Our Project 2nd Gen, a 24-valve daily driver Dodge, is coming along nicely. Now, we turn up the heat with an upgraded fuel system and state-of-the-art tuner.
For those of you who just tuned in, Project 2nd Gen is our 1999 Dodge 2500 with a 24-valve Cummins. The object of the build is to put together a reliable daily driver we can still have fun with at the dragstrip and will offer sold towing performance without breaking the bank.
In the Beginning …
The first order of business was to improve air flow and breathing with a full complement of aFe products, including a 4-inch turbo back exhaust system, Stage 2 intake and BladeRunner intake manifold. We also pulled the silencer ring out of the turbo for improved air flow and a tad more turbo whistle.
Fuel System Upgrades
On the fuel side of things, since the 24 valves were notorious for having weak lift pumps, which can take out the expensive VP-44 in the process, we installed an AirDog II fuel system to provide constant pressure and volume when we turn up the wick. After we installed the AirDog II, we noticed the truck was hard to hot-start—one of the symptoms of a weak VP-44 pump with a cracked diaphragm. And for those of you who missed last month’s issue, we covered the ins and outs of the VP-44 from top to bottom, including the fact that a cracked diaphragm is one of the most common issues. So this month, we’ll bolt in a new Gilmore Diesel Performance VP-44 in Project 2nd Gen.
Installation of the VP-44 is fairly straightforward as a typical R&R operation that involves disconnecting all the fuel lines and unbolting the unit. The drive end of the pump features a keyway that keeps the timing correct in relation to the pulley. A little grease helps keep the keyway in place during installation.
With the fuel system sorted out, both the AirDog II and new VP-44 have set the stage for turning up the fuel and power on the Dodge. For added insurance, we also serviced the trans, added a deep sump pan from PML and filled it with Royal Purple synthetic fluid. Time to rock and roll.
Tuning Options
Since this truck will also be used for towing, we had choices to make: Add an A-pillar full of gauges and use a downloader or opt for a newer touch screen tuner that is essentially an all-in-one unit. This setup provides several different levels of tune and power and also provides you with real-time gauges that can watch things like booth, EGTs, trans temp and any other parameters you’d like to see—all in a easy-to-use touch screen display that is typically mounted on the dash.
For Project 2nd Gen, we opted for Edge Products’ newest tuner, the Edge Juice with Attitude CTS (“color touch screen”). The Edge Juice with Attitude CTS offers six on-the-fly adjustable power levels that range from economy to extreme settings and also include a tune for towing. Additionally, the Edge Juice module incorporates powertrain protection features, which means that the module can automatically adjust fueling to protect your vehicle if the EGTs get too hot, the transmission slips or the engine is not warm enough to handle additional fuel.
The cool thing about the Attitude CTS in-cab monitor is that you don’t need a handful of gauges, since the system keeps track of the myriad data. The CTS system, which utilizes a 4.3-inch touch screen, enables you to read and clear trouble codes without a scan tool or trip to the dealer. The Attitude CTS displays up to eight data readouts from dozens of drivetrain parameters, since it’s connected directly to the truck’s OBD II diagnostic port for real-time information feeds.
Among the “extra goodies” with the Juice CTS with Attitude is a new 0-to-60 and ¼-mile performance testing and graphing feature. Additionally, this CTS offers other safety features, such as a built-in turbo timer that will allow the truck to continue to run until the turbo cools, at which time the engine will shut off automatically.
Another cool feature of the unit is user-defined audible alerts that can be set for EGT, boost, engine temp, transmission temp, DPF regeneration, speed and much more. All these options are left up to the user’s discretion and allow you to custom tune your truck to the finest degree. Plus, the CTS will allow you to hook up either the optional Edge backup camera or a DVD player.
Installation of the Juice with Attitude is fairly straightforward, albeit a bit complicated. You have to drill and tap the exhaust manifold for the pyrometer and run sensor wires inside the cab. Then, there’s the matter of where to mount the control and then running the wiring harness to it. The other hard part is making the myriad choices as to what you want to monitor, setting your background screen (you can even upload your own background image, if you prefer) and setting warnings and warning thresholds. On the other hand, once all this is set and you learn the ins and outs of the system, it’s very easy to adjust power levels and change settings.
Our friends at Strictly Diesel in Phoenix, Arizona, did a combo install of our Gilmore Diesel Performance VP-44 and the Edge Juice with Attitude CTS. The combo install took about half a day, but the efforts were well worth it. You can easily adjust power levels on the fly, with a noticeable improvement in power as you go up the range. With the real-time display, you can see the effects of the tuning changes in real time, such as increased EGTs from more fueling, and more boost.
Mileage on the truck improved dramatically, pushing more than 20 mpg on the highway with gentle throttle on the “tow” setting. Speaking of towing: The owner recently purchased a 30-foot travel trailer and made the uphill haul to Prescott (elevation 4,000-plus feet). He was simply amazed at the pulling power of the Dodge and lack of EGTs (less than 1,000 degrees) yanking the 6,000-plus-pound trailer up the long grades.
