View Full Version : Project Casper - How to make a LLY Dmax rip!


McRat
09-27-2005, 01:02 PM
Victim:

Casper - A month old 2005 2500HD GMC Duramax/Allison Extended Cab 4x4, shortbed. Factory weight (no driver/half tank) 6400lb.

First stop was the dragstrip to get the baselines. Ended up with a 16.7@80mph stock.

Next stop was at Mike L's Inglewood Transmissions 310 674-4400. He put a Frankie2 special trans together for it. Shifts excellent on the street and when racing. It is holding up pretty well.

Now to Clyde at West Coast Diesel Performance 951 674-5122. Clyde installed a custom 4" sidepipe exhaust, lift pump (Holley HP150 has issues, so we switched to a new Edlebrock unit available at PPE or WCD). We did the Shim Mod to the Pressure Relief Valve to .060", and drilled out the front restrictor to .062". Now we put in gauges (pyro, fuel pressure, boost). We used a SPA for the pressure, DON'T DO IT. It works erratically. POS. Next was the McRat Ghetto Nitrous. We pulled the passenger seat and made a special bracket to replace the seat. We hooked it into the horn relay, and sprayed it though a Super Diesel multiport manifold. Down and dirty. Clyde put on a Super Diesel centerlink to control front end toe in.

Next stop, Joe at Pacific Performance Engineering (714) 985-4825. After testing various stacks, we came up with using the PPE Hot +2 competition program, the Van Aaken LLY module set on the middle setting, and a PPE variable boost controller set to 32-34psi.

The PPE Hot +2 is a special application tune for racing, but it behaves surprisingly well on the street. It is a PCM uploader that will also correct for tire size, read and reset codes, and clear transmission tap cells. There are also smaller tunes on the programmer for towing.

The Van Aaken box adds a little kick to the big fuel the PPE sprays in. We are not sure yet why it works so good, but it at this point I can't find a better stack. Just these two alone are big power, but I don't want big power, I want MORE.

So we put on a PPE Electronic Boost Controller. This allows you to set your boost where you want it on the fly. We found maximum power (474rwhp) at 32-34 PSI.

Now a special TCM from Kennedy Diesel (715) 255-9433. This is a race only TCM that you will not want to drive on the street, but runs good at the track.

That's it. Trans, tuning, exhaust, nitrous. I worked a lot to find the optimum combo, and went through a lot of parts that didn't work to get there. I'm saving you ALOT of money and time by listing my setup. You don't have to guess, we have this setup on multiple LLY trucks and they all haul ***.

Now to the track! California Speedway last Friday. The results?

On #2 (raceweight 6420lb) - 13.04 @ 101 on #2 only. On the bottle with a .070" jet, the trans didn't like the nitrous yet (we are working on it, it's computer issues), but still squeezed off a 12.27 @ 111.81. We raped blown SRT-10's with it.

We believe this truck is the quickest LLY in the country, and it was done in 2 weeks from start to finish on a month old truck.

Coban
09-27-2005, 01:06 PM
Holy freakin Damn!!!

BMDMAX
09-27-2005, 01:46 PM
Nice work Pat! Congrats on your win. :chug:

BadAssChevy327
09-27-2005, 02:31 PM
very nice and what do you guys mean when you say number 2 and stuff . is that tuning

BMDMAX
09-27-2005, 03:08 PM
In diesel lingo #2 means a fuel only pass. Diesel fuel is sold in different grades, with #2 diesel (warm weather blend) being the most common.

To go faster we add a dry nitrous shot to burn the extra #2 fuel we are injecting via larger injectors, from programming or both. That is why you see the distinction made since some guys have the idea that only a fuel only pass is worth anything, i.e. that nitrous is cheating or easy power. I say it is power no matter how you make it. :)

I like my second turbo bottled!!!

BadAssChevy327
09-27-2005, 09:01 PM
o alright im trin to learn diesels there unbeleivable with the power they put out with just minor bolt ons

05 2500HD
09-28-2005, 01:57 AM
I've had the privilege of driving this beast, code named "Casper 2", to a 13.3 @ 101 at LACR. It's fun doing 4WD launches.:D:D

Good job, Pat! I see 11s in the not so distant future.:cheers:

TchargedLS1TA
09-29-2005, 10:06 PM
Maybe the fastest so far, but definately not the most powerful.. Theres one in the NW running a set of DTT twins, "secret injectors", stacked boxes, DTT trans and some other mods.. Last time it dyno'd at Piers it made 717 hp and popped a turbo on the same run. I know that Stan from Quadzilla is running over 730 hp on N20 and stacked boxes..
PS, I think it sucks how you DMax guys get 200+ extra power through electronics.. We old scholl Cummins guys actually have to get dirty to make HP...

