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I am about to buy a dodge ram 2500 5.9L

5K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  Culrich 
#1 ·
i want a dodge 2500 diesel from 2004 to 2006 idk b/w auto/manual yet...but i have a list of stuff i want to do and what yall think about it...1st. K&N Air Intake System. 2nd. Banks power high-ram 3 1/2 inch air intake manifold. 3rd. MBRP XP Series T409 Stainless Steel 4" DUAL Exhaust System (Turbo-Back ). then dual tips for that. 4.a gauge pillar and gauges....i was thinking about putting a new Mean Green High Output Alternator in it as well, with new batteries, but i've not found any yet. then i'm gong to get rims, then lift and tires and running boards and system stuff to....but i was wondering that with all the engine mods, before the big lift and tires, what my h.p. and torque and mileage might be?? and is there a chip that would help any? and i was thinking about putting twin turbos on it to...any suggestions or comments, please reply.
 
#2 ·
Why do you want a diesel?

Do you have a load to pull?

What kind of work do you do?

I see you are 17 yo... That leads me to believe you are possibly looking for something to 'prove how much power you can handle', while giving us diesel operators a bad name by 'rolling coal'..

Convince us otherwise.
 
#6 ·
WOW...Uncalled for.:smiledown: For all you know he could be a 17 year old ranch-hand, working hard as hell for his money like I had to, and needs a diesel pickup to haul hay, pull stumps, move horses, etc.

Way to jump to conclusions, pal. As a Member Relations Manager, I will ask that you:

A-don't instigate our members.
B-get all the facts before you just start bad-mouthing people.

Thank you for your time.
 
#4 ·
Quite frankly, Cthulhu, I don't really see how it's any of your business what he does, or how that relates to his question.
If the kid wants a diesel even though he won't be hauling anything, so what? It isn't your money.
I spend a lot of time around diesels on ranches, and it doesn't offend me in the least that he wants to "roll coal."
If you don't like the fact that he can get a diesel even though he won't probably use it that much, if it really offends you that much, then don't bother posting. Problem solved.


OP, get a chip. I believe my uncle has a Bullydog and loves it. A buddy of mine has a Quadzilla and really likes his. I also hear good things about the H&S chips.
Everything else you talked about looked pretty good.
 
#5 · (Edited)
1st - I am running an Airaid MPX set up, when I researched it they claimed more hp than the K&N, however I think they might have changed the design as mine goes all the way to the turbo and the new ones don't look like they do.

2nd - good idea, but too early in the build...get a tuner next. I am running the Hypertech Max Energy on stage 3 "Extreme". They claim to be the only programmer with which you can still tow on the highest setting - with an automatic they claim +113hp and +185tq, with manual they claim +176hp and +298tq. I get 23-24+ mpg on highway and 21-22 mpg in town with just these two mods plus a camper shell, an automatic and factory 4.10 gears. Stock was about 19 on highway and 17 in town. These two mods paid for themselves in the first year in fuel savings!!

3rd - If you are going to bother to do a turbo-back swap on a Cummins, go with a 5-inch kit. I'm not 100% sure, but I think they are already 4-inch from the factory. This was going to be my next mod and I was going to use the Magnaflow kit. I guess I'm just getting to old to deal with the un-necessary noise so since it runs great without it, I never bothered.

Now that the big three are covered, lets get back to the manifold. Before Banks introduced the new 3 1/2 inch setup and only offered the 3 inch setup, my research lead me to the aFe Blade Runner. At the time, the Banks was +$400 and the aFe was $295 with a negligible peformance difference. Now that Banks offers the 3 1/2 setup, it looks really good!

What ever you plan on doing with your truck, be it towing, racing, or just profiling - good luck.
 
#8 ·
OP, shoot over to cumminsforum. I find theres more info on drivetrain components and modifications for our oil burners on there, but if exterior, interior, style etc.. mods are your question, ramforumz is the place to be!

Ive heard not so good things about banks and bullydog recently regarding cummins, and k&n intakes also have a bad rap, again this is only what ive read.

I'd stick with a smarty programmer, afe intake, and a 5" turbo back exhaust with a flow thru muffler. A friend of mine has an 03 5.9 and said straight piped the truck actually performed worse than when he had a flow thru muffler, that generation motor must like a little backpressure?
 
#9 ·
OP, shoot over to cumminsforum. I find theres more info on drivetrain components and modifications for our oil burners on there, but if exterior, interior, style etc.. mods are your question, ramforumz is the place to be!

Ive heard not so good things about banks and bullydog recently regarding cummins, and k&n intakes also have a bad rap, again this is only what ive read.

I'd stick with a smarty programmer, afe intake, and a 5" turbo back exhaust with a flow thru muffler. A friend of mine has an 03 5.9 and said straight piped the truck actually performed worse than when he had a flow thru muffler, that generation motor must like a little backpressure?
This:smileup: and I will try to find the intake "shoot out" review and post it here. I was looking for intakes for my 6.7 and ran across this dyno shootout that a magazine did (Yes I know most are biased and favor the "supporting" manufaturer or so it seems. I never believe reviews from them, but this one provided dyno runs and was very consistant). I believe that the two trucks they tested were both 5.9s and every single intake tested was witin 1hp of the stock airbox hp. Stock dyno run came in at 309hp each intake came in at 308hp-310hp and they did two runs per intake. I have no desire to get an intake now from that and coupled with the many reviews from people who own aftermarket intakes. ...all this time I thought diesels gained big numbers with aftermarket intakes....but they are just noise makers...
 
#12 ·
1st of do not get a K&N for your diesel they let in way to much dirt to the turbo and trust me we have tried em all and found best results with an s&B and s&B intake horn as well.
2nd off Banks is overpriced garbage for cummins diesels how do i know you ask well on my 2005 5.9l i had the banks six gun tuner and fried #6 piston because of it. All banks does is raise your rail pressure and overfuel your motor.
3rd the most tried and true and safest programmer for these 5.9L is the smarty jr or smarty Sr. but keep in mind once you throw a programmer at it you need to upgrade tranny if its an auto and for sure a double disc clutch if its a manny. And please dont go around rolling coal all the time it gives the diesel guys like us a really bad name. Dont get me wrong its cool sometimes but not every intersection.Also you definately need egt,boost,fuel or rail pressure gauage and trans gauge if you go auto.
On all of my diesels i have run 4" turbo back straight piped exhaust,smarty or edge, S&B CAI and intake horn , gauges,boost fooler,and some other goodies and loved em and virtually problem free.
 
#14 ·
ill throw my two cents in, i have a 2001 24 valve with an edge programmer and 100 horse injectors with a bd diesel fuel pump and i have pretty much turned the stock tank into a fuel cell (product of fixing previous owners crap hot rodding) with those couple of things my truck dynoed at 305 horsepower and 625 lb ft of torque at the rear wheels. factory rating i believe is 265 horsepower and 450 lb ft of torque at the crank shaft. if you get an auto transmission just keep it in the back of your mind that they dont handle as much power as manual. mine is doing fine but i think the previous owner installed a shift kit.
 
#16 · (Edited)
I have installed an AEM Brute Force HD on my 2001 5.9 and i love it. From what the guys were saying above it does look very nice when you pop the hood. But I am a young guy and i know that you want a loud mean sounding machine and an aftermarket intake really pleased me. For me it was worth the $300+ but it all depends on what you want. It does gives it a nice deep growl. But to get this growl you definately do need to have a turbo back exhaust.
 
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