Learning From Your Experiences With Modifying Diesel Trucks
About this episode
Hosts Anthony Bernini and Chris Emke reflect on twenty years of diesel truck modification mistakes and the hard-earned wisdom that comes with age. Comparing the cheap project trucks of the past to today's expensive market, they debate the pitfalls of impulsive modifications. From obnoxious exhaust stacks and cheap mud tires to hacking up fenders with angle grinders for photogenic wheel setups, they share hilarious personal regrets. It is a candid look at why less is more when building a reliable daily driver, warning the next generation against learning lessons the hard way.
Chris and Anthony discuss something that every new to diesel person should probably hear from others that have been around the block, what you learn from your experiences with modifying diesel trucks. Both have ran the upgrade path on multiple trucks and want to discuss many facets when it comes to upgrading your first diesel truck. The boys touch on turbo sizing, suspension, tires, fuel system sizing, intakes, and much more!
Chevrolet Silverado HD (LB7)
"I learned a lot on my OB7, what I did that I enjoyed, and what I did that I would never do again, that kind of makes my LOY the way it is, is now."
This is a heavy-duty Chevrolet pickup truck built in the early 2000s with a very famous diesel engine called the LB7 Duramax. Truck fans love it because it doesn't have modern, restrictive emissions systems, but it can be very expensive to fix when its fuel injectors wear out.
The Chevrolet Silverado HD equipped with the 6.6-liter LB7 Duramax V8 engine was GM's first modern common-rail diesel pickup, introduced in 2001. It is highly regarded by enthusiasts for its lack of complex emissions equipment, making it a popular platform for high-horsepower builds. However, it is famous for its internal fuel injector design which makes maintenance labor-intensive.
leveling kit
"because that takes me back to when I had my LB7, I bought it off a guy who had a leveling kit with 35 inch mud tires, sick and a stack."
A simple suspension upgrade that lifts the front of a truck so it sits completely level from front to back. This is usually done to make the truck look better or to fit slightly larger tires.
A leveling kit is a suspension modification designed to raise the front of a truck to match the height of the rear. From the factory, most trucks have a 'rake' where the rear sits higher to prevent sagging when carrying heavy loads, but a leveling kit evens out the stance.
exhaust stack
"because that takes me back to when I had my LB7, I bought it off a guy who had a leveling kit with 35 inch mud tires, sick and a stack. Oh yeah. The stack would set off car alarms when I would leave my job at Texas Roadhouse because of how loud it was."
An exhaust pipe that points straight up out of the truck's bed, like a chimney on a semi-truck. It makes the truck much louder and blows smoke upward into the air.
An exhaust stack is an exhaust pipe that exits vertically through the truck bed rather than underneath the rear bumper, mimicking the exhaust style of commercial semi-trucks. It is a popular aesthetic and acoustic modification in the diesel truck community.
BorgWarner S300
"I mean, I was also 19 with a single cab with a six inch bed stack right, right behind my head with a big S 300 on it. And I manual trans and I daily drove that."
This is a very popular, heavy-duty upgrade turbocharger that diesel truck owners install to get significantly more power, faster acceleration, and louder turbo whistling sounds.
The BorgWarner S300 is a highly popular family of aftermarket turbochargers widely used in diesel performance builds. Known for their robust journal-bearing design, they offer excellent durability and are available in various compressor and turbine wheel configurations to suit different power goals.
Jeep Gladiator
"I hate the 111 noise. You look like an asshole when you're driving by, but if I got my windows down and I'm cruising and I got some Jeep Gladiator trying to be cool, I can't stand it."
This is a modern four-door Jeep that has a truck bed on the back. It looks like a Wrangler but functions like a pickup truck, allowing you to take the doors and roof off while hauling gear.
The Jeep Gladiator is a mid-size pickup truck that combines the off-road capability and styling of the Wrangler with a traditional truck bed. It features a body-on-frame design and is popular among outdoor enthusiasts for its removable doors and roof.
NorCal mod
"The NorCal mod. I don't know what years, but like, I literally watched this, this, this kid like hack up, you know, what was at the time at a decent LLY"
A trick where truck owners cut and bend a small metal portion of the front fender behind the wheel. This creates extra space so they can fit bigger tires without them rubbing when turning.
The 'NorCal mod' is a popular DIY metal-cutting modification performed on GM trucks (Silverado/Sierra) to pull back the rear metal portion of the front fender well. This allows truck owners to fit wider wheels and larger tires without having to install a massive suspension lift kit.
