Power Driven Podcast

Todd, Will, and Myer are back for round two on camshafts, picking up right where they left off and going even deeper into diesel cam theory. If you got something out of the last episode, this one takes it further with real numbers, real data, and some genuinely nerdy breakdowns that most Dodge Cummins guys never get access to.

This episode is built around volumetric efficiency and how race engines actually push past 100 percent. The crew explains scavenging, low pressure zones, and how intake air speed changes everything about when you should close that intake valve. They break down piston speed and rod angle, why 70 degrees after top dead center is the sweet spot for airflow, and why valve lift speed is limited by lifter size, which is a big reason Cummins runs such a massive lifter compared to the gas world.

From there Will pulls out actual cam data measured off real factory camshafts using a cam doctor tool, comparing intake and exhaust duration and valve timing across every generation of Cummins, first gen, 12 valve, VP44, and common rail. The differences in exhaust valve opening timing alone explain a lot about why certain Cummins generations start easier, burn cleaner, or make power differently. They also dig into intake and exhaust centerline angles and why lifting the valve higher instead of just chasing bigger duration numbers is often free horsepower with no downside.

The back half covers valve springs, coil bind, and why some aftermarket cams cause problems with stock components, plus a preview of a project cam being custom built for an upcoming race truck this September, designed specifically around a narrow RPM window instead of chasing bigger numbers across the board.

If part one gave you the foundation, this episode is where it gets real. Whether you are running a first gen, a 12 valve Dodge Cummins, a VP44, or a common rail, this breakdown gives you a real foundation on how factory and aftermarket camshafts are actually engineered.

Subscribe on YouTube and follow the podcast on your platform of choice so you catch the rest of this camshaft series as it drops.

Colt Cams are now part of the Power Driven lineup, so if you want to dig deeper into the camshafts covered in this episode or see what fits your Cummins, head over to PowerDriven.com to check out the full selection.

Shop Power Driven Diesel: https://www.powerdriven.com

This week Todd, Will, and Myer sit down to talk about something that gets asked about constantly but rarely gets explained right, camshafts. If you have ever wondered why your buddy's diesel sounds smooth while another one lopes like a muscle car, or whether a bigger cam is going to kill your fuel economy, this episode breaks down exactly what is going on inside your engine and why diesel camshafts do not follow the same rules as gas performance builds.

The guys also announce something big for the diesel performance industry. Power Driven has acquired Colt Cams, the original name in diesel camshaft development founded by Jeff Colt, and it is now officially under the Power Driven umbrella shipping out of America. The crew talks about what owning that brand outright means for R&D moving forward, including in house cam design and testing on their own engine dyno.

From there the conversation gets into real cam theory. Todd, Will, and Myer explain why diesel duration numbers look nothing like gas cam numbers, why a factory Cummins cam is built around torque and RPM range instead of high end horsepower, and why a bigger cam on a Cummins diesel tuning setup usually helps fuel economy instead of hurting it. They cover the difference between 12 valve and 24 valve Cummins camshaft design, how a single lobe activates two valves through the bridge setup, flat tappet versus roller lifter reliability, and why the intake valve closing point is considered the most important event in camshaft design.

Whether you are running a 12 valve, a 24 valve, or a common rail Cummins, this episode gives you a real foundation on volumetric efficiency, cam terminology, and how to think about camshaft upgrades the right way instead of just chasing bigger duration numbers.

This is part one of a deeper camshaft series, so if you want to understand what is actually happening inside your diesel engine, this is a good place to start.

If you learned something from this one, subscribe on YouTube and follow the podcast wherever you listen so you do not miss the rest of the camshaft series.

Colt Cams are now part of the Power Driven lineup, so if you are looking to upgrade your camshaft or just want to see what is available for your Cummins, head over to PowerDriven.com to check out the full selection.

Shop Power Driven Diesel: https://www.powerdriven.com

It's towing season and if your gauges are climbing on the way up the grade, you need to know what's actually normal and what's a real problem. Will and Myer break down coolant temps, transmission temps, and everything that can push a Dodge Cummins diesel truck out of range while towing.

They start with what a healthy cooling system looks like going down the road. Thermostat opening temps on these trucks typically run 180 to 200 degrees depending on year and setup, and they explain why a hotter or cooler thermostat matters for winter heat versus summer towing, along with how boiling points, radiator cap pressure, and elevation all affect what your coolant temperature can handle.

A big part of the episode covers fan clutches, since a bad cooling fan clutch is usually the first thing they check when a diesel truck runs hot. They explain how to tell if your mechanical fan clutch is engaging and why electric fans aren't actually an upgrade over the factory setup on these Cummins trucks.

