Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) What is the best power mod... I can make

[blackram99]

I want to give my truck alittle more life when it comes to pulling my boat up some hills, right now I can only get about 55-60 mph. on rt. 22 (not very steep) and the boat only weighs around 5,200 lbs. also when I'm empty if I leave off to go around a curve on a steep hill it doesn't seem to take back off... . I put a new 304 ss. Silver Line exhaust,and I have a K&N air filter on it. Have been thinking of chipping it and don't know weather to go with Banks,TST, or the edge attitude juice system... ... Please help any info would be greatly appreciated..... thanks

 

[Wiredawg]

I have TST Power Max 3 Adjustable on my 02. It's real good to have 10 power levels to adjust to needs. You absolutley need guages (EGT, Boost and Fuel Pressure) IMHO.

 

[darkhorse]

My favorite single modification was the MAD CaTCHER ECM. That & a set of Mach 1. 6 EDM's would be about perfect.

 

[PC12Driver]

I'm gonna throw a vote in for the Edge EZ. It really woke the towing performance of my truck up. Very safe, too. I couldn't get egt's past 1100 degrees pre here in the flatlands, pulling a trailer or not. I finally cracked 1200 degrees with 10k in tow up a 6% grade at 8,000+' elevation in the Rockies. The stock clutch held fine, too. Not sure how an auto would hold up. Any more power and you start down that slippery bombing slope; fuel supply upgrade, transmission mods or clutch upgrades, etc...

 

[TractorNut]

Wire said it on the guages. . The Juice/Attiude are for the 03+ cummins... I like the Edge/DD Comp boxes... If you don't want to tap the pump wire, don't. . you will be happier with the incab controlls... I just recommend something with the incab controlls. . the Comp/TST boxes will be easier to sell, if you change to a different truck. .

Good Luck

Bryan



Edit:darkhorse... I forgot about the Catcher... . that's a good choice too. . lots of ways to go. . no real bad ones... Banks is a little overrated In my opinion. .

 

[Boondocker]

Look in the classified for a used Edge EZ. It's simple, safe and a great HP/$ value. A lot of people like to say "it's cheaper to build it right the first time". In hindsight that's true, the problem is you need perfect foresight to know what's right. I say, spend a few hundred bucks and enjoy the performance upgrade while you figure out how to satisfy your new addiction for more power

 

[hammersley]

YEP - EDGE EZ is the best bet....

and you can get em used--ran one for over 140,000 miles till I modded my truck..... guages are a must INCLUDING a Fuel Gauge... ... do you have a manual or auto?

 

[DHayden]

I would recommend some bigger injector's, especially if you are looking for a litte more HP it is the smoothest power overall and pretty cost effective. I would recommend a edge comp over a TST just for the fact that the TST will more than likely eat up your stock turbo. I recommend the edge comp over the EZ because it acts the same as an EZ without the wire tapped and when you upgrade other things later you can tap the pump wire and really have some fun.

 

[RJPotts]

I would say a Comp is probably your best bet too, IF AND ONLY IF you aren't still under warranty (I'm guessing the waranty is long gone though since its a 99). All of these people are right though, get gauges before anything.

-R. J.

 

[jjordan1]

I have the Diablo Power Puck on my 2001 2500. Works GREAT!!

 

[DieselMinded]

Go to



www.3d.otisnet.net



For some valuable info.....



First Ditch the K&N and get a BHAF



Get Gauges ... ... FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE IS A MUST



And when you pick a Box/Chip your gonna need more fuel so Get a Fass,Air Dog,rasp,pusher ect... ... ...



And remember if you get the EDGE COMP and dont tap your pump wire its the same as the Edge EZ then after a while if you want more just tap your pump wire and there you are.



DM

 

[Todd T]

you dont need all the fancy crap above to hang on it just to up the ponies a few. you can use just about any box that will tap the pump wire in its mid-range without hurting a thing. you dont need bigger exhaust, you dont need big honking air filters, you wont blow up your stock turbo with a TST box (I totaly resent that unprofound remark), you will only peg your SOP meter.



