03 Owners

[chwhit]

I'm kind of up in the air about what mods I want to do with the truck, I had a juice w/o attitude and didn't really like it. I really want mechanical power, not a lot, I was thinking of getting a set of f1's 40 horse injectors, a cam, and maybe add a little pressure. I have been wondering if any of the chips/tuners can smooth out my truck, I'm talking about the emissions programming that causes the RPM's to stay high when you clutch to burn off any extra fuel. Mine is terrible, and makes it really hard to make clean shifts because you have to wait for the rpm's to go down before you let out the clutch. If there is anything out there like adding pressure, or if the mechanical approach will smooth it out, I will get it because I'm starting to get fed up with it. I'm tempted to drive to CUMMINS and see if they can reprogram it and make it drive like my buddies 05' (smooth as can be). Thanks guys.

 

[Slow Six]

I'm running the BD Xpower and Iam extremely pleased with it. It is very driveable and so far there has been no problems, much unlike the Quadzilla Xilleraider that sits on the bench (big problems and no support). The Xpower is more driveable than the Edge EZ I used for a year or so. The EZ is pressure only and after reading on here for a while I made the decision to stay away from a pressure box. I find the Xpower to be smooth and I like the way the power comes on. We pulled our fiver for 3 1/2 months this past winter and we were able to go with traffic.

 

[DerekW]

hey I dont have a manual trans or a 2003. But i really like the banks 6 gun with speedloader. it is not noticeably different than stock when i put my truck in neutral and go wide open, other than it gets there quicker. rpms come down pretty much like stock. I have a PPE HOT and it came with the latest updates from chrysler. I really like the latest chrysler updates as far as to my cummins. I would consider running a smarty cuz not only does it come with the latest updates it will give u better power and econ.



I see you have a k&n in your truck. is that the rediculously huge drop is filter that goes in stock box??? I run the k&n drop in filter for a while then switched to AFE Stage 2 and got 1 mpg over the . 5 the k&n gave me.

 

[chwhit]

keep em comin. I have run pressure and duration with the juice, I was wondering if anyone who has experienced the rpm's staying high for about a second and a half, has run any boxes that have helped out with this. My buddies 05' has an EZ and a smarty (EZ on 40, smarty on 60) his truck is smooth as can be, I remember driving it stock as well and it didn't have any of the electronic "kinks" that mine has, it feels like a gasser compared to mine.

 

[JPulver]

chwhit, I know what you mean when you say your RPM's to stay high when you clutch. My 03 does the same thing and it drives me crazy!



My buddie's got an 02 with a 6spd and when he drove my 03 he couldn't believe how long the RPM's "hang" before dropping back to the shift point. He says that his RPM's drop instantly when he lets off the throttle.



The only electronic mod I have is the EZ and it does nothing for reducing shift intervals.

 

[DE Jeeper]

I have had a TST CR Powermax on my truck for about 100k miles and once you get used to the turbo spoolig quick it is very easy to drive. I don't get the high RPM problems you are talking about. I keep the settings on 4 power and 4 torque. I Just put on a FASS 150 pump and an AFE stage 2 and now it will pull through the red line where as before it would die off around 2800 rpm. My next step is new injectors and an intake horn. When I get enough money the turbo, intercooler and exaust manifold upgrades. I hope to get over 600hp eventually.



BTW, I also tow 7-14k in trailer regularly and when I turn the power down I don't have any clutch problems. I am on the factory one still at 135k. I fugure that will need an upgrade soon as I put the other parts on.



HTH,

Aaron

 

[JHardwick]

I'm not trynig to sound sracastic, but drive it like a diesel truck and not a sports car. Try letting the gear "run out" before shifting ... ... ... . I roll in and roll out of the throttle.

 

[chwhit]

I know what you're trying to say, I don't know if mine is worse than some, I know my truck was made in 02' it's a really early 03', I'm not sure if anything changed slightly during the model year or what. When I'm towing and have to wait like two seconds to let out the clutch, I miss the peak time to hit the next gear, I start to lose forward momentum. It just drives me nuts sometimes.

So, DE Jeeper you say that the TST helped out with it? I will probably get one if it did.

 

[JPulver]

At what RPM's do you shift?

