Looking For a Good Vendor

[That1Guy02]

This is very long winded, but I figured it would save a bit on questions in the comments, plus I tend to ramble. 
I’m not sure if this is the right place for this or not, if it is not I will be happy to move it. 
 

In late 2018 I bought a 2002 3500 with an NV5600 more out of necessity than want(wrecked mine and had to leave for a job)
it had 160xxx on the clock. A few scratches   here and there nothing crazy. It drove decent typical 2nd gen problems that I knew of non existent dash top, ac was questionable , small but noticeable oil drip. The money was right 10k I bought it. Now
I’ve always been a Powerstroke guy not a Cummins fan. So I knew little and less and didn’t care at the time as I always have a company truck and never drive my personal but on the one day off a week I get. Only to a state and home when it’s over. Plus I was just gonna get rid of it when I got home to get my Powerstroke.
I started to try and get this thing a little more reliable to make it home as this job is finally winding down. I’m averagely mechanically inclined. I knew my Powerstroke inside and out. However I quickly realized that the 98.5-2002 Cummins was as a whole a completely different animal. 
I took it to a shop for some bucking and dying with white smoke and dead pedal. 
put a 44 and a fass signature series 100gph. Problem solved except for my water in fuel light came on which sparked the last month long dive into information and knowledge to fix this truck the right way and made me fall in love with this motor and truck. I want to see it running right and fixed so I can keep it.  I finally have had time to start going through this truck(only 60hrs a week instead of 90-100) the shop did a half assed job of installing the fass system. I’ll delve into that in the comments if anyone cares. The person before me half assed everything. List of parts added that I know of. Afe cold air, Banks Monster Intake horn gasket(manifold gasket leaks).smarty set on SW9 and Revo at 4-4-4 I’m assuming he thought that was max(since changed after reading pespi71oceans write up) and mangled together 4inch muffler delete welded to the 3in stock exhaust.

I started at Cumminsforumn.com reading countless articles, write ups, and basically anything I could find as to how these motors should be cared for fixed and upgraded(the right way) which led me to finding this site, and the amount it has helped in endless. 
I have finally started to order performance parts to replace failing parts as I have found them and me being a hp junkie and don’t want to replace with stock just to turn around and buy again.
I said all of the above to ask if you all have a shop or a vendor that you order your performance products from,if you have a list not just one or two things, that will work with you as far as giving you a decent price not just Msrp of each individual piece. I do plan to order all at once not just one thing here and a month or when “I get my taxes or have some extra income coming in”. I have money in hand and know that Performance and basically anything diesel related isn’t cheap. 
 

Any help would be appreciated. 
Thanks, The New Guy

 

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by That1Guy02
Terrible spelling and grammar fixed to make a little easier reading

[Threadzy]

I would get ahold of @dieselautopower  very helpful and knowledgeable guys. Plus a site sponsor.  

[That1Guy02]

Thank you! I have made my own list and looked over websites, but I finally had to ask I know it’s a question that most people on these forums hate. In my defense this is my first article and I have been reading here and cumminsforumn for quite awhile. So as to not ask a bunch of stupid questions that I could use the search bar for. It feels also there doesn’t seem (with the technology changes) there are much updated or new vendor referral or build advice, Not so much here but the other sites. 
I just want to compare the vendors I have found with the people in this forum. Even take advice to tell me not to order these parts ,or I’m an idiot if that is what is necessary. I don’t even care if it’s your personal favorite shop as long as they ship lol.  

[dieselautopower]

We love trucks!  We treat every customer like our brother or neighbor.  We don't oversell and want to be honest, even if that means cutting the invoice in half.  We prefer to be consultants and help customers get the best value.  We even have some take off parts or returns for some items (unforunatley we can't list all of them due to MAP stuff)

 

Most of us here have or had 2nd gen trucks so we know what up with them and the problems they have.  You are certainly welcome to call us and tell us what you want and we can help you split your build into stages so you don't have to duplicate work/labor on future installs.

 

Quadzilla Adrenaline and 150HP injectors + 62/68/12sxe works great for 500HP

[Towrigdually]

I also vote @dieselautopower for parts. for body/interior it’s usually between genos garage or LMC truck. 

[wil440]

I'm in the UK and getting parts from the USA is sometimes difficult, vendors just don't want to ship here, don't know why, it's the UK FFS not Russia, Afganistan etc  takes 3 days or thereabouts to get here and it's easy, I ship ebay sales to the USA all the time it aint rocket science...

