A combination of upgrades got our 6.0L Power Stroke past the 450-rwhp mark this month. If you recall, in Part 5 (March '13) we concluded that the stock high-pressure oil pump was too weak to support our 155cc injectors. So for Part 6, we contacted DieselSite for one of the company's high-volume, billet-aluminum-bodied pumps to restore the health of our '03 F-250's injection system.
| Due to its affordability, bolt-in nature, and performance, Garrett’s GT3788VA turbo (better known as the PowerMax) has found a comfortable home in the 6.0L aftermarket. Nine movable vanes in a .90 A/R turbine housing and a relatively small turbine wheel with a 66.5mm exducer keep low-rpm driving characteristics respectable, despite the PowerMax’s larger-than-stock 63.5mm compressor wheel. For turbo gurus, the PowerMax is effectively a 63.5/66.5/.90. Our turbo came from the largest PowerMax distributor in the country: Performance Truck Products in Tomball, Texas.
To match the injectors, we also ditched the factory turbo in favor of Garrett's popular PowerMax unit, courtesy of Performance Truck Products. And thanks to this charger's variable-geometry turbine design, very little low-end driveability was sacrificed for better midrange and top-end power. In addition, we saw the same boost levels we did before, and the truck is clean as a whistle under throttle.
With the new high-pressure oil pump and turbo feeding our 6.0L, we returned to the dyno at Randall's Performance to see the full potential of Elite Diesel's entry-level, 155cc injectors. In typical Diesel Power fashion, the modifications made this month pave the way for making more horsepower down the road.
Then And Now
Previous horsepower: 440 hp at 3,000 rpm (Elite Diesel Insanity tuning, Stage 1 FICM, and 155cc injectors)
Current Horsepower: 453 hp at 3,200 rpm (Elite Diesel Insanity tuning, Stage 1 FICM, 155cc injectors, PowerMax turbo, DieselSite high-pressure oil pump)
Previous Torque: 842 lb-ft at 2,350 rpm (Elite Diesel Insanity tuning, Stage 1 FICM, and 155cc injectors)
Current Torque: 812 lb-ft at 2,600 rpm (Elite Diesel Insanity tuning, Stage 1 FICM, 155cc injectors, PowerMax turbo, DieselSite high-pressure oil pump)
Parts List
Part:
Vendor:
Details:
Price:
PowerMax turbo
Performance Truck Products
GT3788VA, 63.5mm, stock replacement, higher-flowing variable-geometry turbocharger
$1,220
High-pressure oil pump
DieselSite
Billet, high-volume, high-pressure oil pump (stock output)
$999
ICP sensor
Crossroads Ford
Starting fresh with a new sensor ('03 to early '04 PN 3C3Z9F838EA)
$115
Total Price $2,334
Dyno Results
To make sure the new high-pressure oil pump solved our previous problem (low ICP voltage), we data logged each dyno pull. In a perfect world, ICP voltage (which ranges between 1 and 5 volts, depending on the ICP demanded by your right foot) should always change linearly with actual injection control pressure (ICP). In Part 5 (March '13), we discovered that ICP voltage was fluctuating between 2.9 and 4.6 volts. And because 1 volt is equal to roughly 750 psi of ICP, this meant that as little as 2,200 psi of ICP was being provided under wide-open throttle, whereas 3,600 psi would've been ideal. This was indicative that the stock high-pressure oil pump couldn't keep up. With the new high-pressure oil pump in the mix, we saw 4.7 volts, sustained-which equates to more than 3,500 psi of ICP. We also saw a near-perfect pulse width (injector on time) of 2.5 milliseconds.
| project Outcast Part 6 dyno Chart
Although we were hoping the 155cc injectors would yield a few more ponies, at least we know what they're capable of producing, given that our Power Stroke's injection system is 100 percent healthy.
- Dyno pulls were made in Fourth gear (converter locked) Dyno runs began at 55 mph and ended at 95 mph
- 30 percent load applied DynoJet correction factor