Dodge Journey
"...dify it, but you don't thoroughly plan your, your journey, right? So you have this idea of, oh, I want to m..."
The Dodge Journey is a family SUV that can hold up to seven people. It was designed as an affordable option for families needing extra seats.
The Dodge Journey is a mid-size crossover SUV that was produced from 2008 to 2020, offering affordable three-row seating for families. It was popular as a budget-friendly utility vehicle but was often criticized for its outdated technology and performance.
rotational weight
"his mileage went up like three and a half four miles to the gallon because of rotational weight, you know, and people, you know, yeah, you, you have, you know, maybe you're, you're that guy like me where it's like, Hey, I'm going to run a 22 inch rim"
The weight of parts that spin, like your wheels and tires. Because they spin, it takes much more energy for the engine to turn them, which can hurt your acceleration and gas mileage.
Rotational weight (or rotational mass) refers to the weight of components that spin, such as wheels, tires, driveshafts, and brake rotors. Because these parts must be accelerated rotationally as well as linearly, reducing rotational weight has a multiplied positive effect on acceleration, braking, and fuel economy.
Dodge Ram
"...on, it's usually planetaries, you know, if it's a Ram, it's usually shafts, Fords. I mean, they have pr..."
The Ram is a large pickup truck made by Dodge. It is built for carrying heavy loads, towing trailers, and driving on rough roads.
The Dodge Ram (now sold under the standalone Ram brand) is a line of full-size pickup trucks known for their towing capability, high-end interiors, and powerful engine options, including the Cummins diesel. It is a staple of both the heavy-duty work truck and luxury truck markets.
Allison Transmission
"which, you know, if we're talking Allison, it's usually planetaries, you know, if it's a Ram, it's usually shafts, Fords."
A company famous for making incredibly tough automatic transmissions, most notably used in heavy-duty Chevrolet and GMC diesel trucks.
Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial-duty automatic transmissions. They are highly famous in the consumer automotive world for their partnership with General Motors, providing heavy-duty 5-speed, 6-speed, and 10-speed automatic transmissions for Duramax diesel trucks.
S&S Diesel Power
"And I'm not going to, we know the brands, we know, like XRG and SNS are like our top two. There's a lot of good other brands out there."
A highly respected company that designs and builds advanced fuel system parts for diesel trucks to make them run better and more reliably.
S&S Diesel Power is an industry-leading diesel fuel system specialist. They engineer and manufacture high-performance common-rail injectors, high-pressure pumps, and bypass kits designed to safeguard fuel systems from catastrophic failures.
Exergy Performance
"And I'm not going to, we know the brands, we know, like XRG and SNS are like our top two. There's a lot of good other brands out there."
A top-tier company that makes high-quality fuel injectors and pumps for modified diesel trucks.
Exergy Performance is a premier manufacturer of high-performance diesel fuel system components. They specialize in modifying and calibrating common-rail fuel injectors and high-pressure fuel pumps (like the Bosch CP3) to precise tolerances for racing and street performance.
balance rates
"Those things, the imbalance rates are, it's hazing. Balance rates are plus eight minus 10."
A measurement that shows how hard each fuel injector is working to keep the engine running smoothly. If one injector has to work way harder than the others, it usually means it is dirty or failing.
Balance rates are a diagnostic metric used in common-rail diesel engines to measure how much fuel the engine control module (ECM) must add or subtract from each individual cylinder to maintain a smooth, consistent idle. Large deviations indicate worn, clogged, or failing fuel injectors.
CP3 fuel pump
"or I'm going to do a regulator upgrade of the CP three on my tire, 200,000 mile injector pump or, you know, Hey, um, you know, my injectors are tired"
A heavy-duty fuel pump that pushes diesel fuel into the engine at extremely high pressures. It is highly valued by truck builders because it is very reliable and can support a lot of horsepower.
The Bosch CP3 is a high-pressure common-rail fuel injection pump used in various diesel engines, including Duramax and Cummins. It is highly regarded for its durability and ability to supply high fuel volume at extreme pressures, making it a popular upgrade over the failure-prone CP4 pump.
Italian tune-up
"The old Italian tune up bitch. You know, it was not on the, the 12 valve stuff at that point, but my point being is, is it's like, you know, I, I wanted to throw money into"
A slang term for driving a car or truck really fast and hard for a short time to blow out built-up soot and carbon from the engine.
