Diesel Performance Podcast

Shawn recounts the exhaustive, grueling three-day UCC and the toll the event took on his truck. He explains his build and the transmission that apparently let go and prevented his team from being as competitive as last year.

Paul says the highlight of the Ultimate Callout Challenge was watching Team Triple Max's Wade Minter power down the sled track hitting more than 311 feet! It was quite an accomplishment for a Duramax - finishing in the top three overall! And it was Wade's first time "playing in the dirt!"

Derek Rose placed second in the 2017 Ultimate Callout Challenge - a tremendous accomplishment. His Cummins with a billet common rail with a 12v head and compound turbos posted 9.16 in the drag race, 2,047hp on the dyno, and ended the event with a 312 foot run in the sled pull. In this episode, Derek talks about each event and how he managed to pull off the second place finish. Despite his success, Derek is uncertain about next year's UCC. He says it depends on location and a few other factors. Preparing for the event requires an enormous sacrifice and Derek's not sure he's up to the task in 2018.

Wade Minter holds the MPH record in ET in NHRDA went sled pulling today at the UCC and killed it. In his first run he was over 300+ but he could throw it out and pull again. Danny and Paul caught up with Wade right after and he was really excited.

Jaran Holderdown Performance talks to Danny and Paul just before the pull event. It's been an eventful weekend for the Ford 6.0.

Paul and Danny talk to Josh with Holderdown Diesel Performance about the upcoming sled pull event and everything else that's going on with Holderdown's UCC truck. They're driving a burgundy Cummins.

Day Three of the Ultimate Callout Challenges gets underway as Paul and Danny recount what happened in drag racing and the dyno. You hear who's on top as the event moves into sled pulling. While recording the podcast, Ryan Milliken walked by and gave an interview...

Mike Graves talks goes into detail about his strategy with tomorrow's sled pull event here at the UCC. Earlier today, Mike's Duramax LBZ has survived a the drag race and dyno events.

Frank Kuperman of Revmax Converters drives a '08 Cummins, 2500 with 2WD - one of only two in the UCC. The other 2WD truck broke - so Frank heads into the sled pull event as the only 2WD truck still competing. Frank updates his truck's drag racing and dyno results with Paul and Danny.

Paul and Danny talk to Berry Carter of S&B Filters...

Brad with FASS Fuel System visits with Paul and Danny to talk about the company's lift pump products. Lift pumps may be one of the most important add-ons you can do with a diesel truck.

Merchant Automotive's Eric Merchant and Jereco Price join the podcast to talk about the company's badass sand rail among other things. Then Eric talks about his $30.00 hat.

Paul and Danny discuss turbo's with God Speed Turbo Innovation's Cody Callaham.

Paul and Danny talk to Adam Pela of Pela Motorsports.

Ryan Gelinas of ATS Diesel joins the podcast for an insightful look at the importance of the Ultimate Callout Challenge to the diesel aftermarket industry. Even though the action may be hot - it's still cold outside.

Paul and Danny jump into day one with a wrap-up of the first day of drag racing.

Paul and Danny stand in the cold air and recap the day, so-far. There's still a couple of hours of drag racing to go. We'll talk about that tomorrow during our first podcast.

The Mauch brothers of Mendota, Illinois have a reputation for being some of the most competitive sled pullers around. Last year they won an Outlaw pull in southern Wisconsin. When they compete against Calibrated Power's Clean Sweep, they usually win. So what's their secret? In this episode of the Diesel Performance Podcast, Paul, and Danny find out what it takes to be a sled pull champ. The Mauch's say it's a lifestyle. They drive a 2001 LB7 Crew Cab, Long Bed. They talk about how set-up is more important than horsepower; how the long bed prevents hopping on the track, and a dozen or so other details everyone who watches sled pulling would like to know.

Danny and Paul keep finding exciting things to talk about at the UCC. This time they found podcast friend Ric Newberry.

