The ugly truth about new diesel pickups | Diesel Performance Trucks

Everyone who is involved in the diesel world, be it enthusiasts with work trucks, modified daily drivers, weekend tow pigs, or even full race trucks knows how far diesels have come in the last 20 years.

My friend Connor M. here wants to share his experience with his Diesel Performance truck and the big elephant in the room. Here is his blog on the Ugly Truth.

First, a little history - From the International Harvester 7.3 l IDI which makes a whopping 185hp at the crank, to new, emissions regulated, electronically controlled diesel engines that make 350-450 hp at the crank.

The truth is that the engineering that goes into these pickups is unbelievable when compared to even a decade ago.

We see increased fuel economy, huge power gains, easier cold starts and more Diesel Performance for any application, but as with many other newer, more advanced automobiles, there's an elephant in the room - a big one.

Federal emissions requirements are ever-changing, starting with EGR systems as early as 2003 that reroute used exhaust gasses back through the engine, to camshafts for "internal EGR" that most owners don't even know they have, progressing to requiring Diesel Exhaust Fluid that is injected into the exhaust system.

Much high level engineering goes into making these trucks, but sadly, a lot of it is focused on making it pass stringent emissions regulations. For the most part, enthusiasts are focused on making something else - Diesel Power that brings a smile to the face.

Many people don't realize all that happens under the pretty plastic cover in the engine bay of their new diesel pickup.

I'm by no means new to the Diesel Performance aftermarket industry, yet I am constantly learning new things. I will be the first to admit that it really didn't hit me until I saw first hand what a high mileage Cummins that has over 13,000 engine hours looks like once it's completely torn down. The intake manifold, cylinder head and even the combustion chamber completely covered in soot.

One of the most common dilemmas that passionate owners of new diesel trucks face is simple; to delete or not to delete?

Because I purchased a new Cummins diesel last year, I know this first hand. After six months of research, test drives, and shopping for aftermarket parts, I pulled the trigger and bought a 2016 Dodge Ram 2500.

There's no doubt it's a big decision to make and an even bigger check to stroke. I had decided that I want to modify my new pickup in order to maximize performance and protect my investment.

Not long after I brought the truck home, I pulled it into the shop and started doing what they should've done at the factory.

The factory EGR valve is replaced with a coolant bypass line and block-off plates, the DPF and DEF systems are replaced with a straight pipe, and the ECM is unlocked and tuned using EFI live with transmission tuning and a CSP4 switch that allows me to switch tunes on the fly for optimized stock, towing, street and, my personal favorite, the hot tune.

So I've deleted the emissions systems and now I don't have to worry about it ... right? Wrong. Each manufacturer creates different problems when trying to maximize fuel efficiency and minimize emissions.

Everyone knows that there's three things an internal combustion engine, be it diesel, E85, or gas powered, needs to make power - fuel, air and ignition.

The 6.7 L Cummins that sits between the frame rails of Dodge's heavy duty pickups is no exception, it has so much potential and it just needs to be able to breathe so it can make more power with lower EGTs - which as we all know will kill an engine/turbo faster than anything else. So what are most owners of deleted Cummins overlooking?

Some issues are cheap and easy, some are a little more expensive to correct.

We will cover the cheaper, easier to correct issues here - the issues that can easily be addressed one at a time without pulling the truck apart for a full Diesel Power build. Don't worry, we will get the harder stuff too, when I get writing some more.

There is a throttle valve attached to the factory intake horn that controls the mix of fresh air with recirculated exhaust gasses, most tuners will just tune the actuation of this valve out of the ECM, but is that good enough?

The valve can still close- partially or completely, which can steal much needed air from the engine or under high load and RPM, it can cause some serious issues. Some people use a short delete pipe to correct this issue; however you can buy aftermarket intake horns that eliminate the throttle valve and flow much, much better than the stock intake horn, which happens to be another one of the biggest restrictions.

 

Cummins, as opposed to the Duramax or Powerstroke, uses a grid heater instead of glow plugs, which can be a huge restriction, especially in a truck that has had or still does have an EGR system. Sitting down inside the intake plenum, it quickly gathers soot and restricts airflow.

Trucks that live in warmer climates can delete the heating element without issues, and trucks that see colder weather can relocate the stock heating element or aftermarket styles to the intercooler.

One of the more controversial issues with the new Cummins is the crankcase ventilation system- the factory system uses a filter to separate oil from the vented air, and then reroutes the gasses post filter into the intake system.

Oily mist from the CCV can do everything from cover compressor wheels in oil to coat intercoolers and piping with a layer of slime in trucks that have excessive blowby. Everyone has an opinion as there are several ways to correct it, but at least everyone agrees the stock setup is poor.

There are plenty of parts available for people looking to change the stock setup - from breather tubes that dump the air to atmosphere, catch cans that collect oil, even rerouting the air into the exhaust system.

I encourage people to do their research and talk to people that have dealt with this issue before they go and spend money on the first part they find. Do you use the stock filter or delete it?

 

Where do you want the air to go?

It all depends on what your intentions and budget for the truck are.

The bottom line is simple - you spent all that money on your pickup, are you going to settle for "good enough" and sell it the day before the powertrain warranty expires

Or are you going to spend a little more, make it last for years and perform how you want it to?

I'm by no means new to the Diesel Performance industry, yet I am constantly learning new things. I will be the first to admit that it really didn't hit me until I saw first hand what a high mileage Cummins that has over 13,000 engine hours looks like once it's completely torn down. The intake manifold, cylinder head and even the combustion chamber completely covered in soot.

I've deleted the emissions systems and now I don't have to worry about it ...? Each manufacturer creates different problems when trying to maximize fuel efficiency and minimize emissions.