Duramax Power Recipes
For $1,500, $2,500, $5,000, And $10,000 Budgets
Back in 2001, GM retired its 19-year-old indirect- injection (IDI) 6.5L diesel and replaced it with the all-new 6.6L Duramax diesel. At the time, the new Duramax represented a paradigm shift in diesel technology. It was the first diesel engine sold in an American pickup to offer common-rail injection, the first to be fitted with aluminum heads, and the first to be mated to a medium-duty truck transmission. Fast-forward to today, and the Duramax engine has become a powerful force in the diesel-performance world. A Duramax-powered truck has won Diesel Power Challenge three times, and a Duramax finished Second Place in last year's challenge. It is now common to see diesel Chevrolets and GMCs making 400 to 500 rear-wheel horsepower, while still giving their drivers 20-mpg daily driven capability.
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| duramax Power Recipes diesel Fumes
The General's Pros and Cons
GM trucks are lighter than their Ford and Dodge counterparts, and their independent front suspension tends to give them a superior ride. If you tow, a Duramax-powered rig can be your best friend, thanks to the Allison transmission that comes behind it. If you plan on drag racing or sled pulling, however, the Allison will need some serious work, as adding any more than 90 to 120 rear-wheel horsepower, and you'll be skating on thin ice. With all this in mind, let's take a look at some power combinations we've witnessed work on $1,500, $2,500, $5,000, and $10,000 budgets.
BUDGET: $1,500 | ||||
MODIFICATION: | COMPANY: | REASON: | PRICE: | VENDOR: |
Gauges | Auto Meter, Isspro | To keep an eye | $250-$300 | Auto Anything |
DiPricol | on boost and EGT | Laguna Speed | ||
Programmer | Banks Six-Gun | Adds fuel and | $500-$1,000 | Banks, PPE |
PPE Hot+2, EFILive | timing | EFILive | ||
Cold-air | Airaid, Banks | More airflow is needed | $250-$400 | Auto Anything, Banks Power |
intake | K&N, S&B | with more fuel | Laguna Speed | |
4-inch exhaust | Banks | More exhaust flow | $320-$700 | Auto Anything |
Diamond Eye | is needed with intake | Banks Power | ||
MBRP, RBP | and fuel upgrades | Laguna Speed | ||
Power: 350 to 400 hp | ||||
(Tuner must be limited to avoid long-term transmission damage) | ||||
Weak Links: Torque converter, stock transmission, and lift pump | TOTAL: $1,320 to $2,400 |
Chevrolet and GMC trucks powered by the 6.6L Duramax engine have become a force in diesel performance. Last year, Matt Gainer (opposite page) was tied for the lead in the Diesel Power Challenge before a unit bearing took him out during the 150-mile ride and drive competition. EFILive (above) allows customers to share and download custom performance tunes for their Duramax diesels. It can also be used as a diagnostic tool to troubleshoot rough-running engines.
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| duramax Power Recipes tuning
Budget: $2,500 | ||||
MODIFICATION: | COMPANY: | REASON: | PRICE: | VENDOR: |
Gauges | Auto Meter, Isspro | To keep an eye | $250-$300 | Auto Anything |
DiPricol | on boost and EGT | Laguna Speed | ||
Programmer | Banks Six-Gun | Adds fuel and | $500-$1,000 | Banks, PPE |
PPE Hot+2, EFILive | timing | EFILive | ||
Cold-air | Airaid, Banks | More airflow is needed | $250-$400 | Auto Anything, Banks Power |
intake | K&N, S&B | with more fuel | Laguna Speed | |
4-inch exhaust | Banks | More exhaust flow | $320-$700 | Auto Anything |
Diamond Eye | is needed with intake | Banks Power | ||
MBRP, RBP | and fuel upgrades | Laguna Speed | ||
Lift pump | FASS | More fuel is needed | $500 | FASS |
AirDog | to support programmer | AirDog | ||
Power: 350 to 400 hp | ||||
(Tuner must be limited to avoid long-term transmission damage) | ||||
Weak Links: Torque converter and stock transmission | Total: $1,820 to $2,900 |
There's a massive amount of power potential in the 6.6L Duramax engine. The 1,300hp engine in Buck Spruill's race truck (pictured) shares the same block, heads, and crankshaft with the factory 365hp LBZ version.