Paul and Danny catch up with MotorOPS tuner Jordan Molenaar. They also talk about the upcoming drag races. It's getting cold here - so what impact would that have on the drag racing tonight when it will most likely be even cooler.

Paul and Danny grab Tony from Dirty Hooker Diesel for a quick interview here at the Ultimate Callout Challenge.

Paul and Danny arrive at the Ultimate Callout Challenge in Indy - they've walked around a little - so here's their first impressions. We'll post more as the day continues.

Paul and Danny invite Nick Priegnitz of Calibrated Power on the podcast to talk about the failure of the company's UCC engine on the DYNO earlier this week. The 10.4L Cummins ISL windowed after the stock connecting rods failed. While some Internet bullies questioned the decision to use stock parts, Nick sets the record straight. Paul and Danny then describe the anticipated fun they're going to have at the UCC - sounding like a couple of teenage girls getting ready to go to the mall.

Rudy's Diesel Performance returns to the Ultimate Callout Challenge this year with the same Ford made famous last year in Salt Lake City - with plenty of adjustments and changes. Rawlings Barnes describes the build with Paul and Danny and offers a strategy for this year's event. Everyone agrees this year's UCC is going to be incredible with so many amazing builds underway throughout the country.

Paul and Danny recently jumped on Facebook live to acknowledge 100 episodes of the Diesel Performance Podcast. It's something for which we're incredibly proud and have all of you to thank. Please rate, review, and leave a comment on iTunes - those ratings are very helpful. And if you'd like to reach out to Paul or Danny, please leave a comment on Facebook and they'll return the message.

Tobias Christie runs a diesel repair and performance shop in Mitchell, Ontario. Like many diesel shop owners, Tobias got started working for others, but then decided to go into business for himself. In this episode of the Diesel Performance Podcast, Tobias, Danny, and Paul talk about diesel motorsports in Canada and how it's different than the United States. Everyone agrees that the clean diesel movement is here to stay and nothing beats a good maintenance schedule for a diesel truck.

Mike Graves says the Ultimate Callout Challenge 2017 will be an amazing event for the diesel industry. Mike's Hollyrock Customs will be participating, for sure - but he also hopes to actually watch the anticipated power in action. Some of the horsepower numbers tossed around go as high as 3,500. Mike says his build will not go that high. He's mostly worried about one event - the sled pull. His truck has never seen "the dirt". It's always great to hear from Mike Graves of Hollyrock Customs. HOLLYROCK CUSTOMS HOLLYROCK CUSTOMS FACEBOOK

Ric Newberry of Exergy Engineering says he could talk for three days about injectors. Exergy is one of the industries best injector modification and diagnostic providers. In this episode, Paul and Danny ask Ric to define the various parts on an injector - from the pulse width, percent versus horsepower, along with many, many others. Ric describes building the largest injector so far - 700% over for the Ultimate Callout Challenge event coming up in April 2017. On the fuel side of diesel performance, the injector is front and center for engine performance. It's one of the first considerations for a modified diesel truck.

Paul and Danny jump into one of their favorite topics - LML performance. The guys spend a big part of each and every day helping LML owners navigate the performance aftermarket, so it's a topic as natural to them as the hide on a white tail deer. The guys tackle the dead pedal, emissions intact versus delete, CP4 failure, and a variety of other topics LML owners need to hear.

