There is no end to the quest for getting the fun back:
Twenty-One Steps to a Poor Old Sickly Ram
1. A nice new 215 hp Ram is just the thing to order in the Summer of 1996--good power and mileage. No gas pig feels right, even that gas guzzling 300 hp V10. In fact, the V10 was anemic compared to the old performance 360s and 440s, when the V8s were properly built up with an RV camshaft, four barrel carburetor, and headers—especially the 440s. The computerization of the newer engines meant you might as well weld the hood closed—no user serviceable parts inside. I know a guy who spent several thousand dollars on headers, exhaust system, computer, and throttle body, and got his V10 up to maybe 260 horsepower at the wheels, as measured on the Dynojet. Yawn. And, ouch on the wallet.
2. Hmmm, let’s get that TST torque plate and put it on the shelf. That retired Cummins engineering guy, Mark Chapple, might be pretty old and quit making them or the little company could go out of business. I can’t imagine needing more power, but who knows. It could be a good idea just to have it around in case it's not available later. Actually the new Ram is getting a bit tired, and a bit of extra power would be worth having around.
3. Hmmm, I wonder how hard it would be to put that plate in. Also, it might be worthwhile to test it just a bit. OK, it fits easily, and now the baby Ram feels good again, like it was brand new.
4. Might as well get that 16 cm2 turbine housing to free up the exhaust. A little power and lower exhaust gas temperature (egt). The Ram feels a bit weak and needs more. Somehow it has lost that “edge” it had when it was new.
5. Let's try low restriction exhaust and how about that experimental TST plate. Need to get back that "push" that has been missing for a while. The Ram does OK, but it can’t hurt to have extra power for those special times. Time to work a bit with torque plate R&D.
6. Ooopppss. Clutch slipped in 5th. Ohhh, nnooooo. Surely it couldn’t have slipped. Lets try again. OOOOOooooooohhhhh nnnnnnoooooooo. I don’t want to believe it. Couldn’t possibly be making over 800 ft-lb of torque. Now I have to find some companies who might be interested in making clutches. Work with a couple companies to develop clutches. It’s really stressful not being able to play. Poor Ram feels really beat up and tired now.
7. Ahhhh. Now all is OK. The clutch is holding. The new prototype clutch from Centerforce is holding. Now it is safe to get back to torque plate development, and other games.
8. Yep, the Ram feels a bit tired, even sickly, and with the new clutch, a bit more torque plate is just the thing, and safe, of course. And work on that exhaust a bit. Ahhh, feels good again, nothing like having a frisky Ram.
9. Not again. That old familiar zzzzzz at about 1800 rpm in fifth gear, uphill or under load. Gotta get more clutch. This is ridiculous. The engine is “almost stock” and that darn clutch won’t hold. Sure, all the parts were in stock when I used them. Head porting is called for, because even though my poor old Ram is sick, the egt's are up there. I wonder what happened to that feeling of power it once had? Hmmmph, only 380 horsepower--doesn’t feel like much!
10. OK, here is enough clutch. A custom built unit with a special carbon fiber facing. Holds on like a pit bull. Yeah!
11. Gotta put in a real torque plate to work with the new clutch; this Ram won't get outta its way. Real sickly. Now that the new clutch is holding so well, I just gotta refine the fueling a bit.
12. Wonder if those Diamond B injectors would help the low end. Ya know, the Ram is real sick starting out with those oversize tires in 2nd gear. Dug up a couple serial numbers so Piers could find them. Ahhh, better now. More like the power and response from the old days. Nice to have that old feeling back. Somewhere around 440 horsepower, almost enough.
13. Egt really needs more attention. Somewhere between too hot and plasma cutter. How about a bigger turbo, like the HX40? BD Power is a Holset dealer, but Piers isn’t convinced yet that we need bigger turbochargers. No problem. I just shamed him into putting more fuel to his Ram. Ya know, wimpy fueling, no power, etc. Poor guy thought 300 cc/1000 strokes was a lot of fuel. Ya, right. He jumped right to the challenge. Now he is addicted too, and his exhaust gas temperature is right up there with mine. Piers called Holset and came through with just what I wanted--a bit bigger turbo with a wastegated 18. 5 sq. cm. exhaust housing so boost won't get too high. I just “had” to go to 4" exhaust to match the turbo.
14. Those governor springs from Piers are real nice but now I have to watch that rpm. "Tapped" the pedal in 3rd. Wow, more power than would be expected from just a turbo. Yeah, 510 horsepower on the Dynojet, and it feels pretty good. Now the poor old Sickly Ram feels right again. Life is good, and my Ram is happy, well almost. Exhaust gas temperatures are still high, not plasma high, just very high.
15. Oooohhh nnnooooo. Only one good gear. Tires fry in 2nd and clutch fries in 4th and 5th. Like being on ice. Ram feels "OK" in 3rd though. Now I need a "decent" clutch. Time for more clutch development work. I still get blank looks when I say the little 5. 9 liter engine is flexing the clutch.
16. Seemed like forever to break in that new 13” clutch with brass ceramic pucks. OK, now all the gears work. Ram feels almost like it "should. "
17. Guess its time to "touch up" that fueling curve just a bit. Don't think the egt is a problem, well, yet. Nothing has broken, so power level is obviously low--safe to try something to get this Ram up to snuff. A meager 500 horsepower is just too sickly.
18. Met with Lawrence at Diesel Dynamics. Now I have access to a dyno for the amount of time needed for extensive testing and tuning, and a kindred spirit who is also searching for just that bit more power from the Cummins B/ISB engines. My poor old Ram, by now nicknamed “Sickly,” desperately needs a bit of help in the power department.
19. “Super Mental” Diesel Dynamics injectors add fuel in “earnest” quantities. Some custom tuning and [censored adjustments] gets poor old Sickly to 609 horsepower.
20. I don’t know why, but that 600 horsepower is beginning to feel just a bit peaked, Sickly even. Need more. Magic “fire nozzle” injectors and our custom-design (Diesel Dynamics) camshaft feeds the air pulled in by a turbocharger designed by Holset for the ISX 15-liter Cummins engine. Maybe just a bit more tuning will make the poor old Ram feel right again. The camshaft and turbocharger development Lawrence and I did really helped the egt. Must be safe now to add more fuel!
21. Ahhh, 633. 8 hp at May Madness 2002. Getting closer. Just another 50, maybe 75 horsepower and then my poor old Ram won’t be sickly anymore!
Those who followed the later adventures know that 688, 763, and 799. 9 hp weren’t enough either!
Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Of course I'm still thinking about what to buy next...
