3 ways to improve diesel performance
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Learn how to improve your diesel performance
We are now in the year 2022, roughly twenty years after the diesel truck performance industry exploded when enthusiasts took the slow, loud, and unrefined diesel pickup beyond its original design intent. In 20 years, much can occur, and boy, has it. Everything from dependable daily drivers with 4X OEM power to sub-4-second drag trucks and multimillion-dollar EPA fines – both good and bad. Lets check out how to Improve Diesel Truck Performance.
With everything that can be altered, however, there will always be those who push the boundaries.
I recall when “rolling coal” was a popular prank on the street. It enraged enough people to prompt the passage of laws dictating what can and cannot be done with modified diesel truck performance.
Best Diesel Performance
If you raise your hand, you have just tuned into the world of diesel performance. If you’ve been in this location for more than a day, you’ll realize that no other platform allows for the installation of more power adders than a diesel pickup.
The classic vehicles of yesteryear simply have no chance against the muscle cars of the present day. Where else can you find a reliable 750-hp truck that can tow a camper one day, go off-roading the next, and finish the weekend by destroying most of the competition on the drag strip? Correct, you cannot.
Popular Diesel Power Adders
How do diesel enthusiasts produce so much diesel power?
You begin by emptying your wallet. Power is expensive. The more you desire, the greater the cost. At any event or racetrack, the drivers with the most money invested in their vehicles will be the fastest. Nonetheless, you can earn more money tomorrow.
So, now that we’ve come to this sobering realization, let’s discuss how to Improve Diesel Truck Performance.
Ways To Boost Diesel Engine Performance
Digital Programming
Or, in simpler terms, tuners. This handy device reprograms the ECM and modifies the fuel and air delivery to increase power. Depending on the tuner, a plug-and-play version can easily add 50 to 200 horsepower. And they are inexpensive. Be cautious, however; this is where you begin to encounter legal and illegal power. I will not engage in this debate today, but I may do so in the future.
With a few button presses – Wham! Significantly more power. Is it trustworthy? Yes and no, depending on the distance traveled.
Fifty horsepower is not a problem. Heck, even 100 horsepower is no problem for most pickups. However, if you exceed 150 horsepower, you’ll be driving a ticking time bomb.
This engine will likely handle it with ease. Look at what Banks Power did with its “Killing A Duramax” series.
Banks Power, SCT, Edge, EFI Live, TS Performance, and Bulldog manufacture the most popular street tuners. Then, a list specializing in each OEM brand is presented. This list utilizes a number of the aforementioned platforms, but offers custom tuning based on the bolt-on performance adders you intend to use.
Forced Induction
Very few diesel vehicles use a supercharger, so “turbocharging” is the correct term in the diesel industry. It’s possible that this will be a future Banks Power development, but we’ll have to wait and see.
For the remainder of us, the turbo is responsible for forcing air into the combustion chamber. Due to the invention of the common-rail fuel system, the engine will receive a sufficient amount of fuel. With aggressive tuning, however, the stock turbo cannot deliver sufficient airflow.
This dilemma can be resolved with an aftermarket turbo from Fleece,* ATS Diesel,* Industrial Injection* and other manufacturers.
However, before you purchase a different turbo, you should read the plethora of online articles on the subject. There are vehicles optimized for towing, racing, and daily driving.
As with many things, diesel engine perfection is difficult to attain. You are therefore suboptimal because, like me, you utilize the truck for multiple purposes. Obtaining the correct turbo – or compound turbos – necessitates having a horsepower goal and a specific purpose in mind. Or, either go big or go home. Too much ambition without the proper combination of other factors will result in failure.
How to get Fuel Delivery
This section may contain the injectors and/or the fuel pump.
The fuel pump could be a lift pump or the engine’s CP3 or CP4 pump. If you’ve been in the neighborhood long enough, you’ve likely read about the CP4 pump’s alleged incompatibility with modern diesel fuel, which contains less sulfur for lubrication. I always use AMSOIL diesel fuel additives to increase lubrication and protect the pump. This is one of the ways on how to Improve Diesel Truck Performance.
The same holds true for fuel injectors. As stated previously, air depletes before fuel. However, if you have sufficient air, you will soon run out of fuel. To get more fuel to the engine, you must have a pump capable of delivering it and injectors that can spray it.
Now is a good time to inspect the condition of your high-pressure fuel pump and ensure that it is fed by a reliable lift pump. Consider Airdog* or FASS* for all of your lift-pump requirements.
What is your diesel horsepower goal?
After addressing the supply side, it is time to revisit your horsepower goal and the truck’s intended use.
Aftermarket injectors employ a different set of nozzles with larger holes capable of spraying more fuel. However, it is essential to coordinate spray volume and air-charge volume with the tune that controls your injectors.
Do you believe that you need a plan even in the world of plug-and-play that we have enjoyed for the past two decades? If you undersize or oversize specific components, the truck will not function properly. Communicating your desired horsepower output to your aftermarket partners will position you for success. There are numerous aftermarket injector suppliers available. Industrial Injection began this initiative in the 1980s, and many others have followed suit since then.
Diesel Engine Performance Enhancements
These three categories conclude the list of diesel engine performance upgrades encountered by the majority of mechanics in this country.
We could discuss diesel performance for days on end. If we want to delve deeply into diesel racing performance, we must expand this list and add numerous other specific components. However, since the majority of individuals seek dependable street power, here is your list.
There is an aftermarket company that will safely transport you in any direction.
Remember, a wise FTK Diesel employee once advised me, “You must build the foundation before you can build the house.”
I hope this post is taught you something and has given you some in-site on how to Improve Diesel Truck Performance.
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