Then, once you get some guages (Pyro and Boost) you can enjoy the upper limits of the boxes for short bursts of 15 seconds or so. you really dont need a full time fuel PSI guage if you check it regular with a test guage. you should be able to tow 5-6K with little to no worries at all other than EGT's during take off if you're an automatic



there are a bunch of worry warts in this place these days

 

[Hohn]

The nice thing about injectors (aside from being smooooooth) is that the bigger you go, the better value they are.



Mach 2s are 100hp, and cost $800. Mach 4s are 150 for only $100 more!



Guess which ones I got



Justin

 

[Todd T]

The nice thing about injectors (aside from being smooooooth) is that the bigger you go, the better value they are.



Mach 2s are 100hp, and cost $800. Mach 4s are 150 for only $100 more!



Guess which ones I got



Justin

According to your signature: 2's



If you go too large with the wrong turbo you will just increase lag and send it right out the backside of its map when it does light. it's all about balance and matching the combo for what the intended use is. also smoke is an issue with certain folks.

 

[Hohn]

siggy is old. I still have the DD2s in until the M4s arrive. Don't have the EZ anymore either.



I agree on the smoke, totally. These are supposedly amazingly clean for the power, so that's why I went this big. Otherwise, I would have stayed with smaller sticks.



I'll report when they come. Interested in seeing how they do in thin air with a stock charger?



HEHEHEHE



jlh

 

[JoshPeters]

Racin hit it on the head with that one... ... Trans is THE best way to get the power you have to the ground. I'd like to see someone with a lightly bombed or stock truck... dyno and drag race with a good stock trans, then put in one of the real Trannies that are out there and Re-run the truck on the dyno and Drag Strip and let us know!



Josh

 

[nps]

When I got my truck stock- it was a dog- with a REAL trans installed it was night and day...

Did you do a NV5600 swap? :-laf

 

[Todd T]

Nope got a trick- full-billet Suncoast... .....



After having driven these trucks stock trannys and then having the Suncoast- I would put a Transmission Upgrade at the next to top of my mod list- (The top of the mod list is gauges- then transmission upgrade).

if he's towing a boat at higway speeds and is losing speed climbing hills he should be locked up and one to one. taking the losey-goosey transmission out of the equation. he asked about some more power. he can add 60-90 HP without transmission upgrades being manditory. i bit more with just a shift kit to increase holding pressure. 60-90HP will get him over the summit with a smile on his face. it wont make him first out of the hole but will get him over a hill or around slower traffic.



let's see: Drive the truck stock with a $3K+ transmission until you can recover from that or spend $600-800 and drive the truck (responsibly) with a smile on your face while you save the $3K+ for a transmission. I'll pick #2 Bob.



Maybe I'm reading more into this guy but i appeared to me he was not flushed with money and was just looking for a small increase in power. it has been suggested he spend about 15k so far. he probably paid less than that for the truck if he recently bought it used. he's go to start somewhere and that should be to first address his question/problem. that was more power for towing a 5K boat. Ans: get a wire-tapping box and use it in the middle range until you get guages. Next, upgade the transmission and then maybe some injectors, bigger turbo... . it grows from there. good god, people.

 

[JTruelove]

If you have a auto transmission, get a DTT upgrade. It's unbelievable what power you have with a stock truck that doesn't get to the ground. By far it's been the best upgrade for me. See my profile. There are alot of systems and opinions out there. If been very happy with my current setup. No failures due to bombs. Again it may not be the fastest truck, but it's been dependable.

 

[Todd T]

racin, no offense but obviously you've not driven a stock transmission in a while. once locked, (3rd gear) its one to one with the engine and the gearing takes it from there. if a stock transmission is slipping the clutch stock or with only mild upgrades (again 60-90hp) then yes, it needs a rebuild. if its not slipping, then he's fine. the key is the health of the transmission to start with and then the degree of bombing it can take. the convertor efficiency you speak of just covers it when its unlocked which helps launch the vehicle and when it unlocks due to a pass or downshift (or if you tap the brake to get the RPM's up for a few seconds IE: like to cool down your EGT's on a long/high grade).



learn how to drive them and they will hold up just fine under moderate bombing and driving habits. you can feel it when you drive through the convertor clutch. when this happens..... let off!



I'm looking to go to an automatic in my current truck and the cost is somewhere above 6 grand. but I race with it too.



I've heard from him via PM just today