Courtesy of Engine Builder, By Evan Laux
One of the biggest milestones for someone with a performance diesel truck is hitting the 1,000-horsepower mark for the first time. Four digits is a huge milestone, and one that many builders are inclined to rush to straight out of the gate. However, for some, building that first high-powered engine is a journey in itself – one that takes a good deal of time to get planned out and acted on appropriately.
For Bryan Woitas, building the Duramax of his dreams took 8 years of blood, sweat and tears to fully come together. Like many before him, he got bit by the diesel power bug after experimenting with some mild power adders on his daily driver. Some fuel system upgrades including a set of 60% over injectors allowed him to make his ’02 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD race ready. But after four years of competing at local diesel events, the abuse took its toll.
The factory LB7 had a rod thrown out of the block and put Woitas out of commission for a period of time. This mishap ended up being a new beginning, as it prompted him to rebuild the Duramax from start to finish in the comfort of his own garage.
Aside from the machine work, which was done by a local engine shop, Woitas handled the entirety of the 6.6L LB7 engine build. To get 1,000 horsepower out of the engine, he worked with a number of professionals in the industry to acquire the aftermarket parts that would aid him in building the power he needed.