Lyle Richmond of Bully Dog joins the Diesel Performance Podcast to talk about the company's aftermarket diesel particulate filter (DPF) for the Ford 6.4L. The innovative design offers dependability as compared to the stock DPF known for failure. Lyle says Bully Dog's Performance DPF requires fewer regens of shorter duration. It increases airflow and horsepower. When combined with the company's calibrations, the Ford 6.4L owner will then be able to initiate regen and even perform a stationary or forced regen. Bully Dog's Ford 6.4L DPF is designed more for functionality than high horsepower, performance applications. Lyle says a contractor who depends on their truck to make money will want the performance DPF. It installs with a V-band clamp, allowing for easy removal for a manual cleaning - making it the last DPF a Ford 6.4L owner will ever need. LEARN MORE: BULLY DOG'S Ford 6.4L Performance DPF

Now is a good time to work in the diesel industry, according to Nicola Menarini. He should know, he's been involved in diesel engineering for nearly 30 years working for multiple manufacturers worldwide. Today Nicola is GM's Chief Engineer & Program Manager for Duramax where he's overseeing the rollout the next Generation Duramax - the 6.6L L5P, 2.8L Duramax and the 1.6L diesel power the new Chevy Cruze. Nicola explains to Diesel Performance Podcast's Nick Priegnitz, Danny Voss, and Paul Wilson some of the forthcoming changes to the GM diesel line-up. The new Chevy Cruze will feature a manual transmission because that's what customers said they wanted. The future will also include diesel configurations of a medium size SUV and Van. The conversation also covers exhaust gas temperatures, regen, transient response, and the removal of soot and NOx emissions from diesel exhaust.

Gale Banks returns to the Diesel Performance Podcast for an incredibly deep dive into the L5P top end. Banks holds enormous respect for the next-gen Duramax - it's ruggedness and power potential. Yes, we hear a specific horsepower number from Gale. Paul, Nick, and Gale go into the new Duramax oiling system, pistons, heads, and other topics. Gale also digs into his work with his Duramax builds for performance applications. Get comfortable - sit back - and enjoy hearing from master engine visionary Gale Banks. Gale Banks L5P article Banks L5P Breakdown

UCC defending champ Lavon Miller returns with new fuel, new turbos, and a completely different mindset. Paul and Danny get Lavon to open up and explain a lot about what he's doing differently. And by the way - Miller says he prefers going fast to sled-pulling.

Paul and Danny are as happy as school girls on a pony picnic. They're loving these UCC interviews! That's because they feature the best and the dirtiest of diesel performance. These guys are sitting on the bleeding edge of technology and helping all of us grow the motorsport - they're stories are just fascinating. Randy Reyes joins the guys to talk about his Cummins Dually and what's involved in his engine build. He also describes the work he's done to the transmission with an emphasis on the valve body. Sit back and enjoy - it's another great episode of the Diesel Performance Podcast.

Derek Rose returns to the Ultimate Callout Challenge with the same blue regular cab Cummins. This time the engine sports an interesting set-up unlike anything we've ever heard. Paul and Danny pull out the specifics about Derek's interesting build and what he hopes to do at the UCC. http://www.dnrcustoms.com/

The Diesel Performance Podcast delivers another Ultimate Callout Challenge interview. This time Zach Fuller of Starlitediesel. Zach's 2005 Crew Cab Dually is called Big Blue - ran sixth place last year at the UCC. Paul and Danny dive into Zach's build for this year's UCC and ask about what he learned last year. https://www.facebook.com/StarLiteDiesel/ https://www.instagram.com/starlitediesel/

Ryan Husted of SOTA Offroad & WeldXT joins the podcast to talk about the fine art of aftermarket truck rims. Rims make or break the truck - they announce an attitude and make a statement about the owner's personality. Ryan breaks it all down in detail and explains how the rims are designed and built and why you should care. Along the way Paul and Danny talk about the typical Duramax front end and why certain modifications are necessary - especially if you're planning to add rims. For more information check out: http://www.sotaoffroad.com/ http://weldxt.com

The 4 X 4 Podcast's Dan Cole joins the guys to talk about anything and everything related to the off-road lifestyle. Dan relates his experience driving on the Baji 1000, which did not go well - but it was a good experience anyway! Dan also goes into detail on another off-road event - King of Hammers! This area of the motorsport world is fascinating and extends into everything including a discussion of side-by-sides and other small, trail vehicles. But what about diesel trucks? Dan answers the question. http://www.the4x4podcast.com/

