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The LB7 has been one of the most powerful models over the years, specifically due to its fuel mileage and the silent common rail injection system.
Over the years, as it started wearing out, complications started to pile up. Nowadays, the LB7 can be acquired for a few thousand bucks, and for achieving peak performance, you will definitely need to perform some modifications to guarantee proficiency as well as reliability.
If you’re confused as to what modifications you should execute, keep on reading!
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Mods For Lb7 Duramax
- OUR TOP PICK: ACDelco TP3018 Professional Fuel Filter
- RUNNER-UP: Edge Products Insight Cts2
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: PPE Boost Increase Valve
Comparison Chart of the Best Mods For LB7 Duramax
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Best Budget Option  |
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What Makes a Mod Worth Adding to an LB7 Duramax?
When searching for mods for your LB7, a possible question might arise: ‘what are the different criteria that make a mod suitable for my vehicle?’ Let’s discuss a few important factors you should be on the lookout for when buying mods to add to your vehicle
Warranty
Warranty is one of the most important factors to consider when you’re buying literally anything. What if you bring home a brand-new mod to install in your vehicle, and after a few tests run, it becomes damaged or stops working altogether? You always need to have formal assurance and guarantee from the manufacturer to make sure you’re not getting ripped off for your money. Hence, use a mod that comes with a warranty.
Brand Reliability
Nowadays, you’ll find knock offs for everything that essentially exists in this world physically or virtually. When the enticing factor is a considerably lower price, people do tend to trade it off for brand reliability and even more credibility. But is that really the way to go? Absolutely not!
Trustworthiness is imperative because you’ve invested quite a lot in your vehicle, and you ought to put in the best possible parts for its performance. Hence, never opt for cheap nameless brands when buying mods; always buy from reliable brands.
Customer Reviews
If you're not a professional mechanic or a car fanatic and can’t really tell a product’s worth based on its specifications, or even if you’re just not sure if it’ll perform just as well as it claims, customer reviews are an excellent source to gain this kind of information. They are unbiased, to the point, and give you a heads up on what to look out for in a particular product. We would highly recommend checking the reviews for a product before buying it.
Compliance Standards
Last but not least, make sure the mod you’re buying conforms to the appropriate compliance standards for that particular type of object. Don't ever buy products that fail to adhere to the necessary and appropriate compliance requirements because it will cost you your valuable money in the long run.
Can You Really Find a Quality Mod That’s Affordable?
LB7 trucks have always been at a considerable advantage due to their efficient power-weight ratio in comparison to RAMs and Super Dutys. In the mid-2000s, the LB7 displayed superb diesel performance, and nothing else could come at par with it.
The mods you can install on your LB7 can range anywhere from simple bolt-ons to more complex refinements. While it may be true that owing to the common rail injection systems, these vehicles are fairly costly to upgrade; it doesn’t have to be too expensive.
People will find extremely cheap alternatives to everything that’s out there, but do they guarantee the quality? No. Affordability is not synonymous with ‘extremely cheap.’ It essentially means you’ll get the best possible quality at the best possible price.
If you’re going to invest in something as significant as this, it’s going to cost you some bucks, but, with our carefully formulated guide, we assure you that you’ll find the best and reliable modification options for your LB7 that are extremely affordable and budget-friendly.
Review of the Best Mods For LB7 Duramax
If you’re apprehensive about questions that center around the subject, ‘Which mod will work best for my LB7?’, you’ve come to the right place. Here are our recommendations:
Best Overall:
ACDelco TP3018 Professional Fuel Filter
PROS
PROS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers of this product were pleased with their purchase. They installed it on their vehicles and said everything seemed to work pretty well. Users advise potential clients to always carry a spare fuel filter in the trunk. It’s really useful. k
Overall, they say they’ll buy this product again.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The product delivers exceptional performance and dependability in entrapping contaminants like dirt, dust, or paint particles before entering the fuel delivery system. This technique ensures superior engine performance that lasts for a long period of time without any issues coming about.
It’s specially designed to meet the expectations in terms of fit, form, and function, guaranteeing the highest quality that is perfect for your GM vehicle or any other model you choose to drive. It’s a good alternative that you will have to change every year if you don’t have the budget to splurge on a lift pump.
