The best part about the diesels are that with a few simple bolt-ons, you can get outragoues horsepower and torque numbers. You can gain over 100 ft-lbs of torque with just a chip alone. A 5 minute installation. I have seen dodge's with the older 5.9 Cummins putting out over 1500ft lbs of torque. Amazing!!!

 

Hey CAT congrats on the new rig, I am positive you will not regret making that decision. I stayed with the auto tranny because my wife preferred it over the shifter model. I would have rather had the 6 gears instead, but if the wife ain't happy nobody happy.

As I stated above the early 47RE tranny's were a problem so I waited untill I could get hold of the 48RE which is supposed to be much better. Wow man I'm happy for you. BIG BAD SCRAMBLER is correct you can add on some amazing torque and HP with just a simple little black box. Try looking up BD POWER they have some things that will set your truck on fire.

Good luck and happy truckin'

 

Congrats on the purchase of your new truck. If you don't already know about it, I highly recommend checking out the Turbo Diesel Register. It does cost $35 a year, but the info has been invaluable over the years I've owned my truck.

I was bitten by the power bug also. I've spent a few hundred bucks on mine, and got into into the 300hp/700lb/ft range. It tugs my 26" Weekend Warrior up the grades with ease.

 

I was told by a friend who works at a Ford dealer, do not get an '03 6.0 diesel, all the bugs are worked out of the '04's. I'll be at the Quarter Horse Congress later this month shopping for my new 6.0 [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Ditto the comment about easy power upgrades, I'm at about 350hp and almost 700 ft/lb with a superchips programmer, exhaust, gauges and air intake, and only $1300 !!!

 

I think I will stay with the stock setup for now. It has more than enough power at any speed. I don't have anything heavy to haul yet (RV in the works) except for 2 wheelers and a small trailer. It's got so much power stock I'm having trouble getting used to it. It is really sweet though.

I always wonder why engineers with Masters and PHD's in engineering making tons of $ for Cummins and International don't add the extra power to the engines when it's as easy as changing the code in the CPU. Seems like if it was that easy with no downside they would do it from the factory. What are the negative consequences of the added power? Dangerously high ETR's? Decreased longevity? Too much stress on the tranny and drivetrain?

A buddy at work has a 7.3 Ford and added a chip to it. He went flying by me on the way to work the other day and he was blowing black smoke out of the tailpipe. He said the added power was amazing and it removed the speed limiter. It never smoke like that stock though. I imagine it was just the added fuel trying to burn, but it makes me a little cautious of putting a chip in mine.

I've got to get the Cat and K5 sold before I can look at RV's.

 

Definitely a good idea to stay stock during the warantee period. The warantee on my truck is long gone.

The manufacturers have to take into consideration longivety, reliability, emissions regulations, liability, amongst other things. Most medium and heavy duty diesels are designed to run at their rated power for long periods of time. Most people who modify their trucks are only using the extra power for short periods of time which has a minimal effect on engine life. The Cummins is well know for its ability to handle insane amounts of extra power.

Black smoke means unburned (wasted) fuel. A proper modification will not only increase fuel, but also increase the air intake (boost) to burn it. The first mod should always be a set of gauges to monitor exhaust gas temperature and boost pressure.

Once again I highly recommend checking out the Forums at the TDR. Lots of good info therein.

 

Well boy's I guess I will need to check in once in a while but I will not be hangin' out here in the AC forum much. See today I went over to the local Kawie shop and I will be picking up my new Red P700 and Warn winch tomorrow around 11am. I will be adding this one to my stable right next to my 03 P650 and my 04 V-Force 700. I decided I really didn't need to IRS suspension because I don't ride in deep mud. Here in the Pacific Northwest we are riding on hard packed dirt and bed rock most of the time. I needed something with racks and low range for creeping along while hunting. So there ya have it off to visit the Kawasaki forum, take care.

Good luck with that new Cummins there CAT, enjoy the 20+ mpg you will soon be getting. Last time I checked I was at 24.3 mpg, not bad but that was what the computer was reading, I believe it to be closer to 22 or so.

Take care guy's and ride safe.

BushWacked

 

I own a 1999 powerstroke, I tow a 28ft toy trailor and a 14ft atv trailor almost every weekend and haven't had any problems. I think If your doing alot of towing of heavy loads the ford Is hard to beat.
What scares me about the chev Is the tranny Is only rated for 545ft lbs of torqe and that sounds weak for big loads but ok for going to the store. Ford owns stock In cummings and allison so there making money on all 3 trucks but I think there all great.I think I'd wait until 2006 to buy the duramax.

 

I towed my 5X10 trailer today with the Arctic Cat on it. A guy wanted to meet after work to look at it and possibly buy, he never showed up, A-hole. Anyway, I couldn't tell that it was back there. I know it's not much weight but I'm not planning on pulling too much more. Really like the new truck so far, but I haven't had to make a payment yet either.

 

Congrats on that new diesel ! I have a 2001.5 HO Cummins 3500 with too many mods. to list. Makes about 450 RWHP now ( only dynoed once when I first started modding, way back when it was 366 RWHP), was 245 when stock. As said above, join the Turbo Diesel Register, best $35.00 you will ever spend. I was a member there from summer of 2000 to this past fall. Kinda got bored and decided not to rejoin for this year. Good guys there though and alot of knowledge to be had. If you plan on leaving the truck stock, just keep up with oil/filter/ fuel filter changes. If you plan on adding any HP mods., install a EGT gauge ( exhaust gas temp.) as you can get real hot real quick and destroy your investment. Other than that, just let the truck idle for a minute or so after a long hill or hard driving before shut down, it allows the turbo to cool down which is a real good thing for longevity of same.

Those '04s are downright quite compared to my truck. A friend has a '04 3500 SRW and it really purrs at idle. The six speed is great for pullin. I tow 10,000 lbs. quite often. You know it's there with that kinda weight, but it humps it along and it's good to work the motor from time to time.

Scott W.