How To Increase Diesel Fuel Mileage!

As of late we are getting a lot of people asking how to increase diesel fuel mileage.  With diesel over $4.00 a gallon and expected to go well over $5.00 a gallon this summer its no wonder why people are wondering how they can increase diesel fuel mileage.   Here are the things that we have found to work best to increase diesel fuel mileage:

Diesel Performance Chip: Using diesel performance chips are one of the easiest ways to increase you diesel fuel mileage, usually within ten minutes or so you can increase  your fuel economy by 1-5 MPG.  Some companies have actually released chips dedicated to increase diesel fuel mileage including the Edge Mileage Max, Hypertech Max Energy and Quadzilla Max Mileage.

Diesel Performance Intake: Usually if you have already added a chip the next best thing to help increase diesel fuel mileage.  Diesel Performance intakes allow your engine to breathe easier which will help increase diesel economy, you will usually see a 1-4 MPG Increase.  Some of the best know performance intake makers are S&B Filters, aFe Intakes and Airraid Intakes.

Water Methanol Injection: Now most people would recommend going with an exhaust system for your third mod to increase fuel economy but we have found that when it comes to bang for the buck that the snow performance water methanol injection kits lower exhaust gas tempratures more and increase diesel fuel mileage better than an exhaust system.

If you have any further questions on how to increase diesel fuel mileage let us know.

Taking Exhaust Stacks to “The Road”

We’d like to thank one of our clients for the good laugh he gave us a little while back when after he had ordered a set of exhaust stacks from us he sent us a follow up email with these pictures included.

Now althought these had just been staged in the bed of the El Camino we had a good laugh. Although after having a good laugh being the diesel nuts that we are our minds started thinking about the possibility of a Duramax conversion into an El Camino, maybe if we find one a little less cherry than this original 1970 SS 396 El Camino. With the advent of EFI Live into the Duramax diesel Performance world your imagination is really your only limitation when it comes to Duramax Conversions. We’d like to thank Glenn for the great pictures and for keeping our imaginations going.

Diesel Performance - Miracle or Snake Oil

There are so many products out there that seem to be just too good to be true and there are too many people out there that are more than willing to take advantage of another’s lack of knowledge. There are also sooo many out there that are willing to play on peoples emotions, you know, the whole “you can have amazing results for practically nothing, and for only minutes a day at no cost to you”. We’ve all heard it before. So what makes diesel performance parts, like a chip, or a cold air intake, or an exhaust any different. You might ask yourself, can adding something that small to my vehicle produce as great results as so many people tell me they do? Or will these items really pay for themselves in the form of increase diesel fuel mileage, and reduced wear and tear on my vehicle? It is these questions about these products that I am going to address, and at the same time educate, because knowledge is power my friends.

If you were to modify a gas engine for performance, you would be required

to install a different camshaft, bore out the cylinders to increase displacement, install high compression pistons and heads, increase fuel intake capability by installing a larger carburetor or injection system, adding a turbo charger or supercharger, adding a chip, and enlarging the exhaust system. But then you are still restricted by emission control systems. On the other hand, diesel trucks and cars are mostly turbo charged, and they already run at a higher compression ratio. Whereas on the gas vehicles you would have to make those changes. If you were to make those changes to a gas engine you would truly have a ground pounding beast, but

would lose every day drive ability. The Diesels on the other hand are nice to drive around even with considerable modification. With a cold air intake, a diesel chip, more efficient injectors, and a more open exhaust system, the diesels are still a nice ride, but when you really give it the gas, all heck breaks loose. There is enormous power without reducing drive ability.

Because of the nature of diesel engines they are designed from the factory to withstand much higher compression ratios than a gas engine. The diesel fuel combusts when it is compressed to a certain point whether or not there is optimum air. By simply shooting more fuel into the combustion chamber you can make more power. When you then improve the air ratio & timing of the fuel - you can make dramatic power and also improve engine efficiency. Gasoline requires a spark to ignite it & must have the appropriate mixture of air to burn properly. There is also a lot more energy in a given amount of diesel fuel than in an equal amount of gasoline.

I will now break down the most popular modifications and explain their benefits.

1. A cold air intake is sealed away from the hot engine air, and is located where it can take in more air. Cold air intakes are equipped with a filter that can take in up to 300% more air. Cold air takes up less space. So there can be more air, more air helps to burn all the fuel, thus giving more power and better fuel economy.

