Up next Whispering Giant -1968 Oliver 2150 Four-Wheel Published on October 03, 2022 Author Mike McGlothlin Tags Cummins, Share article Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Mail 0 Keeping Pace, Part 3: 650-700hp 5.9L Common-Rail How To Affordably Make Your ’03-’07 Dodge Run With The Rest Of The Pack As the 5.9L third-gens continue to age, more and more folks with tighter performance budgets are buying them. But in an era where the words ‘big horsepower’ and ‘daily driver’ go hand-in-hand, you’re going to need more than a 500hp-capable tune to keep up with the Joneses. We’ve seen a boatload of ways to get 700 hp out of the ’03-‘07 Cummins platform over the years, and like many horsepower recipes, there is always more than one way to skin a cat. However, the proper path to 650-700 hp is one that keeps your rods in the block, your coolant from boiling, EGT in check, and your transmission from failing. Going off on a few tangents as possible, we’ll show you the best path(s) to building a 650 to 700 hp common-rail 5.9L this month. Sure the right injector, CP3, turbo(s), and tuning can get you there quickly, but the correct supporting mods shouldn’t be neglected, either. We’ll go over all of that and more this time, and we’ll also touch on the fact that while the ’04.5-’07 model years often appear to be the preferred model years, the ’03-’04 5.9L’s can be made just as potent. Work or play, the following parts recommendations will help your third-gen keep pace with most street-driven diesel you encounter. First and foremost, the one caveat in all of this is that you’re starting with a 100-percent healthy engine. It makes zero sense to start modifying an engine with an excessive blow-by or one that’s been exposed to an injector failure that damaged a cylinder. After all, the common-rail 5.9L Cummins is no young pup anymore. Most of these factory rotating assemblies have well over 200,000 miles on them at this point. And not to scare you, but the ’03-’07 5.9L’s do drop valve seats on occasion. However, with all of that said it remains a solid platform to add power. Specific differences exist between the ’03-’04 5.9L and the ’04.5-’07 versions, and those differences begin with the injectors used. Both the early and late versions utilized Bosch solenoid-style units, but the ’03-’04 injectors were equipped with 8-hole nozzles with a 143-degree spray pattern (left). The ’04.5-’07 versions utilized 5-hole nozzles with a tighter, 124-degree spray pattern. Predictably, to match their respective injector spray patterns the ’03-’04 (left) and ’04.5-’07 pistons are different. Either version is cast aluminum, but the fuel bowl is noticeably different between an early and late piston. The injector and piston changes that took place midway through the ’04 engine’s production run were emissions-driven—and ’04.5 injectors gained a third injection event (per power stroke), the post-injection event, which was implemented to ensure a more complete occurred burn in-cylinder. The turbochargers were different between ’03-’04 and ’04.5-’07 engines as well. On early models of the common-rail 5.9L, the HE341CW was on board. The HE341CW was a fixed geometry, journal bearing Holset with a 7-blade 56mm compressor wheel (inducer), a 58mm turbine wheel (exducer) inside a 9cm2 0.65 A/R exhaust housing, and utilized a mechanically actuated internal wastegate. Beginning in ’04.5, the Holset HE351CW was used. It too was a fixed geometry, journal bearing turbo, but sported a 58mm compressor wheel (inducer) and an electronically actuated internal wastegate. As many of you already know, aftermarket turbo options abound for the ’03-’07 5.9L Cummins. From stock-appearing Holsets with significant upgrades to T3 BorgWarner S300s to T4 S400s and compounds, your options for building boost are virtually limitless. However, the simplest path to 650hp can be had with a stock-appearing (though, as mentioned, significantly upgraded) Holset HE351CW or HE341CW. Fleece Performance Engineering’s Cheetah line of drop-in turbos is the big game in town here (a HE351CW Cheetah is pictured), with its Holset-based units offering a larger (63mm) FMW compressor wheel and turbine wheel (64mm) as well as a larger wastegate actuator. On top of that, it doesn’t require an exhaust manifold change in order to run it. The next step up in the turbo department is the S300. Options abound here, too, but for many, the conversation starts with whether or not you’re going to run a T3 or T4 exhaust manifold. Industrial Injection has long been the hot spot to get your hands on a well-performing T3 S300, with 62mm, 63mm, and 64mm versions all being capable of getting you into the 650-plus hp range. Those looking to open up exhaust flow with a manifold upgrade and a T4 S300 (namely a 62mm to 66mm unit) will be able to better control EGT while making solid horsepower. Then there are compounds, were achieving 650 or 700 hp is a walk in the park. Properly sized, an S300 over S400 arrangement on a common-rail 5.9L can offer lightning-quick spool up and instant torque, strong mid-range and top-end power, and extremely safe readings on the pyrometer. If you plan to tow a lot and want to be in this horsepower range, compounds