Long Time Diesel / First Time Duramax

[Diesel Freak]

Howdy all! Been cruisin this sight for awhile, just bought a Duramax. I've owned Dodge/Cummins for the last several years, I must say the Duramax is a totally different animal!

I don't want to get into any Cummins / Duramax arguements, :rolleyes: we all know what the Cummins is capable of. Now it's time for me to make the Duramax run like my old truck :D

What do you Dually guys get for mileage loaded and empty?

How many miles did you have to put on your truck before it really started to wake up?

I can offer a wealth of Diesel knowledge, unfortunately not much Duramax knowledge yet ;)

Jerry

[Kennedy]

"Now it's time for me to make the Duramax run like my old truck."

You really want it to be that noisy and slow??? Seriously, I respect the Cummins, but for the average guy who just does a box, gauges, and exhaust/air filter, there's really no comparison...

[imported_]

Amen to that John
BTW i am still trying to determine if 40K a year is a decent wage in Green Bay...any comments hete would be appreciated!!!

[Diesel Freak]

John, I appreciate the fact you respect the Cummins, yes it is noisy, yes it is obnoxious, ;) but you really can't dispute the fact that is the HP King. tongue.gif BTW I LOVE the fact my new truck is SO much quieter.

I really am excited that you can get reasonable power out of the Duramax by simply adding a "box" God knows it wasn't that easy with my Cummins, I spent thousands getting the power, dang turbo was nearly 2 grand in itself. Had to get away before I really got bit by the HP bug :D

So who has the most HP and what is it? I'll be satisfied when mine is in the mid 400's I'm not really going to go too nuts..... I hope. :rolleyes:

Jerry

[Swayse]

I'd rather change injectors on a 24 valve Cummins than spark plugs in a LS1 Trans Am.

[Kennedy]

MadMax,

40's is damn good wages IMHO. I barely bested half of that punching the clock (8 years ago) and still don't make that now...

Diesel Freak,

I'm kinda holding back on the HP war to see who finds the weak link first. 380-400RW is quite easy and relatively safe on just #2. Going past 450 with the current technology, and I think we are pushing things. Then again, not many Cummins or PSD's go this far w/o major mechanical or component work.

IMHO injectors is one of the next frontiers so we can lessen the pulse width and shorten the duration...

[Diesel Freak]

AMEN to that!!! I used to have a '99 Trans Am, workin on that thing sucked, but sure was fast.

[Maverick]

Kennedy is the HP king that I know at 432hp rwhp.

As far as mileage goes for my 3500 I get 17 empty and 10-11 towing at 20-30K GVW almost every day. Allison is doing good so far with that kind of torture and plowing in the winter. Its still together at over 107,000.

[Diesel Freak]

So 380 to 400hp is pretty much the limit, is that with or without tranny mods? I normally ran my Dodge on a lower setting yielding about 375hp, 900lb/ft torque. Any higher and the EGT would go through the roof. Now mind you that was upgraded fuel system, new injectors, new turbo, new exhaust, new airbox, new intake manifold, new clutch, and an add on box. If you tell me I can be in the same power range with just a box and exhaust I will be absolutely impressed!!!

Btw, what do you guys see for Boost and pre turbo egt levels? Is the 'Max about like the Cummins for egt, keep it under 1400, 15 or 16 is okay for a short time?

Thanks for all the input guys!!!

[Kennedy]

Actually Maverick, I'm sure that I am far from the king, I just happen to have just enough when dyno running in public...

[SoCalDMAX]

A Juice box should yield 330rwhp, assuming you started with 245rwhp. 5min install, connect 4 connectors. Hard part is: where do you set down your beer while leaning over the motor? "Super" Juice should get you an extra 30-35hp on top of that.

Powershot2000 propane system is a little more involved but an afternoon with basic hand tools will net 340-345rwhp and reduced EGTs (100+* drop on moderate throttle.) Both of these mods work very well together and The Juice on level 4 with propane should result in ~400rwhp. If you don't "hammer" the throttle, the power will get to the ground just fine.

At this point, you're on a first name basis with all of the local cops and the Judge is tired of seein' you in his court. Is that about right, Mac? ;)

Regards, Steve

[Diesel Freak]

Thanks to all who replied! I think I'm going to go with a Hot Juice and exhaust right now. Gonna wait and learn for awhile, let the truck break in, then it's all out! After that I think I will buy some propane, the pcm programmer, the tranny upgrades, maybe a turbo a two. And probably still have less cash into it than I did my Cummins. :cool:

[mackin]

SoCalDMAX

That just about sums it up ..... They drag out my record no sense in denying it .....Just think, it shuts down at 98 ish,imagine if it didn't....Do they have Internet access in jail???? Or do I have to go federal to get that perk????

MAC :eek:

=>http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1872513942

I got to get my tunes in first....... :( But yet ...... smile.gif

[Bart Timothy]

I seriuosly doubt you can get a D/A to the 450 hp level any where as cheap and easy as getting a 24v ISB Cummins there. The '03 Dodges are looking good in that respect too.

