BY MIKE MCGLOTHLIN
PHOTOS BY MIKE MCGLOTHLIN AND COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
Thirty years after being released, Chrysler (now FCA) is still reaping the bene_ ts of offering Cummins-powered trucks to its consumers— namely in the form of an 85 percent diesel take-rate on Ram 2500 and 3500s. And for the majority of the past three decades, the aftermarket has been bene_ tting, too. Thanks to the all-iron, inline-six engine’s propensity to handle immense increases in cylinder pressure without any side-effects, enthusiasts can easily get away with doubling (and sometimes even tripling) the factory horsepower rating before having to dig into the engine. Whether it’s taking a 140-rwhp _ rst-gen to 400-rwhp or a 280-rwhp fourth-gen to 800 hp at the wheels, stiffer valvesprings or head studs are the only real necessities required to guarantee reliability. To help you reach your performance goal without hurting your engine or putting you in the poorhouse, we’ve pieced together three horsepower recipes for each generation of the Cummins. Every budget starts with beginner mods, then escalates to moderate, mid-range upgrades, and concludes with a competition-ready combination of parts (but still keeps your long-block out of the danger zone). From $900 to $20,000, the following blueprints for power contain the most affordable yet proven components currently available in the diesel industry. Also keep in mind most of these parts are available in the same or slightly different configurations from many other companies than those listed here. Happy hunting!