Bucking the 48Re-conversion trend and seeing no need to swap in an NV5600, Keith’s ’07 Ram still sports the factory G56 gearbox. To eliminate the six-speed’s notorious case flexing problem, a Tork-shield from Lazarsmith was bolted in place. For added peace of mind and cooling, Keith runs 50-weight synthetic through the gearbox, as well as an extra quart on top of the Oem-specified fill capacity. To transfer power through the G56—and ultimately to the wheels—as efficiently as possible, a 3850 cintered-iron, dual disc clutch from South Bend got the call.
A 1,000HP COLLECTIBLE
Through careful parts hunting, smart trading, and doing all of his own wrenching, Keith has transformed a hardly-used ’07 Quad Cab into an outright dyno-melter for less than $10,000. The big single turbo theme has kept his 5.9L Cummins’ factory bottom-end in the safe zone, the diverter valve has blown up the myth that an S475 can’t be streetable, and the girdled
G56 has survived all abuse to date. Sound ECM tuning from Starlite Diesel has also been key in tying every modification together—along with producing a power curve that continues to build all the way to 4,300 rpm. In addition to being a rare find, Keith’s immaculate 5.9L third-gen represents the quintessential 1,000hp collector’s item in the diesel world.
The EFI Live wizardry behind Keith’s build stems from the hands of
Starlite Diesel. In using the company’s Starlogs Bluetooth hardware and the corresponding smartphone app, Keith can change files on the fly, along with being able to data log and have tuning adjustments made in minutes. Thanks to Starlite Diesel’s keystrokes, the truck’s horsepower curve builds all the way through its 4,300 rpm rev range while holding nearly 27,000 psi of rail. You could definitely say this setup is dialed in. Seeking optimum grip and ride comfort, Keith settled on a set of 305/45R22 General Grabber UHP rubber to keep his Ram attached to the pavement. The all season tread rides on 22x12-inch Sprocket model chrome wheels from Hostile Wheels. This is Keith’s secret to quick spool up with the S475 feeding his 5.9L: BD Diesel’s turbine diverter valve. At low boost, the diverter valve reduces exhaust flow to one volute, and the added restriction brings the S400 to life much quicker. At 7 psi of boost the valve begins to open, allowing exhaust to begin to flow through the second volute, and by 14 psi is fully open. Thanks to the diverter valve, the big single spools at roughly 1,800 rpm. Backing up a set of Industrial Injection 70-LPM (400hp) injectors is a twin CP3 system from ATS Diesel. An 85-percent over Industrial Injection pump resides in the factory location, while the second, belt-driven CP3 (shown) is a stock displacement unit off of a 6.7L Cummins. Both CP3’S benefit from Industrial Injection-modified FCA’S. Because he knew the high rpm he wanted to run would create excessive pressure in the back of the block, Keith installed a water bypass kit from Stainless Diesel to relieve it. The kit consists of a -8 AN braided stainless line, an adjustable brass water bypass valve, and a polished aluminum thermostat spacer.