Vegas Jackpot: A Triple Turbo Cummins

When you approach a vehicle from behind, what that driver sees in his rearview mirror defines the impression that he gets. For example, if you're driving in a small two-door car you likely won't get much respect. But pull up behind someone in Dave Anderson's Ram and it's almost an instinct just to move out of his way out of pure intimidation. It is almost scary to see his truck getting closer and closer in your rearview mirror.

That's exactly how we felt when we first saw Anderson's truck in Las Vegas, Nev. When we received a call from Underground Diesel Performance about its latest build, we had no choice but to head to the desert to see it for ourselves.

You see, Anderson's truck isn't just a normal truck. It's a 2005 Dodge Ram Cummins with triple turbos and a whole lot of attitude. Being one of the first triple turbo Cummins we've come across, we knew it was worth the trip.

A Great Start

The beginnings of Underground Diesel Performance come from a diverse background in the industry. Newly Tolf, the founder and owner of the shop, got his start working in the oil fields.

While he was lining pipe, the equipment they were working with would freeze up and Tolf would fix it. That subsequently piqued his interest in diesel engines and he built one of the fastest diesel trucks in the fields. He then started doing work on other trucks for friends, which led to selling diesel parts through an online website.

Tolf then got out of the oil fields and started Underground Diesel Performance in Colorado. Noticing the demand for more diesel shops in Las Vegas, Underground moved to Sin City in 2010. Since then, the shop has built a strong reputation of being one of the best diesel shops in town. It was that reputation that attracted Anderson to come to Underground to modify his 5.9L Cummins.

Long before this build though, Anderson got his start as a parts manager at a local BMW dealership where he continues to work today. Knowing his way around mechanic tools, Anderson installed a twin turbo setup all in his driveway shortly after buying his Dodge.

However, that setup didn't quench his appetite for diesel power. When Tolf approached him with the idea of being their first triple turbo install, it was music to his ears. Anderson went ahead knowing he was in good hands.

"It was just a matter of wanting to get it done and to also get it done right," recalls Anderson.

Engine Surgery

To get the job done, a 64mm triple turbo kit from Diesel Power Source was ordered. The newly introduced kit consists of two parallel turbos that are compounded with a single turbo. It's a perfect recipe for serious power.

Since Underground had ordered one of the very first kits from Diesel Power Source, it was a valuable learning experience for both companies.

"Basically, Diesel Power Source was relying on us and our feedback to help them make a better kit," say Tolf.

A great relationship was formed between the two companies with this installation. Underground was able to get in touch with Diesel Power Source for technical help when needed and DPS was able to make their product better.

The install got underway by removing the existing turbo system and the exhaust manifold. Next the exhaust was removed and that side of the engine was opened up for the installation. Due to the sheer size of the kit, the battery had to be removed and permanently relocated.

Once that was cleared out, Underground got to work on assembling the kit on the shop table. It was then that they noticed the larger size also meant it was very heavy.

"We tried to assemble as much of it on a table as we could," says Tolf. "It's so heavy that you really need to have an engine hoist to install it since you need to drop it in fully assembled."

The kit was dropped in slightly loose so it could be adjusted properly. Once in the engine bay, the turbos were bolted to the manifold. Things were starting to come together, but there was still more work to do.

"The turbo housings needed to be clocked and reworked and things had to be moved," recalls Tolf. "If you tighten everything down, you're going to find yourself tightening and untightening like crazy."

After that, the piping for the exhaust and the rest of the attachments were fitted. Once done, they got to work tightening things down, starting at the exhaust manifold. To make sure everything was working the way they wanted, the wastegates had to be adjusted to hold boost for longer.

The installation process was fairly straight-forward, but there were some things that needed to be taken care of before the installation was fully complete.

For example, the down pipe included in the kit was too short. For that, Underground had to custom fabricate its own pipe to make it reach. The job was done in-house so down time was minimal.

"It wasn't too bad," says Tolf. "Whoever buys the kit though, needs to have a friend that is a welder or knows how to bend pipe or otherwise it needs to go to an exhaust shop to get the job done."

Working It Right

Tolf and his team of mechanics also had a few boost and exhaust leaks to tackle as well. The exhaust leaks were fairly easy to identify due to the soot that was around the exhaust manifold.

To diagnose the boost leaks, Underground pressurized the system and intercooler when the engine was off. When it was ccharged to about 25 psi, they were able to hear where the leaks were coming from. Once they were able to find and fix the leaks, the whole system was good to go.

