1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - Project Baja Bomber, Part 5

Project Baja Bomber - Part 1
Project Baja Bomber - Part 2
Project Baja Bomber - Part 3
Project Baja Bomber - Part 4
Project Baja Bomber - Part 5
Project Baja Bomber - Part 6

When Chrysler packaged the Cummins turbodiesel engine in 3/4- and 1-ton Ram pickups in 1989, the light-duty truck market was changed forever. Not only was it radically heavy-duty compared to other diesels of the era, but it was also the first turbocharged diesel engine to ever grace a consumer pickup. Designed as a mammoth mover, the Cummins was barely working when required to push around a 7,000-pound (light-duty by commercial standards) Ram chassis. As such, extremely heavy-duty internal parts make the Cummins engine a very willing candidate for hop-ups. This is why we chose the Cummins-powered Ram as our starting platform for the Baja Bomber project.

One of the biggest names in the diesel aftermarket is BD Diesel Performance of Abbotsford, British Columbia. BD builds everything from transmissions to injection pumps and has been in business for over 32 years. With a staff of two engineers, a dozen performance specialists, and more than 350 nationwide dealers, BD is a one-stop shop for Ford, GM, and Chrysler diesel performance products. We took a trip up to BD's headquarters for the biannual dealer-training and dyno day event. We spent hours touring the facility and learning about each division of the company, and about the products BD manufactures.

The operation was impressive, and the people in charge were extremely knowledgeable when it came to high-performance diesel pickups. Knowing a good opportunity when we see it, we decided to let them tinker with our resident Cummins-powered project vehicle, the Baja Bomber, to see just what kind of power they could produce reliably and within reason. The results were outstanding, so follow along as we highlight how the guys at BD woke up our oil-burner.

DYNO TEST COMPARISON