LBZ Duramax Upgrades – Where Should I Start?

[deerefan]

Hello everyone.

I'm looking for advice on LBZ Duramax upgrades and where to start for a reliable daily driver with extra power. My truck is mostly stock right now, and I want a balanced setup that improves performance without sacrificing long-term durability.

Should I focus first on tuning, intake, exhaust, or supporting transmission upgrades?

I've seen recommendations for EFI Live tuning, cold air intakes, and upgraded intercoolers, but I'm not sure what order makes the most sense.

Also, what supporting mods are essential before pushing higher horsepower safely? Any real-world experience or build suggestions for a strong street setup would appreciated

 

[deerefan]

Hello everyone.

I'm looking for advice on LBZ Duramax upgrades and where to start for a reliable daily driver with extra power. My truck is mostly stock right now, and I want a balanced setup that improves performance without sacrificing long-term durability.

Should I focus first on tuning, intake, exhaust, or supporting transmission upgrades?

I've seen recommendations for EFI Live tuning, cold air intakes, and upgraded intercoolers, but I'm not sure what order makes the most sense.

Also, what supporting mods are essential before pushing higher horsepower safely with LBZ Duramax upgrades? Any real-world experience or build suggestions for a strong street setup would be appreciated.

thanks in advance for any help

 

[Will L.]

The first thing to do is pin the harmonic balancer, regardless if you bump up power or not. If you aren’t familiar- look it up! The factory pins shears off , balancer spins on crankshaft, crankshaft snaps!

Make sure to drill the pin 180° opposite of the factory pins. This is best for it now, and if you ever rebuild the engine and have normal keyways cut in to replace the stupid perpendicular pins.


Second thing is liftpump. Fass pump with the filters. If water, dirt, or algae gets through to your injection pump and injectors - you get to spend many thousands right away and in some cases need pistons too. The Fass filter stops the water, algae and dirt. The pump keeps the injection pump from cavitation erosion.

There are cheaper ones- but most are no where near the quality, and will require replacing in a couple years. The Fass is one & done.

Then do complete 4” exhaust, followed by air intake.

Now you have a solid base to build on. Do these 4 in this order before you do anything else.

Figure out the money you spent so far and now what it takes to hit your power goals . So far, zero money wasted- it all was wise investment. Now spending money on the rest becomes arguable.


Make a decision about your transmission based on your end power goals and what mileage and abuse it has taken to this point.
The smart money is on having the transmission rebuilt for the full power before modifying engine. The exhaust and intake will naturally bump power a little but not enough to mess with the trans. But when you start cranking up the ponies- that stock tranny will smoke.
Remember to choose a great torque converter when doing the trans - thats a mistake many make when building hotrods.