2. Chips make alterations to how the fuel is delivered to the engine, making

it more efficient and more powerful.

3. A bigger exhaust or a mandrel bent exhaust (keeps the tube round, and the size constant) improves exhaust flow. Getting exhaust away from the engine is just as important in combustion as getting air into the engine. There are exhausts now that will even vacuum exhaust away from the engine, making it so that the engine doesn’t have to do that work.

All of these modifications add to the fuel economy of the diesel engine, and will over time actually pay for themselves in gas savings, and will continue for years after they are paid for to keep your money in your pocket. Diesels are the wave of the future and more and more economy vehicles are being produced in diesel versions because they are capable of so much better economy.

Do Diesel Nitrous Injection Systems Have a Practical Purpose?

There are many people out there that will justify anything that they can so they can feel good about doing something, or having something in their possession. The question is, does diesel nitrous injection have any practical application on a diesel performance engine, but first a little information about nitrous oxide.

The Nitrous kits for diesels that we run are pretty easy to install, with all of the wiring and solenoids self contained in two boxes, with all necessary hardware and fittings. And can even be installed if you have NOT O-ringed your heads, although if you do have stock heads you should limit the amount of nitrous being sprayed.

Nitrous Oxide when burned at high temperatures, releases oxygen. With nitrous burning it allows for a 50% saturation of oxygen, while atmospheric air only allows for about a 20% saturation of oxygen. The more oxygen, the more power. Nitrous dramatically increases power instantly. Nitrous also will dramatically lower the exhaust gas temperatures. Diesel Propane Injection will also lower exhaust temperature some, but nothing like nitrous will. But does it have any real application?

Nitrous could be used in very small shots to keep things cool and give a little power, but the price would be way too much for the gain that you would get. Other than that, nitrous is friend only to those who are challenged to a drag race, or for the man who just has to be the fastest. There is really no towing application for nitrous oxide. With anything that will increase power so dramatically you need to take precautions as well, and should have a full set of gauges and the ability to monitor all of your engines parameters. So in conclusion, does running a diesel nitrous injection system have any real application on a diesel engine? Answered as an individual that has to have all the bells and whistles, I’m going to have to answer with an emphatic YES! So its only real purpose is for fun and racing.

Duramax vs. Cummins vs. Powerstroke - A matter of Sexuality?

Here is another diesel performance article that we wrote awhile ago and we thought you guys would enjoy.

Duramax vs. Cummins seems to be the question on everybody’s mind. Let’s be honest Duramax vs. Cummins, has never been the real question, neither has Duramax vs. Powerstroke or Cummins vs. Powerstroke in any of these debates. For the most reasonable answer to these questions that I have found I look back to the teachings of a wise professor. A Philosophy teacher I once had was discussing what he had found to be the main causes of homosexuality after years of being a counselor for school districts and at the local prison, he said that they were genetics, environmental and hormonal. Might I be so bold as to say that it really doesn’t matter who makes the truck or how durable the components are in the truck are but the real answer to the question Duramax vs. Cummins or Powerstroke vs. Cummins or Duramax vs. Powerstroke is what did your father drive (genetic) where did you grow up, what did the people around you growing up drive, what do your current friends drive (environmental), and what body style really “does it” for you (hormonal).

Another factor into this question that my professor went over was the fact that men are attracted to form rather intellect, so just as some men are attracted to women that chew (Powerstroke Owners) men will be attracted to different trucks based on how they look to them. Another factor that I think can fall in line with this is how does the truck make the man look to the ladies? Have you ever noticed how when you are in a parking lot and you see a huge Power Stroke pull into the parking lot with a 12 inch lift and 35 inch Super Swamper Boggers on it and then it will park and out pops the 4’5” driver in his wranglers and a belt buckle that is almost as tall as him. Then you catch a glimpse inside the cab of the truck just before he closed the door and you can see the seat up as far as it can go and sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes I swear I see a stack of phone books. I don’t know what it is but it is the strangest phenomenon, I think that factors into the whole form thing as well, the fact that the men need to feel secure about themselves, maybe they missed the memo that the new Jeep Liberty’s have a nice little diesel in them as well, opening the door for jeep diesel performance,  and they wouldn’t need a ladder to pull themselves up into it.

