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Unique Diesel Engines | The Trailblazing Outliers Of Diesel Motorsports

Taking the road less traveled can be long and hard in diesel motorsports. Long nights and even longer weekends lay ahead for anyone willing to venture outside the box. But no one ever said trailblazing would be easy! As the owners and teams behind the following engines will tell you, doing things a bit differently pays big dividends when you finally reach your goals. And for the company’s involved in these wild engine concepts, the accompanying free advertising alone is invaluable. From the lone Power Stroke-equipped Pro Stock Ford in diesel truck pulling to a blown Duramax literally crawling out of a tube chassis ’37 Chevrolet coupe, some very unique engines have been campaigned in recent years.

And just when you thought nothing new under the sun could be done with the Cummins platform, a drag racing newcomer came along with a common-rail second-gen index racer and promptly put his own distinct spin on the 6.7L. While the purpose for the engines being profiled this month varies from the dirt to the drag strip, the common theme for these off-the-wall powerplants is horsepower, lots of it. On the low-end, it’s 2,000 hp. And on the high-end, it’s 3,000 hp or higher. If you find yourself at an event this summer, look them up. Chances are they’ll be the undisputed fan favorites.

Father and son Ford loyalists, Ferenc and Nathan Vegh, campaign one of few Power Stroke powered Fords in competitive truck pulling, and they own the only Power Stroke that competes in the Pro Stock diesel truck class. But thanks to Nathan’s driving, his father’s wits, and mechanic Will Hardesty, they’re able to give the Cummins and Duramax competition a run for their money. The truck itself is a ’16 F-350, and it wears the name Jumping Jack Flash—an ode to Ferenc’s favorite song from his favorite band (The Rolling Stones). Although the Vegh’s Super Duty is powered by a 6.7L Power Stroke at the present time, the truck started its Pro Stock career with a 7.3L under the hood, and that’s where we’re headed first.
It’s the O.G. Power Stroke but with a wild twist—a 7.3L saddled with a mechanical injection system and a massive P-pump in the valley. Dreamt up, built, and tested in-house at Hypermax Engineering, it was part of a turnkey P-pumped 7.3L engine program the company rolled out roughly a decade ago. In addition to the Veghs, truck pullers Joe Wiltse, Rob Thurow, and Frank Puskarich took advantage of the program at one point, and Matt Kubik set a Power Stroke quarter-mile world record with one in drag racing.
One of the first things your eyes are drawn to are the Hypermax polished-aluminum valve covers, which accommodate custom-bent injection lines spanning from the P-pump to the injectors. The cast-iron 7.3L Power Stroke heads are OEM-based but have been filled and then opened up for more airflow by way of larger valves and some serious porting. With the polished valve covers out of the way, you’ll find Hypermax Hi-Rev valve springs, its billet rocker arms, and chromoly pushrods immediately, with solid lifters present deeper down, riding on the cam.
Inside the P-pumped 7.3L’s factory-based block sits an OEM-based forged-steel crankshaft. The crank is tied in with the block (and oil pan rail) courtesy of a Hypermax bed plate and swings eight solid forged-steel Hypermax connecting rods fitted with ARP rod bolts. Fly-cut pistons help drop compression and a custom grind billet camshaft is designed to shine at 4,500 rpm and beyond.
Nearly hidden under the custom intake Y, you’ll find the heart of the 7.3L’s 1,800hp operation. Built by Hypermax, the inline 8-cylinder pump features 13mm plungers and barrels, an aggressive cam, and an Ag governor that allows full fueling to 5,800 rpm. A billet-aluminum front cover accommodates the lifter valley-mounted P-pump. Downwind of the 13mm pump, mechanical, DT466 International-based injectors distribute fuel in-cylinder. A belt-driven lift pump pulls diesel from the truck’s 4.5-gallon Imco Marine fuel cell.
Estimates lead us to believe that north of 1,800 hp was squeezed through a Hypermax 3.6-inch smooth bore turbo in the P-pump 7.3L application—3.6 inches being the maximum size allowed in the Pro Stock diesel truck class. The big Pro Stock charger sports a 91mm compressor wheel (inducer), a journal bearing center section, and a T6 turbine inlet on the exhaust housing. Wound up, it produces 60-psi of boost, the relatively conservative boost number being a testament to good airflow moving through the ported heads. Hypermax’s triple wire ring head gaskets, paired with ARP studs, keep the heads glued to the block and cylinder pressure contained.
The job of harnessing everything the P-pumped 7.3L can dish out is up to the driveline, and in Jumping Jack Flash it’s about as serious as it gets for a Pro Stock truck. A Crower four-disc clutch, housed inside a Custom Floaters blow-proof bellhousing, sends power to a one-speed reverser transmission from Pro Fab Machine. From there, a Pro Fab quick change transfer case (i.e. drop box) routes that power to a rear Rockwell 20-145 and a front Rockwell F106. After that, the 34-inch cut tires do the dirty work.
