Red Rocket: Duramax Speed Machine

When most of us think about a tax consultant’s vehicle we would probably picture a Prius hybrid or some other mundane econobox that qualifies as a tree-hugger credit. However, Jay Wilson is not your typical tax consultant, and neither is his ride. The Sandy Springs, Georgia, resident owns this amazing 950+ horsepower 2004 Chevrolet 2500 HD that is bathed in “Arrest Me Red” paint. Wilson has been a truck guy for many years and caught the performance bug in 2010 when he had the guys at Diesel Technology Source (DTS) in Monroe, Georgia, tune his 2006 Duramax.

After seeing and feeling the performance potential of the Duramax engine that a simple tune unleashed in his daily driver, Wilson decided to go all out and build a performance and show truck. Wilson started by purchasing a used 2004 Chevy the he got for $15,000 and handed it over to David Browning and the crew at DTS to work their magic. Six short months later, the truck emerged from the shop as a completely different machine — one that was built for speed.

Of course, to propel a 6,800 lb. truck to high speeds requires a lot of power and a solid drivetrain. The team at DTS worked to ensure that everything was up to par. The first step was to tear down the stock 2004 LLY Duramax engine, and do a complete rebuild with some upgrades. Lamar Walden Automotive in Doraville, Georgia, handled the machining and balancing while Rob Walden and David Browning worked together to assemble the Duramax engine.

Internally the engine uses a stock crank that swings Howards forged rods and Mahle pistons. The rotating assembly was internally balanced for performance and longevity. A custom-ground DTS camshaft actuates billet rockers through a set of Trend forged pushrods to open and close the stock valves with precision. DTS dual-valve springs are used to prevent valve float at high rpm while bronze valve guides keep the valves tracking true in the cylinder heads. The stock Duramax heads were treated to DTS CNC porting and the runners were polished for greatly improved airflow. The heads are sealed down to the block with a set of ARP head studs to keep the high-pressure charge in the bore and prevent the heads from lifting off the block. A Melling oil pump with the factory pan was used to ensure that the engine is well lubricated at higher rpm, but the shop opted to reroute the PCV (positive crankcase vent) and utilize a catch can mounted along the frame rail below the driver’s door.

Of course, a stock fuel system wouldn’t keep up with this high-performance engine, so the DTS team made improvements there as well. The upgrades start at the tank where a Hellmann Performance aluminum sump was installed in the bottom of the stock fuel tank to ensure a solid supply of fuel to the pump. The sump feeds fuel to an AirDog II 200 fuel pump and filter system. From there, the fuel goes to a pair of Exergy 10 mm CP3 high-pressure fuel pumps through 1/2-inch diameter fuel lines, providing plenty of volume. In addition, a set of Exergy 200% over fuel injectors deliver all the fuel this engine needs.

Increased airflow is a must to keep up with the higher fuel delivery rate. As such, Browning replaced the stock turbo charger with a pair of Garrett ball bearing turbos in a compound configuration. The 55/41 feeds the GTX 4202 to make more than 100 lbs of boost on the street or at the track. A Turbonetics Evolution wastegate is used to prevent overboost situations. The 55/41 charger sports a massive 106 mm compressor wheel and 111 mm turbine wheel to make huge power on the top end. It draws air from the atmosphere through an S&B filter element and 5-inch diameter custom-built stainless steel intake before handing it off through more custom fabricated stainless steel tubing to the GTX 4202 mounted in the stock location in the valley. The compressed intake charge is routed from the smaller charger to a DTS intercooler through stainless boost tubes before heading into the engine through a high-flow DTS Y-bridge.

On the exhaust side of the turbo system, Browning and his team fabricated custom stainless steel pipes, and wrapped them in DEI header wrap to keep the heat inside and away from the engine bay. PPE manifolds and up-pipes are used to get the exhaust from the heads to the GTX 4202 charger in the stock location. Spent gasses then exit the 55/41 through a 5-inch diameter Flo-Pro stainless steel exhaust system. Tuning chores were handed over to Nick Priegnitz at Duramax Tuner to make the package work to its potential.

