Not unlike building a house, a truck build can have a few change orders during the process. Once you've put together a solid list of components and had them professionally installed, it's time for the real world testing to begin. As we left off from the previous truck build article I was already on a mission to build a 500hp dually with style, function, and reliability in mind. Here is the list of aftermarket components to reach that goal:
Dynomite Diesel
"Challenger 45" Turbo
Edge A2 w/ Juice
MBRP dual exhaust
CFM intake manifold
AFE stage 2 air intake
Dynomite Diesel 90hp injectors
AirDog 150
Boondocker Nitrous system
As time went on 500 horsepower was fun, but I knew it was time to get my hands dirty again. I found that an upgraded transmission was a definite priority and ATS was the answer. The truck build had taken on its first real change order based on the added performance. Now with that purple monster under the truck and all the billet internals, I had plenty of tranny to hold up to even more power! So as any diesel addict would, I went right back into the engine compartment to see what else we could upgrade. Knowing right away that from here on out the list of parts to exceed 500hp plus could get pretty pricy, I looked to companies that already have had proven success with both cost and quality.
Since 2002, Dynomite Diesel Performance has set a benchmark for building quality performance parts for light duty trucks. Located in Monroe, Wash., the guys running the shop are all diesel fanatics and have tons of experience with building horsepower. After discussing what needed to change with my current turbo charger, Aaron from DDP sent out a new turbo setup that would ensure even more flow to the 5.9 and would decrease some relatively high egt issues I was having with the current modifications. Change order number two was already in the works and I was ready for more! As soon as I had a new turbo on its way, I called MBRP. I have had two other diesel builds and have continued to run MBRP exhaust systems in them because I am a firm believer in the product. You can find MBRP in Huntsville, Ontario in Canada where they have been building quality performance exhaust systems for well over 15 years. The theme of my dually had started out as a "Tonka" truck so going with an all-black exhaust system would complement the build nicely. I opted for the 5-inch turbo back with 5- to 7-inch black tip to give the rear end of the truck an even tougher look. After a few days of impatiently waiting for parts to arrive, change orders two and three were ready to install. I made one call to my friend and loyal diesel addict Ryan Harris, the executive editor of Diesel Tech magazine, and he took on the install right in the driveway of his Idaho Falls home. Here is what went down:
The new 5-inch MBRP exhaust looked so awesome I had to take this shot to show the system fully put together. The black finish is specially formulated to withstand massive amounts of heat and abuse. The all-aluminum exhaust was going to make a definite improvement to the build and will help keep my egt's down as much as 200 degrees.
The old exhaust took us some time to remove from the truck, but with the help of a Dewalt reciprocating saw and some elbow grease, voila!
As Ryan and I were finishing up the removal of the old exhaust, we went right into the engine compartment to extract the DDP "Challenger 45" turbo. Pulling the passenger front wheel well out made the job a lot easier.
With the old turbo out and the new one ready to install, the housing on the new DDP turbo was clearly larger and would provide even greater cooling with minimal lag. The guys at Dynomite decided to polish up the new charger knowing we were headed for the Las Vegas SEMA Show later on in the month.
Special thanks to Lenny Reed at Dynomite Diesel Performance for all his help with the build. The new turbo mounted up nicely and gave the engine bay a bit more flash. Ryan Harris did a great job with the install and was able to take me through the process one step at a time.
The MBRP downpipe mounted up to the turbo with no problems. We also drilled and tapped a secondary egt probe to monitor post turbo temperatures. The combination will ultimately give the truck a new sound as well as more power!
All the necessary hangers and clamps were super easy to install. Here you can see Ryan using an impact drill to securely fasten the exhaust system to the undercarriage of the dually. The kit from MBRP comes with a small section of 5-inch pipe that needed to be trimmed to work with the regular cab. Other than that, everything was a direct fit and went together with ease.
As the tail section of the exhaust came over the rear axle, I could already tell the truck was looking better and was going to sound tough. All the hanger welds were positioned correctly with the finishing touches being the all-new 5- to 7-inch tip. Ryan and I went through everything and re-torqued each bolt on both the exhaust system and turbo assembly. The entire process took us a few hours and was a great way to spend the afternoon in the driveway.
The list of modifications continued prior to the SEMA Show but with the help of some amazing sponsors, we pulled it off! The truck arrived in Las Vegas and was on display for the entire week. It turned some heads and was the only vehicle there sporting some crazy snowmobiles. ATS gave me the invite and one of the coolest opportunities I have ever had to show off my creation. Thanks to my wife Irina and all my sponsors for their support on the dually. I would like to think that this was the final chapter for this project but, who am I kidding?