Now I hope you don’t think that this is it and that I am going to leave you hanging. You know I would never do that my friends. I will be back soon enough with some factual base and research that has been done over the past several years I will include dyno results for max horsepower, shop transcripts for history of what make had which problems etc.. But for now stick with my theory of the three degrees of Trucksuality.

Biodiesel and Diesel Performance, Do They Match?

We get a lot of people asking about biodiesel and diesel performance and how well the mix. As much as we knew about biodiesel we figured it would still be best to go a leader in the industry so we got a hold of Graydon Blair of Utah Biodiesel Supply and had him answer some of the common questions associated with running biodiesel in a performance tuned diesel rig.

S&B Filter- How To Clean Your Diesel Performance Intake

Diesel Performance Intakes are an incredible way to increase horsepower and lower exhaust tempratures.  The two main concerns that people have with using cotton gauze filters though is that they think that it might mess up the Mass Airflow Sensor or once they get dirty they let dirt in that will affect the turbo and engine in the long run.  As long as you keep your filter clean, and clean it with the precision oiling kit from S&B Filters you wont have to worry about messing up your Mass Airflow Sensor because it will have the perfect amount of oil on it.

CFM+ Cummins Intake Manifold: For Your Viewing Pleasure

So the guys at Parley’s Diesel Performance are at it again, we just finished up a series of install videos.  First on the Docket is the CFM Plus Intake Manifold.  After having gone through and installed this cummins intake manifold we are very impressed with the quality of the product and that it comes with everything that you need including 2 new factory gaskets.

CFM+ Cummins Intake Manifold: On The Road With My New CFM Plus

This past weekend I installed the CFM+ intake manifold that Fastcore LLC sent us and wanted us to check out.  The install went really well, everything that is needed to install the CFM+ cummins intake manifold including new studs and two new factory gaskets.  Unfortunately I dont have a pyro installed so I haven’t been able to check the drop in Exhaust Temperatures but I have noticed an increase in responsiveness especially when driving on the highway.  Here are some pictures of the unit installed.  The main interest I had in installing the CFM+ was of course to increase power and lower exhaust temperatures but the thing I liked most about this performance intake manifold is that you have the option of getting it pre drilled and tapped for future installs, within the next week or so I’m going to be installing the Snow Performance Boost Cooler water methanol injection system on my truck so it will be extra convenient to have the intake manifold drilled and tapped and ready to go.

Duramax Diesel Performance

Duramax Diesel Performance…. what more needs to be said? The Duramax came out with the fastest truck in the nation with their high horse power LBZ motor. The duramax is ideal to build up for power because of the almost bullet proof Allison Transmission that the truck comes with. In this article I will talk about a few of the popular modifications that are done to the Duramax.

The most popular modification for any diesel is the diesel performance chip. One of the most popular ones out there for the Duramax is EFI Live which allows you to put custom tunes on your Duramax. You can use it to custom tune your own engine and transmission, so you aren’t restricted by pre-made tunes. It increases power, economy and shifts. Another popular tuner for the Duramax is the Diablosport Predator which comes with three performance tunes. It is uploaded into the trucks diagnostic port and puts in the performance or economy programs of your choice and has the ability to check trouble codes and adjust the speedometer for bigger tires.

Another popular modification for the Duramax diesel is a cold air intake. Probably the most well known are AFE Intakes. AFE Intakes come with five protective layers and give maximum air flow with premium filtering. They also have a filter upgrade that has 7 protective layers. Getting air into the engine is important because the more air into the engine, the higher the percentage of fuel that can be combusted. So you get the power at the wheels and increase diesel fuel mileage versus losing it out the tailpipe in a black cloud.

The third most popular modification made to the Duramax is an upgraded exhaust system. This is important especially if running a chip because the higher flow exhaust system will keep temperatures lower and the engine won’t have to exert the effort to push the exhaust away if it can flow freely away. The free flowing exhaust increases power and economy and relieves engine stress. Many people don’t want to pay the full price for a complete exhaust system. So a lot of people are using what is called the Aero Turbine Muffler. It is just a muffler replacement, but the Aero Turbine Muffler acts like a jet engine and increases the speed of the exhaust as it flows through giving benefits similar to a full exhaust system.

EFI Live and AFE Intakes are ideal Duramax Diesel Performance upgrades