More fuel! More boost! More power! That’s the typical stuff we always hear about when diesel engines are discussed. Hardcore enthusiasts know that internal combustion engines, be they of spark or electric ignition respond to upgrades and changes the sam way. Move more air, make room for more fuel, and squeeze it harder. All that stuff makes power and in this video we get to see how much. Here you are going to watch a pretty healthy 660 wheel horsepower Dodge Ram truck lose its stock head and camshaft in favor of a Hamilton Cams stage four head and a 188/220 grind cam. How much power is the head and cam worth with all other things being equal? You’ll have to watch and see.
We dig this comparison video because the guys show us the dyno graphs and not just a peak power number. Peak power is one thing but there’s so much more than just raising that number in order to call a swap like this a success, at least in our mind. Where is the power getting made, does the curve move at all? Will the truck still be good to drive? Can it light the turbo off at the same rate? Quicker? Slower?
The 12-valve Cummins is a great engine. Yes, more modern iterations of the venerable mill are more capable because of four valve heads and all the stuff but when we talk about a workhorse that is still a great engine to hot rod, the 12-valve is right there on the top of our list.
Now, car guys may not understand why you need to use a cherry picker to lower the head onto the engine but if you have ever tried to sling one of these iron lumps around, you know! And this one has all kinds of material removed and trick machine work. They’re still backbreakers.
Check out the video for horsepower, knowledge, and more!