All the talk about $30,000.00 or $15,000.00 budget builds... This guest blows those numbers out of the park with the story behind his 1994 regular cab. Tyler Kip ran 9.76 in the quarter mile in a truck he's built over and over again with less expensive parts than your later model diesel trucks. In fact, an engine build costs only $1,500.00 compared to 20K and up for later model Duramax engines. In this episode, Tyler talks through the years and the hard work involved in getting his truck into the nines, which as we learn isn't about money alone. For example, Tyler mentions the importance of suspension set-up that helped him finally break into the nines. He then goes into detail about what's next for his truck. This is a great episode for anyone interested in how other drivers think about their build projects. Doing more with less may be the only way for some.

The Diesel Performance Podcast continues informing, educating and entertaining about diesel performance with an episode about common rail diesel injectors. Paul and Danny invite Lenny Reed, owner of Dynomite Diesel Products on the podcast to go over injectors and what every diesel owner needs to know. This episode of the DPP explains how injectors work and what affects performance. Lenny also covers a few tips on taking care of your injectors. Other topics include the importance of lift pumps and injector balance and calibration issues. This is a must listen for every diesel owner. http://www.dynomitediesel.com/

We first mentioned the Twin Turbo LML - DPF ON! during the September 2nd episode of the Diesel Performance Podcast. In this episode, the emissions equipped twin turbo is finished and everyone's gathered around the microphones to give their assessment of how it turned out - including DYNO numbers! Joining Danny today is Nick Priegnitz, who tuned the truck. Jason Wehrli of WCFAB who built the kit, Austin Carlisle of Diesel Tech Magazine, and Matt Rosenberg, truck owner. Speical thanks to Diesel Tech Magazine for making this episode of the podcast possible.

The Diesel Performance Podcast is the official podcast for the Ultimate Callout Challenge - a performance diesel event like no other. By invitation only, a couple dozen trucks and drivers will compete this April in Indianapolis - they'll drag, pull, and dyno against each other for the ultimate bragging rights. Last year's event resulted in several trucks running over 2,000 horsepower. This is our first profile of a UCC participant - Nick Priegnitz of Calibrated Power Solutions. The DPP plans to interview all the participants, so we thought we'd start with someone close to home. CPS will drive a 2011 Cummins dually with a displacement of 10.4L - increased from an 8.9 ISL. Twin 14mm fuel pumps and 500% over injectors from Exergy. DT's UCC truck will also sport a 10-foot bed instead of the eight-foot factory configuration.

The codes pop up on a Duramax when there's low fuel rail pressure: P0087 or P1093. Usually, the truck is performing at its maximum and unable to keep up with what's commanded. The common rail fuel system operates at 28 - 29,000 psi and needs to drop only 2,200 psi to trigger the trouble code. Once the pressure drops, the Duramax goes into limp mode. In this episode of the Diesel Performance Podcast, Paul welcomes back Calibrated Power Solution's service manager, Phil Grandinetti to diagnose the symptoms and propose solutions for low fuel rail pressure on the Duramax. Troubleshooting P0087 or P1093 is not that straight forward. The stock fuel system on a Duramax includes both high and low-pressure sides with each generating its own set of symptoms. Paul and Phil go into detail on the symptoms, diagnostics, failures, causes, fixes and prevention. This is a must-listen for every Duramax owner.

The legendary Gale Banks returns to the Diesel Performance Podcast. In this episode, Paul, Danny, and Nick Priegnitz learn about Gale's work with the new Duramax engine, the L5P. This episode examines the L5P's bottom end, along with the engine's amazing performance potential. Gale hopes to use the new design to reach 400 mph with a diesel at Bonneville The credit goes to GM, according to Gale. All the new and improved features on the L5P grew from GM's own design team. Gale and Nick then get into the weeds on DYNOs - a mutual passion. Gale believes DYNOs should focus on measuring the horsepower and torque for specific performance applications, like drag racing, sled pulling or engine design. He cannot understand the usefulness of the so-called DYNO-Queens or trucks built for the purpose of hitting a number only. The podcast with Gale concludes with a detailed discussion about air density in diesel performance. Gale also describes a new device that will measure boost air density called the iDash C(2)i - which stands for command, control, and information.

