Background: I am currently in the 9th month of a 12 month tour to Iraq and have been thinking of doing some mods to my truck. The internet over here is slower then dial up most of the time and very unreliable all of the time. Now being an ocean away from my truck it is kind of hard to run out and see what people are talking about. Out of the surfing I have been able to do I have learned one thing and that is how confusing things can get. Any advise on systems, parts, mods and places I can go to buy them would be great. Yes I have tried to do a lot of searches and just became more confused on a few things. Now for try number 4 to post this with out the internet going out on me.
Truck: 2001 ram 1500, quad cab, short bed, 4x4, 5.9L V8 MPI (LD), Z off the vin number,
Right now I am looking for torque and horse power by changing out the air intake and exhaust system plus tuner of some sort with power chip. I am looking for advise, pros and cons, and places to buy them (with out breaking forum rules). As of now I don’t know if my truck as the death flash that I have read about and won’t know that for a couple more months.
I would like to get most of this so I have it at home when I return. For those of you that have deployed and talking about money saving over here well didn’t save that much since I just paid off a 2008 HD motorcycle. That being said I also need my truck to be able to tow a camper/bike trailer on a rare occasion, do some hill climb when in Colorado, and have power and have a fuel milage when not towing.
To the person that said “Look on the side if it says dodge it leaks” thanks for the laugh.
Thanks for any and all help/advise you can offer me.

 

harland sharp 1.7 roller rockers
fastman 52mm throttle body
hughes plenum plate with a felpro plenum gasket
hughes air gap
3.92 or 4.10 gears for both axles
superchips 3815 tuner, don't waste your time with a chip of any sort
magnaflow high flow catalytic converter

with a 2001 you more than likely have the death flash. after you put on the hughes plenum plate and hook up the superchips then you won't feel the effects of the flash any more.
the dealership retarded the timing to cover up a poor design on the belly pan on the intake manifold that allows the seal to blow out. when that seal blows out oil leaks into the intake manifold and into the pistons which causes pinging.
the superchips will advance the timing and counteract the death flash which will return the timing to stock.
the plenum plate should be your first mod.

when you have a plenum leak (99% of the 2nd gen rams with more than 50000 miles on them have it) you will have pinging, loss of power, excessive oil consumption and the catalytic converter will be partially (if not completely) plugged from oil.

if you want some extra 4x4 capability then you could also get an auburn lsd for the front differential and a detroit air locker for the rear.