Maintaining cool intake air temperatures is a major part of the horsepower-making puzzle. Jumping Jack Flash uses a water-to-air system based around a Sandridge Custom intercooler and a belt-driven water pump (both of which came from Haisley Machine), which keeps IAT’s in the 70’s. Added cooling comes by way of water injection, with nine nozzles scattered throughout the 7.3L’s intake system. Combined, the water-to-air intercooler and water injection systems keep EGT from rising above 1,700 degrees.
A couple years back, things got real interesting for Ferenc, Nathan, and the rest of the Jumping Jack Flash team. The P-pumped 7.3L was set aside in favor of a new Hypermax engine program—one based around the use of the 6.7L Power Stroke. After testing the engine in 2021, they went full time with the common-rail engine for the 2022 season. Inside the factory CGI crankcase, a set of Hypermax billet rods and Mahle pistons (with Hypermax-redesigned bowls) are part of the rotating assembly, along with a high lift, long duration camshaft. Up top, the modified factory heads utilize Hypermax’s 3-ring head gaskets and fasten to the block via head studs.
Like the 7.3L, the turbocharger is mounted at the rear of the 6.7L Power Stroke. The turbo shown here is itself the same Pro Stock, 3.6-inch smooth bore unit that was employed on the 7.3L engine. However, in the 6.7L application is produces slightly more boost at 70 psi. The 6.7L Power Stroke is also rumored to make 2,050 hp. In this photo (taken from the passenger side of the truck) you can see the fuel rails, the belt-driven dry sump oil pump at the front of the engine, and that the bellhousing and clutch have been pulled. The team was hard at work making driveline adjustments when we first spotted the 6.7L under the hood of Jumping Jack Flash at the Scheid Diesel Extravaganza.
Fuel system support for the 6.7L Power Stroke comes from S&S Diesel Motorsport, one of the premier company’s in the high-pressure common-rail game. When we ran into Ferenc and Nathan in the pits in 2022, a pair of S&S 12mm CP3 high-pressure fuel pumps were aboard the engine. This year, look for three CP3’s operating at the front of the Hypermax 6.7L, all driven by an 8mm belt drive. A stand-alone ECM calls all the shots for the common-rail V-8.
Just in case you thought the Vegh’s had completely moved on from the P-pumped 7.3L platform, think again. Prior to changing over to Hypermax’s 6.7L program, they’d converted the 7.3L to a multiple charger arrangment with plans to bump up to the Super Stock class. And while the Super Stock plan has been placed on hold for now, the prospect of joining the ranks of Super Stock for select events remains. In the words of Ferenc Vegh himself: “The 7.3L is on a pallet wrapped in plastic in the shop, with zero runs on it. It’s just waiting for another chance…”
Flash back to SEMA 2017 when the blue ’37 Chevrolet (a.k.a. the Screwed Coupe) had everyone talking. The whine from its massive blower was unmistakable and, for a diesel, it was unbelievably loud. A Pro Mod that went 4.2 in the eighth-mile under Hemi power in its former life, the folks at Wagler Competition Products and EZ Lynk, joining forces under what became known as Critical Mass Motorsports, decided a Duramax should be parked at the front of the car’s tube chassis. But not just any Duramax. An all-billet masterpiece coined a DX500L, designed and produced by Jeremy Wagler himself.
Wagler first debuted its 500 cubic inch, DX500 monstrosity at SEMA 2016, and it not only powered the company’s U.C.C. entry, but also the infamous Cummins Killer pulling truck and, of course, the Screwed Coupe we’re talking about here. The powerplant consists of a billet Duramax block and billet heads with ductile iron insert, and a rotating assembly that features some of the best hard parts money can buy. A Winberg crankshaft (with a bed plate), Wagler rods, Ross Racing pistons, Trend Performance wrist pins and Total Seal rings, a Comp Cams camshaft, and ARP fasteners from top to bottom highlight some of its exotic components. S&S Diesel Motorsport provided the DX500L’s triple CP3’s, Iveco-based injectors, media-honed fuel rails, and also calibrated the stand-alone Bosch Motorsport ECU.
Hands down, the biggest point of interest with the Screwed Coupe exists in the giant, in-your-face blower. Choosing the largest screw supercharger PSI Superchargers produces, the 210C twin-screw unit means business. The “210” designation indicates the 210mm high-speed rotors present within it. By overdriving the supercharger, roughly 75 psi of boost was achieved, with more on tap with a simple pulley change. On top of that, water-methanol is employed to cool the blower, and nitrous is used to reduce intake air temps.
As for the rest of the car, the Coupe’s body rides on a tube chassis that was built by Greg Risk Racecraft. A Neal Chance lock-up torque converter is tasked with transferring gobs of instantaneously-made torque to a Rossler TH400. And an 11-inch Pro Mod rear end from Mark Williams Enterprises—which replaced the original 9-inch that we’re told the Duramax obliterated—is responsible for getting power to the slicks. Finding traction is the Screwed Coupe’s biggest challenge.
You might’ve already guessed this, but the Screwed Coupe was designed to draw attention—and that’s exactly what it does everywhere it goes. If it isn’t the Top-Fuel-like sound the nasty, blown Duramax emits, your eyes are sure to catch the nitro car-influenced zoomie exhaust. This is the kind of touch that makes people, from all walks of life, appreciate the build even more.