Bottom Line
All in all, It’s a good solid OEM filter at an excellent price. It works well and fits perfectly, and is one of our top recommendations.
Runner-up:
Edge Products Insight Cts2
PROS
PROS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers report back after months of use, claiming this product displays an amazing performance. They say it reads codes well, and in most cases, it will give you the cause of the code if it’s a struggle to find online. Buyers also label it as a good purchase if you want to monitor your diesel's vital temps and PSI.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Nowadays, performance monitors are a must-have for any diesel truck owners.
The Edge Insight Cts2 is one of our favorites because it displays detailed vehicle parameters like temperature transmissions, all while being adaptable enough to be configured to one’s liking. Its key features include a diagnostic tool, performance monitoring, multi-gauge touch screen display, maintenance manager, and fuel mileage guide all being delivered at the best possible price.
Being one of the more premium monitors that exist in the market today, it rocks an excellent and extremely efficient design that includes exclusive features you won’t find in any other device.
Bottom Line
With its additional HDMI style plug and linking EAS accessories, this device will act as the perfect companion for all your ventures. Offering features like no other at such an affordable price, this mod is a necessity.
Best for the Money:
PPE Boost Increase Valve
PROS
PROS
What Recent Buyers Report
Users seem to love the product because it’s extremely easy to install. Furthermore, for them, it really made a difference in the throttle response. The power the users want is immediate upon pushing the pedal. Overall, for how affordable the product is, it offers a lot of great features and makes the purchase totally worth it.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The product stands out to us because it offers excellent turbo boost pressure from the stock 18-20 psi to 23-25 psi. It is extremely easy and quick to install; it only takes five minutes, and it will surely enhance your engine performance while taking care of those worrisome EGTs.
Upon installations, the turbo boost will spool up a lot faster, and the pitch of the whistle will also be a lot smoother in terms of audibility. It’s an excellent upgrade for the money.
Bottom Line
Everybody’s on the lookout for the best quality options at the most affordable price; there’s no doubt about that. This device is simple, easy to install, and you’ll see a difference once it's put to use.
4. Sinister Diesel "Welded" Water Pump
PROS
PROS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers claim that the device had a good fit and works great. Although some buyers claimed that the O-ring was of the wrong size, the overall amazing performance of this water pump and the even greater price was a nice trade-off.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Designed from high-quality material to deliver you phenomenal performance and durability, the Sinister Diesel Water Pump features a TIG that’s welded on both the impeller and the pump gear to secure them to the shaft. This guarantees a strong grip and robust design.
The device is known to exceed OEM specifications and features a thermostat gasket as well. It works great with modified high horse-power applications.
Overall, it’s an excellent modification to upgrade your truck’s performance without breaking the bank.
Bottom Line
A proper heat management system is crucial for modified vehicle engines to ensure a definitive performance. The Sinister Diesel Water Pump features an O-ring and sinister diesel-welded water pump that is amazing for routine maintenance and overall powerful performance.
5. S&B Filters 75-5101D Cold Air Intake
PROS
PROS
What Recent Buyers Report
Users were extremely impressed with the S&B Filter. For them, it made a noticeable difference in their engines, and the fit proved to be very good. Buyers also noticed a difference in their boost and sound on the straight pipe. It was super easy to install and proved to be one of the best cold air intake devices in the market.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We’re especially in love with this device due to its amazing list of features, including a signature clear LED, less restrictive air-flow, a highly efficient silicon air filter, and the custom enclosure to keep the unwanted engine heat out.
It further tests to the ISO 5011 standards and is extremely easy to install with its step-by-step instructions. It's also designed to avoid check engine lights, and the premium silicone parts ensure longevity.
All in all, as backed by customer reviews, this is one of the best cold air intakes you can get.
Bottom Line
S&B is a reliable company that takes extreme care in engineering their state-of-the-art intakes, enabling your engine to run smoothly with stock calibration and enhanced tuning. This is a great choice for anyone looking to improve their engine’s performance at a reasonable price.
What Should I Look For When Buying New Mods?
