Diesel Performance Podcast

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are back with a hot button topic. We've all been around enough to have seen a ton of misinformation make its rounds when it comes to emissions equipment and tuning around the LML and now the L5P. Paul and Chris discuss in-depth about the what you should look out for, what the future is next, and much more on this episode of Diesel Performance Podcast.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are back to discuss 5th Gen Cummins horsepower recipes. We have been getting a lot of requests via messages and comments to do a horsepower recipe episode on the 5th Gen Cummins and the boys delivered. They tackle upgrades, why your transmission in your 5th Gen needs a little something extra, and much more.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are back with some educational content this week! They bring you a couple of segments on Diesel Insights where Nick Priegnitz of Calibrated Power / Duramaxtuner breaks down the differences between a 2024 L5P stock turbo and compare it to the prior years of L5P 6.6L Duramax trucks. Then they bring you another turbo analysis where Nick discusses the 2023 High Output Powerstroke stock turbo compared to the standard output model. Class is in session!

Paul Wilson is joined by Bruce Mallinson of Pittsburgh Power. Bruce details his beginnings with tinkering with Cummins diesel engines in the late 70s, how he grew a one-man operation into this massive empire known as Pittsburgh Power, and just how effective Max Mileage is and why it's one of the best things on the market for semis!

Chris Ehmke brings you Anthony Bruneni and Tim Mahoney as they give you the final few updates of the DIY 'Till I Die LB7 project truck. They discuss fuel and air modifications, the issues they ran into with the injectors install, some sick WCFab parts, and if the accomplished what they had in mind when it comes to goals with the truck. We want to give a massive shoutout to Tim and Anthony. Anyone that has subjected themselves to a build knows these are never easy. Great work boys!

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke get their hands on a 2023 Powerstroke High Output model.... It comes from the factory at 500 HP and 1,200 ft-lbs, so what do the boys think of it? They touch on what they like, what they'd fix, and other things from behind the wheel of the 2023 HO Powerstroke!

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are bring you the first five installments of Tim Mahoney's LB7 project truck they are calling the DIY 'Till I Die! Anthony Bruneni and Tim Mahoney walk you through the project idea, tuning a truck that's 20+ years old, getting it on the dyno, adding a 6th gear, and yanking/building the transmission. Be sure to follow the truck build on Duramaxtuner's YouTube channel.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are joined by Jason Wehrli on this week's episode! Jason talks to the boys about why Y-Bridges are important and how their new re-design are a big deal. He talks about new product development as well.... Specifically 6.7L Powerstroke products!

Paul Wilson is joined by Randy and Jordan Harkema of Exergy Performance to discuss misinformation on their products from unauthorized sellers. Folks, the diesel industry is susceptible to these things just like any other. They discuss what to look out for and why buying from authorized sellers is worth the $20 extra spent.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke have an interesting story for you all this week. They detail and discuss a NOx sensor issue that was misdiagnosed at multiple locations. They break down what went wrong, how it was corrected, and how much this job costs compared to going with the alternative options.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are joined by Jaden McKinley to discuss how his weekend went with the BEAST known as the Big Block Cummins at the Paw Paw Sled Pull. It was hot, 15+ pounds of ice were consumed by the cooler, and how'd it far on the track? Well, find out here!

Paul Wilson and Alex Hogue are joined by Robby Garcia to discuss climbing his way up the standings board with his truck. Robby started competing in 2020 at King Of The Streets and has been going to events ever since. He discusses the progression, what it's like to do these events, and just sending it!

Paul Wilson and Alex Hogue want to let listeners in on a pre-launch secret regarding an STR turbo for the 2019-2023 6.7L Cummins, how a turbo gets certified for emissions standards, and they discuss another charger development that is about to be released by Calibrated Power / Duramaxtuner.

With Tim's LB7 project truck/budget build/DIY 'til I Die coming close to completion (be on the lookout), we thought it'd be a great time to reshare when we had an LBZ budget build with our buddy Tyler Franzen. Paul Wilson, Chris Ehmke, and Tyler discuss the truck and everything on this episode.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke talk with Colin King about his 2006 5.9L Cummins. He has made a few mods and in the process has seen issues arise throughout the build. He discusses that journey with his 5.9L on today's episode

Paul Wilson and Jaden McKinley discuss how sled pull season is going for Jaden with the Calibrated Power 2017 6.7L Powerstroke so far. Dry weather, tracks being beat down, and other factors have had Jaden rethinking his strategies this season; He discusses that on today's episode!

