In stock form, the 12V 5.9L was actually a pretty strong competitor in the performance department back in 1994-95, but needless to say, it is falling behind in today's standards. Your average everyday 12V would produce anywhere from 180-215 hp in stock form, depending on which injection pump it was equipped with. It was also very limited in rpms and a useable powerband. However, there is major potential in these trucks and we're here to help you find that hidden horsepower.
Lenny Reed, owner of Dynomite Diesel Performance (DDP) in Monroe, WA, has been around diesel performance for quite some time. His company specializes in performance injectors, injection pump work and aftermarket turbocharger development. DDP has been in the performance Cummins game for quite a while and has built a 12V Cummins powered race truck that produces well over 1000 rear wheel horsepower on diesel only. Needless to say, the company knows how to make these trucks run. So it was a no-brainer when it came time to build up this 1998 Dodge 2500. While our current plans for this truck include extensive injection pump work and some compound turbos to take it past the 550 hp mark, this part of the build looks at the more basic modifications you could accomplish yourself over the course of a weekend in the garage.