Which box to buy?

[Dmaxin]

I hear that alot of people run the juice on their truck but what about BD EZ Amp, and the Duramaximizer. Any advantages to using one or the other? Also what kinda added wear, if any, do you think is put on the engine by raising the power that much? I have to keep my truck for a long time and dont want to hurt anything. Thanks

[car of the week]

dmaxin--

i have the dyno dominator from bully dog and guess what-it is from edge products and they have done the upgrades. the BD EZ amp is also the same, edge products. the Duramaximizer is a different beast and has its advantages and disadvantages but i am very happy with this product and i have had it on the truck for about 6,000 miles now and would not own a d-max without it

Ryan

[thechevyhdman]

Dmaxin, based upon my own personal experience with Edge I would'nt even consider buying a box from anyone else. Not only do they put out a great product, they have awsome customer service, and care about you if you have any problems with their box. I cant praise the company enough like I've said in previous posts, Since owning a Duramax Juice has been the most customer oriented company, I have dealt with. No questions asked THEIR AWSOME. Bill

[SoCalDieselNewbie]

DMaxin,

Please do not take this the wrong way but hanging around this site can make a person "need" something that he really only wants and doesn't really need.

The stock truck is great. It is fast. It has power.

My recomendation for a box for your truck... None.

Why? because of what you wrote... "Also what kinda added wear, if any, do you think is put on the engine by raising the power that much? I have to keep my truck for a long time and dont want to hurt anything."

You will see 10 posts below mine stating that I am wrong but I'll say it anyway... If you want to maintain the life expectancy of the engine, don't mess with it.

I subscribe to the "nothing is free" theory so to me that additional power has to cost you something.

[HK 3]

I have had the 4.35 Juice on my Dmax for about 5,000 miles now. I installed it on Sept. 19th and it truly makes the Dmax a screamer. The edge people are up the road in Ogden, Utah, and if I wanted to I could have bought it directly from them. I talked to them several times before I purchased my unit from Gillett Diesel Service in Salt Lake City. The customer service is off the charts. The technical expertise, in my opinion, unrivaled, and the product to die for!! Obvioulsy, I am a most satisfied customer. You can not go wrong with this product. I drive it all the time in the 4th setting (90 hp) which puts 335 rwhp to the street. Once over 180 degrees on the temperature guage, hang on, the "E" ticket ride begins. I believe that any addition of the "Juice" to your Dmax, should include in the budget the appropriate Boost and EGT gauges. Again, you can't go wrong with this product. Everytime you get in your Dmax, it is like coming down the stairs when you were a little kid for Christmas morning, its exciting.

[sdaver]

JUICE FOR ME (DITTOS TO ALL BUT ONE POSTED ABOVE)!!! OL SOCALNEWBIE MIGHT NOT HANG WITH MY JUICED TRUCK..........BUT HE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE ME FOR QUITE A DISTANCE WITH THOSE PENCIL BEAMS..........HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL WEAR ON YOUR ALTERNATOR :D ........DAVE

[SoCalDieselNewbie]

Dave,

I don't know about in Dixie but out here in Southern Cali them are racing words.

Since you have the truck with the big bad super juice, you do plan on giving up a truck or two, right? And if you want to run gor $$$, we will run for $$$ with only 1 caveat... Winner buys dinner & booze.

So if you ever make it out to west, bring the Duramax... bring the crawler... we'll run the trail and have good times.

[sdaver]

ILL SPOT UA 4 LENGTHS WITH THE TRUCK AND 2 LENGTHS WITH THE JEEP............I WOULD LOVE TO DO SOME CRAWLING OUT THERE........WE HAVE THIS BLACK AND RED GOO CALLED MUD OVER MOST OF OUR ROCKS MAKES THINGS VERY INTERESTING TO SAY THE LEAST.......I HEAR IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CAILFORNIA(FROM SOME SONG).......AS FOR THE EATS AND THE DRINKS HEY IM GOOD FOR THEM WIN LOSE OR DRAW.. :D DAVE

[ 11-17-2002: Message edited by: sdaver ]

[ 11-17-2002: Message edited by: sdaver ]</p>

[SoCalDMAX]

SCDN brought up a good point. Nothing is free. I agree that increased power by any box or method *might* lead to reduced engine life, but I think a lot of factors need to be considered.

