2006 Missing HP

oldcolt

Striker Heads and Cam
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
2,776
Reaction score
174
Location
Calgary, AB
As most of you know my 2006 RC had a lack of HP from the factory. A few other 06 owners have had the same issue. I brought this problem to Ron last year after my truck did not respond to any tunes. We did a dozen or more dyno runs, tried all sorts of tunes. Nothing worked.
I asked rottenronnie if he could look into it a bit deeper and try to find a solution. Ron and Jason spent a lot of time going over my engine trouble-shooting. Everything they checked was in spec. A BBK TB and TPS was installed and the truck was still flat.
Ron and Jason pulled the heads and found evidence of the problem. Everything had been pointing to a timing issue and after some more work, it was confirmed that the cam was retarded.
A new custom Striker cam was installed (and a couple of other changes) and wow what a difference!
I drove my truck home today from their shop in -20c, so I had to behave, but my truck is making some power now! We still have some dyno and tuning work to do, once the weather is better.

Thanks to Ron and Jason for going beyond the call to solve this problem. Both of you are very knowledgeable, professional and did top notch work.:rock::rock::rock:
 
So thats a issue with some 2006 trucks or just yours? Glad you got it fixed, and i know what you mean by behaving. Its been around the same temp here in edmonton and i just got the SCT tuner from torrie, hate that i have to wait another couple of months to feel the power.
 
There are a few 06's around that are down on power. Is this the solution for all? Not sure, but it's worth checking.
 
Good to hear.
I met up with Midnight Runner last week. On the way home I was playing with some chick in an Acura. After rolling from a light, I punched it and broke the tires loose. Before my TPS swap I wasn't able to do that. I will dyno mine again sometime and if my numbers are still low (I really don't think they are anymore) I will look into a cam.
 
Mine did not respond to the TPS. The power difference is incredible. It will be interesting to see the HP and torque gains on the dyno.
 
There are a few 06's around that are down on power. Is this the solution for all? Not sure, but it's worth checking.

Thanks for the kinds words Burt..

Yes, even with a VERY aggressive tune, your truck did not respond in anything close to a normal manner. Ruling out the possibility of Demonic Possession, it was only a matter of time before it was forced to reveal it's true nature. I mean.... It's a Viper Engine... and there are only so many places horsepower can hide.!!.:)

Installing cams in the late (retarded) position was an emergency measure when engines had difficulty meeting emissions back in the early 1970s. Unfortunately, it also kicked the crap out of power as the engines just couldn't build any cylinder pressure. High static and dynamic compression ratios created a temperature spike which split out oxides of nitrogen (a main pollutant). The factories reduced static and dynamic (operational) compression with late cam timing and other tricks and solved their emission problems.

I can't say whether this was common practice with the 2006s (last year for the Gen IIIs), but as Burt has said, there ARE a few of them out there that are low on power. I have some feelers out to Dodge; we will see if anyone wants to answer !

Ronnie
 
Last edited:
Good News.....
 
is there any way to tell you have a bad TPS? alot of talk about that lately.

Some (most?) of the trucks will hang on sort of a fast idle, especially after a car wash. Lifting the hood will pee water all over the t.p.s. and that can make them mad.

But yes, you can put a meter on them and watch what kind of voltage they put out during a sweep from rest to wide open throttle and see if the voltage changes are consistent.
If you have a bad one and install a new one, just remember to remove BOTH battery cables and touch them together to do a hard e.c.u. reset. Otherwise, the faulty information from the bad t.p.s. can stay resident for quite some time..

Ronnie
 
Last edited:
Good to hear, my cam was ok. Did you see any crosshatch on your cylinder walls?
 
I should also mention the exhaust note sounds umm.....what would you say Ron...., pure evil?:D:D:D

I will try to get a video of what the Magnaflow sounds like. I am changing it out to the Borla cat-back, maybe in the morning.
 
I should also mention the exhaust note sounds umm.....what would you say Ron...., pure evil?:D:D:D

I will try to get a video of what the Magnaflow sounds like. I am changing it out to the Borla cat-back, maybe in the morning.

Yes, it went from loud UPS Delivery Van to umm..... "SERIOUS" :D

That big increase in cylinder pressure should give your headers something to do.... ;)
 
Yes, it went from loud UPS Delivery Van to umm..... "SERIOUS" :D

That big increase in cylinder pressure should give your headers something to do.... ;)

Mrs.oldcolt says it's gone from just "trying to sound loud" to having a reason!:D:D
 
What's the specs on the striker cam?
 

Support Us

Become A Supporting Member Today!

Click Here For Details

Back
Top