Diesel Tuners

[Bob_Vaughn]

I received an email and video from Trailer Life about Bully Dog GT tuners for diesel engines. It all sounds good but I have been warned that the warranty would be voided if I use a tuner. Now I wonder if this is true. If so then I guess I will have to wait until my warranty is up. It is 699 bucks and I wonder if there is enough of a fuel economy savings to ever break even?

[gmc6000]

TXiceman wrote:
On the older 5.9L Cummins and the Ford 7.3L, the tuners did really give them more punch, but you needed to monitor exhaust temperature.

With the newer engines and all of the emissions controls, I would not mess with the factory tuning. They have pretty much pulled what they feel is safe for the engine.

As for warranty, the Magnuson-Moss Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson%E2%80%93Moss_Warranty_Act) prevents manufacturers from denying warranty based on the addition of something to a vehicle. The added equipment must be proven to damage the vehicle. Now comes the problem.

The manufacturers have deep pockets and lots of lawyers. If you are denied warranty, you have a broken vehicle and you have to hire an attorney to take on the massive corporation. They can beat you down until you are broke or simply give up. The government will not go to bat for your case.

I am leaving my 6.7L Ford bone stock. It has the power to do the job I need done.

Ken

Magnuson Moss Act is for aftermarket replacement parts and fluids, not tuners that add more power.

[is_it_friday_ye]

It would probably help to know what kind of truck you have. I have a Smarty tuner in my truck, but most of the emissions have been removed. I waited until my truck had about 60,000 miles before I did the tune. I have it on the towing setting and haven't had any problems yet. I don't hot rod the truck though. I can tell you that the oil stays much cleaner now. I would do it all over again.

According the overhead display ( I know its not exact ) I showed 14.5 mpg also pulling a 33' Mountaineer 5th wheel driving about 65 mph.

[rickeoni]

I run an H&S tuner, besides being able to monitor oil, water & trans temps while towing we also get unreal mileage. On my last trip we averaged 14.5 MPG with the TC and a 12 foot cargo trailer. It was the first thing I added AFTER the warranty was over.

[ChooChooMan74]

One thing a tuner might do is cut down on the number of injections per combustion cycle. This can increase fuel efficiency but also make the engine noisier. That is what Green Diesel does for the Jeep Liberty CRDs.

[Tom_Barb]

Diesel engines are like an old hurricane lamp. turn the flame up, it uses more fuel, and the wick won't last as long.

I have a Banks kit on my 350 horse ISC. with intake and exhaust kits and a programer, we can run 33 pounds of boost and 1350 degrees exhaust temps. (max) do I care if I'm only going to get 500,000 ,miles out of it? (nope) the program in it gives us about 9-11 miles per gallon, (freeway) it will probably take 3,000,000 miles of fuel savings to pay for the Banks stuff, but Oh Well? it was on it when we got it, and I'm not going to remove it.

Did I tell ya? I can top a five mile 6% grade at 55?

[GoPackGo]

From Page 2 of the diesel supplement to my 2013 F350 owner's manual -

POWER STROKE DIESEL ENGINE

Note: Your vehicle’s powertrain control systems can detect and store
information about vehicle modifications that increase horsepower and
torque output such as whether or not performance-enhancing powertrain
components commonly referred to as “performance chips” have been
used. This information cannot be erased and will stay in the system’s
memory even if the modification is removed. The information can be
retrieved by Ford Motor Company, Ford of Canada, and service and
repair facilities when servicing your vehicle. This information may be
used to determine if repairs will be covered by warranty.

[AH64ID]

There are some tuners that are getting better mileage and better emissions on stock setups, but it's a one off tune per truck.

Custom tuning is where the tuning really is great these days. The box tunes need to work on 95% of truck, but a custom tune only has to work on one truck and support one set of mods. With custom tuning it's very easy to get better mileage empty and towing, and have more power.

The engineers have to deal with the EPA, since custom tunes don't the end user gets a better product.

At no time or use was my stock setup better than it is now, mileage, power, smoothness, or noise. I am right at the highest hp that Cummins ever made a 5.9 as well.

[TXiceman]

On the older 5.9L Cummins and the Ford 7.3L, the tuners did really give them more punch, but you needed to monitor exhaust temperature.

With the newer engines and all of the emissions controls, I would not mess with the factory tuning. They have pretty much pulled what they feel is safe for the engine.

As for warranty, the Magnuson-Moss Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson%E2%80%93Moss_Warranty_Act) prevents manufacturers from denying warranty based on the addition of something to a vehicle. The added equipment must be proven to damage the vehicle. Now comes the problem.

The manufacturers have deep pockets and lots of lawyers. If you are denied warranty, you have a broken vehicle and you have to hire an attorney to take on the massive corporation. They can beat you down until you are broke or simply give up. The government will not go to bat for your case.

I am leaving my 6.7L Ford bone stock. It has the power to do the job I need done.

Ken

[45Ricochet]

I sure see a power difference but at what cost to items downline :W Been lucky so far on the lowest setting, on the high setting ( 100HP) would surely destroy my tranny. MPG increase just ain't happening with me but it is about the same as stock tune. Not sure what kind of truck your talking about but most Ram guys use Smarty ( Madds) former Ram technicians and programmers at Cummins.
And yes the manufacture can trace your power levels since about 2008 or so and tell if it was tuned or not, if so your warranty would be void.

[glazier]

You can guarantee Ford didn't miss the tune these guys discovered in their garage. The big three diesel truck manufactor's could tune these trucks to produce much more power than we see today. Trying to meet emissions would never happen if they turned them up.

[powderman426]

I can't see what your driving, but get the Cummins and you wont need one.

[agesilaus]

Every time I hear of one of these 'tuners', I have to wonder this: As stiff as the competition is between the big three manufacturers, and despite the multiple millions they spend on developing one of these trucks. Why didn't they tune the truck to save the most fuel in the first place? They fight over fuel mileage in their adverts. They have hundreds of engineers. It seems like they would have found this miracle tuning themselves.

Have you heard what Ford did to get an extra 40 or 50 HP out their 6.7L engine? They changed the shape of one of the pipes to the turbine--flattened and widened. Giving it a cobra head shape. Now if they are working at that level of detail how could they miss something that a couple of guys discovered in their garage?