 

[JHardwick]

I don't know if mine is worse than some, I know my truck was made in 02' it's a really early 03',

I ordered mine around Thanksgiving in '02. Dunno

 

[chwhit]

Hey, JHarwick, I really tried doing what you told me, almost exaggerating "letting the gear run out". It helped quite a bit, I guess it sort of lets emissions event happen while you're in gear, I wasn't laying into the throttle and clutching really quick in the first place but exaggerating the top end really does help. Thanks a lot, and how are those injectors after this amount of time... . still worth the investment if I'm gonna run stock with a cam?

 

[LMcCary]

chwit

My 2003 250hp does the rpm hang also. Sometimes it is very annoying. I tried gear run out, but it will not every time. Don't mean to hijack your thread, just won't to find out by reading on how to fix my 2003 too.



Lmccary

 

[4 wheelssmoking]

My 03 did the same thing for a long time. Once I got a reflash from a downloader it was much better. I say get a new program from a dodge dealer or get a Smarty or similar product with new programming

 

[RopinFool]

I highly recommend the smarty. I have ran the edge juice, the edge ez, the bully dog power pup and the bully dog triple dog. none of them came close to the smarty on my truck. Very smooth and easily the most powerful power adder I tried on my truck. Right now I am running the smarty stacked with an old quadzilla pressure box. When the pressure box is turned up, holy cow. My only complaint is now I am in dire need of a new turbo... the smarty is capable of so much more power than the the stock turbo can provide.

 

[LMcCary]

Which turbo is best for the money. I see frim this site there are many choices. For fast spool and plenty of air and decent price, which is best.







2003 250SO soon to be Smarty 5spd 4X4 2500 factory tires

 

[DerekW]

I have had a TST CR Powermax on my truck for about 100k miles and once you get used to the turbo spoolig quick it is very easy to drive. I don't get the high RPM problems you are talking about. I keep the settings on 4 power and 4 torque. I Just put on a FASS 150 pump and an AFE stage 2 and now it will pull through the red line where as before it would die off around 2800 rpm. My next step is new injectors and an intake horn. When I get enough money the turbo, intercooler and exaust manifold upgrades. I hope to get over 600hp eventually.



BTW, I also tow 7-14k in trailer regularly and when I turn the power down I don't have any clutch problems. I am on the factory one still at 135k. I fugure that will need an upgrade soon as I put the other parts on.



HTH,

Aaron

Contact NGM Diesel with you HP goals or your parts needs. They are a buncha great guys and have been very competitive with their prices. The owner there Wade has a 2003 that runs very fast at the track. i think it was a 11second pass but I cant remember. he installed my transmission and i keep going back to him for more parts and help with my problems.

 

[DerekW]

I know what you're trying to say, I don't know if mine is worse than some, I know my truck was made in 02' it's a really early 03', I'm not sure if anything changed slightly during the model year or what. When I'm towing and have to wait like two seconds to let out the clutch, I miss the peak time to hit the next gear, I start to lose forward momentum. It just drives me nuts sometimes.

So, DE Jeeper you say that the TST helped out with it? I will probably get one if it did.

if its a early 2003 some factory upsdates might do it some good. consider the smarty so you can have the latest factory updates from chrysler and have more pwoer/economy

 

[DerekW]

Which turbo is best for the money. I see frim this site there are many choices. For fast spool and plenty of air and decent price, which is best.







2003 250SO soon to be Smarty 5spd 4X4 2500 factory tires

industrial injection has great tech support and a variety of options. they have been good to me. wade told me about industrial injection and told me how he runs everythin they got and how he stand firm behind them. so I tired them and I see why he likes them so much

 

[JHardwick]

Hey, JHarwick, I really tried doing what you told me, almost exaggerating "letting the gear run out". It helped quite a bit, I guess it sort of lets emissions event happen while you're in gear, I wasn't laying into the throttle and clutching really quick in the first place but exaggerating the top end really does help. Thanks a lot, and how are those injectors after this amount of time... . still worth the investment if I'm gonna run stock with a cam?

My only regret on the F1 injectors is not doing it sooner.



I've ran 3 different boxes and found that they actually eggsagerate the RPM hangup ... ..... even make it ramp up 100RPM or so.



I asked the same questions as you not too long ago ... ..... cam, injectors, turbo etc. I still think it's viable unless your wanting insane power. Box stacks, ring tone mods etc are taking the life out of these motors by "stacking" timing and duration to crazy levels IMO, or at least for my application.



I'd be looking at a cam next, but I'm gonna do a paint job in July. I hit a deer Memorial Day :{ $2,900 for the damage and an addition $2,000 out of pocket for a complete paint job. It's starting to get a few nicks and scratches, plus just looking dull after 300,000 miles.