fix my problems? With a #10 plate is the truck going to smoke black, will it hurt reliability? If I install a 97 fuel plate will it make it the same power as a 97 or is there other differences in my pump and a 97? I would appreciate any help! Thanks Daryl

[Storm1]

I would say pull the plate and take a pic so we can see what profile the plate has, that will make it easier for us to help you tweak it in.

[Holysmoke]

The black smoke is unburned fuel. Lugging the motor you are not getting air into the engine to get burned. There is nothing wrong other than just back out of the accelerater. When Idleing was the engine cold? your air heater will turn on and off and change the Idle if it was cold. there should be 4 screws over the acs. It may leak a little tighen the screws up on it. I cant remember where a stock fuel pump revs to..... maybe he messsed with the gov springs. That is an easy fix just get 3k or teh 4k gov spring kit for like 110 bucks or so. If you put in a 97 fuel plate it will not have the power of a 97 pump or truck. the fuel pumps are different yours is rated at 180 hp and the 97 is at 210 hp. a # 10 fuel plate will not hurt reliability just drive normal and stay out of the accelerater that will aliminate your "black smoke". Just so you know there is alote of stuff that can be done to our fuel pumps.

[dgmustang1995]

no the engine was not cold it has not been doing the idle problem it seems ever since i started mixing the two stroke oil and power service grey bottle in with my fuel. The black smoke must be a problem because my friends 97 wont smoke black at all but that hasnt been messed with either. Im not looking to make a hot rod out of this truck. I bought it to pull no more then 10000#'s. I just want to be able to do it with reliability and longevity. I know that if the truck was left stock this would not be an issue. The black smoke has my oil black in 500-1000 miles. Will a #10 plate make my truck smoke even worse black? Can I find a stock plate, does dodge sell a plate?

[tractorpuller]

Sounds like the injection pump just isnt tuned very good. He has it set up to smoke alot at low boost. Might even have the afc arm removed. With things set up properly with a 10 plate you can have very little smoke if your not stomping on it all the time. As far as it not making power over 2200rpm I would agree the govornor springs have been messed with, Best thing is to put a 3000 gsk in it. They make a big differance. Does it have boost or pyrometer guage in it? if not you should get get them. Just my 2 cents worth

[dgmustang1995]

Ok well then I will just get a fuel plate and those two guages. What fuel plate would give me better than stock fuel mileage if possible with more towing power, I DONT want to have a race truck. Why I would have to change the governor springs unless he changed them......a friends 97 revs to 3000RPM's stock. I can get my truck to go to around 2500rpm's but I would REALLY have to try, also there is NO power at that rpm. What kind of longevity is expected from the bosch 7100 pump? Will the fuel plate make my EGT's get high?

[Holysmoke]

If you dont want it to smoke at all, put in a stock fuel plate. I am alswondering if you have a boost leak. That also my be the reason you cant get past 2200 rpms. Remember you have a different pump then your friends 97 that may be the reason you cant get to 3000. 3k gov spring kit will help out with the power band make it last longer. And it wont make a race truck. YOu said it started when you started to put in Power service and 2 stroke oil. I would not use that anymore than. I dont run nothing. I know some people swear by additives. and some people like me dont like them obviosly your truck does not like it. lets hope you didnt gum up an injector. Get gages boost and egt so you can tell us what is going on under the hood.

[redneckrider1o1]

First place if you want to fix ur smoke problem, just turn back the starwheel, you can look up on the forum search articles on how to do that, it is very easy. And my truck wont rev past 2400 really well, just get a GSK, and the KDP is a problem but not a 911 urgent problem you should get it done ASAP but dont obsese over it.

[Storm1]

If your friend cut an aggressive plate out of the stock one, I would recommend a TST #8 plate, it will also come with the boost elbow. It's a good power upgrade over stock and if tuned correctly, you won't be belching smoke at low RPM.

Also a 3K GSK would be a good investment. The 94 manual with the 175 pump is normal to defuel at 2500rpm. The P7100 (P pump) is very reliable and allows for alot of tuning.

[dgmustang1995]

The idle problem stopped when I added PS and two stroke oil. I can handle some smoke but the the passenger rear 1/4, wheel and rear bumper are all covered in soot and when you pull a car it will get on it also. So I think I am going to give a #10 or #11 plate a try, I think they should cover what I am going to be doing. If I would turn the star wheel too far would I be able to make the truck go lean? Is it very hard to put in the 3k springs? With these mods I will be ok running the stock turbo and injectors? I appreciate all of your help.

[tractorpuller]

The starwheel only controls preboost fueling so no it wont lean it out or anything. Once boost is built the starwheel does nothing.

[Holysmoke]

[QUOTE= With these mods I will be ok running the stock turbo and injectors? I appreciate all of your help.[/QUOTE]

Yes with the stock turbo is really strong. For the longest time I ran nitrious through it, Its good to about 38 psi then it becomes inefficient. The stock injectors will do what you want also. But like every body has said get 3000 gov springs they are easy to do. just follow the instructions