Performance Gear: Parts to Make Your Diesel Stronger, Cooler, and More Fuel Efficient

Beef Up the Boost
Turbonetics' Torque-Master replacement turbo offers fast spool-up for quick acceleration and increased airflow to help keep exhaust gas temperatures down on the 6.0-liter Power Stroke. The patented turbo is good for up to 500 horsepower and its ceramic ball bearing has 50 times greater thrust capacity, offers quicker throttle response, and is more resilient under high-temperature shutdowns than conventional designs. Turbonetics; 805/581-0333.

Hot AND Bothered?
Flex-a-Lite's new electric fan for 1994-2002 Cummins replaces the stock belt-drive fan and shroud to improve fuel economy, horsepower, torque, and even air-conditioning performance. The fan pulls up to 5500 cfm and draws 28 to 36 amps. A variable-speed control module operates the fans between 60 and 100 percent, depending on engine temperature and A/C activation. Flex-a-Lite; 800/851-1510.

Cooler Air Charge
The Tapercore intercooler from Hypermax is named for its taper-sided core design, which maximizes flow capacity within the confines of a late-model Ford diesel engine compartment. The intercooler features 20-percent-more frontal area, along with 30-percent-greater flow capacity than the Ford factory cooler; exhaust temperatures could drop by as much as 200 degrees. Hypermax Engineering; 847/428-5655.

More Holding Power
Increase your truck's reliability and holding capacity with Centerforce's new Dual Friction clutch assembly for 2003-2006 Ford F-250 through F-550 6.0-liter diesels with the manual transmission. This new clutch assembly replaces the stock pressure plate and is designed as a direct bolt-in. It's great for high-torque street driving, towing, and racing. Centerforce; 928/771-8422.

The Weakest Link
Strong engines need strong transmissions. In a Dodge, the Banks Billet Torque Converter provides 1600 pound-feet of torque capacity compared with the stock 700 pound-feet of capacity (a Power Stroke gets 1100 pound-feet versus the 7.3-liter's stock 740 pound-feet). The BBTC features a multi-disc clutch, improved forged-steel billet cover, and improved heat tolerances. Each converter is specially designed to match the torque band of the Cummins or Power Stroke engine, and Banks says the converter can improve acceleration when towing. Gale Banks Engineering; 866/825-6710.

For You AND Your Friends
SCT's Livewire is a PCM flash tuner that arrives preloaded with up to three different performance tunes and one fuel-economy tune and can be custom-tuned by one of SCT's 500-;plus dealers. Its 128MB SD memory card can hold tunes for as many as 20 different vehicle applications, plus it stores the complete factory uploaded program. The instrumentation feature lets you view and record six different vehicle parameters and up to two additional signals through a special port. You also can read and clear diagnostic trouble codes. SCT; 866/297-6298.

Deep Breathing
According to K&N, its high-flow intake system for the 2006-2007 GM Duramax is good for an increase of 22 horsepower and 40 pound-feet of torque at the rear wheels. The system draws air through a large, cone-shaped K&N high-flow air filter, then moves it along an intake tube, which provides smoother airflow to the engine. K&N Engineering; 800/858-3333.