10-4 Magazine - For Today's Trucker

December 2007 - Performance Zone
LOVE WHAT YOU DO
By Performance Specialist Bruce C. Mallinson

As a reader of 10-4 Magazine, it is apparent to me that you go out of your way to find this great publication. You are the type of driver that doesn’t settle for the “normal” type of truck that everyone else drives. I know how hard this magazine is to find because it disappears off our shelves so quickly. Many eastern-based owner operators never get a copy because the west coast truckers grab them as soon as they come out! So, if this is the case, and you are a unique, special kind of trucker, why do you drive a truck with a stock engine? Stock engines use more fuel, work harder, produce more iron particles in the oil (which wears out the engine), and certainly are not as fun to drive as trucks with modified engines.

The better your truck runs, the better you will feel towards it and the better you’ll treat it. For 30 years we have been building high performance diesel engines and it is amazing to me how long these engines run and how fuel-efficient they are. If you love the way your truck runs, you will enjoy driving it that much more, and the better care you’ll give it. Think back to high school, about the star football player, and all of the attention he received. He could do no wrong. After all, the Friday night football games depended on him. Well, your truck is the star player in your life.

If you don’t enjoy driving your truck and it is not performing up to your expectations, you won’t maintain it as well as if it was your star player. Your truck has to be number one in your life – after all, it makes your life possible. It’s always amazing to me when I see one of our customers years later, still with the same truck and over a million miles on the odometer, and the engine is still running great and the truck is well maintained. That is because they love how the truck runs and how it performs. Take your car or pickup truck and unplug two of the spark plug wires and then go on a 120-mile trip. I guarantee that you will not feel the same towards that vehicle after this frustrating trek. You’ll probably hate it, regardless of how much it cost or how beautiful it looks – if it doesn’t perform, it is worthless!

As I drive to work today, I’ll be driving a high performance Dodge Cummins pickup, and it will put a smile on my face. In fact, we have three Dodge pickups at the diesel shop and they all are turned up and run great. They all put a smile on my face and I love the feeling I get when I push on the accelerator and watch the turbo boost gauge climb as the truck flies up the hills. It’s what life is all about – loving what you do.

All of the beautiful pictures in 10-4 Magazine come from Erik and Dan because they love photography and trucks. Erik also loves great cars and does his own cleaning every day. He is extremely thorough – this guy doesn’t miss a spot on his vehicles when he is washing them. I stayed at his house during the L.A. Truck Show last year and watched how he cleaned his vehicles (and even the driveway after each washing) – this guy hates dirt! Just being around Erik, Jean, Dan and Shannon, it is apparent that they love what they do, producing this great magazine for you each and every month. So, do you love what you do? Does your truck put a smile on your face? The better your truck runs, the better the fuel mileage will be, and the better care you will give it. Following are a few suggestions I’d like to offer to help make your truck perform like a star.

My first piece of advice would be to recommend that you install free flowing mufflers on your truck. You must get rid of the exhaust to allow the engine to run free. Our mufflers will give you a 1/4 or more mpg improvement and iron particles in your oil will be decreased due to getting rid of the back pressure. Additionally, I would suggest that you install a Pittsburgh Power Performance Computer on your rig. This unit has 7 power settings on most (and 9 on some) engines, allowing you to “dial up” as much power as you need to get the job done. This computer will put a smile on your face and you’ll love to drive your truck with its new performance. This performance computer will give you an increase of 3/10 mpg or more in fuel efficiency and a lot more horsepower.

I would also recommend that you install the FASS Fuel System on your truck. This system, which removes the air from your diesel fuel and helps to provide a steady and even flow of fuel, allows the engine to run smoother, pull more consistently, and improves fuel mileage by 2 to 3 tenths mpg, is the icing on the cake. As an added bonus, this product will remove much of the vibrations in your engine as well (when installed on the 2004 BXS Acert Caterpillars, the engine vibration virtually goes away).

If you own a DD4 Detroit, we have a turbocharger that is 15% larger than the stock ones and it will also improve your fuel mileage by allowing the engine to run free. Like country music singer Dierks Bentley says, “Free and easy down the road I go.” Well, if your turbo is too small, you won’t be going “free and easy” anywhere – your boot will always be in the throttle, and that burns more fuel! We also have larger injectors for these engines (and the DD3) which will produce about 60 more horsepower. And with that added horsepower comes more fuel mileage. If your injectors are in need of replacement, go with the larger ones – you’ll be glad you did!

Another item that can save you thousands of dollars is a crankshaft damper. A damper that has 500,000 miles on it needs to be replaced. It can no longer function to protect your crankshaft from torsional twisting and vibrations, which are the leading causes of broken crankshafts. By the way, ours are made in the USA. Most of the OEM’s dampers are now made in China and India. I have chosen to stay with the ones made right here in the USA! Yes, they cost a little more than the imported dampers, however this company is the one that originally designed the dampers for Cummins, Cat, Mack and Detroit. Needless to say, it is the best product available!

Last but not least, I’d recommend installing a mercury-filled crankshaft balancer. This item goes on the crankshaft right behind the damper and balances the crankshaft, connecting rods and the pistons. An engine that runs smoother will pull better and last longer. You will also be able to drive longer because of the reduced vibrations. Just think how much longer your truck could last going down the highway with less vibration.

Remember, your truck is your star athlete – treat it as such, and all of your efforts will be returned to you in fuel mileage, the joy of driving a great running truck, and the fact that your truck (and you) will have a much longer life! To love what you do, you’ll have to love your truck, too. If you have any performance-related comments or questions, call me at (724) 360-4080 or send an e-mail to bruce@pittsburghpower.com.