[mackin]

Hot Juice => $1000

Propane => $500

6 Speed clutch => $1000

Or ATS Upgrade Option when avail.=> $2500+

That will get you knocking on the 450 RWHP door !!!!!!
Pretty cheap !!!!!! We'll stick to the 6 speed since that is the weapon of choose in D/C hot rodding .......


MAC :D

[Diesel Freak]

Mackin forgot exhaust ;) The Cummins ISB needs Upgraded fuel lines $200
Bigger Injectors $600
New Turbo $800
High flow air filter $ 50
4" Exhaust $600
Hot Rod Box $950
New Clutch $950

Total $4150

That's for a useable 450hp on and ETC, I'm sure you can cut corners and do it cheaper, but you run into heat issues. My problem is I had the High Output motor from the start, which really has heat issues. Here's the breakdown I had:

Fuel Lines $200
Air Intake Manifold $450
Through cowl airbox $200
4" Exhaust $900
Drag Comp $950
Injectors $600
B-1 Turbo $1950
Clutch $1000
Gauges $650
Horton Fan $600

Total $7500

That doesnt account for the extra 2 - 3 grand I spent prior to those parts on different boxes, injectors and turbos. :rolleyes:

That's at $10,000 :eek: :(

Notice I said I will have less into it than I did MY Cummins. I definetly took the hard route, plus starting with the H.O. motor is always more expensive. For typical 400hp motors, the cost seems about the same for the Cummins and the 'Max.

Sorry for the book, sure hope I didn't offend anybody! :D :D :D

[Burner]

I really enjoy reading these posts, even more so when JK has input. I have had a few "heavy" motors and am curious that the "mounts" have not been mentioned, nor the box on the 4x4 models? What ever happened to the (reversed) ram air on the hoods? The windshield will really "cram" some air down if the hood it built right. On the filter, why not just build a bigger box? A large box would have more area for air. Maybe someone could build a box that used "both" the stock and after market filter? Adding 25% more area for both filters should be about equal to one K&N in the stock placement.

[Bobcat698]

What are we getting for mileage you say?

Well, I have been VERY happy with mileage so far.

I think it was About the third tank of fuel, I hauled our skid steer on a trailer (about 8,000lbs) for about 30 miles, & the rest was pretty much city driving.
I got 18.7MPG on that tank!

While pulling a 38 foot 5th wheel out to Colorado (GCVW 25,000lbs) the worst I pulled was 8.7MPG with a ferocious head-wind & it was the first tank pulling with the truck, the rest of the time it was always over 10MPG, with a best tank of 13.2MPG going mostly downhill out of the mountains.
I am very happy with the rig so far.

The tank of fuel I am on now has over 100 towing miles on it@25,000GCVW, & the rest has been some freeway & city driving & the computer says I am at 17.1MPG, that is not half bad!

Our gasser on a good day could get 14MPG empty, & about 400Miles on a full tank of fuel. I am on 461 miles on this tank so far & the computer says there is still 78 miles of range left.

Garrett

[Breck]

$900 for an exhaust? Must be stainless or installed price?

$650 in guages?

$200 for fuel lines?

WOW, I hope guages on the Duramax don't cost that much smile.gif

Man I'm glad I shoped around for some of my ISB parts!

$165 4" exhaust (home made and looks stock at the tail pipe)

$90 for AN-6 aeroquipe fittings and 3/8 braided line from filter to pump and and 1/2 line from moved lift pump and 12mm-AN-8 fitting (near tank)

$20 on home made fuel pressure guage. I know an egt guage is needed $120 plus boost $30 the same as a Dmax

I guess what I'm trying to say is that not all Cummins mods are that expensive. On top of that, money can be saved for other things by doing it yourself regardless of what you drive.

I wonder if I take my dremil to my injectors next.....

;) NOT A CHANCE!

On a side note; a friend of mine bought used injectors and a box for his ISB Cummins and it put down 340rwhp for $600, not bad for the money. Cluth is starting to slip now.

The hot juice puts down 330rwhp? How usable is that for trailering at the highest level with everthing else left stock? What type of EGT's does that run?

Breck

[Diesel Freak]

Burner, they make an airbox for the Dodge's that breathes through the firewall from the high pressure area at the base of the windshield. And you can REALLY here the turbo with that setup.

Breck, yes that is stainless exhaust.
The $200 fuel lines I had custom machined because nobody could find the AN fittings at that time (quite awhile ago) the gauges is for 2 SPA DG211's. Like I said that's what I spent, not what needs to be spent. To each their own. I'm glad your buddy has 340hp for 600 bucks, but, like you said his clutch is going, and unless he upgraded his exhaust, I'll about guarrantee he can't tow and keep his EGT in check. (certainly not in the mountains of Montana).

To each their own, that's what makes B.O.M.B.ing so much d*mn fun!! :D :D :D

[Kennedy]

Depending on the dyno, the Hot Juice will do 370-390RW.

Gauges and exhaust is a wash. BOTH need them.

As for the ISB vs Dmax, ask Amianthus what he has done to his, and figure mine with 2 boxes at $1795 total.