- Diesel performance allows pickup drivers more excitement than ever before
- Power programmers and exhaust kits a great start for increased speed and power
It wasn't very long ago when people bought diesel pickups simply for their added towing abilities, reliability and efficient-for-their-capacity fuel consumption.
But modern technology has allowed the aftermarket to create products for your diesel truck which allow access to a higher level of performance than its engineers intended.
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Out of the factory, the computer which works the engine and transmission is programmed to deliver a pre-set level of performance while also delivering quiet operation, reasonable fuel consumption and low emissions.
If an owner was to hack into their machine's computer and play with the settings, some interesting things would be possible. But instead of learning years' worth of programming language and earning a degree in computer science, Hypertech has done the work for them.
Their HyperPac performance programmer is one of the most comprehensive tools available for truck owners wanting to tune their engines. With a few button presses, your diesel pickup can be transformed from a weekday-workhorse to a weekend drag-strip warrior without compromise.
I recently got my hands onto a HyperPac programmer, and a 2004 Ford F-250 Lariat with the 6.0 Powerstroke Turbo Diesel engine. The truck belongs to Chris Snow, a Sudbury resident and performance enthusiast.
Snow's Ford had already been equipped with an MBRP exhaust system. The tailpipe is a whopping six inches in diameter, and it blesses the F-250 with an exhaust note like an offshore fishing. Full throttle blasts expel waste gasses out the trash-can sized tip with enough force to knock over nearby patio furniture and Smart-Cars.
Snow says "I installed the system to help lower exhaust gas temperatures and gain more power. Of course, the sound is great too." The larger exhaust addresses a big concern with diesel tuning -- exhaust gas temperatures. Diesel engines can create dangerously high levels of heat when pushed, so it's important to make sure that heat can readily escape -- otherwise, you'll melt the turbocharger faster than you can say sayonara.
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