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?

[2oldman]

wintersun wrote:
It is not credible that some guy has discovered something about how to change the tuning of an engine that escaped the hundreds of professional full time engineers at the auto and engine manufacturers.

It's only credible to those who believe in conspiracies.

[Grit_dog]

Bob Vaughn wrote:
I guess my quest for a tuner has been answered.......NOT

Well after 2 months of not replying to the thread you started prolly doesn't help.....
Without getting into all the "opinions" of how diesels operate and respond to mods, I'd suggest you query a more knowledgeable group.
Go do some reading on the diesel pickup website of your choice and filter that info. It will be generally more informational.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Bob Vaughn wrote:
I guess my quest for a tuner has been answered.......NOT

See post 16 on page one. Your quest will be over. :B

[neil57]

Good to hear from some real world experiance users,my PPE tuner on a 2003 Duramax towed my 5er and had 250k without breaking anything and yes got better mileage. The 2001 to 2004.5 LB7 version has no EGR or cat except in California. The bullydog and H&S tuners are the smoke tuners the hot rodders all love. ATP tuner, Rob Coddens has an emmissions compliant tune for all Duramax, Duramaxtuner is another. EFI live is the best way to tune,as it is custom designed to your individual truck. There is a lot of******info. out there, do your research on what you have,most tuners specialize on one engine.Phone them and ask questions,ask owners who have the same setup. Kenworth trucks did indeed find in a study that the biggest changes in mpg were driver related. If you set the cruise at 75 mph, accelerate like a car and late brake, you will get crappy mpg. There are tuners for big truck engines as well, Pittsburgh power has hot rodded diesels for years!

[Bob_Vaughn]

I guess my quest for a tuner has been answered.......NOT

[davisenvy]

EFI Live from Nick at Duramax tuner and I get additional 2mpg on economy tune and tow tune Mt EGT's are lower than stock. I have had the tune for 60k miles without problem. If you want real world info go to a forum for your truck and ask there. Talk to the guys that design and actually use a tuner.

[DustyR]

StClairDean wrote:
I have an H&S tuner on my 09 Superduty. It has been on there for over 3 years. The truck has a lot more power. Pulling the 5th wheel is much more enjoyable. My truck doesn't feel to be working as hard as before the tune. I baby my truck and my fuel mileage has increased by 20-25%. The cost of the tune and associated mods was about $2k which I recovered in less than 2 years operating. I have had zero problems or issues with the truck. And for what it's worth, a Ford dealer did ALL the work on my truck including the tuner and associated modifications (while my truck was still under warranty). I can't speak for anyone else, but my experience has been nothing short of excellent.

Would I do it again? I hope I don't have too. My plan is to keep this truck forever. However, with the constant changing environmental regulations, the option could be gone in the future anyway.

Just my thoughts.

X-2

I have an 08 Duramax with EFI tuning and other work done. I usually run the 90hp plus tune locally an see mileage from 17.5 to 22 mpg. The changes were not cheap, total outlay was in excess of $1500. I see apx 50 - 80 additional miles on a tank of fuel. Traveling to Texas a month ago I saw and average of 18.1 MPG towing a bass boat and the truck loaded to capacity. That tow was just short of 1800 miles.

[transamz9]

wintersun wrote:
The best claims I have seen in writing (though in advertisements) is a 5% gain and most only mention "improved fuel economy" with no numbers mentioned. I calculated that for my diesel truck the breakeven point was at best after 100,000 miles of driving.

It is one thing to add horsepower as the manufacturers tune their engines for maximum durability and to minimize both emissions of pollutants and problems from overheating or added stress on downstream components like the transmission. Kids who add tuners often learn this the hard way with a $3000-$4000 tab for a transmission rebuild.

It is not credible that some guy has discovered something about how to change the tuning of an engine that escaped the hundreds of professional full time engineers at the auto and engine manufacturers.

The fuel economy gains claimed usually involve removal of the emissions controls which at best is cheating (though that is considered commendable in Republican circles).

Anyone who wants to spend less on fuel should either buy a lighter trailer or drive slower. In the trucking industry there are drivers that routinely get 30% better fuel economy out of the same rigs as a result of how they drive. The fleet operators will pay thousands of dollars per rig to increase fuel economy by 1%. And of all the devices they use to try to accomplish this a tuner is not on the list.

I did not remove any emissions from my 2005 Cummins to get the better fuel economy. When I finally did remove my exhaust and installed an aftermarket one with a muffler all I changed was lower egts and more noise.

The fleet trucks you talk about don't need tuners because they are usually ordered with higher hp options from the factory. They just limit the top speed of the truck.

[StClairDean]

I have an H&S tuner on my 09 Superduty. It has been on there for over 3 years. The truck has a lot more power. Pulling the 5th wheel is much more enjoyable. My truck doesn't feel to be working as hard as before the tune. I baby my truck and my fuel mileage has increased by 20-25%. The cost of the tune and associated mods was about $2k which I recovered in less than 2 years operating. I have had zero problems or issues with the truck. And for what it's worth, a Ford dealer did ALL the work on my truck including the tuner and associated modifications (while my truck was still under warranty). I can't speak for anyone else, but my experience has been nothing short of excellent.

Would I do it again? I hope I don't have too. My plan is to keep this truck forever. However, with the constant changing environmental regulations, the option could be gone in the future anyway.

