I just upgraded from a 02 2500 gasser with a 454 to a 04 with Duramax/Ally. My 04 is much stronger than my old gasser, pulls better and is much faster getting to the top end.

I know as Americans and Men (no offense if your not American or a man) we have a tradition encoded in our DNA of making things faster and more powerful...

that aside whats wrong with leaving the truck stock? I am not against the performance stuff in general but it all seems very expensive and somewhat complex, and I am afraid to try any of this because I dont want to ruin my expensive truck. It may not be expensive for some but for me it was.

In general I think it cant be good for an engine if it was designed for 300 hp to be pushed up to 400- 600 hp or more with only computer modification. When they do this to racing engines they don't usually run stock internal parts.

If you say its a Hobby or you do it because you like the sound or smoke or you race etc... then I understand that and those are perfectly fine reasons but from a normal driving/hauling perspective is all of that necessary on a practical level?

The reason I ask all this is because I am debating mods/upgrades for my truck and am wondering if I really need them and would like input from ppl who have been in my shoes.

I just upgraded from a 02 2500 gasser with a 454 to a 04 with Duramax/Ally. My 04 is much stronger than my old gasser, pulls better and is much faster getting to the top end.

I know as Americans and Men (no offense if your not American or a man) we have a tradition encoded in our DNA of making things faster and more powerful...

that aside whats wrong with leaving the truck stock? I am not against the performance stuff in general but it all seems very expensive and somewhat complex, and I am afraid to try any of this because I dont want to ruin my expensive truck. It may not be expensive for some but for me it was.

In general I think it cant be good for an engine if it was designed for 300 hp to be pushed up to 400- 600 hp or more with only computer modification. When they do this to racing engines they don't usually run stock internal parts.

If you say its a Hobby or you do it because you like the sound or smoke or you race etc... then I understand that and those are perfectly fine reasons but from a normal driving/hauling perspective is all of that necessary on a practical level?

The reason I ask all this is because I am debating mods/upgrades for my truck and am wondering if I really need them and would like input from ppl who have been in my shoes.

Be careful cause it's a sickness! It has been said on here before DMAX moddin is a powerful drug. Once ya feel that power .... well it's all over.
Just make sure you let your significant other experience the thrill of driving the beast every now and then, and (if she's like mine) you can get "things" done with more enthusiasm on her part.

Ditto on the above, first it was 100 extra hp and now I am planning on new turbo and 500rwhp or more :D

I just upgraded from a 02 2500 gasser with a 454 to a 04 with Duramax/Ally. My 04 is much stronger than my old gasser, pulls better and is much faster getting to the top end.

I know as Americans and Men (no offense if your not American or a man) we have a tradition encoded in our DNA of making things faster and more powerful...

that aside whats wrong with leaving the truck stock? I am not against the performance stuff in general but it all seems very expensive and somewhat complex, and I am afraid to try any of this because I dont want to ruin my expensive truck. It may not be expensive for some but for me it was.

In general I think it cant be good for an engine if it was designed for 300 hp to be pushed up to 400- 600 hp or more with only computer modification. When they do this to racing engines they don't usually run stock internal parts.

If you say its a Hobby or you do it because you like the sound or smoke or you race etc... then I understand that and those are perfectly fine reasons but from a normal driving/hauling perspective is all of that necessary on a practical level?

The reason I ask all this is because I am debating mods/upgrades for my truck and am wondering if I really need them and would like input from ppl who have been in my shoes.

We all have to start somewhere, but modding your truck is not dangerous UNLESS you get careless. FYI you either had a 6.0 or and 8.1 in your 02, regardless, put in a tuner, replace the exhaust, and if you want do an intake, you will be very happy with the added power, and mileage. The longer you play with stuff, the more you'll learn, and then you can advance to bigger and better things. Having a pyrometer is probably the best idea a beginner could have, then boost guage, then tuner, then exhaust, then intake, then injectors, then transmission, then turbo, then custom tuning software, then heads, then rods/crank, then whatever, where does it stop? Gotta love it!

injectors?? any way id do what he said. Start small and take that 310 crank hp to about 400 and see what you think. This should be a very reliable daily driving level of power but you will still need a pyro gauge and probibly eventually an exhaust and intake.

My old truck was a 2000 I jacked the numbers up in my post and didnt notice it had the 7.4 liter 454

Excerpts:

whats wrong with leaving the truck stock?

...it all seems very expensive and somewhat complex...
...I am afraid to try any of this...
...I dont want to ruin my expensive truck.
...for me it was [expensive].
...I think it cant be good for an engine...
...is all of that necessary on a practical level?
...wondering if I really need them

I think the best advice is to leave your truck alone if that's truly how you feel.

