New to Site NEED HELP

[cpl0199]

I want to upgrade my 2003 turbo diesel 3. 73 Quad cab sb 2500, but I do not know where I should begin. I tow a 35 Ft Montana Quad Slide 07 with a superglide 16K hitch. Everything on the truck is currently Stock. I would love to increase HP and improve somewhat on Gas consumption. I currently avg. 18 on highway without trailer, and with trailer 9-10. I have looked at adding the smarty and a cold air return system, but not sure if this is appropritate.

 

[Buffalo]

With your stock auto. trans. , & the large trailer you are towing, I would not get too creative with power upgrades. Ask around & try to get a 'balanced' system. Too much power, & you start having trans. problems, etc.



You might consider looking at a cold air intake system from Performance Systems Mfg. (Performance Systems Manufacturing, LLC). They are not all that expensive & the testing the owner did shows better cold air induction. I don't have one myself but, if I were to start looking, I'd seriously consider his product. It's reasonably priced, also. You can even make your own system, that is similar.



I've heard a lot of good reports about the Smarty. However, some are reporting high exhaust gas temps. There is a lot of first hand information about the Smarty & their product support is supposed to be great.



I'd recommend doing a lot of reading before you make a decision.



If you put a "box" on, by all means install guages, especially a pyrometer. With the weight you're towing & the extra performance, high EGT's may be a problem that you WANT to know about.



Adding a free-flowing muffler can lower the egt's, a bit, especially when used with an upgraded fresh air intake.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[DerekW]

since your towing i would run a tuner that has shift on the fly capability. that way you can detune quickly. the smarty take 5 minutes I believe to download program. I run PPE hot on the "xtreme" setting on my 2004. 5 but PPE i feel is not for your needs. the smarty may be more up your alley if you want a downloader. its probably the best. My PPE takes forever to download when I change program which is annoying.



I also run the banks 6 gun with speedloader. I have had my run ins with my banks but it was mainly due to it was a used unit from ebay. I finally got it right just like new condition after spend more money then at wat I could have paid for new and but I absolutely love the 6 gun. it stacks good with PPE HOT. If I were you I would consider the banks since it has all the good safe gaurds to protcect your cummins while towing. thats what banks had in mind was towing when they built the tuner. Another shift on the fly option is TST. i would like to try a tst cuz the features. but its more of a race tuner that can be used on street regularly.



My if I was in your situation I would choose:

TST (make sure to buyt he bypass plugs you may need) or Banks 6 gun

then a smarty downloader.

also consider raising boost on your truck orangecountydiesel.com sells the wastegates for your turbo to get more air into engina by not dumping boost so soon. more air means less egts while towing

I like straight pipe it gave me 2 mpg but now I have to change cuz cops are keeping a very tight rein on me right now for my playing on the street with straight pipe in the middle of the night on a sunday.

AFE stage 2 flows the absolute best according to the magazines who have tested flow twice in the last few years. it flows so much that it gave me a bad case of turbo surge. but it sounds cool with turbo surge but not good. also the turbo whistles just like I like it and gets peoples attention.