From there they walk through testing a thermostat the old school way with a pot of boiling water, the bypass port a lot of guys don't know exists in the block, and why a genuine Cummins thermostat is worth it over the cheap parts store version, especially on a second gen Dodge.

Radiator condition gets its own conversation too. They cover why a clogged or dirty radiator causes most cooling problems, why a factory copper core radiator often beats a cheap aftermarket one, and how they've flushed old radiators back to life with everything from radiator flush products to straight vinegar. They also get into heater core plumbing and why oversized fittings from a repipe can hurt your cooling in the summer.

The conversation wraps up on transmission cooling, the second gen's heat exchanger setup, why factory transmissions are designed to run around 185 degrees, and why colder fluid on a built performance transmission tends to live longer.

Along the way Will and Myer share real diesel towing stories, from Willard's cooling performance on a run to Saint George to a second gen Dodge gauge that pegs out hard at 230 degrees, plus a few lessons learned the hard way about fan clutches and stuck thermostats.

If you found this useful, subscribe to the Power Driven Podcast on YouTube and follow along on your favorite podcast platform.

Will and Myer reference several parts from their own builds throughout the episode, including compound turbo setups, VGT turbochargers, and stage two and stage three injectors. Shop everything mentioned in this episode at PowerDriven.com links below.

Shop Power Driven Diesel: https://www.powerdriven.com

Myer just won the Ultimate Callout Challenge, and now that the documentary is out, the comments section has some strong opinions about it. Todd and Myer sit down together this week to work through the feedback and clear up a few misconceptions about what UCC actually is.

Most of the response has been positive, and the guys are genuinely grateful for it. But this episode digs into the comments they disagree with, starting with the drag race side of things. The truck runs a 48RE, a Dodge automatic out of the 2003 to 2006 trucks, built around the largest input shaft currently available in a 35 spline. They actually brought two built transmissions to the event on purpose, and they explain why.

On the dyno, a lot of people got upset about how fast the pulls looked and how much time the truck spent under load. They break down why that criticism misses the point. Competitors do not control the resistance on the dyno, the competition sets it, and every truck gets the same load. More power against a fixed resistance just means the run finishes quicker. They also cover why UCC moved away from scoring torque plus horsepower years ago, after competitors found ways to game that formula with gearing.

From there the conversation covers the aftermarket ECU running the whole truck, from injectors to timing, the mag valve controlling the second turbo, and why the nitrous stayed conservative until high rpm to keep the engine alive through the pass.

The sled pull gets its own breakdown too. Some commenters claimed the team ran three different trucks across the weekend. Todd and Myer clear that up. It is one drag chassis that also runs the dyno, then gets an axle and bracing swap for the sled. They also cover the sled weight box getting adjusted mid competition and why there is no out of bounds penalty in this class.

The bigger theme running through the episode is what UCC is actually built for. It is an invitation only event with almost no restrictions outside a weight limit and hitch height, designed to see what the industry can build without limits, not a street truck competition. If this episode got you fired up, subscribe on YouTube and follow along on your favorite podcast platform.

This build runs on parts that get proven under real pressure, not just talked about. If you want that same confidence in your own truck, PowerDriven.com is where to start.

Shop Power Driven Diesel: https://www.powerdriven.com

Kyle from Dark Iron Diesel flew his blown up 12 valve Cummins out to Power Driven Diesel so the crew could rebuild it from the ground up, and this episode follows the build while the guys dig into what actually separates a fast truck from a truck that just sounds fast.

Kyle's 12 valve made 650 horsepower before a nitrous mishap put a freeze plug through the block and warped the head. Instead of a simple repair, Todd, Will, and Myer turn it into a full stroker build, taking the 5.9 out to a 6.1 liter on a 6.7 Cummins crank that Power Driven now manufactures in house. They cover custom Wagler rods, ceramic coated pistons, a reconditioned head, a Colt Stage 4 cam, and an Aggressor 60/65 over 98 compound turbo setup aimed at 1100 to 1200 horsepower.

We filmed the full teardown, machine work, and stroker crank install start to finish, so keep an eye out for the build video covering every step of this engine in detail.

The crew also compares Myer's 1300 horsepower race truck against Kyle's Lamborghini Huracan, which he had on hand from a cross country supercar rally, breaking down 0 to 150 times and why horsepower alone does not tell the story without weight and traction factored in.

Kyle also talks about walking away from a potash mine job to do YouTube full time and his approach to dyno testing.

Subscribe on YouTube and follow along on your favorite podcast platform.

This episode covers a full engine build, parts, and machine work, all done in house at Power Driven Diesel. If you want to build something similar, the team can help you spec it out at PowerDriven.com.

Shop Power Driven Diesel: https://www.powerdriven.com