5 Performance Upgrades While Tuning A Diesel Engine

By Author: Andrew Gilcrist
Total Articles: 120
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Diesel engines are known for their durability and dependability. They are commonly used in heavy machinery and large trucks because they have the strength to support these machines and keep them operational. Yet, there might be occasions when you wish to tinker with the engine, make some modifications, and achieve better performance or fuel efficiency.

Here are the 5 performance upgrades performed at the time of diesel tuning in Sydney. 

Changing the Engine Control Module (ECM):

In lots of diesel engines, there's a crucial part called the Engine Control Module (ECM). It does important jobs like managing how much air and fuel go into your engine and setting a limit on how fast it can spin. The ECM works by getting power from your vehicle's battery and collecting data to make sure everything runs efficiently.

The ECM is like a smart brain in many modern engines. It helps drivers spot and fix problems early. But some drivers might want to swap out or adjust ...
... their ECM to make it do different things.

People often reprogram their ECM for a few reasons. One is to remove restrictions and get more horsepower or torque, making their engine stronger. Another reason is to improve how much fuel their engine uses. They can tweak things like the air-fuel mix, ignition timing, and pressure in the engine to make it more fuel-efficient. This reprogramming, if done correctly, can save drivers around 5 to 10 percent on gas.

Installing New Fuel Injectors:

If you're planning to adjust your engine's air-fuel mix, you might also want to put in new fuel injectors. These are like tiny electronic nozzles in your engine that spray fuel into the engine's intake. They need to spray fuel at the same speed as the engine is spinning, so it's important to make sure they match.

When you add new or extra fuel injectors, more fuel can reach the engine, which means more horsepower. Some fancy fuel injectors even have special nozzles that make the fuel spray out in a way that's super efficient. This can make the engine work better and use less fuel, giving you more power and better gas mileage.

Upgrading the Air Intake:

One of the most popular ways to make diesel engines perform better is to improve how they breathe. This means making it easier for more air to get into the engine. Why? Because more air means more power and less risk of your engine getting too hot.

Air intake kits are like special boxes that bring in fresh air from outside and cool it down before it goes into the engine. Cooler air has more oxygen, which helps the engine make more power. These kits also keep the air clean, so your engine doesn't get clogged with dirt.

People love air intake upgrades because they are

Affordable
Easy to put in
A fun and effective way to boost engine power

Enhancing the Performance Exhaust:

Here's something important to remember - when you make your engine more powerful, you also need to make sure it can breathe out properly. By now, you already know about getting more air in, but if the exhaust can't get out, it can cause problems.

Improving your exhaust system or putting in a performance exhaust helps your engine stay in balance. When things are balanced, your engine doesn't have to work extra hard and use more fuel.

While a performance exhaust might not save as much fuel as other upgrades, it still has benefits. It lets your engine expel exhaust safely and can save you about 1 to 2 percent on fuel costs each year.

Putting in a Turbocharger:

For drivers who want to take their engine to the next level, a turbocharger is the way to go. Turbochargers are like special devices that help your engine make a lot more power. They work by forcing extra air into the engine, which boosts power and makes the engine use fuel more efficiently.

Basic turbos can increase airflow by up to four times compared to a regular engine. If you install a performance turbocharger, you can get up to 10 times more power than a regular engine. So, if you want a big boost in performance for your diesel engine, a turbocharger is a great choice.

Andrew Gilcrist is a diesel tuner associated with ATF-Remapping, a leading company for diesel tuning in Sydney. In this article, the author has discussed the performance upgrades that are performed during the tuning of a diesel car engine.