Duramax LB7 upgrades, what would you do?

[revrider1]

I have a 03 LB7 Duramax and Im wanting to do an upgrade(intake/chip/exhaust), with sooo many aftermarket products to choose from, Im asking everyone on here cuz thats what SW'ers do to learn what is best! I dont want to spend thousands doing this but dont want the cheapest upgrades either. I trust that you guys know what is best and thank all of you for your input!!

[/IMG]

 

[Snorider]

I would go the an EFI LIVE tune. thats one way to really get the most bang for your buck on tuning and it will get rid of that pesky torque mangement, also get a 180 t-stat, theres an air box mod that will help you out too(cutting out the inlet to the air box). ALso if you can get a turbo back no kitty exhaust,(depends on where you live)

if you want more i can get more, but it's been a awhile for the LB7, i'll think about it.


Nice truck too, who made the flat bed?

 

[revrider1]

I just sold a dodge!! I might come back someday but not today! My Duramax has a diesel welder on its back and will spend its life under a load mostly off-road! Thats a sweet dodge tho!!!

 

[Supplicate]

I've got an 03 LB7 as well.

What I would do, and what I just did, is this:

Leave the OEM intake, GM got it right this time. The only time you -need- to change your intake is when you start talking HUGE power.

Buy a PPE Standard programer, and don't ever take it higher then the 90hp tune. If you go 120 or higher you WILL kill your allison. PPE is guaranteed to gain you 1-2mpg as well. As for EFI Live, its worth it if you have the money to drop on it.

As for exhaust, I went with a 5" straight pipe. Its too loud, IMO, so I'll be putting a Hushpower 5" on it in the next few weeks. The only reason I went 5" is I have turbo, transmission, and engine upgrades planned for the next year or so. Hoping to get 600hp to the rear wheels by the end of next year, and it won't take much to do it.

I have some video on the difference between the OEM exhaust and the 5" straight pipe if you are interested in it, let me know and I'll PM you the link.

 

[Snorider]

Also if you want to run 100 to 120 hp chip get the transgo/jr kit for the allision. It might not be a bad idea anyway. and a bonus is they cheap. I got mine for 65 bucks and a monkey could install it right.

 

[revrider1]

I would go the an EFI LIVE tune. thats one way to really get the most bang for your buck on tuning and it will get rid of that pesky torque mangement, also get a 180 t-stat, theres an air box mod that will help you out too(cutting out the inlet to the air box). ALso if you can get a turbo back no kitty exhaust,(depends on where you live)

if you want more i can get more, but it's been a awhile for the LB7, i'll think about it.


Nice truck too, who made the flat bed?

I bought it from MK Trailers in Carey, Id. They have the best flatbeds around here short of me building my own. I just didn't have the time!!

 

[revrider1]

Also if you want to run 100 to 120 hp chip get the transgo/jr kit for the allision. It might not be a bad idea anyway. and a bonus is they cheap. I got mine for 65 bucks and a monkey could install it right.

Where did you get it? Do you have a link to the site? Thanks

 

[Clarke673]

5" is probably wasting money. If i was you i would do what he said but do a 4" exhaust dumping out right behind the rear doors. That would look sick!

You got to love the duramax. My friend mike had $3000 into is 02 dodge and now he has about $700 into his duramax and it flat out stomps his old truck.

Although, i do not see how 120 hp would hurt an Allison? If it can take 90 but not 120 then how are you supposed to pull a load up an incline? I thought that these transmissions had more balls than any other around?

BTW, your truck needs some nicer wheels and some more go fast decals!

 

[Supplicate]

5" is probably wasting money. If i was you i would do what he said but do a 4" exhaust dumping out right behind the rear doors.

4" is what a person should do if they plan on keeping the power pretty low. Hell, 4" is a good option for any duramax. I went 5" just because I could

 

[hilinerider]

my 03 dmax cab chassis came with 4" dumped out right behind the cab, factory, with the six speed manual i ordered init, been the most reliable stump pullin set up ever, pertnear 200k on it know, packing 14k with a full load of fuel and still pulls a trailer like no other

 

[stalefish_132]

cheapest mods are get a muffler delete pipe for the stock 3.5" exhaust, yours is a 03 so no kitty under there. stock intake is fine just keep the filter clean, you can swiss chease it if you want. if you want a good economy tune buy a daiblo sport predator (#U7180)
the 40hp tow tune has awesome bottom end grunt and the economy 65hp tune is more liek the stocker just with soem more top end. the 85hp tune has alot of bottom end and keeps pulling right to 3200. now the 120hp tune is awesome, not to much down low but once 2300-2400rpm rolls along watch out! makes that LB7 scream, break those duals loose on dry pavement from a stantstill thoguh 2nd. but on the 4-5th shift you rn the risk of limping your ally(OD off works fine).

the predator is cheap and has awesoem gains and you can check the injector ballance rates to make sure they are in check.

yes EFI live is the best way to program a GM but for the average guy a good tuner is all you need with a stock ally.

