In this episode of the Power Driven Diesel Podcast, we’re jumping into one of the most important and overlooked parts of diesel performance, building your engine the right way. Whether you’re putting together your very first motor in the garage or you’ve already built a few and want to step things up, this episode is packed with real-world advice on setting up a reliable bottom end.

We talk through everything that matters when it comes to getting your clearances right, including piston to wall, ring gap, bearing choices, and proper bore finish. We also share a lot of personal experience, including what we got wrong on our early builds, what we’ve learned since, and how it’s shaped the way we put engines together today. This is the kind of information you won’t always hear unless you’re working in the shop every day.]

If you’ve ever wondered whether your local machine shop is doing things right, what tools you actually need to measure piston clearance, or if that old three-stone hone is good enough, we break it all down. We talk about real horsepower goals and what kind of clearances actually hold up, whether you’re building a 600-horse daily driver or chasing four-digit power on the dyno.

We also cover the differences between cast and forged pistons, gapless versus conventional rings, and the truth about how much contamination in your bearings it really takes to ruin a fresh build. From micrometers and profilometers to plastic gauge and feeler gauges, this episode covers both budget-minded builds and pro-level machine work.

The goal is simple. We want to help you avoid costly mistakes and build something that lasts. We’ve been through the failures, cracked blocks, broken pistons, and trashed bearings so you don’t have to.

If you’re serious about performance diesel, especially Cummins engine builds, this episode is a great one to dig into. Drop your questions in the comments and let us know if you want a follow-up. There’s still a lot we didn’t cover like head studs, torque specs, and top-end setups, and we’re just getting started.

In this episode of the Power Driven Diesel Podcast, the team recaps everything they experienced at the Ultimate Callout Challenge, the most intense diesel performance event of the year. From powerhouse builds to catastrophic failures, this episode is loaded with insight, real talk, and valuable lessons for anyone serious about diesel horsepower. Whether you are a tuner, racer, builder, or just a diesel enthusiast, there is something here for you.

The crew dives into what makes UCC such a game-changing event, bringing together the best minds and machines in the industry. Companies like Fleece, Firepunk, and Hamilton came out strong, but the biggest takeaways came from conversations behind the scenes. These included breakdowns of tuning strategies, nitrous setups, engine failures, and cylinder pressure data that reveals what is really happening inside these high-horsepower builds.

One of the most important topics covered is ignition timing and how it must be adjusted when nitrous is used. Many competitors at the event were running fuel-only timing while spraying large amounts of nitrous, which caused serious engine damage. Timing needs to be retarded significantly to prevent early cylinder pressure spikes that lead to cracked blocks, broken pistons, and failed valves. The discussion digs into what the top-performing teams are doing

differently and how this knowledge applies not just to dyno runs, but also to drag racing and sled pulling.

The podcast also explores valve float, spring pressure, fuel injector sizing, and the effect of turbocharger selection on timing requirements. They compare single turbo, compound, and nitrous-assisted setups, explaining how each affects combustion and power output. The guys also discuss drivetrain durability and how many trucks are slipping something on the dyno, whether it is a converter, clutch pack, or tire. They even analyze the dramatic failure of a drag radial that exploded during a dyno pull at nearly 200 miles per hour.

This episode captures both the chaos and the innovation happening in high-level diesel competition. It is a blend of hard-earned lessons, shop-tested data, and real-world experience that you will not get anywhere else. Tune in to learn what worked, what failed, and how the industry is evolving. Subscribe for more in-depth episodes covering the cutting edge of diesel performance.

In this episode of the Power Driven Podcast, we sit down with Josh McCormick, the 2025 Ultimate Callout Challenge Champion, to break down everything that went into his winning weekend. From setting a 3000+ horsepower dyno number to surviving one of the toughest diesel competitions in the country, Josh walks us through the full experience.

We talk about what it takes to stay competitive across drag racing, sled pulling, and the dyno, and how his Cummins-powered setup held strong through all three events. Josh shares what his prep looked like going in, how things unfolded day by day, and the moments that nearly derailed everything. You’ll hear about the long hauls, the behind the scenes chaos, the victories that didn’t make the highlight reels, and how he kept his truck running clean and consistent from start to finish.

