New "race" truck project

Yeah believe it or not shifting is the least of my worries. Putting the power down without either the tires or the clutch slipping is my biggest problem. I raced a 6.4 powerstroke with 4wd, automatic, sct livewire, exhaust, and intake and he beat my by 4 tenths, my 60 foot time was better aswell at my 330ft so like I said I can shift the crap out of the thing. The clutch slips and my boost drops to 30psi then he was pulling me. I hope to have my turbo to manifold spacer done monday for my wastegate then Ill feel alittle more comfortable with more bottle. Im just stuck I the time old clutch debate now. There is a small clutch building company in town I am thinking about going with. He said he knows he could get it to hold 800ftlbs but uncertain above that. Im hoping to blow that out of the water here soon. JQ I appreciate all the positive words. I hope to tweak it over the winter and make it to some events next season. We'll see...:charger:

pretty sweet deal you got going man!

Iv got the single disc rated at 600hp and 1100fttq it hold great and I can shift just as fast as the stock clutch. Now my problem is the one tire fire it does at 70mph:doh: I'm hoping to weld up the rear end this weekend or the next. But it does hook pretty well at the track with the slicks. I just wish the 66mm would hold boost while I shift like the hx-35 would I could use to hold 25-30psi while I shifted now I'm lucky to hold 5-10psi but once it picks back up it way better than the hx!! Did you take any videos at the track?

That sounds pretty good to me. I finally got my wastegate spacer, had to slot the top to recieve my wategate pipe but nothing the ole milling machine couldnt handle. I had some help welding it all together though, I know I could have done it but I wanted it to look pretty so... Ill have some pictures of it up here soon, its undivided but I figured I have plenty of drive pressure its not going to hurt anything. Im trying to figure out what to do about a xover pipe. What do you guys think I should go for? And no I didnt get any videos of the track :-/. I will definetly have someone next time filming.

I think It looks pretty good hope you guys do to. Custom made free is alot better than $450, and saves me from having to mess with the turbo or manifold. win win if you ask me

Looks pretty good ! Get some videos of that thing!

The problem with racing a manual is getting a clutch big enough to handle the launch and hold down track. Actually, not a problem for a good double disc clutch, the real problem is that when you get a big heavy clutch, it doesn't like to shift as fast as a well worn stock clutch. I've been down this road once before, when I upgraded, my MPH improved a lot since it put the power to the track, but my ET barely improved because there was so much down time between gear shifts. I even tried to force the shifter and after a few passes 3rd gear synchros were toast.

These D-Max's that run fast with a manual are launching in 3rd gear. 3rd gear is too tall on a Getrag or NV4500 unless you run smaller than stock tires.

If all you're doing is having fun playing with a beater project truck, keep it up. If you decide to get serious about racing which requires consistency, you better plan on a automatic transmission swap.

Whatever you decide to do, take lots of pictures and have fun, that's what it's all about.

I will say this, before I bought my first diesel, I was a manual transmission only type of guy. Every vehicle, dirtbike, etc I have ever owned had to be a manual because I liked to shift, I liked to have engine braking for traction or additional slow-down power, and I liked better fuel mileage than automatics offer.

After about 6 years of hot rodding my 99' 5 speed, going through one tranny and 3 stronger than stock clutches, I learned that in the diesel world of drag racing, automatic transmissions rule the roost.

I now own (2) diesel pickups and both have automatic transmissions. That's saying something coming from a guy who's never owned an automatic transmissioned vehicle.

Big blue thanks for the info. I know that autos rule the show in dag racing and I have owned several of both. I actually hte shifting now My auto cummins has ruined me o that its so nice to be ableto just get in it and go. That being said, this truck is one for the underdogs. I want to make something fairly fast and still keep a manual, automatic is to easy anybody can do that. I talked to a clutch company yesterday and let them know what I had planned and they are going to make me one. I plan on once I get my clutch on launching in 3rd. It only has baby 28" tires andthey weigh nothing. I am also prety sure I am going to be making my front bumper out of fiberglass and change my seats out for some light weight buckets. I'll have pictures of my installed wastegate and new baby hoodstack a little later. Hope you guys like it... Im having so much fun with this project, and thats what its for. OH AND I ordered coolertubz last night hopefully that will help flow a little better.:woohoo:

Nv4500 and getrags both can launch in 3rd fairly easy just make sure you have a clutch to hold it I havnt tried it sence the 66 cuz iv grown to found of my single valair! I leave in second and had a 1.8 60' somewhere around here I'll have to find the slip then with the 66 it droped to a 2.4 60' but I think most of that was the track I was on.

well as promised here are some pictures of the gate installed. think it looked good.

Sweet, with enough nitrous hopefully you can shoot flames out the wastegate stacks like me I think I need more timing....

Johnelliott52 said:

I want to make something fairly fast and still keep a manual,

Click to expand...

See if you can find a used gear vendors somewhere, that way you can just launch and keep it in third the whole way down :lolly:

Also just got some good news from the clutch company.. I am infact getting one made here in town. It gonna be $550 hd hub, ceramic buttons, new pressure plate, pilot bearing, throwout, resurfaced flywheel. Ill let yall know how it works out. I feel like its fairly reasonably priced.. Ill take some pictures aswell.

JQ do you have drive pressure open ur external wastegate? I took it for a test drive once I got it all buttoned up and my boost was down about 10psi per gear but I wonder if thats not just from the clutch slipping. I could barely see any smoke coming out at 40ish psi.

Boost pressure seems to work better. At least it worked fine in my case, so I'm in no hurry to change it. I'd try and keep your boost around 40psi. More won't make hardly any more power, and it'll be a lot harder on the turbo. How are you referencing it?

Right now I just have both of the ports on the wastegate open and am just letting exhaust manifold pressure pushing it open. I have an air regulator, line, and fittings I could use to open it off of intake manifold pressure if I need to but until I get my new clutch in and be able to load the motor up properly to see where its all at.

Whats the clutch rated for?

Johnelliott52 said:

Right now I just have both of the ports on the wastegate open and am just letting exhaust manifold pressure pushing it open. I have an air regulator, line, and fittings I could use to open it off of intake manifold pressure if I need to but until I get my new clutch in and be able to load the motor up properly to see where its all at.

Click to expand...

I tried that with a Tial gate, and it never seemed to work right. My theory is that the drive pressure never opened it all the way, or that the gate was fluttering. Either way just some wisps of smoke would come out.

Tried the same thing on a turbosmart gate, and a steady stream of black smoke would come out at about 35psi, so I guess it depends on the 'gate. I would regulate air to the bottom port to make sure it is opening correctly, or keep a close eye on your boost guage. Esp. when you start playing with nitrous and/or big injectors.

I guess like you said Im just going to keep and eye on stuff and go from there. Hopefully it will work and if it needs the boost referance I can make it happen. Got the clutch today it looks nice, they said I can expect it to be rated for around 800-1000ftlbs. I sure hope so. JQ thought of you today when I saw this little gem at the parts store. Its even got some stacks, What do you guys think I should do for weight reduction. I think that is gonna be my next big battle. And what do u think about clamping the overload spring.

I took my two bottom leafs out rides alot better, but I wouldn't do it till you get trac bars it hops alot mine don't do it at the track but I does on the street bad. Iv got my homemade bars allmost done just badly have time to finish them.