If you’ve got a second-generation Dodge—or any other diesel, for that matter—it’s worth looking into your gauge and tuning options with the state-of-the art touch screen tuners now on the market. Sure, they’re a little pricier than a downloader, but if you factor in the costs of gauges (unless you have them already), the price is still cheaper. And based on our experiences with Project 2nd Gen, the Edge unit is a good place to start your search.
Sources
Edge Products
888.360.3343
Gilmore Diesel Performance
573.220.0153
www.gilmoredieselperformance.com
Pure Flow Technologies/Air Dog
877.421.3187
Strictly Diesel
623.582.4404
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- Our Project 2nd Gen, a 24-valve daily driver Dodge, is coming along nicely. Now, we turn up the heat with an upgraded fuel system and state-of-the-art tuner.
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- Once we installed the AirDog II, it because obvious that the stock VP-44 has issues, especially after 80,000 miles. Gilmore Diesel Performance sent us one of its hand-built standard output units to replace our well-worn stocker.
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- To deliver all our newfound fuel and let us monitor vitals at the same time, we opted for an Edge Juice with Attitude CTS with a color touch screen monitor. The kit comes complete, and while the install is time-consuming, the end results are worth the effort.
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- To begin the VP-44 pump install, the folks at Strictly Diesel start by removing the intake manifold to gain access to the fuel lines.
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- One cluster of fuel lines needs to be removed to unbolt them from the back of the VP-44. The removal starts with loosening the connections at the injectors and unbolting all the hold-down brackets.
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- One cluster of fuel lines needs to be removed to unbolt them from the back of the VP-44. The removal starts with loosening the connections at the injectors and unbolting all the hold-down brackets.
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- Next, the fuel feed line from our AirDog II is disconnected from the VP-44.
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- With the mounting brackets and drive pulley unbolted from the front of the pump and all the fuel line connections disconnected from the back of the pump, the VP-44 can be lifted carefully out of the engine bay.
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- Before installing the new Gilmore Diesel VP-44, the fuel lines are installed. Also, since we are using an Edge Juice with Attitude, now is a good time to tap into the electronics, per the instructions for the tuner.
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- The VP-44 uses a keyway to properly time the pump. A little grease on the keyway helps keep it in place during the pump installation.
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- The hard part is to get the pump in place without knocking the keyway out of the slot on the pump shaft.
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- With the pump bolted into place and the pulley on the front of the pump, the retaining nut can be torqued to spec.
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- The fuel lines can then be reinstalled and the retaining brackets bolted into place. Strictly Diesel usually leaves a few connections loose to purge any air that might be in the system.
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- One of the final steps of the install is to attach the factory harness to the new pump.
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- As we mentioned earlier, the tuner has a lead that runs to the VP-44 to adjust fuel delivery. With the connector in place, all you have to do is plug in this connector.
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- The Edge Juice with Attitude CTS, featuring a color touch screen, provides six on-the-fly tunes and also functions as a real-time gauge for a variety of parameters.
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- The Edge unit comes with its own pyrometer, so the exhaust manifold has to be drilled and tapped to accommodate it.
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- The Edge unit comes with its own pyrometer, so the exhaust manifold has to be drilled and tapped to accommodate it.
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- With all the harness connections completed under the hood, this plug connects everything to the “brain,” which was mounted on top of the underhood fuse box.
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- Another trick for improved airflow on the 24-valve is to remove the turbo silencer ring, which is held in place with a large snap ring. While this makes the turbo “whistle” a bit more, the improved air flow is worth it.
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- Another trick for improved airflow on the 24-valve is to remove the turbo silencer ring, which is held in place with a large snap ring. While this makes the turbo “whistle” a bit more, the improved air flow is worth it.
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- The Edge kit comes with a new fitting that restricts air to the turbo wastegate, allowing for higher boost pressure. Note the difference in the orifice between the unit on the left and the stock one at right.
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- The new Edge wastegate fitting is a direct replacement for the stock unit.
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- Since this truck is equipped with a deep-sump PML trans pan, already drilled and tapped for a trans temp sensor, it was easy to add the sensor.
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- The main wiring harness is routed inside the cab, and the key-on power is tapped directly from the fuse box with the supplied connectors.
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- The Edge unit comes with two different mount styles. We opted for the dash mount, which features a rubber housing to reduce vibration. The harness wires are run directly up to the housing and plugged into the unit.
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- The Edge unit also plugs into the truck OBD II port for real-time data reference and display.
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- One of the final steps is to remove the protective film on the unit and start plugging in all the parameters you need, including setting warning thresholds.
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- The finished install looks awesome! The unit comes with a variety of background choices and also allows you to upload your own photo for a custom background. You can also select either large- or small-format displays for the gauges.
Tags: Dodge Cummins, Edge Products, Fuel system upgrades, Gilmore Diesel Performance, Pure Flow Technologies/Air Dog, strictly diesel