The ultimate diesel performance event gets underway in less than six months. Six months - a half-year - that's nothing when it comes to prep time for this years' participants in the Ultimate Callout Challenge. The 2017 event takes place at the Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis, Indiana April 21 - 23 and promises to live up to the title - ultimate. Organizer Brandon Pierce joins the podcast to talk about the event - its founding and growth into what has been called the "Olympics of Diesel Motorsports." The Diesel Performance Podcast also announces its participation as the official podcast for the UCC, a true honor. Brandon explains how UCC trucks are selected for the invitation-only motorsport and why the Challenge has become the biggest and badest of its kind in the nation. For more information, contact Brandon Pierce UCC Tickets and Information Ultimate Callout Challenge on Facebook

The Diesel Performance Podcast welcomes the legendary engine builder and performance visionary Gale Banks of Banks Engineering. Wow! That's the best word to describe this podcast. Danny, Paul and Nick Priegnitz spend more than an hour downloading Gale's vast memory - nearly 60 years - of innovation in diesel performance on both land and water. Gale's first experience with turbocharging dates back to 1966; first twin turbo engine in 1969 - it was a marine application. In 1978, Gale turbocharged GM's 6.2L diesel. In 1987, he built the powertrain behind the world's fastest passenger car - a twin-turbo build that hit 283 mph at Bonneville. Today Banks Engineering develops military applications for the latest diesel from GM, the L5P. Specifically, Gale is developing powertrains for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) for military vehicle builder Oshkosh. The spectrum of topics includes an insightful discussion about air-fuel ratios, DYNOS, and the decision to use Duramax engines in military vehicles instead of Cummins. If a podcast could make you gain weight, you'd put on several pounds with this episode. It's a full, seven-course meal of knowledge and information that gets a little rowdy. Enjoy.

The Diesel Performance Podcast welcomes Phil Grandinetti, a GM transmission expert and service manager for Calibrated Power. The Allison transmission is purpose-built to handle the torque supplied from the Duramax engine, a job it does very well. But once you modify the engine and add extra horsepower, things can go wrong if you fail to consider what those changes do to the transmission. Phil gives Paul and Danny insight into how to best troubleshoot transmission issues. They describe transmission symptoms and fixes along with preventative maintenance every Duramax owner should perform. This is an excellent podcast for those new to diesel performance as well as the experienced Duramax owner.

Caleb McKinney joins the podcast to talk about his diesel passion - something he's had since he was seven years old. Caleb's specific interest is the 2015 Cummins - a truck his wife uses as a daily driver. Being no stranger to diesel trucks, Caleb contacted the podcast through Facebook with a list of questions and comments about the future of his truck. What he's looking for is reliability, towing power, and whatever else the guys could recommend. Danny and Paul go into detail and bust a handful of myths along the way. This is one of our best truck advisors.

The lift pump is probably one of the most important bolt-ons you can get for your diesel truck. Lift pumps help the CP3 maintain fuel pressure, remove impurities, and seem to add life to the high-pressure side of the fuel system. The manufacturers say lift pumps improve mileage through anecdotal claims, mostly. So what are the other benefits of lift pumps? Hosts Danny Voss and Chris Ehmke talk in great detail about the lift pump and explain why it should be your first bolt-on. They talk about the two top manufacturers - Air Dog and Fass - and explain the important of filling out and sending in the damn warranty card.

Diesel Power Magazine editor KJ Jones visits the podcast where he explains everything you ever wanted to know about the Diesel Power Challenge. KJ also explains what you need to know to be considered for the challenge.