To keep the big Duramax cool, Wilson relies on a stock water pump that has been keyed by the crew at DTS. Keying the pump ensures that the impeller won’t slip under the added load at speed. The stock radiator was also retained but cooling was enhanced and parasitic power loss reduced by using a pair of Flex-a-Lite electric fans. To make room for the turbo on the passenger side of the engine bay, Browning opted to run a single Optima RedTop battery and went with a smaller fabricated aluminum overflow tank mounted in the location vacated by the second battery. The engine is held securely in the chassis with a set of Merchant Automotive heavy-duty engine mounts.

This truck is said to have turned out 950 hp with 1,338 lb.-ft. of torque on the dyno, all with only 70 lbs of boost. Since the truck is capable of making up to 100 lbs of boost on the track, it is estimated that the truck is developing around 1,200 hp and 1,600 lb.-ft. of torque on the track.

The engine is linked to the transmission with a Diesel Performance Converters billet triple-disc 3,000-rpm stall torque converter and an SFI-approved Sun Coast billet flex plate. The Allison transmission was given a performance rebuild by the DTS team with new Alto clutches and a TransGo shift kit along with billet input and output shafts to hold up to the high-power Duramax under the hood. In addition, the transfer case was rebuilt and a “pump rub repair kit” from Merchant Automotive was installed to prevent common rail housing wear and will make sure it lasts a lifetime. Atlanta Driveline built new driveshafts to put the power to the front and rear differentials that retain the factory 3.73 gears.

To put the power to the ground, Wilson installed a set of 20×9-inch Ultra Predator 8 chrome wheels wrapped in Nitto 305/50R20 Terra Grappler All-Terrain tires. To help slow the truck, on the track and the street, the stock brakes were also upgraded. The DTS team installed Raybestos pads on all four corners, and slotted and drilled rotors up front. They also installed Bilstein shocks on all four corners to help keep the truck planted. To help a powerful launch straight and true off the line, a PPE center link and DTS tie rod sleeves were used up front and the rear leaf springs were clamped.

While power is one of the most important aspects of a truck set up for speed, it doesn’t hurt if it looks good as well. Wilson wanted his truck to look as good as it runs, so he turned it over to Mark Bowen and Matt Mobley in Lawrenceville, Georgia, to whip the body into shape. They installed a Goodmark cowl induction-style hood and straightened the body and sprayed it a PPG color they call Arrest Me Red that really pops. To make the front of the truck stand out even more, Wilson opted to cover the factory grille with a chrome plated mesh overlay and installed a gloss black Bowtie in the chrome grille bar.

The bed of the truck was coated with Line-X spray-in bed liner for good looks as well as to prevent cargo from sliding around. The stock front bumper was retained, but Wilson decided to remove the rear one and install a rear roll pan, but has yet to get it painted. It gives other drivers something to complain about as he pulls away from them on the track and adds some character to an otherwise nearly flawless truck. The front, rear and cab lights were replaced with Recon smoked LED lights in the rear and on the cab, and clear lenses with smoked corner markers up front. The windows were tinted with a dark 5% tint for a stark contrast against the red paint and to keep out prying eyes.

Unlike the engine, transmission and body, the interior of Wilson’s Chevy was left mostly stock. The taupe leather interior is in nice condition and makes for a comfortable ride to and from events. To control the Allison transmission lockup, they installed a BT Diesel Works module with the controller mounted along the center console within easy reach. The DTS crew also installed five Auto Meter Phantom II gauges to monitor the truck’s vitals with fuel pressure, EGT and boost gauges installed in an A-pillar pod, and with boost and oil temperature gauges residing in the overhead console.

The Red Rocket has blasted to a best 1/4-mile time of 10.7 seconds at 136 mph. Wilson has even entered the truck in the Georgia Half-Mile competition where it reached 147 mph while bouncing on the rev limiter. As with most trucks, Wilson’s is not finished; he plans to enter it in the Texas Mile so the DTS crew will be re-gearing the rig to better stretch its legs. Look out for it when they do, they’re aiming high and shooting for nearly 200 mph! DW