Generally speaking, diesel performance are good for making power, but not so much for speed. They have lower max rpm levels and the fuel burns slower than gasoline, so they’re more suitable for pulling than racing. But thanks to new technologies, it’s now possible for engine specialists to extract more torque and horsepower from these engines without sacrificing driveability. Diesel performance chips, modules, boxes, and tuners help increase the way a diesel engine burns the fuel for greater efficiency, or
Before the EPA cracked down on light duty diesels with its emissions regulations, it was easy to make massive amounts of power in these trucks by using simple upgrades like programmers (chips), cold air intakes and exhaust systems. But with the EPA crackdowns, many shops that used to focus on these kinds of modifications have stopped doing business and have moved on to other fields.
There are still shops out there who specialize in diesel performance, though. They know how to get enormous power out of a diesel truck while not compromising driveability, such as companies like PPEI and Kory Willis. He made a name for himself in the GM Duramax scene by producing truck with record-setting quarter mile times, but he’s now being forced to find new ways to boost power without violating emissions regulations.