Flashback Friday: Seven Tips to Improve Diesel Truck Performance

They say you can never have too much of a good thing. I believe this applies to advice as much as anything else, as long as it's good advice. There's value in being committed to lifelong learning, and value in re-visiting lessons learned. 

While looking for something else I found this article at the Revolution Motors blog, simply titled, How To Improve Diesel Truck Performance.  The title is straightforward. It's not fancy-schmancy clickbait. No references to celebrities. No sizzle-words like "awesome" or "stunning" or "dazzling." It's a "Just the facts, m'am" type of article, with solid fundamental reminders.

Revolution Motors is a diesel performance shop in Edmonton, Canada. Here's their list of recommendations to keep your diesel in tiptop shape.

1. Use Diesel Fuel Additives

One key to smooth, efficient performance is to make sure your injectors are clean. Diesel fuel injection cleaners are fairly essential to longer service life from your engine. There are other fuel additives that serve specific purposes as well including deposit modifiers, corrosion inhibitors, freeze depressants and more.

Two fuel additives from Champion Brands that you may be unaware of are Diesel Flo Fuel Conditioner and Power Plus Diesel Fuel Additive with Cetane.  The latter will not only remove deposits but also reduce emissions, provide corrosion protection, increase cetane and improve power, a multi-functional diesel additive for today's high-pressure common-rail injectors and modern diesel fuels.

2. Consider Diesel Programmers

Programmers, also called tuners, are easy to install, cost-effective and greatly improve fuel economy. There are a various types of tuners that will help manage your engine's performance. Some, like EFI Live tuners, enable custom tuning. 

3. Install Performance Air Filters and Cold Air Intakes

The power is generated by pressure and heat applied to the air-fuel mixture. This step is about improving airflow by means of aftermarket filters and cold air intake kits. You want max airflow while effectively removing contaminants. More air results in more power but you can't do this by removing your filters because 90% of the debris that gets into the engine comes in through the air. You want a filter that captures the contaminants while letting the air flow unimpeded.

4. Upgrade the Exhaust System

Whenever you read articles about the top three or top five things to upgrade on you diesel truck, they nearly always include this tip. The exhaust system plays a major role in diesel performance. It's not just a pretty pipe. This is one area where bigger is better. The more horsepower you have, the more exhaust that needs to be expelled. 5. 

5. Upgrade Diesel Fuel Injectors

Another way to get more power and improve fuel efficiency is to upgrade to performance fuel injectors. Some fuel injector modifications claim increased diesel power by 50 or even 100 hp, assuming you have it adjusted correctly. The key is in the hole pattern, which designed to give optimal fuel delivery.

6. Install a Turbocharger

This is another frequently cited performance upgrade, an excellent investment for increased power. According to Revolution Motors it's "especially useful if you use your diesel for towing and hauling heavy loads." A turbo forces more air into your diesel's combustion chamber. More oxygen equals more power.

7. Schedule Regular Diesel Tune Ups

Getting your initial setup right is invaluable. Just as pianos get out of tune over time, so does an engine. Developing a routine maintenance regimen is one key to a long, healthy life for your diesel engine. That's one of the great advantages that diesels provide, durability. But optimal performance isn't automatic. If you take care of your engine, it will take care of you.

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Read the full article here: How to Improve Diesel Performance

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What do YOU consider the most important upgrade for better performance?

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