If you’re thinking of building upon your LB7, here are our recommendations:
Noise Restriction
Upgrading the exhaust system is imperative for an upgrade that is to follow because whenever you’re trying to enhance your vehicle, you need to be aware of the noise it creates and be mindful that it’s not too rowdy.
You have an option to choose from a four-inch or a five-inch exhaust system, each having its own set of pros and cons. Generally speaking, the former is adequate for most vehicles and is less noisy. On the other hand, the latter is a little deeper and rough, but overall, you won’t notice much of a difference in terms of performance. So, in the end, it's really about personal preference.
Performance Boost
The main aim of upgrading your vehicle is basically to improve its performance without having to buy something completely new, but not all upgrades provide the level of improvement you might be looking for.
For an effective performance-boosting modification, try installing cold air intakes, which will, no doubt, increase your vehicle's performance, creating a much more efficient system.
High Quality
It's pretty obvious that the main aim of this whole article is to provide you with ideas for an overall enhanced and optimal performance. This is why we highly recommend always looking for quality modification upgrades. Try opting for options with standard marks to ensure the highest quality, so you don’t have to upgrade as frequently. Our recommended products all fall under this category, so you don’t have to worry.
Lower EGT Temperature
Higher EGTs can be extremely harmful as they can result in the exhaust manifold and cylinder head cracking. Hence, while shopping for mods, make sure you’re choosing one that offers to combat higher exhaust gas temperatures. A boost increase valve is perfect for this purpose as it keeps your wastegate closed for a longer amount of time than usual during boost. This, in turn, aids in a higher power in the upper RPM range, creating a higher turbo whistle on the engine deceleration.
Cost Efficiency
Custom tuning is the best option for anyone and everyone driving an LB7 or any other vehicle for that matter. It offers higher power, runs cooler, and most importantly, it is superior in being economical. Personally, we love an EFI live with copper custom tuning. We also recommend the PPE boost increase valve for reasons mentioned earlier. It's one of the most cost-effective performance mods you can install.
Material
Be aware of the material that your mod is made up of. This is because aluminum is quick to suffer damage, which is also quite drastic. Avoid buying aluminum products as they have a lower softening and melting temperature when compared to steel and cast iron.
What Are the Benefits of Modifying My LB7 Duramax?
If we’ve formulated a whole guide on some of the best modifications for your LB7, there will be some benefits attached to the whole process, right? Let’s discuss a few:
Durability
With the right kind of modifications, you’ll fashion a truck that's reliable and durable and is a blast to drive without any risk of it dismantling due to possible failures.
Good Mileage
Once you upgrade, your LB7 will get extremely good mileage, with no emission equipment and even better fuel economy.
Efficient Heat Management
Heat management is essential for all well-performing engines, and upgrades like water pumps make sure your LB7 has an efficient heat management system.
Good Throttle Response
Poor throttle response is a major problem experienced by most automobile owners. This can be due to a dirty fuel filter, faulty technological components, or unutilized fuel economy. To elevate your throttle response, you need high-quality modifications in addition to maintaining your engine’s cleanliness.
With a good throttle response, you’ll be able to accelerate your truck according to your needs due to an improved internal combustion engine.
Conclusion
Our guide aimed to give you a detailed outlook on the modifications best suited for your LB7. Of course, there can be other great mods too, but for the most part, we strongly feel that these are some of the best products that exist out there, corroborating reliability and resilience. We hope our recommendations proved to be helpful.
People Also Ask
If you’re still curious about a few details or feel like we didn’t touch upon something that’s still on your mind, here are common queries. Go through our frequently asked questions to see if you can find what you’re looking for.
How Can I Make My LB7 Faster?
Usually, manufacturers often compromise on the airflow exchange in exchange for lowered noise. Hence, for making your LB7 faster, you need to upgrade the induction and exhaust. Using a five-inch engine can help you reach around 700 horsepower from the get-go. You also need to upgrade your turbocharging system to create more efficiency.
How Much Horsepower Does an LB7 Duramax Have?
Duramax has undergone several upgrades and enhancements over the years that have helped it evolve to become the most refined version. The final year model of the LB7 is reported to have a horsepower of 300 at 3100 rpm and 520 pounds of torque at 1800 rpm.