We also get into the current state of competition diesel. From the evolving truck builds to standout performances from other drivers, this episode gives a real look at how high the bar has been raised and what it means to keep up.

If you’re into diesel drag racing, dyno tuning, sled pulling, or just want to hear how top-level trucks are built and run at elite events like UCC, this is the episode for you. It’s informative, entertaining, and packed with insight from someone who’s earned his spot at the top.

Make sure to subscribe for more in depth episodes, and leave a comment with your questions, thoughts, or what you’d like to hear in a future episode.

Welcome back to the Power Driven Diesel podcast. We’ve had quite a few people ask for more Common Rail content, so we figured it was time to dive in. In this episode, Meyer joins us to walk through a bunch of topics that matter if you’re running a Common Rail Cummins or thinking about building one. We get into tuning strategies, CP3 fuel systems, turbo behavior, and how it all works together when you start pushing power.

We kick things off with tuning basics. Meyer explains fuel timing and duration in a way that makes sense, especially if you’re new to this stuff. There’s a good breakdown of what it means when a truck is injecting fuel after top dead center and why emissions tuning often does that. We talk about how shortening duration and improving injection rate helps power, efficiency, and driveability. We also get into pedal maps and how your throttle input turns into actual fuel output. That part gets overlooked a lot, but it has a huge effect on how the truck feels behind the wheel.

From there we get into VGT turbo tuning. Will shares what happened when he upgraded the turbo on his wife’s Excursion and how the truck felt super lazy until he figured out the vane control. Just closing the vanes to make more boost actually slowed the truck down, and once he opened them back up, it ripped again. That’s a good lesson for anyone who thinks boost equals speed, because the truth is it’s all about balance and airflow.

We also talk about CP3 pump setups. For a long time, making big power meant running two or three pumps, but that has changed. Nowadays, a single 14mm pump or a dual CP3 setup can support big numbers, depending on what you’re doing. Meyer and Will both have experience running different setups and share what works better for street trucks versus all-out builds. The bottom line is, if you’re adding hard parts like injectors or turbos, you’ve got to retune or you’re going to leave a lot on the table.

Toward the end, we get into block design and why we’ve moved to using 6.7 blocks in most of our race engines. They have more material between the cylinders, stronger cooling, and we’ve seen them hold up better than older 5.9 blocks when pushed hard. That does not mean the 12-valve stuff is bad. It just means that newer options give you more room to grow, especially when you start mixing parts like 24-valve heads or building hybrids.

There is still a lot we did not get to, like transmissions and more platform-specific tuning, so if you have questions, let us know in the comments. We read those and we’re always down to do a follow-up. Thanks for listening, and we will see you in the next episode.

In this episode of the Power Driven Podcast, we’re taking it back to where it all started—our early days competing in the Ultimate Callout Challenge. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a competitive UCC truck from the ground up, this episode is for you. We get into the gritty details of how we turned a mechanical 12-valve Cummins into a full-blown competition monster, and the chaos that came with trying to keep it alive through dyno runs, drag racing, and sled pulling.

We talk about the early struggles of building with limited resources, how we learned to dial in mechanical fueling on the edge of disaster, and what it was like pushing a triple turbo setup to its absolute limits. From camshaft failures to cobbled together fixes in the pits, we lay out everything we went through just to stay in the fight. You’ll hear how we went from unknowns with a budget build to a team that people started watching closely, especially when we dominated the sled pull with a setup no one expected to work.

This episode isn’t just a look back. It’s a deep dive into the mechanical mindset, the strategy behind each event, and the lessons we learned through trial and error. If you’re into real diesel performance, mechanical builds, or just love hearing what happens behind the scenes at big time diesel events, you’re going to want to listen to the whole thing.

We appreciate everyone who’s followed us since those early UCC days. This is the story of how Power Driven Diesel earned its place in the competition world through busted parts, long nights, and a lot of determination.