are the best option, hands-down. A goal of 700 hp is feasible with either an add-a-turbo kit (S400 over stock), (industrial injection) a T3 S300/T6 S400 combo, or a T4 S300/T6 S400 arrangement. However, while leaving the factory Holset HE341CW or HE351CW in place can support this horsepower level, it won’t provide any room for growth in the future. On the other hand, S300/S400 combinations do. For towing, S362 and S363 primary charger options combined with an S475 or S480 have long been solid choices for 700hp tow rigs. Like turbochargers, there are multiple options on the injector side of the equation as well. Depending on the turbo arrangement, we’ve to see 30-percent injectors—and namely Dynomite Diesel Products’ 90hp units—support 650 to 670 hp on the dyno. We’ve also seen Industrial Injection’s 25-percent and 46-percent injectors do the same in recent years. Subscribe Our Weekly Newsletter The 45-percent over injectors produced by both Exergy Performance and S&S Diesel Motorsports, two well-known names in common-rail injection, are capable of supporting 700 hp or more. In fact, with the right air in the mix, along with good tuning and an upgraded CP3 (which both companies offer), 45 percent over injectors can easily get you there. Another sound injector option to boost an ’03-’07 Cummins into 650-to-700 hp territory is the 100hp Bosch Motorsport units. These brand-new, OEM quality injectors were all the rage a decade ago and still get the job done today. SAC style nozzles, the appropriate 143-degree spray angle for early engines and 128-degree spray angle for late engines, and reasonable pricing make them a solid choice for anyone on the hunt for an entry-level, rock-solid reliable performance injector. Although some stock CP3s can support a mild set of injectors such as 30-percent overs without dropping rail pressure, if you really want to hit your goal a CP3 upgrade should be in order. The popular 10mm CP3 from both Exergy and S&S is a common go-to for a pump that supports as much as 800 hp. With either of the milder injector options we’ve mentioned so far, a 10mm CP3 will support 650 hp to 700 hp without issue. Increasing the stroke of the CP3’s camshaft to 10mm (from 8.2mm stock), along with select other proprietary changes, provides the increased displacement that makes one of these stroker pumps so beneficial in chasing horsepower. Aside from the popular Exergy and S&S pumps, we’ve seen more than our fair share of the Fleece Performance Engineering PowerFlo 750, another 10mm CP3 which can also support in excess of 750 hp. For a lot of diesel owners, plans for horsepower often expand over time. If your future goals entail making more than 800 hp, it pays to start with an (ATS Diesel) 12mm CP3 or dual pumps now rather than later. In the long run, you’ll appreciate the fact that you laid the groundwork at the outset, and that you ruled out having to buy another high-dollar CP3. The same goes for injectors. Instead of buying a set that just meets your current horsepower goal, you could invest in larger injectors such as 100-percent over units, which can be detuned now and unleashed later when the supporting mods are in place. Sealing the deal on a common-rail 5.9L Cummins fuel system is a higher flowing, aftermarket lift pump. The systems from FASS and AirDog remain common thanks to their reliability and all-inclusive, tank-to-engine bolt-on nature. For a goal of 650 to 700 hp, either company’s 165-gph low-pressure fuel supply system will suffice. Fleece all but revolutionized the aftermarket lift pump game when it released its PowerFlo in-tank units. OEM location, dual OEM-style gerotor pumps, and retention of the factory fuel lines and water-in-fuel sensor made the PowerFlo pump a hit right out of the gate. Then when you factor in its ability to flow 170-gph in a quiet manner, and that it also happens to be less susceptible to freezing and gelling up, unlike the external, chassis-mounted competition, the product all but sells itself. The ’03-’07 5.9L’s propensity to blow a head gasket is much lower than it is on the 6.7L Cummins, but you’re never going to get away with seeing 50 psi of boost (or more) on stock head bolts for the long-term, especially with a higher mileage engine. The last thing you want to do is lift your head in the midst of pursuing your horsepower goals. For the majority of applications, ARP 2000 material head studs (PN 247-4202) will eliminate that from happening. For higher boost scenarios, such as when smaller, tow-friendly compounds are being used, ARP’s higher tensile strength, Custom Age 625+ head studs (PN 247-4204) would be a good idea. And for ultimate insurance, it might be wise to go ahead and fire-ring the cylinder head at the same time. The benefit of the latter options allows you to grow your horsepower later on down the road as well when your thirst for additional performance needs to be quenched. A higher boost is usually accompanied by increased engine speed, which means stiffer valve springs are a great insurance item. Even if engine rpm is kept in check, you’re still likely working with older, weaker valve springs residing in your ’03-’07 5.9L cylinder head, and that means valve creep and