I once felt like dannanchieftain (http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/member.php?u=48939), I had planned on leaving my 01 alone, UNTILL my brother in law installed the Juice on his 03 and then i was trully hooked on diesel performance !!! all I need now is my MBRP exhaust and i will be complete.

I just upgraded from a 02 2500 gasser with a 454 to a 04 with Duramax/Ally. My 04 is much stronger than my old gasser, pulls better and is much faster getting to the top end.

I know as Americans and Men (no offense if your not American or a man) we have a tradition encoded in our DNA of making things faster and more powerful...

that aside whats wrong with leaving the truck stock? I am not against the performance stuff in general but it all seems very expensive and somewhat complex, and I am afraid to try any of this because I dont want to ruin my expensive truck. It may not be expensive for some but for me it was.

In general I think it cant be good for an engine if it was designed for 300 hp to be pushed up to 400- 600 hp or more with only computer modification. When they do this to racing engines they don't usually run stock internal parts.

If you say its a Hobby or you do it because you like the sound or smoke or you race etc... then I understand that and those are perfectly fine reasons but from a normal driving/hauling perspective is all of that necessary on a practical level?

The reason I ask all this is because I am debating mods/upgrades for my truck and am wondering if I really need them and would like input from ppl who have been in my shoes.

Depends on what you place value on.
FYI- these engine were not designed to output 300 hp but far more. They are detuned just like evry other engine on the road. This is a basic engineering practice for longivity and reliability. Have you seen the internals of a DMax? The technology and parts very much resemble a pro mod engine.

Its all in what you want. My dad stops at a spray in liner and bug deflectors. Me... I think I'll stop with twins, dual cp3, conn. rods, etc. But even that may not be enough. Its all in what you think is important. 99% of the members here will never need nor want anything more than an Edge and 4". Then there is the 1% that will put $40k into mods on a $40k truck. Its all in what you want and can afford. My $.02.

DMAXBOB

If you feel like you don't need more power to blow away a ricer or a Powerstroke , or to be the first down the track, or to make a dyno queen, or to tow a heavy load, then just modify to improve driveability. A little here and there to improve throttle response will make you feel great about your truck. That's how I feel about it. BTW mine is more for tow than ricer go.

My mods are all related to towing...nice to have the truck/5th combo stay in 5th gear while towing thru wind or med hills. Didn't spend a fortune so that gives us other income to travel.

If you don't want to mod it heavily, do not change the muffler-exhaust system. When you start hearing that power, it really gets addictive.;) ;)

If stock meets your needs and you want long term reliability, mod with that in mind. Had I found this place prior to purchasing my truck I probably would not have bought it. Lots of folks with lots of issues here. Personally, my truck has been 100% problem free to date (knock on wood.) Good luck whatever you decide.

Dmax modding is more addictive than any drug. I started out with a 100 hp chip, now I have an aftermarket turbo and I'm pushing over 500 RWHP. Be aware that if you don't want to spend money, be careful.

When I bought my '05 last October, I swore it would not go further than Edge/Exhaust...

A little over a year later I have the most kick azz set of twins I have ever seen AND I LOVE IT!

As others have said, it is VERY addictive and it will likely not stop after it starts.;)

Is all the performance stuff really worht it?

No. Go buy some land.

No. Go buy some land.


Then sell the land for profit and mod your d-max!!!!:D It is really all in what you would be satisfied with, like most have said: tuner, intake and exhaust are the just the very start and few go past these mods. I've done that but now I am wanting to beef up my tranny and stack another chip. If you look in my garage however, you may notice that I have put more money into the appearance of my truck than performance. Hopefully after I'm done with my tranny and possibly another chip I'll stop there, but darnit it is so hard to once you start...if money only grew on trees.

No. Go buy some land.

did a bad experience make you bitter bobo?

i bought my o4 lly in august and in less than a week had 5 in stacks that was it. thought enough power and cool sound. that was good for about 2 months and now put 5in down pipe and edge w/attitude, afe cold air kit and just sent my edge out to get the hot upgrade. also christmas is coming..... just letting you know its all in good fun if your foot isn't a fat### ,but it is very addicting. motor on:eek: :eek:

Its all in what you want. My dad stops at a spray in liner and bug deflectors. Me... I think I'll stop with twins, dual cp3, conn. rods, etc. But even that may not be enough. Its all in what you think is important. 99% of the members here will never need nor want anything more than an Edge and 4". Then there is the 1% that will put $40k into mods on a $40k truck. Its all in what you want and can afford. My $.02.

DMAXBOB

I'm one of the 1% ):h

did a bad experience make you bitter bobo?


Nope. I have a baby on the way.

