TST Products - Cummins PMCR Module

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TST Products - Cummins PMCR Module​

Article and photos courtesy of Jason Payne, AKA willyswanter​

Well, after towing all last year with my 03 Dodge CTD equipped tow rig, I realized that the stock power coming from the California Standard Output (SO) version power plant wasn't going to cut it for the grades I was pulling with my 14,000 pound gooseneck trailer with my trail rig loaded on it. Tipping the scales at close to 23,000 pounds I knew I needed some kind of help. But it's not just for towing, the added power when empty is fun too!​

After many months of searching various websites and talking with other diesel owners, I decided that the TST Power Max CR (PMCR) was the unit for me. It claims 190 added horsepower as well as 580 added foot pounds of torque! Now, this doesn't mean you can use all that power right away, you will need various other add-ons to utilize that power while keeping Exhaust Gas Temps (EGT's) in check. But, what this does mean is that you can grow into the box!​

Something that the other, smaller boxes out there don't offer. You outgrow them quickly and find yourself spending another $500-$1000 on something with a little more power only to repeat the process again. This is what is so great about the TST, as you add more items such as larger turbos, pusher pumps, etc., you can just push the buttons to a higher level, not spend more money!​

TST PMCR Mounted


Injector Harness in Place​

First off is to disconnect both negative battery cables and lay them aside. Once this is done, it is time to mount the TST PMCR unit. Per the instructions, I mounted it on top of the fuse box using the supplied velcro. Once this is done the injector harness is installed. The harness reaches over to the head and follows the head toward the rear of the engine.​

There are three injector connectors. Just unplug the stock connectors from the head and plug in the TST harness between each one. Then unplug the MAP sensor connector and plug it into the TST harness and plug the TST MAP sensor connector into the sensor. Make sure to zip tie the harness out of harms way and away from any high heat sources.​

Timing Harness Connections


Fuse Taps in Place​

Now for the fun part... The timing harness is the next to be installed. This harness plugs into the camshaft and crankshaft position sensors. The camshaft sensor is located on the drivers side of the engine just forward of the ECM. It is a royal pain to get to. I found it easiest to use a screwdriver to pop the red locking tab loose on the connector then squeeze my hands in to pull the connector apart.​

I recommend taking the crankshaft sensor apart first so you know how to do it so your not trying to figure it out while doing the cam sensor since it's very difficult to even see. Anyway, once the cam sensor is done, the crank sensor is next. This one is a piece of cake and is located just to the drivers side of the harmonic dampner. Once these connections are finished, zip-tie the harness to the power steering hoses to keep them out of the fan and plug the large connector into the TST PMCR.​

Remote Installed


Remote Wiring​

The next part of the install was to route the wiring for the TST remote. I found an unused grommet in the firewall just behind the brake pedal. I cut a small slot in it and passed the remote's connector through the grommet and into the engine compartment. I then routed the wiring up the fender and along the factory harnesses to the TST unit.​

The instructions recommend mounting the remote near the a-pillar or on the steering column. I didn't like the obstructed vision of the a-pillar mounting or the obstructed view of my gauges on the column mount. So I mounted mine over the stock cigarette lighter that I never use. This location offers excellent visibility and it fits the spot nicely.​

5/16" Hole Drilled


Greased Tap


Pyro Fitting Installed​

And now for the most feared part of the install for most, installing the pyro sensor. Now if you purchased the regular TST unit with no gauges then you can skip this step but I highly recommend a pyro and boost gauge of some kind. I first drilled the 5/16" hole in the manifold where the #3 cylinder dumps into the manifold per the instructions recommendations.​

Next I tapped the hole with an 1/8" pipe tap. I greased the tap's flutes so that as many chips would be kept on the tap as possible. Once this was done I used a mechanics magnet to reach into the manifold and gather as many chips as possible. I continued to do this till the magnet came back clean. Most people dread this step but it's really not that hard as long as your careful and make sure to get as much of the metal shavings as possible. Some people remove the turbo to make sure they get everything clean.​

Boost Elbow Installed


Remote with Ignition On​

The last step of the install is the boost elbow. This is a small brass elbow that sends pressurized air to the waste gate. The stock unit is replaced with the TST unit which is adjustable. You can adjust the small allen head screw to set at what pressure the waste gate opens at.​

After talking with my dealer, I found that 30psi was the best setting for keeping the turbo alive. After setting I found that under hard acceleration the boost will hit about 35 then fall quickly which is just about right. Next was starting the truck and making sure everything was good. Everything started and ran fine and the EGT gauge on the TST remote slowly rose to about 300 degrees. I quickly went through the menus and set the max EGT's. This setting will cut fuel at a preset EGT to help protect the engine. The unit comes set for 1350 degrees but I changed that to 1300 to be a little safer.​

So how do I like it? Well, in the words of Comic Book Guy, "There is no emoticon to express the feelings I have right now". This thing ROCKS! I started at about 2/2 and drove around and immediately noticed the power difference. I then bumped it up to around 4/4 and found that this is about as high as I would want to go for daily driving, way more than enough power. I had to change my driving style completely as far as how much pedal I gave the truck when accelerating, I kept finding myself up on redline way quicker than expected. For fun I tried setting 2/5 to see if I could roll a little smoke and it was fun finally seeing that cloud behind me!.​

Now for a few safety comments. The instructions say not to go over a combined level 6. So a setting of 3/3, 2/4, 4/2, 0/6, etc on a stock truck. Once a turbo is upgraded, a new clutch/auto trans, etc has been done then you can explore the higher settings up to 9/9 to your hearts content. My truck being an SO can use a slightly higher level setting than the normal HO's so I've been up to about 8 combined like 3/5 or 4/4. I'll be back with an update after my first heavy tow to report back my findings!​

And last but not least, I purchased my TST from Tomeygun Enterprises. Tom was very easy to deal with and got my TST to me very quickly as well as helped me with all my questions over the last few months. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for some upgrades for there CTD or any other brand diesel.​

Source

TST Products
7440 S International Dr
Columbus, IN 47201
Phone: 812-342-6741
E-Mail: sales@tstproducts.com
Web Site: www.tstproducts.com​

Tomey Gun Enterprises
E-Mail: tomeygun@charter.net
Web Site: www.tomeygun.com
Phone: 314-486-6378​