LBZ: More power

[03dirtymack]

So I've finally pulled the trigger and bought an 2007 duramax. It's pretty much stock beside intake and PPE programmer. I have done some research and found the post for LBZ/LMM more power. I have a few questions though.

1. I've heard of people pushing 550+ on a stock transmission. Is this wise or taking a huge risk making it limp?

2. The PPE programmer is just a hand held so can't adjust it on the fly nor has it been custom tuned for the truck. Should that be done or is it not important?

3. Can a through a bigger turbo on without injectors, trans, or fuel pump being done first?

4. What mods do you recommend next to make this faster when working with a limited budget?

I've i have asked questions that have been asked/answered already in apologize in advance.

Thanks

 

[Dirtymaxx03]

1) nobody is using 550hp on a stock trans
2)PPE makes a great handheld tuner. I ran one for a long time before switching to custom tuning
3)Yes, you can. But the trans wont hold and you need a lift pump to supply the cp3
4)Built transmission and/or lift pump

 

[gmac32]

you probably push 550 hp on a stock transmisson but you are on borrowed time. i would just build the tranny first and be done with that. then do other mods first. just my two cents

 

[Hot COCOAL]

you probably push 550 hp on a stock transmisson but you are on borrowed time. i would just build the tranny first and be done with that. then do other mods first. just my two cents

No, no you can not run a stock trans at 550hp, your "borrowed time" will be about 5min....100hp over stock is "borrowed time"
To the OP-
First things first. Buy a lift pump with filters, fuel labs, air dog, fass, they all work well. Also, look into the ppe video on how to modify the LBZ air intake to help you get a little more air to the turbo.
Second, the ppe programmer is fine for now, it's a good programmer and the original os for the ppe tunes WAS efi live, so it's ALMOST as good as having an efi live tune, almost.
Third. Yes you can run a larger turbo with the stock cp3 and stock injectors, I'm doing it right now with a 4094avant, and it runs strong enough, but more fuel will help me more than you might think, in ways that you might not understand quite yet, that's not a dig on you either
Lastly. To make your truck faster on a budget....here is the immediate plan I would task you with. Buy and install a lift pump, this will supply the cp3 with clean fuel and actually positively feed the cp3, in stock trim these trucks use the cp3 to pull fuel from the tank, a lift pump will eliminate the work load on the cp3 and help it to last longer not to mention preserve the injectors as well. Then buy and install a Trans go Jr valve body kit for the transmission, this will change the line pressure in the trans allowing it to hold a little more power than stock and it will shorten the shift time ever so slightly creating a more positive feeling shift. Get yourself some gauges, no they don't make the truck faster, no they aren't "entirely necessary" but they are good to have to monitor when running a tuned rig. Then if you really feel like it, get yourself some efi live tuning for a stock transmission.

There are other small things like, high flow cp3 kits, ported rail fitting, egr delete, exhaust, downpipe etc etc once ya get bit it's all downhill from there...:joker:

Good luck, congrats on the new rig, and welcome to duramaxdiesels:hug:

 

[Cknight199]

Exhaust, gauges, and a lift pump and you'll be solid for a while. If you want to run more hp then you will need a trans/turbo.

IMO there is no reason to upgrade the stock turbo until you have a built trans. Unless it's twins of course for towing.

 

[Hot COCOAL]

Oh, and a little reading will take you a long way:thumb:
There's hardly a thing that hasn't been covered here, don't be lazy about it, after all, you're about to tune your truck, the more you understand about what that means, the better results you will get and the longer your truck will last

Read till your eyes bleed, take notes....

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

Several have run 550HP through a stock trans, but it sure wasn't happy, nor did it live for long doing it. Build the trans, put on a good lift pump, exhaust, and a custom tune will get you plenty of power to start with.

 

[Hot COCOAL]

Exhaust, gauges, and a lift pump and you'll be solid for a while. If you want to run more hp then you will need a trans/turbo.

IMO there is no reason to upgrade the stock turbo until you have a built trans. Unless it's twins of course for towing.

Agreed, a bigger turbo is a waste of money till you have a built trans and are pushing past the 550hp mark. The stock LBZ turbo can make 550 with the proper mods, but that's pretty much maxed out. Keep in mind OP, a bigger turbo won't have the initial throttle response that the stock turbo has, a bigger turbo may pull harder once it lights, and yes make more power, but it won't be as snappy as the stocker. If you don't want to go further than 550whp stick with the stock turbo and maybe add a billet wheel to it and call it good, you can run bigger injectors with the stock turbo, but it's not really necessary for the power level the stock turbo produces

 

[ZackChavez]

As mentioned: Mod the factory intake, Tune, Exhaust, down pipe, lift pump. Gauges for monitoring, Pcv reroute and EGR blocker.

My stock 180,000 mile transmission has held a 225 tune for the last 40k miles, prior to that a 90hp tune was run for 60k miles. It has never slipped, etcetera, then again I don't beat my truck either, it's babied, it's not romped on from light to light. When I'm getting on the highway I automatically put it in manual mode and fourth gear with towhaul on, as I gain speed/rpm's I shift appropriately.

On a 160hp tune with the above mods the truck made 481hp/890 ft.lbs uncorrected on twenty inch wheels with 35 inch tires.

The transmission will treat you how you treat it. Don't horse whip it and you'll be fine for awhile!