In an effort to bring attention to its coming L5P Duramax crate engine program, Banks Power decided to repower a ’66 C20 with its R866SC version—but only the surface-rusted body and some of the interior would remain. Over the course of many months, the crew at Banks transformed the beat up old ¾-ton Chevy into a frame-laying jaw-dropper named LokJaw. The build would entail a Roadster Shop C10 chassis, a Strange Engineering full-floating, 8-lug, 9-inch rear-end with 35-spline shafts and an Eaton TrueTrac, and a full Ridetech air ride suspension system. However, throughout the duration of the build the Whipple supercharger-equipped Duramax remained the focal point of the one-of-a-kind project.
Coined the R866SC in-house at Banks, the engine powering LokJaw is an L5P-based Duramax but with a few trade secret changes. Namely to ensure durability at high-horsepower, a proprietary camshaft, valve springs, and pushrods have been added, along with a redesigned wet sump oil pan. The turbo-less Duramax powerplant’s sole means of forced induction comes from a Whipple Gen-5 3.8L supercharger with a custom gearbox. An integrated, marine-based water-to-air intercooler keeps intake temps low, and nitrous adds an extra kick when it’s needed.
Sticking with a proven transmission, a six-speed Allison 1000 was obtained—and Banks enlisted the guys at ATS Diesel to make sure it was up to the task of handling big torque. A host of upgrades included valve body mods combined with an ATS Co-pilot in the cab, which raised line pressure from roughly 165 psi to 270 psi for better clutch holding capacity, 300M input, intermediate and output shafts, and a stronger P2 carrier and C2 hub. Higher clutch counts were also employed throughout, especially in the C3 pack (one of the bigger weak links inside the six-speed Allison 1000). The beefed up Allison was topped off with an ATS multi-disc torque converter.
When Daniel Green got into diesel drag racing, he was fortunate to meet Jeremy Wagler very early on in his amateur career. Though he’d initially campaigned a 12-valve 5.9L Cummins with some success, he knew that taking his two-wheel drive ’96 Dodge to the next level would require more consistency. For that, Wagler helped sponsor Daniel’s common-rail Cummins build. But it wouldn’t just be any Cummins performance build—it would be based on a factory CGI block, the first of its kind.
A ’19 model year compacted graphite iron 6.7L Cummins block serves as the foundation for Daniel’s engine, and it retains the OEM 10-bolt flange 6.7L crankshaft. Wagler Street Fighter connecting rods equipped with ARP rod bolts, stock compression factory Mahle pistons, a factory Cummins camshaft, and Wagler solid roller lifters highlight much of what’s going in inside the CGI crankcase. Up top, a billet valve cover from CFT Performance provides a bit of functional dress-up.
Daniel’s factory-based, cast-iron 24-valve cylinder head has been worked over in Wagler Competition Products’ machine shop and benefits from porting and polishing. The head also benefits from fire-rings and is anchored to the block via ARP Custom Age 625+ head studs. In this photo you can see the OEM 6.7L fuel rail positioned directly above a billet intake manifold, which was produced by Wagler to match the reworked intake ports on the head.
Although nitrous is along for the ride on Daniel’s second-gen, the majority of his horsepower combo comes from good old fuel and air. His fuel recipe was sourced from the common-rail experts at Exergy Performance, who supplied him the 14mm CP3 shown here, along with high-flow injectors fitted with 400-percent over nozzles. The injection system is calibrated and overseen by the desirable ’06 5.9L ECM, the CM849. Daniel’s raceday fuel and oil additives are supplied by Opti-Lube.
We’re not sure how much nitrous Daniel will need to hit his 2,000hp goal, but we do know he’s wastegated enough to keep the turbo and engine very safe at that power level. Positioned within a T6 Stainless Diesel exhaust manifold, each 45mm external TurboSmart wastegate is set up to keep drive pressure well within check. Daniel also hinted that—once the new, 2,000hp combination is dialed in—he plans to go small tire with the truck for 2024 and hit as many gas events as possible to help bring diesel to the masses.
Formerly, a 7-blade, 85mm S400 from Forced Inductions provided Daniel’s 6.7L its steady diet of boost, which amounted to roughly 65-psi of boost first making its way through a BD air-to-air intercooler before being ingested by the engine. However, over the winter Daniel informed us that he’d upsized to one of Forced Inductions’ 88mm GT55 units. The GT55 switchover is all part of his plan to clear 2,000 hp on the engine dyno.

SOURCES

ARP
800.826.3045
arpdiesel.com

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ATS Diesel
720.699.8126
atsdiesel.com

Banks Power
800.601.8072
bankspower.com

Exergy Performance
616.551.4330
exergyperformance.com

EZ Lynk
ezlynk.com

Haisley Machine
877.948.3164
haisleymachine.com

Hypermax Engineering
847.428.5655
gohypermax.com

PSI Superchargers
480.820.6511
psisuperchargers.com

S&S Diesel Motorsport
ssdiesel.com

Wagler Competition Products
812.636.0391
waglercompetition.com

Whipple Superchargers
559.442.1261
whipplesuperchargers.com

 

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