Power Driven Podcast

Todd, Will, and Myer sit down to build the ultimate 1000 horsepower Cummins street truck from the ground up, part by part. Five hundred horsepower used to be the number that turned heads. Now the bar has moved, and this episode lays out exactly what it takes to build a diesel truck that lives at four digits and still drives home every night.

The guys pick a 2006 third gen Dodge with a 5.9 Cummins as the starting platform and spend real time weighing that against stepping up to a 6.7 Cummins, covering spool, towing manners, and how each block handles the power level. If you're deciding between a 5.9 and a 6.7 for your own diesel truck build, this breakdown will save you a lot of guessing.

From there the conversation moves into turbos, comparing the factory 8351CW against aftermarket compound setups built around an S466, S467, and a 98 millimeter atmosphere charger. They talk through single turbo versus compound turbo tradeoffs, when a wastegate actually matters at this power level, and how compressor and turbine sizing changes spool and peak power on the dyno.

They cover the bottom end and cylinder head next, going over street fighter connecting rods, 14 millimeter main studs, and the ongoing debate between H, P, and V bearings for a truck that sees real street miles. On top of the block, they break down cylinder head stages, valve springs, pushrods, and when a bigger intercooler actually becomes necessary as boost climbs.

Fueling gets plenty of attention too, with a look at CP3 pumps, single versus dual injector setups in 12 and 14 millimeter sizes, lift pump options like Air Dog and Fleece, and why upgrading your rail pressure sensor and relief valve matters once you push past factory pressure.

If you're serious about building a reliable 1000 horsepower diesel truck, hit subscribe on YouTube and follow the Power Driven Podcast on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.

Shop everything mentioned in this episode at PowerDriven.com.

All month long you can save 10% off everything at Power Driven, 15% off PDD Fueling, 10% off Airdog, and 10% off OptiTorque.

Every purchase this month also gets you five entries to September's giveaway: a compound turbo kit, a Colt Cams cam combo that includes a PDD cylinder head, an Aggressor turbo, a fuel package, and an Airdog fuel system.

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

You want to build a fast diesel and you don't want to blow it up in the process. This episode is the one you need before you ever touch a tune. Todd, Will, and Myer sit down and go through every real reason a high performance diesel engine dies, and it's rarely what you'd expect from reading the forums.

They start by busting the EGT myth. Guys have been scared of exhaust gas temperature for decades, but heat alone almost never kills a build. What actually wrecks pistons is improper piston wall clearance, something the diesel performance world has gotten wrong for years. They break down cast versus forged pistons, correct ring gap on 12 valve and 24 valve Cummins engines, and why a factory rod that survives a worn out truck making 600 horsepower will bend the moment you put real power to a fresh, tight engine.

From there they get into nitrous and timing. Todd and Will walk through why running too much timing with a big nitrous shot on a common rail is a fast way to send cylinder pressure through the roof, why sled pulling with water injection wants more timing than drag racing with nitrous, and how a lot of the old "nitrous blew it up" stories were actually piston clearance problems the whole time.

Tulip valves get their own deep dive. This is one of the biggest issues quietly taking out modern high performance heads, and the guys explain how cylinder pressure pushes the valve up, kills your lash, wipes cams, and why Power Driven is working with a manufacturer on Inconel valves built specifically for common rail engines.

They also cover rod bolt failures from over revving on the dyno, why disconnecting lockup or overdrive at high RPM without load will scatter an engine every time, and why running without an exhaust brake can quietly kill factory rods on a long mountain coast down. They close out talking through where to set your RPM window on a build so you're not fighting factory block and head limitations before you even lay into the throttle.

If you're turning up a diesel or building a race truck, hit subscribe on YouTube and follow along on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss the next one.

September is a big one. Power Driven is running 10% off everything storewide, 15% off PDD Fueling, and 10% off both Airdog and OptiTorque.

On top of that there are five giveaways running including a compound turbo kit, a Colt Cams cam combo with a PDD cylinder head, an Aggressor turbo, a full fuel package, and an Airdog fuel system. Get all of it at PowerDriven.com before the sale ends.

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

Todd, Will, and Myer sit down to answer the question their own viewers keep asking: what actually kills a diesel engine. This isn't a highlight reel of blown up race trucks. It's a real conversation about the boring stuff that ends up costing you the most, and by the end you'll understand exactly why some trucks hit 400,000 miles and others don't make it past 100,000.

