MORE POWER NEED MORE POWER, how bout?

[sasquatch2550]

HI, im the same guy asking the K&N question form the previous thread, 97 ram 1500 5.2 auto. Everything stock except for K&n flat stock airbox airfilter. & new plugs, truck has 113k miles, whats the cheapest route to better performance while keeping mpg good, right now its great for a truck this big, better than my last 4.7 dakota or my 5 liter ford explorer. Basically im looking to more efficiently burn all the fuel in the pistons completly. Was thinking new high performance plug wires, even found a set that has capacitors built into the wire that really a bigger voltage for more spark. was also thinking of removing the stock fan and pulley and replacing with electric fans, but was worried that the alternator couldnt handle the extra drain, any advice would be helpful, towing heavy boat in mountainous PA. also worried about cooling .I followed the lines out of the trans and they run to a small radiator which is sandwiched in between the AC radiator and the main engine radiator, I assume that this is a factory installed trans cooler.

[slantsixness]

yes it is a factory trans cooler. So, put in a third. Won't hurt.

You might want to look at your exhaust for more performance from here. I don't think the wires are going to do anything but cost you money.

[BleedDodge]

Dual exhaust is the first thing I would do. The hood scoops give you 15 more horsepower but cut off 2 mpg from wind resistance!

I'm just kidding about the scoops.

[sasquatch2550]

Dual exhaust eh? from cat back? jeff

[BleedDodge]

No. No cats.

Begin by cutting the stock pipes off right where they enter the cat. Step back and enjoy that sight for a minute before you proceed.

Fabricate pipes towards the rear of the truck, and put mufflers on at some point. Tailpipes too if you so desire.

Now you take a tap & die kit and tap holes in the pipes as close to the manifolds as possible. This is where you put the oxygen sensors. The post-cat sensor will throw a code as soon as you start the truck that will tell the computer that the cat isn't working. Well isn't that swell? There isn't a cat there anymore! That's about all that will happen. Straight exhaust is the way to go, it's all I will ever have on my trucks. That's just what I believe in, though. You can do what you want...

I know that slantsixness will tell you that this sounds like a Honda or something with burnt exhaust valves and everything, and he's right. But it sounds so good to me! It's music to my ears!

Hey, don't get me wrong, you could also do this from the cat back, just don't put on a Flowmassah or Gibson or some garbage like that, make sure it's at least a Thrush or a Cherry-bomb!

[TRAILDUSTER79]

ok, you wan tmore power. well here are a few things you can do. any way you look at it, mods will always cost money, so do your shopping before you buy...........

headers that are legal (if you remove the O2 sensors, you will send a false signal to the computer and it will really mess your fuel consumption up) keep the Cat, but get a high perforamce one (they are made) = better air flow...when you goto dual exhaiust, make sure you keep a crossover pipe within 18 inches of the collectors as to even the pressure out so you wont suck cold air back to the valves and do damage to them......most collectors are 2.5" so try to keep it that way all the way to the back......next, you want better fire, goto MSD Ignition and see what they can offer you.....a Performance chip will unleash the ponies in the engine more than anything and is great for pulling......on the trans cooler, the best thing to do is to remove the stoke one and replace it with one that is rated around 28,000 lbs area....no need to double up, will cause to much back pressure on the lines and you will start to blow seals on the tranny...= $$$$$$$$$ over time to keep getting it fixed.. if you can, get a stick shift, better power, millage and pulling capabilities......and remember, if your exhaust is to loud, you can get pulled over and ticketed for it, and if they inspect your vehicle and find that you have removed the Cat (which is a FEDERAL MANDATE TO HAVE ON ALL VEHICLES SINCE 1978) YOU CAN GET INTO BIG TROUBLE. BE SMART, STAY WITHIN THE LAWS AND YOU STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, THERE IS A LOT THAT YOU CAN DO, YOU JUST HAVE TO RESEARCH WHAT YOU HAVE , WHAT YOU CAN GET, AND THEN YOU CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DESCISION WITH FACTS

[slantsixness]

trailduster79 (dale) is absolutely right about the exhaust, and the crossover.

