Best way to get more pull out of my Dodge?

[mfaley]

I am kicking around getting a bigger horse trailer that is heavier than what I normally tow now so I am thinking about bumping up the engine on my 02 dodge. I have to admit my mechanical knowledge would not fill a thimble so I am looking for some help.

I have a 4wd 2002 Dodge Long bed/extended cab with the HO engine and the 6 speed manual.

I have always heard that I can get a pretty good jump in hp and torque by just going to a K&N air filter and a Flowmaster exhaust. A friend was suggesting that I get a chip reprogramer but said I should not change out the exhaust because my truck needs the back pressure.

Can some of you car experts or other people who haul let me know their opinion?

Thanks,
Mark

[jimbrown]

Well having squandered a lot of my life and money building race cars I will tell you real power cost money. The gain if any you get from a low restriction air filter and low restriction exhaust on a catalist engine is going to be small. At most 10 hp at full or high rpm wich is probably in the 4500 or over range. The torque gain at normal towing rpm will be minimal. Possibly even a loss. A reprogrammed chip or progammer will allow you to maybe set the timing higer and the shift points on the transmission up a few hundered rpm and gain some acceleration. I don't own any Dodges so I do not know if thay have anything like the GM tow/haual mode for the transmission. I would suggest that you try one of the Dodge message boards and see if you can find some one close to you that already has a programmer and see if they would progam yours to see if you gain anything. Personally I would just live with it untill I got ready to buy a new truck. I tow a three horse trailer with an 01 GMC that has a 4.8 V8 in it. It is a torqueless wonder. I just suck it up and pull in third and try to keep the RPM under 4000 if I can. There is no way I can run the 75 MPH speed limit on the interstate. I do not tow enough or far enough to justify a new truck. But I am sure my nest one will be diesel.

[robertn]

Not a question about the diesel, but the speed limit...

The speed limit may be 75mph on the highway, but what is the Az "Towing" speed limit?
Here in Ca, highway speed is 65mph or 70mph depending on where and which highway. Max towing limit is 55mph though...

It's really the pits. I can easily and safely go faster, with a balance load and a good trailer. Not sure I would want to go faster with horses in a trailer though...

[mfaley]

Sorry, I should have added that I have the Cummins in it.

I am not likely to go over 75 on the freeway but pulling some of the hills over the Grapevine to Southern Ca, over the hill to Reno and home which is partway up into the foothills out of Sacramento. I can make all those pulls today in 5th gear and accelerate if needed. I think I will be adding about 2,000 pounds to the total wieght of the trailer which I think will take me to about about 7,000 - 8,000lbs with the trailer and horses.

[robertn]

I have a buddy with the same truck. He chipped it, did a K&N air cleaner kit, and big exhaust. He tows a big 5th wheel with it. Works well, and when he is empty, he gets better mileage than when stock.

An engine is a glorifed air compressor. The more air you can get in, the more you can compress. So a high flow air intake will help. But, don't expect massive gains there; maybe 5-10hp over the rpm range.

On the exhaust, a big exhaust may not give you much more power. It may affect how fast you feel the power though. A low restriction exhaust will let the turbo spin up faster.

Chips will affect delivery of fuel, timing ect. There is power there.

The biggest thing is reasearch, and making a balanced system...

Check over on TDR

[mfaley]

Thanks Robert. That is what I am starting to figure out. Perhaps for a non car guy like myself, just going with a Banks system might be best.

I will keep looking around at TDR.

Mark

[jimbrown]

Well if you had said it was a diesel I would have not have responded. My poor little 4,8 gasser is rated to tow 7200 I would expect a HO diesel to pull 10000 or 12000 easy. If you can pull the grape vine with 5000 or 6000 in 5th you got one strong truck. Now to the other poster there is no towing limit in Az it is 75 mph. Plus Az does not award points for anything less than 10 over so most highway patrols do not even bother for any thing less than 85. The average speed on I-10 is 80. I have towed in Ca a few times and I find that no one towes at 55 at least not on I-5 and whatever goes up thru Bakersfield.

[mfaley]

Its a good engine and I can get by with running about 2000 rpm going 50-55mph. My only concern would be that with the increased weight I would lose that so I thought maybe a few other upgrades would ensure that I can pull at that speed.

5 does come up through Bakersfield and folks do run fast through there. Its such a lovely little spot on the map.....one would think travelers would pull over and visit. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Pat]

With my Dodge/Cummins 1 ton 4x4 I got a bigger "thrill" coming DOWN the grapevine where prior to making mods the auto tranny would freewheel when coasting and I hit speeds of 85 while carying Lance's largest slide-in camper which gives the total package the aerodymanics of a brick going sideways. Even with the aerodynamics of a drogue chute it was interesting as the service brakes could not reliably hold the speed down AND maintain a reserve for extra braking when some idiot pulls in front of you and tests his brakes.

I replaced my injector pump and injectors. The injectors have finer holes but the pump has a lot more pressure so you still get enough fuel. The finer fuel plume results in a more efficient burn. I picked up significantly in torque and horsepower while simultaneously getting a mile or two better economy. An unintended consequence was that the Gear Vendors Over Under drive broke and was replaced with a NEW IMPROVED model. Then the tranny broke, literally broke the imput shaft and replaced the tranny with a BD brand performance tranny. So far so good.

The K&N is OK, just don't expect it to feel like a JATO bottle. Likewise my 4 inch mandrel bent stainless steel exhaust doesn't produce a gee whiz difference in power/torque but the turbo spools up way faster and the "throtle lag" subjective feel is GONE. It isn't a lot louder as I put on a huge commercial muffler but it has a lower note that I like that doesn't interfere with the excellent audio system. I also removed the stock intake manifold and replaced it with one that doesn't have exhaust gas recirculating plumbing and the associated EGR valve which was mounted in the intake where it restricted flow and produced turbulence. (California vehicle then... not now.)

I know you asked about more umph but if you get more umph in order to haul more weight faster then you need to do something in the braking department too. Get a good exhaust brake. Make sure you have heavy duty valve springs. When I got my truck some had standard springs and some HD. Mine are HD. Weaker springs reduce the max braking effort of the exhaust brake. Springs can be changed at a Cummins shop.

A sure fire way to get a significant boost is to significantly increase the boost with a larger turbo. Diesels run with the intake air fully open all the time and just modulate the quantity of fuel added. More air in the front (larger turbo) means you can burn more fuel efficiently.

Final shot... Just try to find any documented evidence about how you NEED backpressure on your engine. You can't be too rich, your wife can't be too good natured, and your back pressure can't be too low.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Get a superchips programmer and be done with it. I don't like K&N filters as there is too much evidence against them in my opinion. The AR raid exhaust is a much better system if you want to go that way. I wouldn't bother with the exhaust either. I'm sure in CA you have to pass emissions and that is going to be your main concern. With superchips you can program and unprogram it any time. You get three power levels: towing, economy, and "off-road". If you go in for service or for an emission check 2 minutes and you are back to stock programming.

With alot of the chips you have to worry about exhaust temps and put gauges on. We have had gauges and with SC on tow mode you never have to worry about it. You can buy a SC programmer for $300. I have a guy in Idaho that sells them $100 less than everyone else if you're interested.