An 'Italian tune-up' is a slang term for driving a vehicle hard and at high engine speeds (RPM) with the goal of burning off carbon deposits from the combustion chambers, spark plugs, and exhaust system. While occasionally helpful for older or carbon-clogged engines, it carries risks of mechanical failure if parts are already worn.
Dodge Charger
"...ther areas where why do injectors and run a stock charger, the truck's not going to make more power. That's..."
The Dodge Charger is a sporty, mid-sized car made by Dodge. It is designed for drivers who want a powerful vehicle with a spacious interior.
The Dodge Charger is a legendary American muscle car that has transitioned into its eighth generation, offering both fully electric powertrains and twin-turbocharged inline-six engines. It is highly regarded for combining modern performance technology with classic, aggressive styling.
lift pump
"like I've had guys where they're like, oh I put 45% and I have no lift pump, I have a 250,000 and 300,000 mile CP3 pump and I'm like, who sold you these"
A helper pump installed near the gas tank that pushes fuel up to the main engine pump. It helps keep the fuel clean and prevents the main pump from running dry and breaking.
A lift pump is a low-pressure fuel pump that draws fuel from the tank and delivers it to the high-pressure injection pump in the engine bay. In diesel trucks, aftermarket lift pumps (like FASS or AirDog) are highly recommended because they filter out air, water, and debris, protecting expensive high-pressure fuel system components.
Saab X Turbo
"...know, but it's like, hey you know, I have, I have X Turbo 64 on and you know, I got, I got 60s in a stock p..."
The Saab Turbo X is a special, sporty version of a sedan made by the Swedish company Saab. It has all-wheel drive and a powerful turbocharged engine for better handling and speed.
The Saab Turbo X is a limited-edition, performance-oriented version of the Saab 9-3, released in 2008 to celebrate 30 years of Saab turbocharging. It featured an advanced all-wheel-drive system, a turbocharged V6 engine, and a distinctive metallic black paint finish.
Volkswagen Derby
"... starting a family and he's, he's into, you know, derby car racing or he's into side by siding or dirt bi..."
The Volkswagen Derby is a small, older sedan made by Volkswagen. It is essentially a tiny car with a separate trunk in the back for luggage.
The Volkswagen Derby is a compact saloon car based on the first and second-generation Volkswagen Polo, produced primarily from 1977 to 1984. It offered a traditional trunk instead of a hatchback rear, targeting buyers who preferred a classic three-box sedan shape.
variable-geometry turbocharger
"or going to like a fixed vein turbo or going to a modded VGT depending on the truck with a, a compressor wheel that's maybe leaving more to be desired."
A smart turbocharger that can change its internal shape depending on how fast you are driving. This helps the engine get extra power quickly without waiting for the turbo to 'spool up'.
A variable-geometry turbocharger (VGT) uses movable vanes inside the turbine housing to alter the flow of exhaust gases. This allows the turbo to act like a small turbo at low RPMs (for quick spooling and less lag) and a large turbo at high RPMs (for maximum power).
compound turbocharging
"my turbo charger choices have only gotten smaller or it's been bigger, but fed by something smaller and a compound application."
A setup that uses two turbos of different sizes working together. The big one does the heavy lifting at high speeds, while the small one gets going quickly at low speeds, giving you smooth power all the time.
Compound turbocharging is a setup that uses two different-sized turbochargers arranged in series. The larger turbo (low-pressure) compresses ambient air first and feeds it into the smaller turbo (high-pressure), which compresses it further, providing a very broad powerband with minimal lag.
Volkswagen Rabbit
"...o tell guys, like if you're going to go down this rabbit hole of wanting to modify your truck, things aren..."
The Volkswagen Rabbit is a small, practical hatchback car. It is designed to be easy to park, fuel-efficient, and useful for everyday driving.
The Volkswagen Rabbit is the North American nameplate for the iconic Volkswagen Golf hatchback, used primarily during its first and fifth generations. It is celebrated for its practical design, nimble handling, and role in popularizing the hatchback segment.
EGT
"I dare you to go blow this thing up and get the EGTs over 1400. He's like, you can't. The truck runs its ass off."
The temperature of the hot air coming out of the engine. Monitoring this is super important in diesel trucks because if it gets too hot, it can literally melt internal engine parts.
EGT stands for Exhaust Gas Temperature. It is a critical measurement in diesel performance, as excessively high EGTs (typically above 1,400°F to 1,500°F) can quickly cause catastrophic engine damage, such as melted pistons or cracked turbocharger housings.
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