I don't agree that using two or three trans coolers would cause a buildup of back pressure, but I suppose that using two or more would give more chances for leaks. Since it's hydraulic(well, sort of) fluid, the pressure and flow rate is going to be determined by the size of the inlet and outlets on the transmission, which are puny in comparison with the coolers and lines. The trans pump has no real consideration for the volume that it moves. As long as the supply is there, it will continue to move the fluid. The cooler the fluid is kept, the better.

But, I will say that I don't have specifics in front of me that could limit the performance, so It would be a safer bet to consider Dale's 28,000# cooler version.

As far as not running Catalytic converters? That's entirely up to you and, although Dale's right about getting into trouble, there's a whole lot of people out there without them, and enjoy much improved performance. I do run them on my trucks, but look inside.... (they're empty!) and still pass Virginia emissions!

Slantsixness

[TRAILDUSTER79]

SLATSIXNESS HAS SOME GOOD ADVISE ALSO.....THE PROBLEM WITH RUNBNING MULITPLE COOLERS ON A TRANNY ARE.....the ports on the tranns are a size 2 (normally) fitting on the inlet and outlet, but when going to an aftermarket cooler, they get all the way up to size 8. What happens is when the tranny is pushing the fluid threw a smaller line then opens into a larger one [you get a pressure drop, not much, but it is there], yes you have more volume (good thing cause you want more to be in the cooler to be cooled) but when you have it going from one cooler (with one size) to another cooler (with another size) it can and will cause a back-pressure increase that will blow the front seal in about 6 months. I know, happened to me before i figured it out and I had to fix the goof.(7 trannies later in 5 years)...so keep the same size line from the stock one going to the new cooler and the same for the return, just get adapters for the cooler to the lines.
And it is always a good idea to give yourself more cooling than you need just in case you come into a situation that really strains the truck in a long hill pull with a heavy load....(i.e. making the long climb up to Snow Shoe ;-) from Hazleton.

[sasquatch2550]

any advice on removing the stock pulley, clutch and fan and replacing with an eletric setup?

[TRAILDUSTER79]

Ok, the best thing to do on replacing a stock pully setup. Is to goto Mach perforamce Pully's, they are a reduction pully which will give you some more ponies, $350 ballpark. You might want to add an electric fan that has a thermastat sensor on it that can be set-up to be actuated by the tranny and have it mounted on the tranny cooler. Otherwise I would leave the stock fan set-up alone, it works real good and when you get into the area of cooling, if it aint broke, don't mess with it....problem usualy start after you do..........What do you think Slantsixness (Tom)?

[slantsixness]

The stock fan is adequate(Dale is right), an external thermostatically controlled fan just for the trans cooler would be a good Idea.
There's another post about the fans in the forum that we all got in a fight over, look it up.
Replacing the stock fan with electric fans can actually reduce cooling efficiency and tax your alternator, and will actually rob your horsepower, too. In Racing applications, driving the water pump and fans with a battery is ok, and gives you a power boost, but only because you only run it 1/4 mile at a time. It's useless for street applications and long range applications, unless you're not concerned with the amount of power it robs.

Dale,
Your theory about the trans cooler(s) is right, although I've never seen it blow a seal myself, the pump actually has to keep the coolers and the higher volume at pressure, which can overtax it.

Slantsixness [Tom]

[sasquatch2550]

som get a supplemental fan for the trans cooler(stock one,not gonna mess with an aftermarket) and leave the main mechanical cooling fan alone?

[TRAILDUSTER79]

You can buy a heavy duty aftermarket cooler that comes with it's own fan. By doing it that way, you can save the headache of trying to match a fan to your cooler, they are a lil pricy, but well worth the investment. And when doing so, it is usualy a good idea to remove the stock one since it wont be helping much, the only way i would keep it is if the lines are the same size on your new one and the old one.