Who's the big dog on the street, you ask? Bully Dog, of course. Based out of Aberdeen, Idaho, this diesel specialist company has made leaps and bounds in the technology of diesel performance. You've seen the countless tech how-to articles on installation of various products, and we do them, too, but we thought that it would be good to take a real-life look at what it takes to install, drive, and generally tool around town with Bully Dog's new Triple Dog combo and Bully Dog's Rapid Flow induction system and custom exhaust.
Our vehicle of choice is no trailer queen. This bad boy is an honest, hard-working daily driver. Todd McNaughton of Canyon Lake, California, owns California Sun Landscape, and his truck is an '03 Ford F-350 powered by a 6.0L Power Stroke turbodiesel. If you have ever been around this part of California you know there are hills and mountains everywhere, which causes fuel economy to be virtually non-existent when driving a heavy truck like this one loaded down with equipment.
"Power Stroke" pretty much...
"Power Stroke" pretty much says it all. This is a badass motor that is beggin' for more power.
With the help of expert fabricator and Ford specialist, Jeremy Hayter, of Corona, California, we will get the real story on life with a Bully Dog. Todd complained of the lack of power and performance from the turbodiesel, which added strain when he pulled his 14,000-pound utility trailer loaded with equipment. Equipped with a 38-gallon fuel tank, Todd estimated he was getting anywhere from 9-10 mpg. One of the daily routes he has to travel features a 10 percent grade, which is extremely steep. On this grade, pulling a 14,000-pound trailer, he manages a whopping 35 mph. One thing we need to mention is that Todd's truck is lifted with a 4-inch lift and rolls on 35-inch tires, which also adds to the strain.
Bryan Rodgers of BBK has the...
Bryan Rodgers of BBK has the tedious duty of not only operating the computer side of the dyno but the very important job of safely securing the truck during testing. Once it gets strapped down to the dyno, off we go!
The first stop on this buildup was to BBK Performance in Temecula, California. Performance guru Brian Rodgers decided to dyno the turbodiesel to see how it checked out. After securing the big red behemoth and plugging in all the necessities, Brian revved the Power Stroke to maximum performance. The numbers weren't bad, but we knew we could do better. Maximum power to the wheels was an average of 231 hp. After several runs, we knew that was probably the best we were going to get.
Bryan dials in the big Ford...
Bryan dials in the big Ford at 231.12 hp at the wheels. This not bad for stock, but we knew we could do better.
Back at the shop, Jeremy jumped at the chance to help create the ultimate diesel street fighter. This application can be done at home if you have more than your wife's kitchen tool kit and possess some mechanical skills. There is drilling, cutting, and electrical wiring to be done, so if you're lacking in these departments, we recommend you visit a shop that installs this type of product, such as an authorized Bully Dog dealer.