05 2500HD
09-29-2005, 10:50 PM
Maybe the fastest so far, but definately not the most powerful.. Theres one in the NW running a set of DTT twins, "secret injectors", stacked boxes, DTT trans and some other mods.. Last time it dyno'd at Piers it made 717 hp and popped a turbo on the same run. I know that Stan from Quadzilla is running over 730 hp on N20 and stacked boxes..
PS, I think it sucks how you DMax guys get 200+ extra power through electronics.. We old scholl Cummins guys actually have to get dirty to make HP...

I know of a few LLY's with Twins. I also know of a few LB7 Dmax's in the 700HP range, one locally.

What McRat was stating is that this was done with an LLY. It's pretty difficult to have an LLY keep up with a well tuned LB7 and the tranny seems to be very different from earlier Dmax's.

I'd be curious to see that DTT powered Dmax make a run down the 1/4 and see how well that tranny holds the power.

McRat
09-30-2005, 10:45 AM
Maybe the fastest so far, but definately not the most powerful.. Theres one in the NW running a set of DTT twins, "secret injectors", stacked boxes, DTT trans and some other mods.. Last time it dyno'd at Piers it made 717 hp and popped a turbo on the same run. I know that Stan from Quadzilla is running over 730 hp on N20 and stacked boxes..
PS, I think it sucks how you DMax guys get 200+ extra power through electronics.. We old scholl Cummins guys actually have to get dirty to make HP...

Someone will beat my ET very shortly, so allow me to enjoy it while it lasts. Yes, I know about twin'd injectored LLY up North. Unlike the Cummins, injectors for a Dmax are over $2000 exchange, the CP3 to drive it is over $2000, and the extra turbo is over $4000. Most guys aren't going to do that, so I present a workable build for the average Joe.

Essentially, I'm showing you how to get SRT 10 performance on a budget.

McRat
09-30-2005, 10:49 AM
Oh, and those other HiPo LLY's? So far nobody is telling you what is in them.

The Rookie
10-19-2005, 01:35 PM
Man That thing rocks. What was the total cost on all the mods? My 04', LLY, 4x4, 4dr, s/b, Duramax is needing some go fast stuff. :devil:

McRat
10-19-2005, 02:53 PM
Figure just under $7500 if you pay full retail and do not do any work yourself. You can probably get the same results for 1/2 that if you shop around wisely. The biggest expense is building the trans to hold the power. $2000-$5000 depending.

bluecajun5.3
10-19-2005, 06:36 PM
congrats to the diesel guys!

McRat
12-30-2006, 07:56 PM
Update.

Last summer, we added a High Tech turbo to Casper, removed the nitrous, and put on a PPE Dual CP3 fuel system. Still stock engine, still same trans, still stock injectors:

11.77 @ 114 on pump diesel. It became the first Duramax to run an 11 second ET with no drugs.

To make it more impressive, recently I hooked up the 22' car trailer to Casper loaded up the Corvette on it. We drove up through the mountains to over 4000' then back down to 2710' at LACR drag strip. DA was 3600', and we ran 11.8 ET's in full tow trim. The vette ran 11.7. I towed the car home, filled up, whooped out the calculator, and found we got 15.8 mpg for the 160 mi round trip including the drag runs.

A grocery getter with a bad attitude... ;)

MATOR
12-30-2006, 08:21 PM
thats freaking sweet man love it

TIM Z
12-30-2006, 09:49 PM
Im glad yyou brought out this old Thread. Its a great road map to one BADASS Truck! Talk about a Corvette eater. I know now i cant stop till my truck is close to bieng this fast! :devil: Keep up the good work.

Olson
01-04-2007, 01:44 AM
Im glad yyou brought out this old Thread. Its a great road map to one BADASS Truck! Talk about a Corvette eater. I know now i cant stop till my truck is close to bieng this fast! :devil: Keep up the good work.

It never ends!

Olson
01-04-2007, 01:49 AM
Update.

Last summer, we added a High Tech turbo to Casper, removed the nitrous, and put on a PPE Dual CP3 fuel system. Still stock engine, still same trans, still stock injectors:

11.77 @ 114 on pump diesel. It became the first Duramax to run an 11 second ET with no drugs.

To make it more impressive, recently I hooked up the 22' car trailer to Casper loaded up the Corvette on it. We drove up through the mountains to over 4000' then back down to 2710' at LACR drag strip. DA was 3600', and we ran 11.8 ET's in full tow trim. The vette ran 11.7. I towed the car home, filled up, whooped out the calculator, and found we got 15.8 mpg for the 160 mi round trip including the drag runs.

A grocery getter with a bad attitude... ;)

I'll run ya #2 only!

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