A non turbo diesel sounds "harsh" and struggles to pull a decent load. Turbos are the best thing to happen to diesels. I don't know for a fact, but my understanding is that turbodiesels are running as long/longer than the NA versions. My gut feeling tells me the smoother an engine is running (via boost, blueprinting, balancing) the longer it will live due to reduced rotational stresses, etc. (I'm no engr, just trying to apply some logic and a little experience.)

Now let's say 3 trucks with NO defective parts on them are equipped as follows: a 200hp NA engine, a 300hp Dmax engine and a modded 400hp Dmax (all measured at the flywheel.) All are driven exactly the same way with the same 9,000lb load up the same occasional 6% grade and rpms are kept reasonable by the same Allison tranny on all 3 trucks. My *guess* would be that on the hills, the 200hp model is gonna get floored to maintain 55mph (while dropping to 40mph in 3rd), the 300hp Dmax may get 80% throttle and drop to 4th, revving to 3200rpm(?) to maintain 55 and the modded truck will maintain 55mph at a comfortable 1600rpm in 5th.

Based on that scenario, I'd say the 200hp version is gonna die first due to higher rpm/mi and more strain to make the power, the stock Dmax will last a good long time, but the modded version might actually live longer due to lower revs for the mileage driven.

Under flat fwy conditions, none are straining that hard. The modded truck is running 2lbs more boost than the stocker and breathing easier due to it. I know my engine sounds and runs much smoother on the fwy with a mod to it. I'd love to be able to keep up with/ahead of most traffic in the city and pull 10,000lbs briskly without going over 2200 or 2400rpm. For all but the most extreme stoplight annihilations, I can currently do that.

Now let's consider Joe Racer. He uses the throttle like a light switch and he's on that rev limiter like Pam Anderson. Any truck driven like that is not gonna last as long as if it were driven smoothly, the whole drivetrain takes a beating. I think a modded truck can wear down and strain components faster if driven hard at all times.

Short version: I think driving style and conditions have more of an effect on engine life than a moderately modded engine driven reasonably and smoothly. I think RPMs are more detrimental to a diesel than moderate hp judiciously used. Some people want to have the fastest rig around and buy new every 2yrs.

I'm no expert, and these are just my opinions, based on a little bit of gasser experience and logic. I'm willing to listen.

BTW, SCDN, we gotta get together sometime and discuss diesels, life and your obviously successful pickup techniques. ;) Let's meet somewhere for coffee or dinner and if you're interested, I can lend you a module for a while.

Regards, Steve

[sdaver]

MINE IS SMOOTHER AND QUIETER ON THE JUCIE THAN OFF :D DAVE

[SoCalDieselNewbie]

sdaver,

4 trucks? Sounds like a go on the Dmax!

I didn't mean to give the impression that we would be running a local SoCal trail. They closed our best one.

I was talking about running THE TRAIL... THE BIG DADDY... THE TRAIL THAT ALL TRAILS WANNABE WHEN THEY GROW UP... THE RUBICON TRAIL...

It is about 8 hours from the house and we have run it a number of times.

And no, I don't run it like the bansai crew... we run it slow and proper.

My favorite time is late spring or early summer... it isn't as crowded, the weather is much cooler and the snow patches add a little excitement.

We'll have a blast!

SOCALDMAX,

Thanks for the offer of a power module loan but I would have to respectfully decline.