In this episode of the Power Driven Podcast, hosts Todd, Will, and Myer welcome special guest Damian, the man who went from enthusiast to event promoter with the launch of the first-ever Southwest Truck Fest. Recorded just weeks after the dust settled, we pull back the curtain on what it took to organize a diesel truck event from scratch, and what he’d do differently next time.

We break down the real-world challenges of launching a grassroots diesel event: securing city permits, dealing with insurance, managing vendors, and coordinating logistics like dyno scheduling, vendor placement, and traffic flow. Damian shares the three-month sprint from idea to execution and how Southwest Truck Fest attracted trucks and fans from across the U.S., including builds from Idaho, Texas, New Mexico, California, and even Washington.

We also talk horsepower, dyno numbers topping 2,400+ HP, what it takes to impress at a show-and-shine, and how event culture has changed in the post-COVID era. And yeah, we get real about the negative press, afterparty burnout fiascos, and what those viral moments mean for the future of diesel events in small towns like St. George.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to start a diesel truck show, or you just want to hear how the performance diesel scene is evolving, this episode is packed with insight, entertainment, and honest talk from guys who live and breathe this world. Whether you’re into dyno days, vendor row, burnout pits, or just rolling coal with your buddies, this is the podcast for you.

You’ve seen the SmokeStang light up burnouts on YouTube—now hear the backstory straight from Westen Champlin himself. We’re talking about how a $1500 junkyard 12-valve turned into a 1200+ horsepower weapon, what really goes down behind the scenes, and why building fast diesel rigs usually ends with something on fire (or broken).

From transmission failures and sketchy last-minute wiring to full-send dyno runs and burnout comps, this episode covers the kind of chaos that comes with chasing big power on tight timelines. Westen shares what it’s like growing a YouTube channel while juggling builds, towing rigs across the country, and trying to keep it all from blowing apart.

We get into the crossover between diesel drag racing, truck pulling, and burnout culture—and how U.S. events are finally catching up to the Aussies when it comes to putting on a real show.

We’re also talking about the upcoming Horsepower Rodeo going down May 24th in Winfield, Kansas—30+ pro-level builds, blown methanol setups, diesel trucks, and zero lift off the throttle.

If you’re into diesel performance, race builds, YouTube truck content, or just want to hear what happens when you stop caring about rules and start chasing horsepower, this one’s worth your time.

In this episode of the Power Driven Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most debated topics in diesel performance: why do diesels smoke? Whether you’re running a mechanical 12-valve or a high-pressure common rail, this episode unpacks the science, tuning strategies, and real-world variables behind black smoke, haze, and combustion efficiency.

We break down the fundamentals of air-fuel ratio (AFR), Lambda, and stoichiometric combustion in a way that makes sense for performance diesel applications. You’ll hear why even at a perfect Lambda of 1.0, diesels can still smoke, and how the fuel itself, injection timing, and in-cylinder mixing all play a role.

From the factory smoke limits and emissions standards to 1,200+ horsepower race setups, we compare how gasoline and diesel engines burn fuel differently, and why gas tuners often misinterpret smoke as bad tuning. Spoiler: diesel makes peak power around the same Lambda values as gas, but with very different combustion behavior.

We also dive into the role of swirl, piston bowl design, injector size, and pilot injection in controlling visible smoke and maximizing power. You’ll learn how boost, compression, and injection pressure change combustion characteristic, and why tuning a common rail is a completely different animal than dialing in a mechanical truck.

The conversation covers everything from sled pull smoke strategies to nitrous-assisted drag passes, and why some trucks need excess fuel to manage heat under extreme load. We even tackle the misconception that visible smoke is worse for the environment than clean-burning high-fuel-consumption setups, turns out what you can’t see may be doing more damage.

Whether you’re trying to keep your daily driver clean or pushing a race truck to its limits, this episode offers insight backed by dyno testing, Lambda data, and decades of hands-on diesel experience. We’ve spent years tuning around this exact issue, and this episode puts it all on the table.