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| duramax Power Recipes duramax Power Potential
Budget: $5,000 | ||||
MODIFICATION: | COMPANY: | REASON: | PRICE: | VENDOR: |
Gauges | Auto Meter, Isspro | To keep an eye | $250-$300 | Auto Anything |
DiPricol | on boost and EGT | Laguna Speed | ||
Programmer | Banks Six-Gun | Adds fuel and | $500-$1,000 | Banks, PPE |
PPE Hot+2, EFILive | timing | EFILive | ||
Cold-air intake | Airaid, Banks | More airflow is | $250-$400 | Auto Anything |
K&N | needed with more | Banks Power | ||
S&B | fuel | Laguna Speed | ||
4-inch exhaust | Banks | More exhaust flow | $320-$700 | Auto Anything |
Diamond Eye | is needed with intake | Banks Power | ||
MBRP, RBP | and fuel upgrades | Laguna Speed | ||
Lift pump | FASS | More fuel is needed to | $500 | FASS |
AirDog | support the programmer | AirDog | ||
Torque | Sun Coast Converters | Stock converter | $1,100-$1,300 | Sun Coast Converters |
converter (auto) | ATS, NADP | will slip | ATS, NADP | |
Goerend Transmission | Goerend Transmission | |||
Shift kit | TransGo | Increased line pressure will help | $215 | TTS Power Systems |
keep the transmission from slipping | ||||
Clutch upgrade | South Bend Clutch | Stock clutch will slip-get an upgraded | $1,300 | South Bend Clutch |
(manual) | single- or dual-disc clutch | |||
Power: 450 to 500 hp | ||||
Weak Links: Transmission and CP3 injection pump | TOTAL: $3,320 to $4,415 |
For the plug-and-play crowd, Banks Power offers a Six-Gun tuner that is clean and powerful and even carries an E.O. number for 50-state use on '01 to '03 Duramax-equipped trucks.
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| duramax Power Recipes six Gun Tuner
At power levels more than 550 hp, the stock CP3 injection pump may be insufficient at high rpm. To combat this, companies such as Industrial Injection offer modified CP3 injection pumps that can support up to 700 hp.
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| duramax Power Recipes injection Pump
Budget: $10,000 | ||||
MODIFICATION: | COMPANY: | REASON: | PRICE: | VENDOR: |
Gauges | Auto Meter, Isspro | To keep an eye | $250-$300 | Auto Anything |
DiPricol | on boost and EGT | Laguna Speed | ||
Programmer | PPE Hot+2, EFILive | Adds fuel | $500-$1,000 | PPE, EFILive |
TTS Power Systems | and timing | TTS Power Systems | ||
Cold-air intake | Airaid, Banks | More airflow is | $250-$400 | Auto Anything |
K&N | needed with more | Banks Power | ||
S&B | fuel | Laguna Speed | ||
4-inch exhaust | Banks | More exhaust flow | $320-$700 | Auto Anything |
Diamond Eye | is needed with intake | Banks Power | ||
MBRP, RBP | and fuel upgrades | Laguna Speed | ||
Lift pump | FASS | More fuel is needed | $500 | FASS |
AirDog | to support programmer | AirDog | ||
Rebuilt transmission (auto) | Sun Coast Converters | Stock converter | $4,500-$5,000 | Sun Coast Converters |
with upgraded clutches | ATS, NADP | will slip | ATS, NADP | |
and torque converter | Goerend Transmission | Goerend Transmission | ||
Clutch upgrade (manual) | South Bend Clutch | Stock clutch will slip-get an | $1,800 | South Bend Clutch |
upgraded single- or dual-disc clutch | ||||
64mm-68mm turbocharger | ATS, PPE | More airflow is needed | $2,500-$4,000 | ATS, PPE |
Industrial Injection | at this power level | Industrial Injection | ||
Fleece Performance | Fleece Performance | |||
Dual injection pumps | ATS, PPE | A second CP3 pump is needed | $3,200 | ATS, PPE |
Industrial Injection | to maintain rail pressure | Industrial Injection | ||
Power: 600 to 650 hp | ||||
Weak Links: Price (automatic transmission) | Total: $9,520 to $15,100 |
If you plan on making some serious power, dual CP3 injection pump kits such as this one from ATS can support more than 1,000 hp without dropping rail pressure.
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| duramax Power Recipes CP3 Injection Pump
Duramax engines are also known for having a fuel economy advantage over Ford and Dodge offerings. This two-wheel-drive GMC got 29.52 mpg during a 181-mile test loop in our September '08 Fuel Economy Shootout.
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| duramax Power Recipes fuel Economy Advantage
Pacific Performance Engineering (PPE) offers complete running and wired engines starting at $15,000 that anyone can drop into their muscle car, street rod, or 4x4. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, $48,000 will buy you this turnkey, twin-turbo'd, lowered-compression, dual-CP3-pump-equipped 1,200hp street engine.
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| duramax Power Recipes pacific Performance Engineering