Alright, well i've been skimming this site for years, and finally decided to join up. Truck is a 2002 Cummins, was an auto, but converted it to a NV5600 a month or two ago. Didn't have the cash to upgrade the clutch at the time, since i was forced into it due to the auto failing. I also kept the 271 that was with the 5600 and ditched the 241 that was with the auto. Truck is basically stock, 4-5" exhaust, and a diablo powerpuck was on the truck when i got it, i've added a BHAF since than performance wise. Also have a eaton detroit locker in the rear that i put in at the same time as the tranny swap (shattered the spider gears in the stock posi.) That being said, i would like to get into the 500 hp range. truck is my DD, i do tow with it occasionally, and play with her as well. I turn all my own wrenches, but am willing to admit i am still a noob when it comes to diesels. I'm capable of doing everything, just don't have the knowledge base i would like in the diesel side of things, so another reason to join up. So, to my knowledge, my plans should go something along this....in order of upgrades as well...

Clutch (southbend is the best to my knowledge, i see them the most being suggested)
Lift pump (what GPM and other things should i look for? suggestions?)
Injectors (120 hp? or should i get 150s? what should i be looking at since i will be towing with her and don't want to be throwing smoke all over the trailer...)
Programmer box, leaning towards an Edge juice with attitude, seems to be the go to box.
Turbo? (do i need to? or is the HX35 gunna be fine? i know right now she only goes up to 20, and i think i can get away with going up to 35 with it can't i? what do i need to do that for now? what other turbos and systems should i be looking for?)

Should i rearrange my priorities there? or am i pretty much inline? End goal is for a good DD, with plenty of towing power, and plenty of power for DD and holding my own. I know throwing smoke is the sign of a modified engine, but to my knowledge its also the sign of wasted fuel, so i would like to be efficient about this. thoughts, comments, ideas, really open to anything that will expand my knowledge, even if its pointing me to a thread where this is all already discussed. thanks guys!

 

I can weigh in on a few items -

#1-Gauges, fuel pressure at a minimum. Gotta watch your pressure to your vp44 injection pump; otherwise it could get pricey to replace it.

#2-Aftermarket lift pump, FASS or AirDog. How big of a pump depends on how much power you want down the road. I went with a FASS 150 titanium.

#3-Tuner. For mileage and a little more giddy-up, I'd go with a Smarty, could consider an Edge Juice with attitude. I personally did a Edge juice CTS, has gauges, and is backup camera ready (handy for hooking up a trailer yourself). Driveability is great.

#4-Injectors and/or Turbo. I don’t know for sure but I bet about 100-125 hp injectors are about it for a stock turbo. If you want to safely tow and want a little more power and better mileage without upgrading the turbo, I’ve heard goodthings about Bosch RV275 (45 - 55 hp) …could pick up 1.5 to 3 mpg too. I have not upgraded my injectors or turbo yet (so I can't speak first hand). I have heard good things on south bend clutches too but once again do not have any personal experience as my truck is an auto.

 

Gauges for sure. If you go with the Edge Juice with Attitude (EJWA) you gauges will be in there.

Lift pump for sure, I don't see any reason going with less than a 150GPH. Leaves room for growth.

Injectors, 150's will be hot when combined with the EJWA and just a HX35. You will have to watch your foot. I would still go with 150's though. I went 65's the first time, should have gone straight to 150's and not wasted the time and money.




#1 priority is fuel. Make sure you have a good supply to the VP44. Lift pump and a gauge.

 

@raw, thats some of the info i was looking for. A big selling point for me with the EJWA is the full line of gauges that go with it, program-ability on the fly, and i have heard alot of great things about it. so a 150 lift pump should give me what i need without worrying about not having enough fuel and blowing my VP once i get the programmer and add in injectors than. So that takes care of that, would 120 injectors get me to where i would want to be without upgrading the stock turbo? or should i go all out and grab the 150s, and upgrade the turbo? I think i would do the injectors and programmer at the same time, so than i would be able to watch my EGTs pretty close and than decide if i should upgrade the turbo.

another question, i know i've heard you can bump up the PSI on the stock turbo, right now i am only pushing about 20 psi max, i'd like to bump that up a bit and squeeze some more power, can someone point me in the right direction for where i can find out how to do that? i'm sure thats been discussed here already, or go ahead and fill me in here. thanks!

also, i do already have gauges, but the guy who put them in...well lets just say i don't have confidence with his work because of other things i have found from his handiwork throughout the truck. it looks like he was the kind of guy that could make things look pretty but didn't know what he was doing...so needless to say only the boost gauge actually works, i was gunna replace the pyro but since i will be getting a EJWA, it seemed pointless to buy gauges i would be replacing with the EJWA..

 

I'd do the lift pump and Edge at the same time. After that, go for injectors and turbo.

If is possible to get more than 20 psi from your turbo. You will need a programmer, like the EJWA, or a boost fooler to do so. The ECU defuels the engine when 20psi is reached.

What other gauges are in the truck, and what make?

 

Boost, pyro, and tranny temp, tranny temp and pyro haven't worked since i got the truck. all glow shift, which to my knowledge are the cheaper of the options. the gauge pod doesn't even sit right on the pillar. just overlaps the stock pillar, so i've been wanting to rip it out since i got the truck but figured i would do it when i get the EJWA. Tranny temp isn't even connected anymore due to no longer having an automatic transmission. I thought about buying a fuel PSI gauge, but again, figured why buy a gauge that i won't need once i get the EJWA?

What should i be looking for in the turbo? i'd like low end power as well as high end power, but since my truck is mostly a DD, that tows and hauls and is still used as a truck, and not a race truck, high end power isn't really the important thing in my mind

 

Like said above the first and foremost thing to get it a good lift pump like a Air Dog 150 or Fass Titanium 150. After that is all said and done I would look into doing the EJWA over the smarty any day of the week. The smarty on these trucks only does about 65hp. So you won't attain your 500hp goal with 150's. Plus the EJWA comes factory with the fuel pressure sender which makes install a breeze.

After those are install I would look into 120-150 ho injectors and go with a phat shaft 62-silver 62 for the turbo.

Along time ago I had a (SPS) Super Phast Shaft 62 with 75's and a EJWA with hot unlock and with my 6 speed the truck ran good.

If you have gauges already I would buy the EDGE Comp. Same tuning as the EJWA just without gauges.

 

Might as well save the hassle and toss those GlowShifts. The EJWA will come with a fuel pressure sender and will display fuel psi. You can also set the Attitude to alert you if fuel pressure drops below a certain value.

To get the best of most worlds, excluding cost and complexity, compounds will give you good bottom end and top end. A single turbo generally will excel at one end, but suffer in the other end. Most guys go to a 62mm or 64mm turbo when they have 150 injectors and an EJWA.

 

Conveniently your shop is only about an hour down the road from me (i'm over in north spokane) so i will probably actually be talking pretty heavily with you when its time to be purchasing these items.

I know fuel is the important thing here, so i was planning on starting with fuel once i start going performance. should i upgrade the clutch before hand? or should i get the lift pump and EJWA, run on a low setting, than upgrade upgrade the clutch and continue with injectors and turbo after that, or should i keep the clutch as my next purchase?

 

Updating fuel is wise even before performance. The factory lift pumps suck, and don't do your $1000+ VP44 much justice.

Scott is a good guy to talk to, you'll enjoy doing business with him.

Lift pump & EJWA, you clutch will hold most of that abuse. Much more and it will slip quick. After Lift & EJWA, I'd do a clutch, followed by turbo, then injectors. If you do turbo first, you lessen the chance of EGT issues.