1,000hp & 8 Years of Dedication: The Story of Bryan’s LB7

An Owner-Built, 1,000hp LB7—8 Years In The Making

After a rod failure forced Bryan to source a new block, he took it upon himself to spec out proven aftermarket parts for (and then assemble) his new engine. Bryan’s battle-ready LB7 makes use of Carrillo rods, Mahle Motorsport cast-aluminum 0.020-inch pistons, a Stage 2 cam from Extreme Engine Development, and factory heads that’ve been ported and polished, along with being machined to accept fire-rings.

The truck of our dreams is rarely built overnight. And for some of us, it unfolds over the course of years rather than months. For Bryan Woitas and his ’02 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, nothing could be closer to the truth. Once a few mild power-adders woke up his daily driver, he began racing at local diesel events, even winning some of them. But after four years of abuse raining down on it (via fuel system upgrades that included a set of 60-percent over injectors), the factory LB7 spit a rod out of the block, forcing Bryan into what he knew would be a lengthy downtime. But instead of rushing the truck back onto the road, Bryan started doing research. Through word of mouth and using social media platforms, he was able to connect with some of the best companies and individuals in the diesel industry, ultimately rebuilding his Duramax from start to finish in his own garage.

Built To Make Four-Digit Power

Here, you can spot some of the other aftermarket additions Bryan made to his LB7. Bolted to the front of the crank, you’ll find an ATI damper. Aiding exhaust flow from the engine to the high-pressure turbo, Bryan went with PPE exhaust manifolds and stainless steel up-pipes. That’s also a PPE oil pan, selected for its flat-bottom design (full draining) and heat-dissipating, cast-aluminum construction. Finally, Merchant Automotive’s stronger-than-stock motor mounts were installed to help tame the Duramax’s twist.

Other than critical machine work, Bryan handled the entirety of his engine build. The parts list included Carrillo rods, Mahle Motorsport 0.020-inch over pistons, ported and polished heads (which were fire-ringed, fitted with Comp Cams valve springs, Industrial Injection threaded injector cups, and SoCal billet injector hold-downs) and ARP fasteners used throughout. Other hard-part honorable mentions include a Stage 2 camshaft from Extreme Engine Development, TTS chromoly pushrods, an ATI damper, and a billet ATS flex plate.

S300/S400 Compounds & A Homebuilt Allison

On top of a set of Lincoln Diesel Specialties 100-percent injectors, PPE dual fuelers, and a FASS system bringing plenty of fuel into the equation, big air makes it into the fortified LB7 via compound turbos. Out front, an S475 handles one stage of compression while a BD Super Max S364.5 SX-E in the valley handles the other. Boost is routed into and then back out of a BD Xtruded intercooler by way of hot and cold-side plumbing fabricated by Black Sheep Industries. To get power to the wheels, Bryan’s Allison 1000 sports components from ATS, Inglewood, and PPE, along with Deviant Race Parts cooler lines. In the future, he plans to perform a refresh and source various upgrades from No Zone Diesel.

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The Long Yet Rewarding Road Back

Eight years after tearing into his LB7, Bryan’s classic body Bow Tie is up and running. He might not have taken the shortest path in resurrecting his Duramax—but being that Bryan now has the exact truck he’s always wanted, he knows it was 100-percent worth it. Bryan is happy to report that his LB7 recently finished its break-in period. So now it’s time to hit the dyno and join the 1,000hp club… If this reader-built ride proves anything, it’s that—other than an unbelievably supportive, encouraging, and understanding wife—with enough time and money anyone can piece together the truck of their dreams.