-Zack

 

[Cknight199]

A good way to atleast preserve your trans is don't be hard on it for the 4-5 up shift and downshift. Like manually downshift from 5-4 rather than lug it and then force it to downshift when it's already trying to hold power.

Also use tow haul if your being aggressive. To lock the torque converter

 

[03dirtymack]

1) nobody is using 550hp on a stock trans
2)PPE makes a great handheld tuner. I ran one for a long time before switching to custom tuning
3)Yes, you can. But the trans wont hold and you need a lift pump to supply the cp3
4)Built transmission and/or lift pump

Great I'm glad to see the consistency of your opinion along with the others below.

you probably push 550 hp on a stock transmisson but you are on borrowed time. i would just build the tranny first and be done with that. then do other mods first. just my two cents

I'm glad to know its a matter of time before the trans would give out and I wasn't misinformed. The average cost of a built trans would be? I've been told suncoast makes the best for Duramax period. True or False?

No, no you can not run a stock trans at 550hp, your "borrowed time" will be about 5min....100hp over stock is "borrowed time"
To the OP-
First things first. Buy a lift pump with filters, fuel labs, air dog, fass, they all work well. Also, look into the ppe video on how to modify the LBZ air intake to help you get a little more air to the turbo.
Second, the ppe programmer is fine for now, it's a good programmer and the original os for the ppe tunes WAS efi live, so it's ALMOST as good as having an efi live tune, almost.
Third. Yes you can run a larger turbo with the stock cp3 and stock injectors, I'm doing it right now with a 4094avant, and it runs strong enough, but more fuel will help me more than you might think, in ways that you might not understand quite yet, that's not a dig on you either
Lastly. To make your truck faster on a budget....here is the immediate plan I would task you with. Buy and install a lift pump, this will supply the cp3 with clean fuel and actually positively feed the cp3, in stock trim these trucks use the cp3 to pull fuel from the tank, a lift pump will eliminate the work load on the cp3 and help it to last longer not to mention preserve the injectors as well. Then buy and install a Trans go Jr valve body kit for the transmission, this will change the line pressure in the trans allowing it to hold a little more power than stock and it will shorten the shift time ever so slightly creating a more positive feeling shift. Get yourself some gauges, no they don't make the truck faster, no they aren't "entirely necessary" but they are good to have to monitor when running a tuned rig. Then if you really feel like it, get yourself some efi live tuning for a stock transmission.

There are other small things like, high flow cp3 kits, ported rail fitting, egr delete, exhaust, downpipe etc etc once ya get bit it's all downhill from there...:joker:

Good luck, congrats on the new rig, and welcome to duramaxdiesels:hug:

First off thanks!! :thumb: I appreciate the warm welcome.

I hate to ask pricing on everything and I have a diesel mechanic that I trust to work on my truck but just curious what should a lift pump run me? I know the trans go jr kit its about $75 but how hard is that to install?

I will take all of your opinion with no hard feelings, as I am still learning, but excited about it

Curious why you say "its all down hill from there" after that work has been done?

Exhaust, gauges, and a lift pump and you'll be solid for a while. If you want to run more hp then you will need a trans/turbo.

IMO there is no reason to upgrade the stock turbo until you have a built trans. Unless it's twins of course for towing.

Good to know. But as I just read a bigger turbo will increase the power but wont a available until the RMP's are up?!? If I'm worrying about 1/4 and 1/8 times keeping a stock turbo and adding a billet wheel is what I need to do?

Oh, and a little reading will take you a long way:thumb:
There's hardly a thing that hasn't been covered here, don't be lazy about it, after all, you're about to tune your truck, the more you understand about what that means, the better results you will get and the longer your truck will last

Read till your eyes bleed, take notes....

I expected someone to say that eventually. :spit: But its the only way to know whats going on and to learn. :woott:

Several have run 550HP through a stock trans, but it sure wasn't happy, nor did it live for long doing it. Build the trans, put on a good lift pump, exhaust, and a custom tune will get you plenty of power to start with.

Thank you :thumb:

Agreed, a bigger turbo is a waste of money till you have a built trans and are pushing past the 550hp mark. The stock LBZ turbo can make 550 with the proper mods, but that's pretty much maxed out. Keep in mind OP, a bigger turbo won't have the initial throttle response that the stock turbo has, a bigger turbo may pull harder once it lights, and yes make more power, but it won't be as snappy as the stocker. If you don't want to go further than 550whp stick with the stock turbo and maybe add a billet wheel to it and call it good, you can run bigger injectors with the stock turbo, but it's not really necessary for the power level the stock turbo produces

I was definitely under the impression bigger turbo = more power but glad to have learned something right off the bat. I will keep that in mind as i know this will be a process in the making. I'm not sure how much power I want to make when its all said in done to be honest, but at this point my thought is enough but yet still be reliable for a 4-6 road trip if I decide to take one.

 

[Utahski]

1) Before anything else, do the transmission.

2) Even with a stock engine the PPE smokes like an old steam locomotive on any kind of power tune, you'll hate driving the truck. It's not ALMOST as good as EFI or even close. Get EFI with a DSP switch from one of several good tuners on here and live happily ever after.

3) Yes on the lift pump. Do 1-2 and the lift pump before worrying about turbo or injectors.

4) Don't know what's a "limited budget" but none of this is cheap. The transmission is basic, do that first. Then EFI.