Technical > Buyer's Guides
Diesel Performance Buyer’s Guide - Part 1
by Jim Allen
Diesel-powered light trucks have become the new American hot rod. Not only can the new trucks haul loads that would give older trucks a mechanical hernia, but they can be modified to deliver performance akin to the musclecars of the 1960s and 1970s. It’s possible to have a street-driven diesel pickup that can crank out 14-second quarter miles, get mid-teen fuel economy, and still be suitable for everyday use. Here are a few of the latest goodies to help you find that perfect combo of power and economy.
Heavy Breathing
A free-flow air filter or cool-air intake is often one of the first modifications for a diesel. The potential gains are relative to how good or bad the OE system works, but the benefits are gained via decreasing pumping losses due to restriction, giving the engine cooler air, and tuning the airflow through the entire intake system. Not only is cooler air denser with oxygen molecules, for every degree the intake air is lowered, the exhaust gas temp (EGT) will be lowered by the same amount. A free-flow filter may offer a modest gain on a stock engine, but becomes a vital necessity when other modifications are made that increase power levels. To make more power, you need more air and fuel in the right amounts — and a restrictive stock filter may be an impediment to the air part of that equation.
Airaid Duramax LLY Cool Air Dam Intake System
The higher-output LLY Duramax engine replaced the first-generation LB7 in 2004, and there were enough changes to require redesigned products. Airaid’s Cool Air Dam Intake System for the new LLY features a 1600cfm (cubic feet per minute) washable filter, an air dam that draws in cooler outside air, and a computer-designed polyethylene intake tube to increase airflow and reduce air temp. For more info, contact Airaid at 800-498-6951 or see www.airaid.com.
Airaid 2005 Powerstroke Filter Update
That stock 2005 6.0L air filter costs a bundle of cash and a few horsepower. Airaid offers a direct lifetime replacement that fits into the stock housing in mere minutes. It’ll be the last filter you’ll have to buy and can be washed over and over again. Even better, it offers a few extra horsepower from Airaid’s low-restriction filtering media that combines cotton gauze with micro-fiber synthetic layers that catch particles as small as two microns. It’s combined with a tough, stainless filter mesh for strength and assembled with hand-poured urethane. For more info, contact Airaid at 800-498-6951 or see www.airaid.com.
Airaid 2005 6.0L Powerstroke Intake System
The 2005 Ford 6.0L Powerstroke air filter is expensive, complicated, and restrictive. Airaid replaces this unit with a high-flow lifetime Syntha-Flow filter in a new heat-resistant housing. Airaid claims a 21.2 rear-wheel horsepower gain with this unit. The unit fits Ford Super Duty pickups and Excursions. For more info, contact Airaid at 800-498-6951 or see www.airaid.com.
K&N 77-Series Intake Kit
K&N is one of the founding fathers of high performance. Its contribution is legendary, and K&N adds to it with the 77-Series Intake Kit for the 2001-2004 GM Duramax trucks. The heart of the kit is the famous, washable pleated-cotton gauze filter to which an aerodynamically designed aluminum intake tube is added. A special heat shield directs cool air to the filter. Installation is brick-simple, and it won’t void your new vehicle warranty. CARB certification is pending, but expected, as we go to print. For more info, contact K&N Engineering at 800-213-4182 or see www.knfilters.com.
Advanced Flow Engineering Cold Air Intake for Powerstroke
Advance Flow Engineering is an up-and-comer in the performance-intake world and offers cold-air systems for most Powerstroke trucks. Shown is the new 6.0L Stage 2 version that AFE claims offers an 18-horsepower-14-pound-foot boost in power and torque. A Stage 1 kit also is offered for many applications, and it differs mainly in not having a new intake air tube. For more info, contact AFE at 951-279-4050 or see www.afefilters.com.
Advanced Flow Engineering Cold Air Intake for Dodge Cummins
Owners of 2003-2005 Cummins-powered Dodges can benefit from AFE’s new cold-air intake system for this application. The potential airflow increase is reported as 80 percent over the stock, and the power boost listed is four horses and eight pound-feet. AFE also offers replacement filters to fit in the stock air-cleaner housings of many diesel-truck applications. For more info, contact AFE at 951-279-4050 or see www.afefilters.com.
BD Diesel Performance Super B Twin Turbo for Cummins
Want serious lungs for your Cummins Dodge? BD’s Super B Twin Turbo is a smart choice from a variety of standpoints. Why two turbos? It’s not just about doubling the amount of boost available by adding a second turbo, though you’ll generate much more boost than a stock single turbo unit. It’s more about broadening the power available over a much wider rpm range. The two turbos have different boost characteristics that compound each other. The smaller turbo spools up faster and gives more boost and power at lower rpms. The second unit is larger and spools up slowly, but has the capacity to offer more boost at higher engine speeds. When combined with increases in fuel rate, rear-wheel-power outputs of 500 horses are possible. What’s more, the increased airflow has a cooling effect if sensible fuel rates are used. For example, one test showed that at a rear-wheel-power output of 450 horses at 51psi boost, a 2002 Cummins developed an EGT of only 1175 degrees and low smoke levels. For more info, contact BD at 800-887-5030 or see www.dieselperformance.com.
Advanced Flow Engineering Cold Air Intake for Duramax
If you could use a reported extra 15 horses and 34 pound-feet, check out AFE’s Stage 2 kit for the 2001-2004 LB7 Duramax. It features an aluminum intake tube, ducting, and AFE’s patented Pro Guard 7 filter. These cleanable lifetime filters feature seven layers of increasing fine filtering media that traps harmful particles into the micron sizes. The design offers a service interval three to five times longer than OE paper filters and lower restriction. For more info, contact AFE at 951-279-4050 or see www.afefilters.com.
