Overview
I waited almost 2 years before I made any modifications to my Cummins engine to increase power. When I first bought my truck, the 24 valve engine was new and there weren't any upgrades available. Now many companies make upgrade products for the 24 valve engine, including Cummins.
I was very hesitant to make modifications to my Cummins, and waited until I had complete confidence that I could increase power without compromising the reliability of the Cummins engine.
Before making any performance modifications, I wanted to be 100 percent sure I could keep the engine cool so I added a Horton Fan Clutch. I highly recommend a Horton Fan to anyone pulling heavy loads or increasing the power of their Ram.
I also made significant automatic transmission upgrades to be sure I could reliably transmit the extra horsepower to the wheels. All the horsepower in the world is useless when coupled to a blown tranny!
BD 4 inch Exhaust
OK, I confess, the real reason I had BD install the 4 inch exhaust from the turbo to the tip is because it looks and sounds really cool! But there is another more practical benefit. The turbo runs cooler since the 4 inch exhaust carries the heat away more effectively, and the reduced back pressure allows the turbo to spin up more quickly. Better turbo cooling, better performance with great looks and sound; this addition is a no-brainer.
BD High Flow Injectors
I also had BD install their new injectors that have a higher flow rate and can atomize the fuel more efficiently than the stock equipped injector nozzles. This exact calibrated increase in fuel results in 30-40 hp more and 100-130 lbs of torque. Included with the kit is a metered orifice that increases your turbo boost for the exact air fuel ratio.
Another side benefit from these injectors is that they are self priming. If I ever run my truck out of fuel, I will be able to get it started again without bleeding the air out of the fuel lines.
BD Plug-n-Power
The Plug-n-Power is Can-Bus digital technology that plugs into the rear of the Bosch Fuel pump and changes the amount of fuel and the time it is injected. It stays within the Cummins and Bosch operating parameters and does not adversely affect emissions. I like the way the fact that the Plug-n-Power doesn't require any permanent changes and can be easily removed. If I ever have any problems with it, I can simply unplug two wires, plug the wires together, and be back to the factory set-up.
My Horsepower and Torque Improvement
After these three relatively simple changes to the engine (exhaust, injectors and Plug-n-Power), I couldn't believe I was driving the same truck. BD has a state of the art Mustang Dynamometer, and one of the benefits of having the work performed at their Abbotsford shop is that they do before and after horsepower and torque tests. The horsepower at the rear wheels on my truck went from 199.5 at 2727 RPM to 271.3 at 2700 RPM for a gain of 71.8 horses. The torque went from 391.0 foot pounds at 2200 RPM to 565.8 foot pounds at 2000 RPM for a gain of 174.8 foot ponds. That's a 36% increase in horsepower and an astonishing 45% increase in torque! To make matters even better, the peak torque comes in at 200 RPM less than before.
Emissions
Even though BD claimed the emissions would be fine, I was a little nervous when I took my truck in for its mandatory Colorado emissions test in November 2000. The guy who tested my truck said it passed with flying colors, and with a grin on his face, asked what I did to the engine. Unfortunately, his dyno wasn't working, but he said the sound was quite impressive.
Mileage
I really can't offer any before and after mileage comparisons of the engine modifications, since I had my new camper and the engine upgrades performed at the same time. But I can tell you that on my return trip from Canada to Colorado, I averaged over 75 mph (with a top speed of (97.7 mph) and my fuel mileage was 11.5 miles per gallon. 11.5 miles per gallon in a 10,000 pound, high profile truck camper at 75 mph is pretty amazing in my book.
