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There's probably nothing wrong with using some pressure boost, as long as it's within the factory limits for the engine. For example, say at 60 mph cruise factory fuel pressure is running at 8000 psi, the box bumps it up to 10,000 psi, and the max limit is 29,000 psi, there shouldn't be any negative effects.
However, from what I understand, the only time you'd normally see rail pressure anywhere close to this 29,000 psi limit is when the engine is trying to make full factory HP, ie WOT acceleration and/or heavy duty towing. Max rail pressure is something the engine would rarely see, under normal driving conditions it would run considerably less.
That's the big unknown, how high and for how long do these boxes jack the pressure up? Another unknown, where does the fuel pressure on the CRD run at for various conditions, even before you add on one of these boxes?
TDR tested 10 different modules, 6 of them were strictly pressure boxes, and 2 others used pressure along with other methods (timing and/or duration). Of the 6 pressure only boxes, none of the manufacturers would even say how high their modules would raise pressure. Only the two that used pressure along with other methods, Banks Six Gun and one other, stated flatly that their boxes would limit the pressure increase to well below the factory max spec, unless the factory programming actually called for this pressure under certain conditions, and had built in safeties such as EGT limiting and tranny slip.
IMHO, if the manufacturer/distributor can't or won't tell you how high their box will jack up pressure and for how long, and/or that it limits pressure to XXXXXX psi below factory max, I'd look elsewhere.
Also, before I'd consider adding one of these, I'd invest in something like the MPD monitor from TS Performance, where one of the displayed readings is fuel rail pressure, or at least a fuel rail pressure gauge. That way I'd know what the bloody thing was doing to my engine.
Yes, something like the Banks setup is expensive at close to a grand, compared to 300 or 400 bucks for one of these boxes. But then injectors run well over a grand EACH, and I don't want to think what an entire new engine would cost.
Bottom line is, you get what you pay for, and you won't be covered under warranty for any damage caused by adding one of these boxes, no matter what brand or how sophisticated it is. You'll be eating any repairs out of pocket.
I'm not trying to slam anyone for using one of these boxes, it's your vehicle, your money, and your choice. I'd just like to see everyone make that choice with their heads up and eyes open, know the pros and cons of what they're attempting, not just repeating marketing hype from a web page.
_________________ Mitchell Oates
'87 MB 300D Diamond Blue Metallic
'87 MB 300D - R.I.P. 12/08
'05 Sport CRD Stone White
Provent CCV Filter/AT2525 Muffler
Stanadyne 30 u/Cat 2 u Fuel Filters
Fumoto Drain/Fleetguard LF3487 Oil filter
V6 Airbox/Amsoil EAA Air Filter
Suncoast TC/Shift Kit/Aux Cooler
Kennedy Lift Pump/Return Fuel Cooler
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