Considering modding a stock ty

Dan B

Junior Member
I've got a low mile stock 93 ty.. exhaust has rotted out due to condensation/ lack of use so I'm considering going with the sm 3" dp/cat/muff system, got to thinking porting & batmowheeling the stock turbo would help compliment the exhaust mod, that led me to thinking of turning up the boost to 17-18 lbs, to accomplish that I'm thinking of going with a 3 bar map, 42 lb injectors & 96 octane turbotweak velosyty chip made for the combo. Good idea or should I reconsider?
 

wildphil

I Love My Ty's
I have had stock trucks and I have had modded trucks. I will never mod another one. Stock trucks tend to be much more reliable with far less work. And you don't waste nearly as much money leaving the truck stock.
 

Dan B

Junior Member
Advice well received thanks, im not looking at all to set the world on fire with it but the free-er flowing exhaust kinda got me thinking
 

wildphil

I Love My Ty's
A little exhaust work will be fine. No need to do more than maybe a better muffler and cat.

There are a few trucks that are modified that run very well and are very cool. But a very large number of these trucks are sitting in garages either waiting on more parts to make them run "right" or the owner can't tune the truck properly after the performance mod journey has started. Why take a chance on a very expensive headache? Stock trucks in proper running order are pretty quick. And they require little maintenance.
 

Dan B

Junior Member
Let's say I port & batmowheel the turbo, & do 3" dp/exhaust.. would the stock chip & injectors still make 15# boost?
 

DaveP's Ghost

Well-known member
Replace the rotted system from the cat to the rear of the truck and be done.
About 15 years ago the stock muffler on my 93 rotted off like yours has. At the time I could still source an ATR system, so I did. It's still under the Ty. I wouldn't worry about a 3" down-pipe. They run just fine with the stock 2-1/2".

I have a 93 that has a crap-ton of miles on it that runs quite well. I've maintained lube and consumable intervals, but not over-done it, for the 24 years I've been associated with it. If something quits working, I fix it. If something starts leaking, I fix it. If it doesn't run right, I find what it is and fix it. The engine has never been out from between the fenders, and the heads have never been off. It probably needs engine bearings, but it has good enough hot oil pressure, and doesn't knock, so I'll leave that be too.

There's enough to go wrong on a stock 30 year old Ty to keep you busy and broke. No sense in adding to the work load and expense of what you already have with modifications that will never be "right".
 

corsair231

Active member
Me, well I have a different opinion. Not a guru though so...

My thoughts are that it's all in the combo and tuning. The parts you are talking about are very mild and not out of the range of stock upgrade parts that if done correctly the truck will run exactly the same as stock with the ability to turn it up a little if wanted. I've heard that a larger dp can lead to boost creep, but the porting of the wastegate should help control that. The only thing I question is the 96-octane chip. Now it will depend on the individual truck, but 92-93-octane should be good for 17# as long as the timing is not too aggressive and your intercooler is up to snuff. If 96 is readily available where you're at, it will let you dial in more timing and give you a little cushion, but idk if it is actually necessary. Don't forget about the snowball effect though. Sometimes changing one thing leads to another and another, which is what started this question in the first place, lol. Even though you are talking about mild changes, things such as upgrading the fuel pump (stock pump is marginal at best), need to be done, while things such as a better i/c pump probably should be done, and things such as will my transmission need to be refreshed need to be considered.

Of course, there is a lot to be said for, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. When you work on 30-year-old cars, things can go wrong. Broken bolts, stripped threads, cracked plastic parts, etc. These trucks are only original once, but if you've got to replace parts, then what I consider, stock replacement "improved/upgraded" parts, make sense. I guess the point I'm getting at is if you're not throwing everything in the old ATR catalog at it or chasing a quarter mile number, you should be okay. Keep it conservative. It's when you get out of this range and into "race parts" or tuning it to the ragged edge, that things get complicated.
 

DaveP's Ghost

Well-known member
I've been around these trucks a very long time. I have NEVER seen ANY non-stock calibration tune deliver the reliability, drivability, and no-drama of a stock calibration. NEVER. Even on "mild mods" trucks they usually run like crap, are hard to start, idle like shit, get terrible fuel economy, and have detonation troubles. The owners are always dicking with their "tune". Fuck that. My shit always runs just fine. I can drive cross country with the hood welded shut and make it.

Peeps forget ignore a couple of basics when it comes to these trucks. Their HEAVY, and you only have 6 cyls to produce the required power. Stresses are 33% higher per cyl than they are in a V8 of the same power output. It's no mystery to me why the bearings and rods don't live longer than a week in a turbo V6 bumped-up to make enough power to put a 4,400 lb brick into the 12s.

If you want to leave the hood closed and still go fast buy a Redeye, a Demon or a C8 Corvette.
 
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