"Probably the hardest thing was getting everything lined up since there are so many different moving components and pipes and hoses and trying to get a good seal," says Tolf.

The shop owner also pointed out that it's common to encounter similar problems due to the complexity of the system, but to remember not to get discouraged.

"That's where you need to have the patience and time to break things loose, look it over and tighten it back up again," says Tolf.  "In the long run the work is definitely worth it."

Adding The Power

To make sure the engine was able to keep up with the added power demands of the turbos, various modifications were also done to the power train.

To ensure the engine would get enough fuel, a lift pump from FASS was installed as well as a Twin CP3 injection pump from ATS Diesel. As recommended by Diesel Power Source for the triple turbo kit, 180hp injectors were installed from Industrial Injection.

New valve springs and street cam from Hamilton were added to help strengthen the engine against all the power it was producing. Head studs from ARP were installed to make sure it was plenty strong. The transmission was also strengthened with billet components from BD Diesel Performance.

To help the engine breathe better, a Ram-Air intake system was installed from Banks Power. An intercooler from BD Diesel Performance was also installed to help cool the compressed air going into the engine.

In the back, dual 5-inch stainless steel exhaust stacks come out of the bed of the truck. Since Anderson tows a lot, the stacks are higher than the cab of the truck.

A nitrous system from Nitrous Express was added to provide even more power should Anderson need a boost beyond his triplets, and the system was cleverly installed in a tool box in the bed of the truck.

Giving It Attitude

Anderson's truck not only sounds powerful, but it looks powerful as well. To help it play that role, a Fabtech 4-inch lift with reservoir shocks was installed with airbags from Firestone.

The 18-inch chrome wheels from KMC Wheel's XD line are wrapped in 305/70-R18 tires from Mickey Thompson. Custom painted bumpers from Road Armor were added to help enhance the profile of the truck with a 12,000-pound winch from Smittybilt added for good measure.

Side steps from N-Fab help make it easier to get in and out of the truck. Billet aluminum door handles and Bushwacker fender flares add additional attitude.

Tuning It Up

With all the power modifications done, tuning this beast turned out to be somewhat of a challenge. The tuner that Anderson had on the truck with the twin turbo setup was not working very well with the triple turbos. To fix the problems they were having, Underground switched to a Smarty SSR tuner. While that made a big difference, the injectors were unfortunately over fueling the engine.

The issue came from using 180hp injectors as recommended by the kit. The higher capacity injectors were needed to help keep up with all the power from the triple turbos. Unfortunately, the Smarty SSR was supplying too much fuel and Underground was unable to cut it down.

In an effort to find a better solution, Underground switched out that tuner for a Smarty S06. The change was just what they needed to get the fueling problems under control.

"It brought the fueling back down where it needed to be and it runs really good now," says Tolf.

Even then, the truck is still not fueling as well as the shop would hope, as it still smokes more than desired. Tolf hopes that a version of the EFI Live that comes out with support for 2005 Cummins will allow them to reach the perfect amount of fuel.

Currently they are running the truck on either the number six or number seven tune (out of ten) with the Smarty S06 so that it runs great as a daily driver. On a higher tune though, Underground was able to pull over 900 horsepower on straight diesel fuel and no nitrous. That is an impressive feat to be sure.

"A lot of people think using injectables is cheating," says Tolf. "We like to do good, solid numbers that we know that truck will make day in and day out."

A Powerful Impression

You don't have to be behind the wheel of a truck or looking at dyno sheets to understand how much power the triple turbo setup gives this truck.

As we stood outside the Underground Diesel Performance shop on a warm, sunny day, we asked Anderson to do a power run to show off the exhaust and smoke the tires.

As he got on it, you could hear the turbos whistle and exhaust roar. The tires started smoking and Anderson was off like there was a rocket strapped to his truck. It sounded like the tires never gained traction at all. One look after the exhaust and tire smoke cleared revealed a strip of rubber over 100 feet long.

And that is why this truck is so intimidating. Not only is it full of attitude, but it's going to get bigger and bigger quickly in your rearview mirror. Your mind almost naturally reacts by trying to get out of the way.

That is what we love most about the truck. It's powerful and unique, but has the attitude to back it up. It delivers in all the ways that diehard diesel enthusiasts are looking for.

So if you ever see Anderson's big, loud blue Dodge Cummins rapidly approaching in your review mirror, watch out.

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