Improving a 2012 LML Duramax

Transcription

1 TECH DIESEL WORLD MAGAZINE BY JACOB WHITE Improving a 2012 LML Duramax Part One: Introduction and Edge Jammer Stage 2 Kit Installation EDGE PRODUCTS EdgeProducts.com I n the market for a new truck but can t seem to be able to convince your bank you can afford a brand new 2018 model and their 60k+ price tags? That s exactly where I found myself this past November when my 175,000-mile 2002 LB7 Duramax and our six-year romance seemed to be over. I d had fun building that truck to a 750hp street stomper and tow rig, but the latest diesel technology, creature comforts and air-conditioned seats in newer trucks kept calling my name, it was time to upgrade. There was a lot of interest in my LB7 truck and it didn t take long to find the right buyer willing to take care of it like I had, so down the road it went. That unfortunately left me on foot and scouring the classified ads and local used truck lots for something to replace it with. I ve been a Ford guy at heart, but really came to love that Duramax, so with a $35,000 budget I was on the search for 2011 or newer 6.7L Power Stroke or LML Duramax. Obviously, by the lead picture in this story you can see Chevrolet once again won that battle for me, but it wasn t because I thought it would be a better truck than a Ford. I just happened to find something loaded with the options I wanted that appeared to have been taken care of and was within budget. 48 MARCH I 2018 DIESEL WORLD DW GMSEMA.indd 48 The newly released Jammer Stage 2 systems are available for most diesels and offer better airflow for increased performance both in and out of the engine. When paired with the all-in-one Evolution Color Touch Screen (CTS2) monitor you can bank on better horsepower and increased fuel mileage to boot.

2 While it filters well and has enough flow to support the already impressive 370-rwhp, the stock airbox is the first thing to be swapped out. Increasing flow with the Edge Jammer intake will help that LML breathe once the performance tuning is downloaded. You ll re-use all the factory sensors, so be careful not to break any wires or connectors when removing the stock lid and ducting. The large paper filter works finefor a stock application, but why continue to spend money on replacements every 5,000-10,000 miles when you can upgrade to the cleanable high-flow filter supplied in the Jammer system? This particular truck came off an auto auction line in Canada, where the exchange rate has made American used truck dealers dare to venture north of the border for less expensive vehicles to fill their lots with. This one showed up at State Street Truck Stop in Sandy, Utah, where their salesperson was willing to take great care of us and pass those savings along. This is a HD with the LTZ package, so it s basically fully loaded with a sunroof, in-dash navigation, black leather heated and air-conditioned seats everything I was after. It wasn t the color I wanted (black) but I could overlook that for the price. With 117,000 miles on the clock, it also had more mileage than I d hoped, but fully loaded trucks under 100k miles were bringing $40,000 here in Utah and I just couldn t justify spending that. But what sealed the deal was the lengthy Carfax report that showed religious services at the GM dealer in British Columbia with frequent fuel filters, oil changes and even full transmission services. It had the front and rear brakes DW GMSEMA.indd 49 MARCH I 2018 DIESEL WORLD 49

3 Project Looks done recently and some leaking power steering lines had been replaced. I felt confident the previous owner had taken good care of it and a qualified shop had been doing the work. So here I am, a month into ownership of the perfect stock LML Duramax that I can turn into an all new project to help show readers what to look for on the GM trucks. Over the course of the next year, hopefully we can use this truck to inform you on what factory equipment and parts fail at higher mileages and why. What the aftermarket has available to improve them and how you can turn a Plain Jane grandpa truck like this one into something that not only looks good, but has the muscle under the hood to scare off a Camaro or two without hurting the longevity and reliability of daily-driven and tow-rig duties. This truck is driven all week getting kids to and from school and running grocery errands, and will be towing a 29-foot fifth wheel travel trailer all over the place, so reliability and usable horsepower are two main focuses. So here s the intro to Project Looks. Muscle. Longevity the LML build. Where do we start? Edge Jammer Stage 2 Kit Over the course of the next few issues we ll start looking into general maintenance and aftermarket parts that can save future parts failure and expenses, while offering better performance, efficiency and cosmetic looks. We ll do some transmission and transfer case work, a fuel system lift pump to take some strain off the CP4.2 injection pump, and we ll upgrade the wornout independent front end with some better steering and suspension parts. But first, some CARB-compliant horsepower and fuel mileage mods with the installation of the all new Edge Jammer Stage 2 kit that includes an Evolution CTS2 tuner, Jammer intake and Jammer DPF-Back exhaust system. The new injection-molded sealed Jammer intake kit ensures clean, cool air is pulled from outside the hot engine bay and directed to the turbocharger through a smooth, high-flowing pipe. The plastic system also insulates better, keeping under hood heat out of the intake path, improving engine efficiency and emissions control. If it weren t for that big Edge logo, you d think this airbox was factory it fits so nicely. This system can offer better throttle response, cooler intake temperatures and improved turbo spool-up at low rpm due to its increased flow and design. The all-new Jammer exhaust system offers improved sound and a stylish polished stainless tip to replace the factory trumpet-style pipe. Since it is made from the high quality 100% Stainless Steel, you ll never have to worry about replacing it because of rust and rot. 50 MARCH I 2018 DIESEL WORLD DW GMSEMA.indd 50

