2005 Ford F350

When we think diesel truck, we usually think of all the capabilities that come along with one. Whether it's lifting it to further stand out from the crowd, making it tow 15,000 pounds with ease, or turning it into a lightning quick ball of mass that can tear up the local dragstrip, anything is possible. Well, soon after purchasing this '05 F-350, Ron Reiswig wanted to do all of these things.

Ron's story is probably more like yours than you think. The magnetic field that surrounds diesels drew him in in 2001. While towing his boat through high elevation with a '95 F-350 powered by a 460ci V-8 gasser, a friend with a diesel, who also had a boat in tow, blew past him like he was sitting still. Ron's reaction to this was appropriate-he promptly traded his gas truck in for an '02 Power Stroke, then found himself upgrading to the truck you see here three years later.

His progressive buildup began with an SCT tuner, air intake system, and a 4-inch MBRP stainless steel exhaust, but that was just the beginning. Ron's quest for more power soon turned serious, which led him to address the 6.0L's infamous torque-to-yield head bolt problem. So the cab was pulled, and a set of ARP head studs was installed. Jumping at the chance to modify the heads, Ron had them ported and polished by John Wood, of John Wood Automotive, for optimum flow.

Never afraid of going big, he chose to install a set of 250cc injectors from Ryan Casserly at Full Force Diesel, and a fuel system from ITP Diesel. And, after experimenting with a Turbonetics turbo with a 66mm-diameter inducer, he settled on the current 70mm unit from Turbonetics to provide the adequate air-fuel ratio he was after. With plenty of fuel, a Spearco intercooler from Turbonetics helps keep EGTs manageable. Electronically, Ron uses SCT custom tunes from John Wood, and had the fuel injection control module (FICM) re-flashed by Innovative Diesel for better throttle response.