The legendary Cummins engine has been married to Ram pickups since the diesel versions were introduced back in 1989. The diesel Dodge was revolutionary for its time, in that it had a turbocharger to help boost power way past naturally-aspirated trucks of the ’80s from other manufacturers. The Cummins was rated at 160 horsepower but actually made closer to 200. However, at the time, it was the 400 lb-ft of torque that made it appealing to truck buyers. It also got more than 20 mpg, as opposed to the 7 or 8 mpg or so of big-block gas rigs at the time. The diesel was a game changer, and the Cummins/Ram relationship continued on through the ’90s and is still going strong. The engine’s popularity means Ram upgrades are abundant.

The current generation Cummins setup in Ram trucks has been around for a whopping 15 years. In 2007.5, displacement was bumped to 6.7 liters, and its common-rail injection system (introduced in 2003) was retained. Horsepower would also steadily rise throughout the years, and more importantly (for many Ram owners) so would torque. Initially, the 6.7-powered Ram was released with 350 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. But over the years, the torque number would continuously rise, and the current offering (2023) makes 370 horsepower with a whopping 850 lb-ft of torque. If you opt for the Aisin transmission the engine is slightly spicier, with 420 horsepower and 1,075 lb-ft of torque, at only 1,800 rpm.

Custom tuning is available for virtually all years of Cummins pickups, and can add 50, 100, or even 150 extra horsepower.

Ok, so the power and torque numbers on the Ram are decent, but in raw performance the truck is still outpaced a good amount by the Duramax-powered GM models at 445 horsepower, and Ford Power Stroke-equipped trucks at 500 horsepower. So don’t expect the Ram to win any drag races, but we do have some helpful ways to catch up to GM and Ford.

Ram Upgrades Step One: Tuning

Almost all new diesels are limited from the factory — in some ways, a lot more than gas engines — so it should come as no surprise that the first Ram upgrades you need to consider is a good tune that can add quite a bit of power to your Ram pickup. The Ram has been around in basically the same form for so long, there’s quite a bit on the market for this. You can either choose to use a hand-held tuner, like the Bully Dog GT or the EZX from Edge Products that come with preprogrammed tunes, or a custom tune like you can get from Calibrated Power. The Illinois-based company offers custom tuning through EFILive and EZ Lynk, and offers emissions-intact and 50-state legal tuning. “We try and focus on power, but also reliability and longevity,” notes Anthony Bruneni of Calibrated.

When it comes to adding power, Bruneni said that tunes of 100 extra horsepower are available for all years, although the trucks with the Aisin transmission can handle a bit more — up to 150 rear-wheel horsepower increase. Power is raised via a delicate balance of timing, airflow, injector duration, and rail pressure, along with carefully monitoring the engine’s air/fuel ratio. “More than 100 parameters are adjusted before a tune ever hits the market,” says Bruneni. “The end result is not only a more powerful truck but a more efficient and drivable one too.” Tuning for the Cummins engine depends on the year and platform, and ranges from about $1,200 to $1,800.

AEM is one of the few companies that was nice enough to post dyno numbers, netting an 8-horsepower increase in the midrange. In addition to power, most intakes will up the volume on the turbo too.

Step Two: Air Intake

There comes a point where modifications start to build on each other, and each modification leads to the next one making more power. Such is the case for air intakes. With an engine in its stock form, an aftermarket intake will free up any restrictive airflow to the turbocharger and can help make a little more power — maybe 3 to 5 horsepower. Add a tune to the mix, however, and the power gains jump a little higher, more like 10 to 15 horsepower. The fact that nearly all air intakes give you a little more turbo noise, and add power across the entire RPM range (especially in the mid-range) goes to show that they’re a worthwhile modification. Depending on which intake you go with, intakes can be had for around $300 to $500.

Banks offers its Monster Ram intake for Cummins engines, which maximizes cool, dense air through increased flow.

Ram Upgrades Step Three: Banks Monster-Ram Intake Elbow

Going with a theme of freeing up the factory airflow system, our next candidate for Ram Upgrades is Banks Power‘s Monster Ram Intake System. This intake manifold offers more than double the airflow of the factory intake horn, which is just about the most restrictive part of the intake system. Banks notes, “Your Cummins engine consumes a massive amount of air and struggles to breathe through its tiny, squashed inlet. The stock horn causes boost loss at the same flow while the Banks Monster-Ram has a wide, unrestricted, free-flowing path.”

This not only leads to more power, but better turbo longevity, and quicker spooling. The Banks intake also has four 1/8-inch NPT ports for sensors, or to make room for off-highway modifications like water-methanol or nitrous oxide injection. There’s also a provision to remove the factory grid heater and add Banks’ improved design that erases the chance of the heater grid bolt falling into your engine. The price for the Banks intake is right around $1,000.

Common-rail injectors can cause a whole host of issues if they fail. Not only can new injectors add power, but they will also keep your engine running right for years to come.

Step Four: Injector Replacement

Another performance option that also checks a few boxes in the “reliability” section, would be a set of new injectors like the one above from Scheid Diesel. Over time, the injectors (especially in older engines) can become an issue, and will either not flow as much as needed, or flow too much. While an injector that flows too much might not sound like a bad thing, it actually is, as worn injectors can leak fuel into the engine at low engine speeds and part-throttle conditions, and can create a hot spot in a cylinder that eventually results in a piston failure.

So not only can injectors that flow up to the max factory specs add power, they’re safer for your engine too. Also depending on your state, upgrading to bigger injectors is another popular modification, and can easily pass visual and smoke tests with proper tuning. Although they push our Ram upgrades $2,000 price point a bit (at $2,400 and up) we feel they’re worth the expense.

The 68RFE transmission found in newer Cummins trucks can use some help, especially when extra power is part of the program. In addition to tuning, companies like BD Diesel also make kits that install inside the transmission to safely allow pressure increases.

Ram Upgrades Step Five: Transmission Tuning

If you’re going to push things by adding larger injectors or a big-horsepower tune, transmission tuning becomes very important. In its engine’s current ’07-and-up iteration, the Ram has received a variety of automatic transmissions, from the 48RE four-speed to the 68RFE six-speed, and most recently, the Aisin in HD trucks. All of these transmissions perform decently in stock form, but they’re already taxed by the immense torque of the diesel engine. When it comes to adding even more power (and torque), transmission tuning is definitely recommended.

In talking with Calibrated Power they remarked “We definitely recommend transmission tuning if you’re adding horsepower and torque to your truck, and especially if you tow.” They noted that they are able to raise the transmission’s line pressure for better holding capacity, raise and smooth shift points, and command a different converter lock-up strategy. Transmission tuning runs from around $300 to $500.

Also, we would be remiss if we did not mention that transmission tuning and engine power increases also mean you should upgrade the valvebody, especially if you have a 68RFE transmission. The 68RFE valvebody is plagued with issues, and an aftermarket valvebody will resolve many of them. RevMax Converters offers a bolt-in valvebody that comes in at $850 to $1,050 depending on how you order it.

The Verdict

Dodge Ram fans are quick to tout the strength, durability, and torque of its 6.7 Cummins engines, and they’re not wrong. The modifications here will give you a fighting chance in horsepower against the Ford and GM offerings, along with the massive low-RPM torque that Ram owners love. Want to tow at 1,800 rpm, or loaf along at 50 mph and 1,100 rpm on surface streets? The Ram has you covered.