Like I said earlier, we need to hook up and take some ricer $$$. I need some Alcoa 19.5" wheels. I know how to feather a throttle and keep it close. The problem will be the guys squeezing, I would hate to have to clean fried rice off of the truck. :D

Once I get my 19.5" Alcoas, notice I didn't say 'if', do you think putting slicks on the stocker rims would tip them off? lol

[ 11-14-2002: Message edited by: SoCalDieselNewbie ]</p>

[Oongawah]

Version 4.61 is so smooth, and well balanced, that when I first got mine I was doing 80MPH on the straight away, and so used to having my foot deeper in the GO area I felt like I was sittin' on the hood(literally). SCDMN, we all respect you(speakin' for myself anyway-hehe). This is a great area of debate. You would have to agree though that some aftermarket improvements actually make vehicles last longer, and some don't. The one most proven technique of making a vehicle last the longest is not to use it at all. I figure what's the point, we're all gonna end up in a ditch someday anyway. You can't take it with you. Just some thought. Hey, I got to meet Tony'sKid last week in Lancaster, really cool guy. Maybe we could all hook up some day soon. Oh, forgot, he's going back to NY soon. I get over your way a couple times out of the year. I'll post when I know that I'll be that way. Peace out! Chuck.

[Big O]

SoCalDMAX, DITTO--I agree completely.

[afp]

Ditto to most here. I have version 4.0. With the juice on level 4, my mileage increased, my truck runs smoother, the tranny shifts better, and it will get to 60 mph in under 6.0 seconds--according to the GTech.

I don't think there is much more reliable power available with a stock engine and tranny that Juice on level 4. Any more power increases seem to require tranny mods and such to maintain relibility.

Bottom line, the only reliable street trucks that will out run or out pull mine are those with seruos power and tranny mods. And thise cost a lot more than the $800 I paid for my Juice.

Blaine

[tonyskid]

Oongawah is right his truck does run smooth, I had the pleasure of driving it last week when he stop by to show it to me. Chuck just to let you know I ordered one from JK and it should be here on Wednesday cant wait. Again thanks for letting me test drive your truck and it was a pleasure to meet you also. I will let you know how I make out with the install.
Tony
:D :D :D tongue.gif tongue.gif :D :D

[Oongawah]

Tony, you could do it with your eyes closed. Remember there is a 200 mile training period for the Alli. In other words, drive it like you mean it, and the tranny will adjust to it. Let me know how it goes man. C-ya!

[SoCalDieselNewbie]

SoCalDMAX, Oongawah & tonyskid...

I am not trying to be contrarian or playing devil's advocate but I don't know of anybody that has put any serious mileage on a D-Max using one of these boxes.

I think that at this point, all we are doing is speculating on the outcome. Neither side of the fence has solid evidence to refute the other's stance.

However, we do know what the D-Max expectancy is for a stock truck under heavy use... A guy like Broker has pilled on the mileage. Will the Juiced truck achieve the same total mileage?

Again, I am not trying to put anybody down, nor their trucks, nor their power adders...

The gentleman asked about power adders with a concern regarding it's effect on the longevity of his motor. Since no study regarding the different power adders and their effect on longevity has been conducted, I'll error on the side of conservatism in my advice when it is dealing with someone's new $40,000 baby.

I struggled with his EXACT same question at 1 point in time. It was a serious concern since I put around 5,000 miles per month on my truck.

Anyway, I love these trucks... I have had mine for just over 5 months and just over 25,000 miles.

tonyskid & Oongawah,

I am always on I-14 going thru Palmdale, Lancaster & Mojave. I have a place up in Mammoth Lakes so I am up there about 3 weekends a month during the winter & spring (suprisingly, rarely skiing but rather fishing).

As a matter of fact, I just came back last night... With all that cool winter air and that it finally broke in, the truck has been running REAL strong.

Figured up my mileage this morning... 355 miles & 20.8 gallons for 17.1 MPG @ 65 mph... not bad for towing my little drift boat. :D