4 Project Looks As the #1 selling digital gauge system on the market today for diesel truck owners, the CTS2 monitor combined with Edge s custom engine programming makes the Evolution the perfect upgrade for truck owners looking to keep an eye on engine vitals while giving the engine a little extra pep and performance. For the LML Duramax, Edge engineers spent countless hours testing, calibrating, and fine-tuning the engine for better power and torque without affecting emissions output, so your regen frequency can be maintained and even California CARB requirements can be met for 50-state-legal horsepower gains. Jammer Intake and Exhaust To help that custom tuned engine breathe, the Edge engineers set out to produce easy- toinstall, bolt-on cold-air intakes and exhaust systems designed specifically for the custom calibrations found with the Edge Evolution. As the engine s control module is adjusted for different fuel, timing, and EGR tables, getting as much dense air into the cylinders as possible can really help keep emissions and engine efficiency at its peak potential. The Jammer cold-air intake system was developed to help keep engine heat away from the inside of the intake tract, allowing cool outside air moving from the high-flow, cleanable filter to ensure maximum performance and combustion within the cylinders. The denser air charge will help make more power while keeping overall engine emissions more controlled, which helps with fuel efficiency as well. On the exhaust side, the mandrel-bent stainless steel exhaust piping flows nicely and replaces the eyesore trumpet-for-a-tailpipe GM put on these trucks. A supplied 5-inch polished 304 stainless tip offers style any truck owner should be proud to show off. Installation of the DPF back kit is straightforward, but will require you to cut the stock tract apart. Using the instructions to get the correct measurements for your wheelbase, a Sawzall will make quick work of removing the factory tailpipe. The new 5-inch polished 304 stainless steel exhaust tip is stamped with the Edge logo and will look so much better hanging off the truck than that stock trumpet tip did. The Jammer exhaust uses a cooling cuff just before the tip to help reduce exhaust temperature before reaching the tailpipe exit as well, so you won t need to be worried about that polish fading or browning from excessive heat. Edge supplied the required clamps needed to snug the new system all together, so there is no welding required. With the help of the Sawzall, a pry bar to remove the factory hangers and a cordless impact gun to tighten the clamps, this installation took less than 30 minutes. 52 MARCH I 2018 DIESEL WORLD DW GMSEMA.indd 52

5 Told you that straight cut polished tip would look good sticking out from behind the tire! Project Looks Results Since the Edge Jammer Stage 2 kit is so simple to install on the LML trucks, we didn t even have to unstrap from the rollers after making the baseline stock runs. The intake and Evolution CTS2 were installed in about 30 minutes total, with the new Jammer tailpipe system going on in about another 30 on top of that. Measuring and cutting the stock tailpipe off was the most labor-intensive part of the job, but a Sawzall and long blade made even short work of that task. In stock form, our 117,000-mile LML produced 369 hp and 715 lb-ft of torque, which makes these trucks no slouch for daily drivers and tow rigs. The Stage 2 Jammer kit and the Evolution set on Level 2, or Tow, power jumped to 440 hp with torque climbing to 811lb-ft. This will be the level we ll daily drive, as the Performance EDGE PRODUCTS AND THEIR ENGINEERS HAVE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO BUILD TUNING PROFILES THAT CAN IMPROVE EFFICIENCY... For tuning and monitoring engine vitals, the Evolution CTS2 is just what this truck needed. The color touchscreen is easy to read, and offers multiple PIDs to monitor while driving. The pre-programmed performance tunes will also fine-tune that Duramax engine for better throttle response, improved horsepower/torque, and even better mileage if you can maintain a similar driving style. tune went clear to 496 hp and 932 lb-ft which would be a blast to run on the street. However, with concerns of the higher mileage stock CP4 injection pump and Allison transmission getting upset under that much demand, we ll wait until some other supporting modifications are bolted on. One of the key points to this install that can t be overlooked is the fact that Edge Products and their engineers have gone to great lengths to build tuning profiles that can improve efficiency, throttle response and fuel mileage without affecting your regen frequencies or soot accumulation. These tunes have been tested and modified to keep that clean-burning LML power plant completely emissionscompliant for all 50 states, including the stubborn CARB-required California. We can even confirm the consistency with on average of 400 miles between regeneration running that 440hp tune-up. The truck has seen a fuel mileage increase as well, from the stock 16.2 to around 17.3 mpg mixed city/highway. 54 MARCH I 2018 DIESEL WORLD DW GMSEMA.indd 54 In the cab, the CTS2 monitor has countless display settings and layouts to choose from that can be set up by the end user to monitor vital signs as they see fit. For this specific build, displaying EGTs, DPF regen status, soot particles within the DPF, and engine coolant temperatures will help keep the driver informed while driving and towing.

6 In hopes of backing their marketing claims, Edge Products allowed us to strap this new-to-us truck to their in-house dyno to show just how much power potential hides within that engine with a little better airflow and the custom programming to go with it. In 100% stock form, this 2012 LML put down a very impressive 369 hp and 715 lb-ft of torque. That kind of torque was unheard of ten years ago in even modified trucks and now they re coming right from the dealer like that. But when there is more on the table, why not tap in to it especially if you can keep the emissions equipment intact and meet CARB standards? 56 MARCH I 2018 DIESEL WORLD DW GMSEMA.indd 56 Running the Level 2 Tow file, the Jammer Stage 2 gained 70 hp and almost 100 lb-ft, bringing it up to 440 hp and 815 lb-ft. br While it won t be run often, the guys at Edge had to see just how far programming and an intake with DPF back exhaust would take this LML, so the Performance tune was downloaded into the ECM and a third and final dyno run was made: 496 hp and 932 lb-ft torque to the rear wheels. And this while still running the Urea injection, DPF and EGR. This truck will pass an emissions test in any state and make 500 horsepower to ground doing it. That s an impressive statement right there.