reversion are possible. The 90-lb springs available from Haisley Machine are routinely run in mildly-modified 5.9Ls for these reasons. A second frequently employed valve spring upgrade is the 103-lb springs from Hamilton Cams. Good to 4,500 rpm, they provide plenty of elbow room for valve float should you miss a shift or decide to run your 5.9L upstairs. Improved control over the valvetrain eliminates intake and exhaust valve creep at elevated boost—valve creep being what leads to reversion, where exhaust gases enter the cylinder during the intake stroke, thereby sabotaging your horsepower potential. Further affordable valvetrain assurance can be had in the form of stronger pushrods. For just $179 from XDP, Hamilton Cams’ extreme-duty pushrods will reinforce the link between the rockers and tappets and won’t bend under the strain of added cylinder pressure. Their 3-piece design features 0.120-inch wall thickness and a 12mm outer diameter, vs. 3/8-inch (9.5mm) of stock. Ensuring the rearmost cylinders don’t see too much heat can keep coolant pressure from the building, freeze plugs from blowing out, and also keep the antifreeze itself from breaking down. To accomplish this, you’ll find a Fleece coolant bypass kit under the hood of countless Cummins-powered Rams. Its system adds a second thermostat, which works based on temperature and not pressures, to lower coolant temp at the back of the engine and also keep ECT consistent across all cylinders. You can’t have a conversation about ’03-’07 Dodge Rams and not bring up the 48RE’s inability to hold big horsepower and torque in stock form. But thanks to big-name builders like Firepunk, Randy’s Transmissions, Goerend Transmission, and Sun Coast, proven combinations have been developed to support mild to wild engine setups. While you don’t need a billet stator torque converter at this power level, you will need a triple-disc, billet front cover converter, a billet input shaft, an upgraded flex plate, and a higher pressure valve body. 2006 and 2007 5.9L’s came equipped with the desirable CM849 ECM, and these model year engines are the only versions supported by EFI Live. Having access and adjustability over most engine parameters has allowed calibrators to glean safe, clean power from the ’06-‘07 platform for more than a decade. The job of finding a reputable, proven calibrator with a solid grasp of EFI Live software is up to you, but when combined with the mods we’ve gone over already a custom-tailored file will make making 650-to-700 hp a cinch. For ’03-’05 trucks, HP Tuners is often the go-to tuning choice, and we’ll note that HP Tuners software and hardware supports all common-rail 5.9L’s (’03-‘07). Yet another option for early common-rail Cummins owners is through the Smarty UDC software offered by MADS Electronics. Again, finding a calibrator well-versed in either of the above platforms is up to you. There are inevitable horsepower facilitators in any 650-to-700hp build, and one item is a free-flowing turbo-back exhaust. Despite the allure of 5-inch systems or the deeper exhaust note they may provide, a 4-inch diameter system easily suffices for this power level. The question of whether to run a dual, conventional, axle dump or bed stack exit is up to you. An aftermarket intake elbow isn’t completely necessary in your pursuit of 650-to-700 hp, but it certainly helps remove a known choke point in the 5.9L Cummins’ intake tract. Improved airflow from the intercooler to the head equates to lower EGT, aids spool up, and can even increase peak boost. Such is the case with Banks’ Monster-Ram intake elbow, a piece with a 3.5-inch diameter inlet that’s CNC port-matched to the factory intake grid heater. Even with an EGT-safe set of compounds matched with 90hp injectors, you’ll still want to keep tabs on EGT, as well as trans temp, boost, ECT, and EOT. Edge Products’ renowned color touch screen Insight monitor, now in its third generation (i.e. the CTS3), allows you to do all of that and more. In addition, you can set alerts for when EGT gets a bit too toasty and also data log parameters to help diagnose any issues. Keeping tabs on EGT with the Insight CTS3 Edge Products calls for the purchase and installation of Edge’s EAS EGT kit (EAS stands for the expandable accessory system). Various additional EAS sensors can be integrated with the Insight CTS3 to view boost, rail pressure, and any other parameter the ECM doesn’t already monitor. SOURCES AirDog 877.421.3187 pureflowairdog.com ARP 800.826.3045 arp-bolts.com Banks 800.601.8072 bankspower.com Dynomite Diesel Products 208.209.3214 dynomitediesel.com Edge Products 888.360.3343 edgeproducts.com EFI Live efilive.com Exergy Performance 616.551.4330 exergyperformance.com FASS 636.433.5410 fassride.com Fleece Performance Engineering 855.839.5040 fleeceperformance.com Haisley Machine 877.948.3164 haisleymachine.com Hamilton Cams 512.355.9101 hamiltoncams.com HP Tuners hptuners.com Industrial Injection 800.955.0476 industrialinjection.com MADS Electronics madselectronics.com S&S Diesel Motorsport ssdiesel.com Xtreme Diesel Performance 888.343.7354 xtremediesel.com Total 0 Shares Share 0 Tweet 0 Pin it 0 Share 0
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