We have a research episode! Paul, Chris, and Alex get into the history of the 2.8L Duramax. They breakdown it's origins, what made it so unique, and ultimately it being done in lieu of the 3 liter. They have all the info on the 2.8L featured on this podcast!

Paul Wilson and Alex Hogue are joined by Jaden McKinley, shop tech at Calibrated Power/Duramaxtuner. They had Jaden on the show to discuss the first sled pull of the season with the 2017 6.7L emissions-equipped Powerstroke, what it's like putting the truck through that much stress, what to look out for, and much more!

Paul and Chris welcome Nick Priegnitz on the show to discuss Gas Vs. Diesel! It's one of our biggest downloaded episodes so we figured it would be a good time to reshare. Have a great one!

Paul Wilson, Chris Ehmke, and Alex Hogue tackle a topic everyone wants information on: fuel economy. Is 30 MPG obtainable or is it a myth? How do you increase fuel economy? Is there a secret to it? They tackle the question on this episode.

Paul Wilson and Alex Hogue are joined by Robert Rowley on today's episode! Robert is an enthusiast through and through. Between juggling tons of projects, his 1967 GMC c1500 with an LB7 chassis, his passion for burnout competitions, and just finding new things to wrench on or fabricate, the man has a passion. This one is interesting and fun, enjoy. Happy 4th of July to you all!

Chris Ehmke and Alex Hogue take you with them for a ride along in a tuned 2022 Cummins. They give you why you may want to finally tune your newer 5th gen, what it takes to have it done, and the benefits of the tuning!

Josh McCormack joins Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke to discuss the weekend at UCC 2023. Josh Missed out on 1st by a mere 15 points, but threw down one of the best pulls of the weekend and put up a number of 2,879.6 HP on the dyno. He discusses the toll this weekend takes on every competitor, the camaraderie, and how he juggles being a shop owner and Youtuber amongst all the chaos. Always a blast having Josh on, hope all the dads had a great Father's Day!

They'reeeee back.... And they return to the show with the title of Ultimate Callout Challenge 2023 Winners! Tony and Tyler Burkhard join us after taking 1st at this year's UCC event. The boys join us to discuss their big weekend, what happened on the drag strip to Tyler, and being the FIRST Duramax to win the Ultimate Callout Challenge. Two of our favorite guests do not disappoint.... Take a listen

UCC 2023 is a wrap! Huge shout out to Tony & Tyler Burkhard for taking home first place. We are currently trying to catch up after the madness of the UCC weekend, so we are bringing back an episode from 2021. It was after Justin Zeigler's first win and the wild weekend the Burkhards had. Enjoy, new episode next week.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke discuss Chris' jaunt down to the Thoroughbred facility for the event last weekend! Chris discusses how the dyno day went, the vendor side of things, and how Thoroughbred is one of the top diesel aftermarket distributors around!

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are joined by Jeff Kelderman of Kelderman Manufacturing to talk about their industry-leading lift kits. Jeff breaks down what goes into developing these lifts as tracks add more electronics, where they all started, and a lot more!

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke have longtime guest Tony Burkhard on to talk about ODSS and UCC coming up very shortly. Tony does it all. Shop owner, family man, competitions, EMT/Firefighter, and just a guy who wants to help his fellow enthusiasts. He sits down to talk about how his team are getting the feel for a different truck, what the UCC and ODSS in Indianapolis will shape up to be like, and more!

Randy Bolig, Editor-In-Chief of Diesel Army, sits down with Paul and Chris to discuss how Diesel Army is tackling hot topics in the world of diesel. Diesel Army covers all topics, but they are leaning heavily on DIY and the utilitarian side of the diesel world. Randy breaks down Diesel Army on this episode!

Josh Thornton of FASS Fuel Systems joins Chris Ehmke and Paul Wilson to discuss lift pumps. Josh has been a significant part of FASS for a while working in the research and development side and if you want to understand how these systems work truly, Josh is the guy. Josh sat down to discuss the evolution of newer products with newer truck models, how FASS continues to pump out what we believe are the industry-leading lift pumps, and many more topics are discussed!

Guy Tripp joins Paul Wilson and Chris Emhke on today's episode. Guy has been pushing the boundaries of what a Duramax engine can do since he bought himself a 2003 LB7. He started out on the gas side of performance modifications and eventually would start what we know today as SoCal Diesel. Guy talks about the progression of Duramax engine builds, how competition continues to get pushed, and how much further these engines can go.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke stopped by to visit Jason Wehrli and talk about everything going on for the Wehrli crew! Jason took time out of his busy schedule to discuss new projects, what 10 years mean to a successful business, and what he's bringing to diesel and the side-by-side industry!

