Introduced in 2001, the Duramax V8 turbo diesel family was continuously improved over the years until the L5P that GM uses in heavy-duty trucks. Fully stock, the 6.6-liter mill develops 445 horsepower at 2,800 revolutions per minute along with 910 pound-feet (1,234 Nm) from merely 1,600 rpm.
There is, however, plenty of room for improvement. From 6.7 liters of displacement, the straight-six turbo Cummins in the Ram HD puts out a ludicrous 1,075 pound-feet (1,458 Nm) at 1,800 rpm. The Ford Motor Company’s Power Stroke V8 isn’t too far behind with its 1,050 pound-feet (1,424 Nm) at 1,600 rpm, but don’t rule out the revered Duramax just yet.
Supplied by Edge and sold by Holley, the Pulsar V3 module in the following video provides a substantial boost to the L5P with nothing more than the magic of software. As measured on the dynamometer, this piece of kit adds up to 136 horsepower and 291 pound-feet (395 Nm) of torque to the 6.6-liter engine, maxing out 1,117 pound-feet (1,514 Nm) on Power Level 5.
The Edge Pulsar V3 unlocks the aforementioned output figures using four major components: injection timing, injection pulse width, fuel rail pressure, and – of course – air flow. Compatible with 2017 to 2021 models, the module can also calibrate the speedometer for tire and gear changes, read and clear diagnostic trouble codes, adjust the TPMS settings on the new wheel/tire setup, and adjust the speed limiter of your beloved pickup.
Axle ratio adjustment, manual regeneration, and transmission relearn also need to be highlighted. Holley further mentions that “some trucks netted over 150 horsepower,” along with a quarter-mile time of 14.17 seconds for the Power Level 5 compared to 14.93 seconds for the bone-stock pickup.
Currently priced by Holley at just under $800 as opposed to the retail price of $980, the Edge Pulsar V3 needs two M6 bolts, four M6 screws, the appropriate nuts and washers, as well as two bracket pieces to be installed.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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