The guys start with air filtration, breaking down why a high flow filter built for the racetrack can be the wrong call for a truck that spends its life on dirt roads, and how a warped air box lid quietly sands down cylinder walls one mile at a time. From there they get into oil change intervals, why diesel oil has to fight abrasive soot, and why stretching that interval too far on a Cummins or any diesel truck build is gambling with the bottom end.

Fuel system maintenance gets serious attention too. Todd and Myer walk through algae contamination, injector failures on common rail systems, and why a cheap tune from Facebook Marketplace can melt a piston faster than almost anything else on this list. They break down EGT damage, ring wear, and valve seat problems, then go platform by platform. You'll hear about killer dowel pin issues on 12 valve Cummins trucks, VP44 fuel pressure sensitivity, the notorious CP4 pump problems on 6.7 Power Stroke trucks, head gasket failures on Duramax engines, and why the fifth gen Cummins hydraulic roller cam setup has turned into one of the more frustrating design decisions in recent diesel history.

Whether you're running a 5.9 Cummins, a 6.7 Cummins, a Power Stroke, or a Duramax, this episode gives you a real look at what wears these engines out and what you can actually do about it before it becomes an expensive lesson.

If you're a diesel guy who wrenches on your own truck, this is the kind of episode worth taking notes on.

Subscribe on YouTube and follow the Power Driven Podcast on your favorite podcast platform so you don't miss the next one.

Shop everything talked about in this episode, including the filters, oil, and parts, at the link below.

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

Tuning is one of the most asked topics in the diesel world, so this episode of the Power Driven Podcast breaks down diesel tuning 101 straight from guys who actually tune their own trucks. Todd, Will, and Myer walk through what it really takes to start tuning a Dodge Cummins, whether it is a daily driver or a dedicated race truck.

They start with picking the right tuning platform, comparing EFI Live and HP Tuners for older and newer trucks, and explain how that software reads the ECM and unlocks the tuning tables hiding inside the factory computer. From there the conversation moves into fuel quantity, timing splits, and how injection pressure differs between a 12 valve pump truck and a modern common rail Cummins, and why that difference changes how aggressively you can safely run your tables.

The guys also get into the factory five position tune switch found on 06 and newer Dodge Cummins trucks, how racers use it to flip between tunes right from the cab, and how other diesel platforms like Ford handle the same idea through the cruise control buttons.
There is a long section on turbo spool, boost limited fueling, and reading an AFR gauge to hit the right air fuel ratio for a fast, clean spool without drowning the truck in smoke. That leads into a story about chasing spool on a Cummins sled pull truck that turned into one of the better lessons in this episode, plus why a properly tuned diesel will always beat someone trying to manage boost and fuel with their foot.

Whether you daily drive a Dodge Cummins or you are building out a diesel performance race truck, this episode gives you a real starting point for tuning your own truck instead of guessing at it and hoping for the best.

If you want more episodes like this, subscribe to the Power Driven Podcast on YouTube and follow along on your favorite podcast platform.

Shop everything mentioned in this episode at PowerDriven.com, including EFI Live and HP Tuners tuning platforms and gear to help you dial in your own Dodge Cummins.

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

We took total strangers for rides down the racetrack in our diesel drag trucks, and it might be the most fun thing we've ever done at an event. This episode is a stroll down memory lane on the Power Driven Podcast, covering our trip to Montana for an NHRDA event and the first time each of us felt real horsepower behind the wheel.

Todd, Will, and Myer break down how the spectator ride along program came together, from a six year old getting the full harness experience to grown adults walking away shaking after a pass in the junker. We also cover what it takes to run those rides safely, watching trans temps and checking for leaks between passes.

Then we get into the technical side of the weekend. Myer talks through setting a new record for the fastest Dodge 48RE four speed transmission in a truck, running a 4.82 at 155 miles per hour in the eighth mile, and the tuning fix that got him there. There is a breakdown of why guys are moving from the 48RE to turbo 400 transmissions for pro street and eighth mile racing, and why the converter clutch dragging at the line is the real Achilles heel of the Dodge trans.

We also talk diesel truck racing classes, from mild 770 index trucks up to 590 Pro Street, and why a stock looking Cummins powered truck sitting in the parking lot could probably run mid elevens if the owner just gave it a shot.

We had a blast being part of this NHRDA event and hope to see more tracks doing spectator ride alongs. Come say hi in the pits if you catch us at the next NHRDA race in Ennis, Texas this September.

If you enjoyed this one, subscribe on YouTube and follow the Power Driven Podcast on your favorite podcast platform.

Whether you're thinking about getting into diesel drag racing, building your own eighth mile truck, or fixing up your Dodge four speed, we've got you covered. Shop everything you need at PowerDriven.com.

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