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not enough torque

3K views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  Tgresch 
#1 ·
so like most guys i hate stock i also think trucks were meant for pulling and high torque not high hp to become a racer anyways ive installed a jet stage 2 module (ive heard it takes about 100 miles to get everything working properly) ive added a cold air intake cut the exhaust off right before the muffler(doing a full exhaust later headers and all) im also looking at doing a thermostat swap later now what i wanna know is what can i do to increase my tourqe ( and a bit of horsepower i wanna be somewhere around around 300-325) and somewhere in the 400 ft.lbs right now im sitting at about 230-240hp and 330-340 ft.lbs any ideas on how to get those numbers up with out breaking the bank its a 1995 with the 5.9 auto anyone done anything that actually works
 
#4 ·
Yeah, my 5.9 is stock and it just seems gutless. Can't even get the rear tires to chirp on dry pavement unless I'm turning a corner. Had I known the 5.9 was such a turd, I would've waited to find something else. Thinking about doing the throttle body mod to start, new exhaust, maybe a throttle body spacer (heard both good things and bad), possibly revamping the rear end... If this engine ever goes TU, I'm going to drop in a 5.2. Would love to drop in a Hemi, but there's A LOT more involved...
 
#5 · (Edited)
i was thinking about doing gears i found a top end rebuild kit/ stroker kit to take it from a 360 to a 426 for 1700 i know not cheap but performance has a price and so does happiness lol but i dont wanna drop a shit ton on that and a bunch on a computer too and if i decided to do just a cam do i have to have the computer remapped?

also throttle body spacers are junk on tbi systems because the fuel doesn't go into the throttle body so the whole twister thing doesn't really happen all that great on carburated vehicles they work great because they give the air and fuel more time to mix but tbi nope
 
#6 ·
I was looking at upgrading my cam as well the
stock specs made simple:
Intake duration 249
Exhaust duration 269
Overlap 41
Intake lift .410"
Exhaust duration .417"
Centerline 109
Install centerline 117

With 1.7 Rockers your lift will be
Intake approx. .436"
Exhaust approx. .443"

Aftermarket cam:
COMP CAMS MAGNUM HYD FLATCAMSHAFT

PN: 12-213-3

DESCRIPTION

Advertised Duration: 292 int./292 exh., (244/244 at .050)
Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.501 int./0.501 exh.
Lobe Separation: 110°

2500-6500 RPM Operating Range

by the looks of it i dont need to apgrade anything else internaly to accept this but what i was wondering do i need to do anything with my computer or just reset it?
 
#8 · (Edited)
WAY WRONG CAM CHOICE!

That part number is for an AMC 6 cylinder engine. It's a flat tappet cam (you need a roller cam), and way too much cam for your setup. It calls for a 3000rpm stall torque converter, gears, 10:1 compression, and has a very rough idle. You'd need custom computer mods to run a cam with those specs, not to mention upgraded rod and crank bolts to make use of a 2500-6500rpm power range - think shifting at 7000rpm redline, and a bump in compression.

http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=660&sb=2
Something in this range is about as hot as you can run in a 5.9 Magnum without computer mods. Even with this one, you will still need the matching valve springs. The stock springs will rapidly weaken and fail with the increased lift, not to mention they are too weak to control the valves at higher rpm with that increased lift. Note that if you're looking to go with 1.7 rockers, this will bump up the cam specs and you will need computer mods then.
 
#12 ·
What do you mean, no O2 sensor? The cat has nothing to do with a primary O2 sensor. The fuel injection is a feedback system. The O2 sensor is required to properly meter the fuel. Without it you basically go to 80%+ of full rich constantly. That's akin to just pouring gas into the throttle body at a constant rate regardless of engine speed. You run way rich at low speeds, the the higher you go, the leaner you run. Even a factory smogger carburetor would do better than that.
 
#15 ·
Oh, okay. Not a problem. I thought you were saying you weren't using ANY O2 sensors.

The free-flowing exhaust will only slightly delay the warm-up time for the O2 sensor. We are talking a couple minutes. No big deal. Sorta like the difference between startup in the summer vs startup in the winter. Naturally, the closer the sensor is to the total exhaust output (like where the factory joins the two before the cat), the better. I wouldn't put much stake in any performance info from the dealer. I once had a dealer state that I couldn't even change to a free-flowing muffler because it'd likely throw the computer off and it'd be illegal, and I'd get in trouble with the Feds.

Yeah.... Right..... Stick to sellin' cars Chief.
 
#14 ·
You need either a muffler or cat to provide enough back pressure for the O2 sensors to work properly. They need to have the back pressure to get to operating temp to work right. At least that was what I was told at the dealer.

When I started reading this thread the first thought was the cat was bad. They were actually recalled at one time. The ceramic would break and the holes through it would no longer line up, that is what happened to mine. Got so bad that I would have to down shift the manual trans to climb a slight grade.
 
#16 ·
lol yea the xpipe is for the back pressure you want some back pressure enough so your engine isnt just spitting out exhaust but not so much it chokes it out easy way of thinking about it think of race vehicles or pulling trucks where is there cat? no where the more free flow you have the more ponies and torque you have which is why 100% of the time performance vehicles are running open headers. Also on another note at least here in wiscansin even if i had stock exhaust and put a tip on it would be illegal for altered exhaust so i decided to go big and completly replace my exhaust. 99% of the time dealers have no clue what they are saying they just want you to buy the oem through them so they can make money
 
#17 ·
well its been awhile im havent gotten any pics up yet but as soon as i get them on the computer i will post them. all i had was some pics of the parts and the engine after the manifolds came off. To be honest no joke it only took about 45 minutes to get the manifolds off just shot them with some pb blaster and they were the easiest nuts ive ever taken off a vehicle. Also another update i finally broke down and bought a sound system and hopefully ile have it put in within the week and get pics will go up
 
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