We took a field trip to Auto Meter to discuss the operation they've got when it comes to making some of the nation's best performance gauges! Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke sat down with Marc Erikson and Mike Lovro to discuss why their gauges are some of the best, how the company has continued to evolve since its inception in 1957, and what the future holds for the company. Not only that but they discuss the other amazing facets of the company like its battery testers and more! We'd like to thank Mike and Marc for taking time out of their busy schedule to sit down and talk with us. In addition, we'd like to thank Dean Panettieri (COO of Auto Meter) for his in-depth and knowledgeable tour of the facility. And we'd like to thank Sara White for helping to make this all possible. Thank you!

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke address a topic we constantly get questions on, the 6-speed LB7. The boys want to sift through everything true and everything that is inaccurate when it comes to the 6-speed enabled LB7 diesel truck.

Kory Willis of PPEI joins Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke! The boys have wanted to get Kory on for years and have finally delivered. Kory sits down to talk about the future of the diesel industry, the future of PPEI, and how the tuning industry is constantly changing. An hour-long episode packed with great talk that any diesel enthusiast would want to hear.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke have Chris Searle back on because the UCC 2023 is literally right around the corner! Chris discusses what folks attending the event can expect, what this competition holds, and the world's largest show and shine!

Andrew Bailey of HP Tuners joins Chris Ehmke and Tim Mahoney! We are glad to talk with Andrew again about the process at which the performance world is stoked about, getting access to allow 10-Speed Allison transmission tuning. A huge deal with the driveability for 2020+ Duramax trucks and they discuss the process that goes into R & D, what this means from here on out, and much more!

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are discussing buying a used diesel truck and what you need to know before spending your money. They talk about things you should look out for, how to get the most out of your used purchase, and a ton more on this week's podcast!

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are joined by the reigning back-to-back champion of UCC, Justin Zeigler. He checks in to let the boys know if he's going for a three-peat, what his plans are with ODSS, and how he wants to get back into sled pulling.

Well, well, well. It's happened. HP Tuners has given tuners the ability to unlock the L5P ECM remotely. This is a massive deal within the industry. Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke break down what this means for diesel enthusiasts and the industry on this episode.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke discuss lift pumps in this week's episode! They break down top questions people ask when it comes to lift pumps. From beginner questions to veteran diesel truck tips the boys have you covered on this episode.

What Do We Think Of The 3.0L Duramax? Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke got to take out the newly acquired 2019 3.0L Duramax to let you know what they think about the truck stock, what improvements tuning will be able to make down the road, and much more!

Chris Ehmke and Tim Mahoney have some interesting new developments with Cummins, turbos, and a few more things. They break down what you can expect to see coming here VERY SOON.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are talking horsepower recipes for 5.9L Cummins on this episode. They discuss three different stages for horsepower goals that we see the typical Cummins owner looking for in their years of expertise. From a great daily driver to an all-out beast, let's get it!

With the diesel industry changing constantly, you may have noticed statements with aftermarket diesel products saying "49-State Tuning" or "50-State Tuning." What does it mean? Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke break it down for you on this episode.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke want to discuss an ongoing topic that has been put on blast in a Facebook group. They discuss integrity within the community of diesel. Why? There's a name out there lacking in it and it's something that needs to be addressed. They boys do so in this episode!

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are joined by Calibrated Power/DuramaxTuner's head of R&D, Tim Mahoney, to discuss his upcoming project. Tim gives you his upcoming project which is building an LB7. He wants 674 horsepower, sub 13-sec quarter mile, and a reliable truck to haul side by sides, snowmobiles, and more toys across the Midwest into Colorado!

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke are joined by Calibrated Power/DuramaxTuner's head of R&D, Tim Mahoney, to discuss his upcoming project. Tim gives you his upcoming project which is building an LB7. He wants 674 horsepower, sub 13-sec quarter mile, and a reliable truck to haul side by sides, snowmobiles, and more toys across the Midwest into Colorado!

As you all are diesel enthusiasts like us, you know we lost a real one this year. Turba Tom embodied everything that makes this community what it is. Passion, a drive to learn, the want to pass that along to newcomers, and most importantly, a great person to be around. This episode was recorded in June of this year and is dedicated to a man that will be missed, but never forgotten.

Paul Wilson and Chris Ehmke round out a BIG year for the Diesel Performance Podcast and discuss all the episodes you loved. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for our listeners, and we thank you all! The industry continues to change, records continue to be broken or pushed, and the passion for diesel continues to grow. Merry Christmas from the crew at Diesel Performance Podcast!