Combat in day one in the war for performance had Troy Unruh fighting tooth and nail to get the engine milled for ARP head studs, which led him to reinforce and armor the 5.9L engine itself. He then put in a stronger set of Ducky Fuel Injection 5X0.012 VCO injectors and outfitted a new 5-inch Silverline exhaust system in an effort to prepare for the serious power that was going to make its way into his 1996 Dodge 2500.
During day two, Unruh zeroed in on many of the engine components that were far past their prime. First to be conquered was the stock intake manifold, which was promptly removed and replaced with CFM Plus' far superior manifold and pipe. Next in the firing line was the dilapidated exhaust manifold, which was rectified with the addition of an ATS three-piece manifold. To assist the intake manifold, Unruh installed an Airaid cold air intake system, which would greedily breathe air and feed the growing hunger of the Cummins.
Taking a different angle, the truck owner then attacked the unsightly transmission pan and differential covers, which were replaced with the robust and stylish MAG-HYTEC tranny pan and diff covers. With each item making the Dodge more formidable and powerful, Unruh dug in his heels and went back toward the engine bay to make a few vital, last minute installs. Afterward, his desire to make the Warhorse an ironclad, unstoppable force would take him deep into the shifting tides of war.