Need more towing power 1995 5.9 magnum

Doe's this look realistic? Taken from Hughes engines
In our opinion, the greatest restriction to making more power in stock magnum engines is the camshaft. It is not little, it is teeny weeny. The chart below compares the stock (5.2/5.9 - they are the same) cam to our smallest 5.2 torque cam.

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Using our SER9703AL cam in a 5.2 engine a customer reports an improvement of 23HP and 35 lb/ft of torque @ 2,000 rpm at the rear wheels. Using our SER0814AL cam in a 5.9 engine a customer reported 48 lb/ft of torque @ 3,500 rpm and a 31HP gain @ 4,700 rpm at the rear wheels. These changes are with a cam, lifter, timing chain and springs only.

I used the SER0814AL cam in a 5.9 build for my 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Van.
It pulls like a freight train in comparison to the stock cam. My build used their EQ heads as well so improvement was not totally based on the cam. The computer on my OBD2 was able to "learn" the new cam. Not sure about OBD1 like yours.

I would go with the smaller cam and yes I would expect a nice gain in low speed TQ.

The computer should be no issue without a tune even(though a tuner should be able to find some more power). At part throttle it can adjust the fuel trim, at WOT (no fuel trim happens at WOT) the stock computer is soooo rich it will actually be close to just right now with the extra air flowing in the engine.

If thats still not enough I got a fresh 410 stroker I am fixing to sell that pulls like a monster.

I thought about a stroke kit but then it would require larger induction and so on and the cost got me thinking about a different truck.

How does that cam idle?

Is that @ 2000 rpm
perhaps a missprint
regarding a 5.2 V8 gaining more than 15% Torque at such a low rpm as 2000 rpm?
If the rpm was in the 3500 to 3800 range it would be believeable....

As a fellow owner of a 1995 Ram (mine is a 5.9)
I would agree with Hot RodDave that more cubic inches is what would make a noticeable difference in highway driving towing between 1700 and 3200 rpm.

Installing a custom switch to lock the torque converter clutch during long hill climbs in second gear is worth considering.

It goes against conventional thinking,
but the combination of 2nd gear and 3.21 ratio diff gears
works better in real world steep grade towing than
either
4.10 diff in 1:1 third gear climbing
or
3.55 diff in 2nd gear climbing.

I have once towed 4700 lbs with a friend’s 1994 4.10 diff 2 wheel drive 5.9V8 auto 46RH through the Appalachians, plus various weights with my 1995 with the original 3.55 and later 3.21 gears.

I don't think you can lock the trans in LU in 2nd gear, there is a valve in the lowest section of the VB to prevent this, it would need to be blocked in some certain position to prevent it from overiding the fluid being blocked by the solonoid.

As for towing, you could certainly stroke it to a 408 and gain a ton of tq without doing a bunch of other mods, just bumping the compression and getting some quench not to mention the added cubes is going to do wonders for TQ production, I built a 318 into a 392 for a customer with a stock cam and lightly ported heads, not even a CAI or upgraded exhaust and it added a mountain of TQ.

You can get LU in 2nd, but not 1st.

I have locked the TCC in 2nd but you have to stay on top of what the valve body hydraulic circuit will want to do next, and unlock the TCC before VB tries to shift to 3rd gear.

Mulled this over and over back in 03. I chose new (to me) vehicle.

IMO the automatic transmission is working against you more than the engine power. At least with a stick the driver can keep it in gear instead of downshifting constantly the way these trucks like to.

Since I first posted I did find I have 3.55-1 in the diffs, this is a 4X4 which might be part of my problem. It is a non OD trans also

What?!? How in the world did you get a non overdrive trans in a 95?

Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about but the gear selector shows P-R-N-D-2-1

don't mind him...he's old. My '91 has P R N D L...and it has overdrive. should be an OD button on the dash...might wanna put ur glasses on Bobby

Nope its just as I said no button on the dash. You need a pic for proof?
P
R
N
D
2
1
Just like that

The button should be on the end of the shifter stalk.

Not until '98, on a '95 it's on the dash next to the fog light switch if equipped, left of the cup holder.

Robert

Learned something, it has OD off next to the cup holder LOL but the truck still needs more poop. I thought it was a lock up converter but the OD only engaged down hill. I'm looking at another very reasonable 5.9 to work over so there is limited down time. Guess I should find an owners manual.

told ya it had a button......

But you described a power glide above with L and D

don't you have a phone to fix?

Nobody uses them any more LOL

that;s cause they're waiting for the repairman to show up

On my automatic trucks of that vintage I like to pull the part throttle kickdown valve body add on thingy off and throw it in the trash and put a block off plate on the VB. It only changes 1-2 and 2-3 shifts but it helps reduce the number of shifts at lower speeds. If you don't throw it in the trash you can use it on older cars with big cams to help keep them in their usefull power band.

Another thing I like to do is block the OD acumulator in the VB, the spring is usually broken anyhow, just pull the piston (no VB removal needed) throw away the spring and fashion a blocker from a wooden dowl to keep the piston from moving at all when the cover plate is added back.

It idles fine after the computer learns it. At first it would die and not idle properly but it learned quick. The only issue is any time the battery is disconnected or goes dead the computer has to go through the learning process again. Not a big deal at all really.