 

[revrider1]

Thanks fellas for all your input!

 

[revrider1]

my 03 dmax cab chassis came with 4" dumped out right behind the cab, factory, with the six speed manual i ordered init, been the most reliable stump pullin set up ever, pertnear 200k on it know, packing 14k with a full load of fuel and still pulls a trailer like no other

Is it still stock?

 

[Rattlin_Ram]

You got to love the duramax. My friend mike had $3000 into is 02 dodge and now he has about $700 into his duramax and it flat out stomps his old truck.

Although, i do not see how 120 hp would hurt an Allison? If it can take 90 but not 120 then how are you supposed to pull a load up an incline? I thought that these transmissions had more balls than any other around?

2002 24v dodge vs. lb7... lb7 wins easy in the cheap hp dept... not sure on your $3000/$700 claim, but $3000 in power on a dodge you either wasted your money, or you need a tranny or clutch bad if all you did is add power goodies...

Anyway, if you stay at about 100hp or less over stock on any of the big 3 smokers the stock tranny should last a while... While stock the allison is pretty good throw hp at it won't last...

 

[mattymac]

5" is probably wasting money. If i was you i would do what he said but do a 4" exhaust dumping out right behind the rear doors. That would look sick!

You got to love the duramax. My friend mike had $3000 into is 02 dodge and now he has about $700 into his duramax and it flat out stomps his old truck.

Although, i do not see how 120 hp would hurt an Allison? If it can take 90 but not 120 then how are you supposed to pull a load up an incline? I thought that these transmissions had more balls than any other around?

BTW, your truck needs some nicer wheels and some more go fast decals!

yep 4" has proven to develop 7-800hp with no problems 5" just is a waste of money and has more drone than 4"

VP44 vs common rail, more potential and easier hp from HPCR. If you compare apples to apples its a diffrent story.

The 1000 series allison has the highest failure rate per 100 vehicles sold of the big 3, mainly due to its electronics. The reason it fails at just at 100+hp is the stock internals and slow electronics make usually the C2 clutch packs burn, slip and go out. Some years were better than others thoughand not all failed for this reason but the allisons do have alot to be desired. I know some fast dmax single purpose drag trucks, guess what tranny their not using.

 

[hilinerider]

Is it still stock?

bone stock, not one single upgrade, ordered it with the proper gearing for the six speed ratio's, i think the allison would be better also with better gearing, she noticably pulls harder above 2200 rpm

 

[stalefish_132]

if i had the choice I myself would have rather got a ZF-6 standard over the ally. but thats just me.

really to be safe you should keep it under the 90-100hp tune range to ensure long life in your tranny. anythign above can be risky but tis mainly the 4th to 5th shift where the allison will limp. my dad plays around town on the 120 tune just makes sure that he's got the OD off. he's limpd his about half a dozen times and still going.

my dads buddie has a 01 24v cummins/auto. boen stock his tranny went out so he got it build ($6000 touch). then he got full 4 inch exhaust, edge juice with attitude, intake, new VP44 IP and my dads dirtymax on the stock tune was about even, on the tow tune there was no comparison. throw a tuen on her and letter rip

 

[mattymac]

my dads buddie has a 01 24v cummins/auto. boen stock his tranny went out so he got it build ($6000 touch). then he got full 4 inch exhaust, edge juice with attitude, intake, new VP44 IP and my dads dirtymax on the stock tune was about even, on the tow tune there was no comparison. throw a tuen on her and letter rip

235hp stock on the 01 cummins vs a 305 hp DMAX stock

for 6K did he get any billet internals?


I watched nick D'amico in his FULLY built (even full internals in the motor, not even an isuzu cept for the block) make 800hp the other day at the J&H diesel ralley in redding CA, while I think there were 5 or 6 cummins make well over 1000hp and I think chris werner made 1200 or so while most of these trucks drove to the track. Nick trailered his. Im not taking anything away from nick cause its a badazz truck but its a single purpose built rig anymore.

I won my class in the drags (stick shift heads up) drove there, drove home, took the wakeboard boat to the river on sunday and was towin around the skid steer on monday. 200 less hp but its a truck I can use everyday!

 

[Supplicate]

I watched nick D'amico in his FULLY built (even full internals in the motor, not even an isuzu cept for the block) make 800hp

Fully built doesn't mean dick if the power isn't there. I've seen a couple duramax's with way too much money in them not make much more power then a stock internal'd engine with a tuner.

 

[bigbird]

Fully built doesn't mean dick if the power isn't there. I've seen a couple duramax's with way too much money in them not make much more power then a stock internal'd engine with a tuner.

That has to do with tuning. stock motors will make as much power, but for how long.