300Tdi Fueling and EGTs

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
In an effort to zero everything out so I can then adjust properly from a baseline I made sure the timing belt was correct, and lined up the fuel pump to dead-on centered as measured with a pin. It is right in the center and the dial gauge is in the mail so I can fine tune it from there. The truck runs as normal, but there is slightly more white smoke for the first minute of driving if I give it a bit of pedal till the turbo catches up.

As I've noted before, normal driving shows a haze of black smoke for the first foot or two from the pipe. If I hit the gas hard to move through the gears, it will puff black smoke for a second. So there will be that puff of smoke there, but I never leave a trail of smoke. When accelerating hard at speed, I can see smoke, but it doesn't really show till I'm basically flooring it. Just yesterday I noticed that a 60-65mph 1/2 mile hill climb did get my EGTs to about 1050 for the first time -- what's the difference?

Well, I also adjusted the boost pin in the fuel pump. That is.... I adjusted it back to stock setting. This is where it gets odd.

If you have opened up the pin before you will know what I mean when I say there is a mark on the pin that shows how it has been moving up and down against the valve (for lack of a better term). My pin has two marks because as was evident when I first started opening the top, a previous owner had already been in there. So my pin shows evidence of having already been turned 90 degrees clockwise, and the plastic spacer has been removed. So I moved it back 90 degrees to set it very close to where it would be from factory. But there is no spacer. I expected this would cause the vehicle to feel dogged down a bit, at least.

Again, I'm getting the dial gauge soon, and when time allows, I'll set the pump to specifications.

Test drive: Start at cold shows that the idle is a bit low and chunky, but PSI comes up as normal, and it quickly settles right at 750 as measured with a light and tach. If I rev it quick, I see a quick puff of smoke, then a quick puff of white smoke as the RPMs drop. Somehow (and this is after four drives and 120 miles) the engine seems a bit smoother, specifically, there was a rough spot at 2000 RPM that just isn't there anymore. And pushing the RPMs up to, and past 3000 doesn't feel like I'm hurting it. There is no change in performance. I ran from 0-60 at just about 18+ seconds on several attempts. And as noted above, I saw EGTs over 1000 for the first time. Although this was after three miles at 60 with 650 on the EGT already, then accelerating up a hill for 1/2 mile.

The ringing knock I have is still there, but it has changed. It is no longer the sharp, loud ring, but more of a rolling pinging. It's the same noise, but it has changed in a way that I can actually see on a sound wave graph.

Smoke is less of a puff at low RPMs when accelerating. And less at higher RPMs when giving lots of pedal. It is more consistent all the way through with a slight haze of smoke.

Once I get a chance to use the dial gauge, the only thing that won't be set to baseline will be the fueling pin because there is no spacer, and the main fueling screw because I assume that has been fooled with as well, but I don't know how to set it back to stock.
 

Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor
Do you have a boost gauge now ?

Above seems normal but it's all relative to the engine. Don't worry about the fuel screw settings as they will be changed.

FYI the timing kit that's available on Amazon and on eBay sometimes will come with the wrong threaded adapters. They are coarse thread instead of fine thread.

Steps:

Set timing to 1.6 or 1.54 depending on your preference for slightly more advanced or bone stock.

Adjust boost to minimum level of 15 psi at highway passing speed.

Then adjust the main power screw on the back of the pump

Then adjust the diaphragm / pin

Then adjust the spring preload on top.


you can generally ignore the white and black smoke and blah blah blah coming out your tailpipe. Tune with the EGT gauge and boost gauge first to get maximum performance then back it off to reduce smoke.

Lots of ways to do it this is just the way I do it.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
The only problem I think I'm going to have for this is that I still don't really trust my EGT readings. Even if they are accurate, it is so slow to react that I'm unsure if I'm seeing what's happening in real time.


I need to get a boost gauge... What is the fitting type I need to connect it to the engine?
 

Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
So you cut the hose and install new t-piece to the boost gauge?


Seems like it might be easier to put it between the fuel pump and turbo.
 

Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor
Yes you snip the hose , it has to go between the actuator for a correct reading. Especially if you plan to use a boost controller one day.

The hoses can be as long as you want to make it easier. It's 5/16 braided vac line but regular vac line or silicone line will also work.
 

Napalm00

Technical Excellence Contributor
Yes 5/16 you won't fit 3/16 over the barbs. You down even need new hose tho, just snip it and jam it in there.
 
Top