Just my thoughts.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

wintersun wrote:


Anyone who wants to spend less on fuel should either buy a lighter trailer or drive slower.

In the trucking industry there are drivers that routinely get 30% better fuel economy out of the same rigs as a result of how they drive.

The fleet operators will pay thousands of dollars per rig to increase fuel economy by 1%. And of all the devices they use to try to accomplish this a tuner is not on the list.

That driver that routinely gets 30% better fuel economy out of his rig/s, should be "greased" for any OTR carrier's fleet - along with a hiring bonus!..;)

However, it might be difficult to document..:B

Most fleet operators have governed speeds on their tractors.

But - back on topic.
No need for "tuners".
Improve air in and air out, sure!
(even then - for after-market air cleaners, be sure you can go back to stock when -if- it goes back to the dealer for anything while still under warranty)

If you don't have enough go (and whoa) capability, look to MDTs and HDTs - see the Escapees forums for same.

~

[wintersun]

The best claims I have seen in writing (though in advertisements) is a 5% gain and most only mention "improved fuel economy" with no numbers mentioned. I calculated that for my diesel truck the breakeven point was at best after 100,000 miles of driving.

It is one thing to add horsepower as the manufacturers tune their engines for maximum durability and to minimize both emissions of pollutants and problems from overheating or added stress on downstream components like the transmission. Kids who add tuners often learn this the hard way with a $3000-$4000 tab for a transmission rebuild.

It is not credible that some guy has discovered something about how to change the tuning of an engine that escaped the hundreds of professional full time engineers at the auto and engine manufacturers.

The fuel economy gains claimed usually involve removal of the emissions controls which at best is cheating (though that is considered commendable in Republican circles).

Anyone who wants to spend less on fuel should either buy a lighter trailer or drive slower. In the trucking industry there are drivers that routinely get 30% better fuel economy out of the same rigs as a result of how they drive. The fleet operators will pay thousands of dollars per rig to increase fuel economy by 1%. And of all the devices they use to try to accomplish this a tuner is not on the list.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

rxr wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

rxr wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
Your about 30 years off you your EGR date rxr. They had EGR on diesels in 1978. 🙂

This is what you choose to pick on????

I know it's been used for a long time in many application but most HD trucks (since we are in the Tow Vehicles thread) for the past 10 years or so have been using tuners to either delete those systems or modify how they are used.

Yes exceptions abound

I understood the OP to be asking about tuners and the thread went into ?????? with a lot of partial or missed info.

Sorry.....

Leave it stock or do the research and get as much info as you can before tuning.

Sorry you took it as picking on you. :h

GM has had EGR on their diesel truck since 1978. No exception. 5.7 yep; 6.2 yep, 6.5 yep; Dmax, yep. All engines available in their towing trucks since 1978 has had EGR. In fact, every single diesel GM has made to go into their trucks has had EGR.

Like I said, sorry you felt picked on.

Looks like I owe an apology or two. It's been a while since I've been on here and obviously got a little #&$&## that night. Even If i had a good excuse I didn't do it right. Thanks for putting up with me...

No big thing. Happy camping man!

[ol_Bombero-JC]

TXiceman wrote:



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.


Ken

Magnuson-Moss is a joke.

"you have to hire an attorney"..:R

Broke is right!
Way better (and way cheaper) to bite the bullet and pay for the repairs!

Check the going hourly rate for an attorney - anywhere in the USA.
Your idea of "on the clock" is way different than hers/his.
Also - common practice is delay, delay, delay. *You* pay for your mouthpiece that did nothing that day - the auto mfgrs have hundreds of attorneys that are already on the payroll.

Besides the clock time (which includes his her driving time to and from the courthouse), you will be billed for the secretaries time to make copies of legal documents, filing fees, etc. BOHICA!

The ads you see for *injury* lawyers (civil court) -at no cost to you- are almost always guaranteed negotiated settlements at 50/50 split - no court time, slam dunk - or the attorneys won't take the case.

Leave it stock - or be prepared to be your own warranty station..:W

Once it's out of warranty, *you* can pay for the repairs or the other mods to/for the increased horsepower..:C

~

[rxr]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

rxr wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
Your about 30 years off you your EGR date rxr. They had EGR on diesels in 1978. 🙂

This is what you choose to pick on????

I know it's been used for a long time in many application but most HD trucks (since we are in the Tow Vehicles thread) for the past 10 years or so have been using tuners to either delete those systems or modify how they are used.

Yes exceptions abound

I understood the OP to be asking about tuners and the thread went into ?????? with a lot of partial or missed info.

Sorry.....

Leave it stock or do the research and get as much info as you can before tuning.

Sorry you took it as picking on you. :h

GM has had EGR on their diesel truck since 1978. No exception. 5.7 yep; 6.2 yep, 6.5 yep; Dmax, yep. All engines available in their towing trucks since 1978 has had EGR. In fact, every single diesel GM has made to go into their trucks has had EGR.

Like I said, sorry you felt picked on.

Looks like I owe an apology or two. It's been a while since I've been on here and obviously got a little #&$&## that night. Even If i had a good excuse I didn't do it right. Thanks for putting up with me...

[noteven]

The new 7 litre V12 Ecoboost 600hp 3500 rpm 860lb-ft at 1800 rpm on regular pump gas Tow Motor will make all this diesel soot a moot point.