A lot of the members who have offered advice here are big power guys, me too. But all that comes with a price. Most all the big power guys have broke something, that goes with the turf.

I have a friend who has a stock LLY that was the sickest Dmax I have ever seen. I started a thread on here in the LLY section asking for advice since I knew nothing about LLY's. My friend towes a travel trailer, and not even that heavy a one, maybe 8K loaded. He traveled with three buddies one who has a LBZ, another with a Cummins and one with a big gasser to senior softball tournaments around the west. Every time they traveled together the other guys would give him the raspberries over the CB about his truck being so slow. He would be down to 45 on some of the hills. I told him there had to be something wrong with his truck. Anyway I got him an predator and installed the 65hp tune. Also had him install a pyrometer. Totally different truck. He blew his buddies off the hill their next trip and he was a giddy as a little kid with a new toy. He is totally happy with his truck with just the tuner an pyro. Like several have said, it can be very addicting. You get a taste of the power and some of us go hog wild. My bad a$$ truck is currently awaiting a new engine. Bent a rod at the minumum and I'm waiting to see the outcome of a piston thread that is being heavily discussed on this forum to decide which why I will go on the rebuild. If you are happy don't mess with it, if not go easy on the mods to see if you can handle it, a lot of us can't. Anyone what to buy my first born? Will work for boost.:D

You might find that the same "build em fast and lots of HP" has been around for many, many years, I see it happening with Dmax's now...had experienced it in the early 90's with our Turbo Grand Nationals.

Most of us GN owners looked up to guys like Ken Duttweiler, John Gallina & Lawrence Conley, to name a few. Which is the same as thousands of Duramax diesel owners do today to you the "HP leaders".

Keep doing what your doing, the others may not follow every mod...but be assured that mods they choose to do to their truck will have been tried by the "HP leaders"

Ken Duttweiler

That name brings back memories!

Ken Duttweiler

That name brings back memories!

The "godfather" of the turbo buick revolution in the 90's...always remember racing with him (and others) at Bakersfield during the mid 90's and his wheel standing "Red" GN. Very smart guy...I have lots of his "go fast" stuff on my car !

Nope. I have a baby on the way.

Congrats, they're alot of work and fun but you can still have a modded truck and a son or daughter.

Believe me when I say that me and my wallet are in over our heads as far as peformance is concerned. I started with a 02 8.1 gasser for pulling, then went with a 05 lly with an edge and exhaust, now I'm with a 03 lb7 and it's getting to the point of unstreetable. I almost need a semi stock truck just to drive cuz I don't like abusing mine anymore. Hope this helps lol

None of the things you spend money on is worth it!):h

Life is too short and there's no promise that you're gonna see tomorrow. Make the most of your time with family and friends, and enjoy your toys and hobbies while you can. If performance mods make you happy, then they're worth it. :beerchug:

Worth it??? Who cares? It's never "worth it" on a cost-return basis, but that's not what it is all about. I started out like a lot of others, ahhh, I will just get a programmer for a couple of extra hp for towing and I will be happy. Ya right. I'm an addict now. The only thing holding me back is that I am not rich. I am trying to figure out what I can sell so that I can get a tranny in my truck. I was on the phone with my brother last night (an experienced diesel mechanic who is about to start up his own shop) and was trying to convince him that he needs to sponsor me with a pulling truck. He laughed at me, but I am not going to give up! I think that I gotta go and get my meds now before I buy something else for the DMax...

My 2c:

Yes the engine is detuned for reliability. But there's the rub. Tune it back up and there will be a longevity penalty. You can't tell me running hotter EGT's and higher stresses won't have some cost down the line.

The exhaust is designed for quiet. If you can live with a little more boom, you can get lower EGT's and a little less backpressure.

Then there's the emissions compromises. The engine is tuned for emissions performance first and foremost. You can take some of that out and truly get something for nothing (well, nothing as long as you're not a member of greenpeace).

With EFILive, you can disable the EGR which is a big plus for everything, engine life, mileage, etc. There's really no downside.

You can also put the timing back in, which gets you power, mileage, and higher NOx, but who cares about the NOx.

Reducing cruise boost will save on turbo life, and save fuel.

You can also increase fueling a little bit (+60 RWHP) for more power at full throttle. This may have a cost in longevity, but it should be small as long as you don't floor it at every light.

Remember GM redesigned the pistons for the jump from 310 to 360 (LLY to LBZ). I'm sure they didn't do this because they like spending money.

This is where I have stopped.

If you go to even more power (+60 to +200), stresses get real high, and you'll have to open up the transmission and make modifications. That's where the real $ kick in.

Then above +200 you need more air (turbo), and more fuel (dual fuel pumps).

But, you can improve mileage and add a little more power without going crazy.