Hypertech Tuning Module for Powerstroke and Duramax
Hypertech’s newest offering gives 2003-2005 Powerstroke and 2004-2005 Duramax owners the ability to switch between three power levels on the fly. It’s called “3-Stage Tuning.” What’s unusual for the Hypertech unit is that all three levels can be used at the truck’s maximum towing capacity because it’ll automatically defuel when exhaust gas temperatures (EGT) reach dangerous levels. Also included is a sophisticated torque-management feature that protects automatic transmissions during shifts. For Powerstrokes, Hypertech advertises gains of 53 horses/84 pound-feet in Stage 1, 82 horses/123 pound-feet in Stage 2, and 117 horses/176 pound-feet in Stage 3. For the Duramax, Stage 1 gives 32 horses, 52 horses in Stage 2, and 87 horses in Stage 3. For more info, call Hypertech at 901-382-8888 or see www.hypertech.com.
Refining Logic
The biggest power gains from a modern, electronically controlled diesel will come from changes to the fuel-injection programming. The fuel delivery, timing, boost and trans shift points (automatic trans) are all controlled by the ECM (electronic control module), and these parameters can be optimized to increase power dramatically. In most cases, a chip or programmer will bring the biggest single bump in power for the money spent. Many offer selectable levels of power, some that combine a boost in economy and power and are suitable for towing, and others that max out the truck for competition or embarrassing musclecars at stoplights. The average chip or programmer is ridiculously user friendly to install and operate, so have no fear. In the case of the programmers, the original program is downloaded and stored in the unit. That way you can reload the stock program for warranty work or if you sell the vehicle.
Edge Evolution for 6.0L Powerstroke
Edge Product’s powerful but cost-effective Evolution programmer is now available for 2003 to current 6.0L Powerstroke-powered Ford trucks. The Evolution offers three power levels and the ability to read diagnostic fault codes. In addition, the unit can read 0-60 and quarter-mile times. The unit plugs into the truck’s diagnostic port; just download the truck’s original program and upload the chosen performance program. Level one, Towing, gives 60 horses/100 pound-feet; Level 2, Racing, 80 horses/160 pound-feet; and Level 3, Extreme, offers 100 horses/250 pound-feet. The Evolution is designed to offer a capacity load of bang-for-the-buck. For more info, contact Edge at 888-360-3343 or see www.edgeproducts.com.
Granatelli Big G Power Module for Cummins and Duramax
Granatelli Motor Sport gets into the diesel-performance market with a bang by offering its Big G Power Module for 2003-2004 Dodge Cummins-powered trucks and 2004.5 and later GM Duramax LLY series engines. For the Duramax, the unit comes with the In-Cab Monitor that allows the driver to monitor many engine readouts and performance parameters. Installation for both trucks is plug-and-play simple, and you’ll be running again in 15 minutes or less. The Cummins module offers two modes: towing and performance. The towing level offers a 50 horse and 150 pound-feet boost in grunt, and in Performance mode, you get 90 horses and 180 pound-feet. The unit is changed between modes via an included switch. The Duramax has five modes, including stock, plus 45 horses/80 pound-feet, plus 75 horses/150 pound-feet, plus 100 horses/205 pound-feet, and plus 120 horses/240 pound-feet. In addition, the Duramax In-Cab Monitor can display 20 different engine-performance parameters and allows the driver to shift between all modes while underway. For more info, contact Granatelli at 805-486-6644 or see www.granatellimotorsports.com.
Edge EZ Modules for 6.0L Powerstroke and Duramax LLY
The new EZ modules live up to their names by providing up to a claimed 65 horses after a 10-minute installation. Like the previous EX, they offer three levels of performance: Level 1 gives a claimed 20-horse boost with the added benefit of a five to 10 percent increase in fuel economy because of enhanced fuel atomization. Level 2 gives a 40-horse boost and optimizes automatic-trans shift points. Level 3 offers up to 65 horses and 200 pound-feet of torque. For more info, contact Edge at 888-360-3343 or see www.edgeproducts.com.
Bully Dog Power Pup Downloader for Cummins 600
Don’t be confused by Bully Dog’s “Downloader” terminology. It works like most other programmers and plugs into the OBDII diagnostic port, downloads the existing program, and uploads one of three performance programs. In tow mode, the Pup delivers a 50-70-horsepower boost. In performance mode, you gain a claimed 90 horses. Extreme mode offers a 130-horse boost. On top of the Cummins’ already potent 325 horses and 600 pound-feet, these are smokin’ hot numbers. For more info, contact Bully Dog at 208-397-3200 or see www.bullydog.com.
Bully Dog Power Pup Downloader for 6.0L Powerstroke
Bully Dog’s Power Pup for 2003-2004.5 6.0L Powerstroke is a switch-on-the-fly unit with 10 levels of power and many other functions. Power increases run from a claimed 50-155 rear-wheel horsepower and 100-341 pound-feet of torque. One cool feature of this unit is the ability to download software upgrades or improvements free from Bully Dog’s Web site. For more info, contact Bully Dog at 208-397-3200 or see www.bullydog.com.
Superchips 6.0L Powerstroke Tuner
Superchips jumps into the Powerstroke arena by applying its decades of EFI performance tuning expertise to the popular 6.0L Ford. Its MicroTuner has three levels of performance. Towing Mode delivers up to 67 horses/122 pound-feet, Economy Mode offers 97 horses/141 pound-feet, and Performance Mode gives 99 horsepower/171 pound-feet. You also can check and erase diagnostic trouble codes. For more info, contact Superchips at 407-585-7000 or see www.superchips.com.