@dieselautopower is one Vendor that does ship to the UK, last order I placed was a Quad and a DTT crank driven FP kit, great price, great service and 3 days here

Edited June 19, 2020 by wil440

[That1Guy02]

Thank you all very much for the input. Here is what I had in mind much of what diesel auto power has said. 
Quadzilla IQUAD
6x.011 SAC 150* spray sticks

62/68/12 turbo 

103lb Hamilton springs (since I’m already gonna be in there and I need to adjust the backlash)

arp studs 

On the fence about upgrading the lift pump.

1:I just bought it 

2: there are so many conflicted opinions 

I have already bought a new exhaust and new gaskets for the grid heater and intake manifold. 
 

Edited June 19, 2020 by That1Guy02
Left the quad out

[wil440]

18 minutes ago, That1Guy02 said:

On the fence about upgrading the lift pump.

1:I just bought it 

2: there are so many conflicted opinions 

I get number 1

On number 2  I wouldn't have a clue as to whether 100gph electric pump would support what you want to achieve, I do know my mechanical one would, I have 2 micron Caterpillar diesel filters and I used the higher geared pulleys that came in the FP kit as up to around 1100rpm on the lower gearing FP was around 9 to 10 psi rising quickly to around 20psi IIRC, this is down to the 2 micron filters, with the higher gearing I have 12 at idle and well before 1000rpm I have over 15, I had to modify the relief spring as FP would have blown the front off of my 30psi FP gauge.  And by going mechanical I removed an electrical item from the mickey mouse Dodge electrical system

I also fitted it to try and keep the vp cool as in the UK I don't want anything breaking, I'm not on the HP ride just reliability, try thinking of the most unusual quirky UK car.... say a Reliant plastic pig and running it in the USA.... thats the availability of parts here  absolute zero,   I probably sell more parts for Rams on ebay than any business in the UK

 

Just watch the FP gauge and upgrade if it looks to be going low 

[Bullet]

1 hour ago, That1Guy02 said:

Thank you all very much for the input. Here is what I had in mind much of what diesel auto power has said. 
Quadzilla IQUAD
6x.011 SAC 150* spray sticks

62/68/12 turbo 

103lb Hamilton springs (since I’m already gonna be in there and I need to adjust the backlash)

arp studs 

On the fence about upgrading the lift pump.

1:I just bought it 

2: there are so many conflicted opinions 

I have already bought a new exhaust and new gaskets for the grid heater and intake manifold. 
 

All sounds pretty good except that you could find a better way to spend money than on 103lb valve springs.  Not really necessary with a 62/68/12 and 6x.011's...unless you are planning on reving out past 3500 on a regular basis, going with big compounds in the near future or putting in a higher lift cam (also a waste of money).  And if you do up the poundage on the valve springs then you should also up the strength/thickness of your pushrods too...and that's even more money.  I would be much more concerned about the electric lift pump than the valve springs.  Mechanical is by far the best lift pump option...no contest. 

 

I agree with everyone about @dieselautopower...got my injectors and stainless 5" from them and will go back again in the future...good peeps. 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Bullet

[That1Guy02]

48 minutes ago, wil440 said:

And by going mechanical I removed an electrical item from the mickey mouse Dodge electrical system

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that. I’m not looking for big hp out of this truck. More or less a reliable 550-600 and when I say reliable at any given time jump in it hook to a camper and drive across the country and not have to worry about it. 

 

41 minutes ago, Bullet said:

find a better way to spend money than on 103lb valve springs.  Not really necessary with a 62/68/12 and 6x.011's...unless you are planning on reving out past 3500 on a regular basis, going with big compounds in the near future

That was more less something that I was doing because I was in there,but I wasn’t gonna do a cam or rods.

I do plan on doing a compound set up in the future more or less for the better band of power while towing. 

[dieselautopower]

We have stronger springs for $249  High quality steel.

 

if you want 550-600HP you will want bigger than the 6x.011,  Go a little bigger to  7x.011sac or 7x.012vco or 6x.012sac ( 7 hole are often cleaner.)

550HP is about the max for a 62/68/12

 

64/73.4/12 would be better suited, but would not tow as well.

[dripley]

2 hours ago, That1Guy02 said:

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that. I’m not looking for big hp out of this truck. More or less a reliable 550-600 and when I say reliable at any given time jump in it hook to a camper and drive across the country and not have to worry about it. 

 

Thats pretty big HP in my book.

