Need More Horsepower

[mschwier]

I currently own a 1997, 4x4, ext. cab, auto, 373 gears, with a stock Cummins Diesel and I'm looking to get more horsepower out of it. The only add ons I have is the K&N air filter and a Prime-Loc fuel filter. Any ideas on what to do first?

 

[rkdblacksmoke]

I currently own a 1997, 4x4, ext. cab, auto, 373 gears, with a stock Cummins Diesel and I'm looking to get more horsepower out of it. The only add ons I have is the K&N air filter and a Prime-Loc fuel filter. Any ideas on what to do first?

IMO. You will probably want to upgrade your transmission a little first, then get some gauges and a fuel plate, that give you some great power pretty cheap. Look around theres all sorts of fuel plates, could probably pick one up off ebay or in the classifieds pretty cheap. If you put this over on the second gen twelvw valve forum you'll get all sorts of answers.

 

[y-knot]

Well lets see, we both have about the same trucks. I would first ask what do you do with your truck? If it is used for daily commute to work and you do little or no towing then I would get myself a plate from TST, most likely a #8 maybe a #5. But be ware that any real towing with this truck WILL cause the automatic transmission to slip. I can not evaluate your trany for you, it already has many miles on it, so I would proceed very cautiously and assume it is wounded. But the very first item on your list should be a set of quality gages, such as the Auto meter line. They should include a EGT,Boost and vacuum or engine oil pressure.

You should also invest some money to get your truck up to speed with regard to maintenance. I would get my self a replacement oil,air and fuel filters, and install them with a batch of new quality engine oil. The front and rear differentials should be serviced by replacing the oil gear oil with new, and the transfer case should get the same. The transmission should also get service, this consist of changing the ATF with new fluid and also replacing the filter and gasket with a new ones. While you are there, you should also adjust the bands, many leave this adjustment off their list of things to do. And last but not least, before you start spending all that money for performance parts do yourself a favor and go over the engine compartment and replace the belts,hoses,antifreeze and check the power steering fluid. I would also have the valves checked, this is the one item no one seems to care about but certainly can cost you performance. After all of these checks and adjustments have been made, you now have a healthy base line to compare any changes made with regard to performance, good luck.