Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 24v Upgrades

[Kernel]

A buddy of mine has a '99 24v CC longbed 4x4, 4. 10 LS with auto transmission and was looking for a possible upgrade for power.



Question 1: What kind of box can he get that will give him more hp/torque and not put his transmission in jeopardy? He is looking for something mild so he doesn't have to beef up his transmission. His towing includes the usual farm stuff: hay wagons, combine header trailers, gravity bed wagons, and a pleasure boat on the weekends.



Question 2: Will adding a box void his warranty?



Thanks for any help you can give.



Scott

 

[Diesel Gunner]

If his truck is a '99, what warranty does he have left? I mean, considering that the '03 is out, his truck is four years old.



I ain't no expert, but I would plan on doing tranmission mods if I were going to bomb any automatic Dodge. There are a few really mild things, like air filters, exhaust, fuel system, etc, but these really produce tiny amounts of performance increase.



Perhaps just a set of bigger injectors would fill the bill for him. Beware the bug! I would plan on doing the transmission



Good Luck!

 

[Motorhead]

I agree with Diesel Gunner, Even an Edge Ez can be hard on the auto under certain conditions. I have used an Ez on mine but take it off to tow. My trany is also stock.

 

[TxDieselKid]

Even an EZ will tear it up after a while, and that is the mildest box I know of.



Andrew

 

[jimnance]

I have an Edge EZ and tow a large fifth wheel. I had my transmission guy install a Trans-Go kit for it. $100. 00 for the kit and $100. 00 labor. I have 75K on the truck and the last 25K with the mods puling the trailer. I pull lots of hills with the pedal hammered.



So far the transmission is not showing any ill effects. However, I know it is only a question of time. I hope to make 100K then install the ATS transmission and converter.

 

[TxDieselKid]

If he ONLY want's a box, then also try and get him to get a valve body. With a new vb, I would get a Van Akkin. An 89% DTT, and a Van Akkin would go nice together I think.



Total cost would be about $800, not too bad.



Andrew

 

[Jim Fulmer]

If you look at DTT's site on upgrades, they sell kits like a EZ and a valve body for the transmission. The valve body has to be the best upgrade you can do, if it were me and I knew what I know I would put the valve body in even it were stock.



Jim

 

[78repowerwagon]

On my truck I started with the timing box (reprogrammed Blue Chip)and loved the added power but did not like what my torque converter did. I then got a Blue Chip FMS and installed it(wanted gauge's and wanted a FMS later anyway). I took the timing box off and played with the FMS on 25%and less and like it much better - it comes on much easier down low and does not make my converter go nuts. I then purchased used DDII's and run it with the FMS off and love them. It carries the same power curve just more of it. Knowing now what I didn't know then If I was not planning any future mods and leaving the trans in place, I would go with just injectors.





My opinion for what its worth,

Matt

 

[pwr2tow]

On a 1999 your buddy can probably get away with an EZ (60HP increase) or stage one injectors (60HP increase) since the 98 1/2 and 99's were factory rated at 215 HP and the other years were 235 HP factory rated. They all use the same transmission, the 47RE. The transmission is rated for approximately 260-270 HP. I beleave that is why some get away with upgrades and some do not. Now there are always exceptions to every rule and you will find some earlier models that will not hold the power and most will, and some later models that will hold the power and some don't, but the factory power differences is the main reason.



The injectors are the easiest on the the drive train since they increase power over the whole RPM range and spike about where the stock setup is, with increased HP of course. The fueling boxes are harder on the drive train due to the large increase in power at the lower rpm's, although some of them can be adjusted when the fueling comes on, but typically it is boost that determines this not rpm so hence they are still harder on the drive train than injectors.



Now for my opinion. If he doesn't want to do the transmission upgrades then he is better off leaveing the truck alone. He will get by with power upgrades for a while but eventually the transmission will need attention. If I was a betting man I would say with the 99 year truck, 4:10 gears, and a mild injector upgrade he could go for quite awhile before he had to do the transmission upgrades.



Ron

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

ronsram - the reason that they were able to up the rating on the auto's to 235 hp is because they changed the programming in the PCM to defuel at the shift points. That way power transmitted to the transmission was reduced during shifts. On the 215 hp engines it does not do that.

 

[pwr2tow]

Yes, you are right Steve. What I was trying to show was that the lower powered 215 engine could probably get away with the power upgrade while the 235 is probably limited to how much more power you can add due to it already has more power.



Most people would agree that the 47RE will live a long time behind alot more power than an extra 60 HP, it's the TC that is junk and will not survive. There are many owners out there driveing there trucks around with 300+ HP on a stock transmission with an aftermarket valve body and TC and we all know that the transmission does not shift under lockup in stock form so I think DC was just covering themselves on a an issue that really was not an issue to begin with.



I know that is just speculation on my part but why defuel an engine when the transmission can handle the power in non lockup form. It just came to me as I was typeing this, maybe that's why DC had the ECM's defuel in OD too, then that would explain the TSB reflash for low power in OD back to more power.



Ron

 

[Motorhead]

To me, The de-fuel feature is good on the trans. You have clutch packs and bands trying to grip full power to shift to the next gear.



Without de-fueling, it is like full throttle speed shifting a stick shift trans. See how long THEY last under those conditions.



Granted,I would have liked to have a different shifting/stronger trans but nothing is truely perfect. My . 02... Chris

 

[Kernel]

I want to thank everyone for their great advice. When we were talking I pretty much told him from what I had seen and read, there really isn't a way to get around upgrading the transmission when extra horses and torque is what your looking for. Since my knowledge is mostly with 12ers and standard trannies I figured his best bet was for me to ask the folks who are tried and true. As for the warranty, remember it's a farm truck with about 40,000 miles on it, his time will probably run out before he hits 100,000. That's what happened with mine. I think once he gets this info and asks around about prices and the such, he will see the light . Thanks again for everyones help.





Scott

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

I don't know of many of us who were able to stop with just a V/A

or EZ. I drove around for 22,000 miles with just the V/A. I had no problems. I did the transmission upgrade because I wanted injectors. Now I have the whole ball of wax. Your friend will be find with a small box. That is what those boxes are designed for.