[That1Guy02]

I guess for this truck it is. If you think in terms of newer diesels your not even changing the turbo to hit 500 Shoot you don’t even have to remove the emissions. 

Edited June 20, 2020 by That1Guy02

[Royal Squire]

If you don’t have gauges I would recommend getting some. 

[That1Guy02]

Yes sir that is for sure on the list. 

[Mopar1973Man]

@dieselautopower is typically our go to guy for parts. 

 

I'm running a ton of mods as in here is my list of goodies. (4 pages of mods)

https://mopar1973man.com/garage/vehicle/101-2002-dodge-ram-2500/?show=mods

 

Just basics... Quadzilla Adrenaline, DAP (7 x 0.010 @ 320 Bar) 150HP Injectors, and HX35/40 Hybrid Turbo (60/60/12) with 4 inch exhaust (muffled) and BHAF. I'm right at 500 HP. Towing ready no EGT's issues. Towing 31 foot trailer hit a max of 14.7 MPG and typically empty I'm 20 to 21 MPG. 

[That1Guy02]

I appreciate all of the advice guys. I will definitely be using them I do plan on getting with them for a final order and pulling the trigger on Monday when they open back up. 

[Bullet]

On 6/19/2020 at 5:25 PM, That1Guy02 said:

More or less a reliable 550-600 and when I say reliable at any given time jump in it hook to a camper and drive across the country and not have to worry about it. 

 

That was more less something that I was doing because I was in there,but I wasn’t gonna do a cam or rods.

I do plan on doing a compound set up in the future more or less for the better band of power while towing. 

I agree with you...do it while you're in there for sure.  I know you want rock solid reliability which is my thing too.  For that reason if I were gonna do springs I would also do upgraded pushrods at the same time.  Your stock pushrods were built to hold the stock 2x60lbs stock spring pressure.  Now you're gonna put 2x103lbs on each stock pushrod while at the same time upping the horsepower/torque and throttle response of the motor...a good way to bend stock pushrods.

 

If I were interested in rock solid reliability like you are...I would definitely upgrade the pushrods if I upgraded the poundage on the springs.  Otherwise they are now the weak link in the chain.  And like you said...since you're already in there. 

Edited June 21, 2020 by Bullet

[That1Guy02]

1 hour ago, Bullet said:

I agree with you...do it while you're in there for sure.  I know you want rock solid reliability which is my thing too.  For that reason if I were gonna do springs I would also do upgraded pushrods at the same time.  You're stock pushrods were built to hold the stock 2x60lbs stock spring pressure.  Now you're gonna put 2x103lbs on each stock pushrod while at the same time upping the horsepower/torque and throttle response of the motor...a good way to bend stock pushrods.

 

If I were interested in rock solid reliability like you are...I would definitely upgrade the pushrods if I upgraded the poundage on the springs.  Otherwise they are now the weak link in the chain.  And like you said...since you're already in there. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Bullet

Thank you for that I see what you mean...I still have a lot left to figure out lol? I do plan to do this in two stages mainly so the wife won’t harass me to bad lol. So maybe I will leave the inside be for now Unless I should do both? I don’t really push it that hard unless I’m on the interstate and trying to maintain a constant 75-80 and I just cringe to see the tach setting so high for hours on end. This is a little off subject but has anyone swapped gearing with a thin carrier front and back? 

[Bullet]

4 minutes ago, That1Guy02 said:

Thank you for that I see what you mean...I still have a lot left to figure out lol? I do plan to do this in two stages mainly so the wife won’t harass me to bad lol. So maybe I will leave the inside be for now Unless I should do both? I don’t really push it that hard unless I’m on the interstate and trying to maintain a constant 75-80 and I just cringe to see the tach setting so high for hours on end. This is a little off subject but has anyone swapped gearing with a thin carrier front and back? 

I had the same problem with the wife too...but I got her a brand new set of divorce papers and several problems were suddenly all solved at once...including the one you mentioned. 

 

But on a more serious note...springs aren't necessary at the level of power that a Quad, a 62/68/12 and 150hp injectors are capable of.  Once you slide another turbo underneath the 62 and get a little crazier with the injectors then I would be thinking about springs.  And if I'm getting beefier springs then that automatically means I'm also getting beefier pushrods as a package deal.

 

If it makes you feel any better with everything in my sig I am/have been running stock springs and pushrods for a long time.  I hit 58-59lbs and 3500 rpms fairly often at around 525-550hp...and still have rock solid reliability.  Still running the original VP...courtesy of a mechanical lift pump and some good luck before that.