Best way to get more pull out of my Dodge?

[mfaley]

Thanks Pat and Richard!

Pat,

Nothing like the look of pure terror on a womans face uselessly mashing the brake pedal as she passes you goin down the grapevine with a trailer full of horses....unless its that smell of burning brakes that goes along with it.

I hear you about the exhaust brakes and its something I have thought about. How do I tell if I have the heavy duty valve springs? Or is that better for me to leave to a local installer?

Richard,
I am interested in that guy in Idaho. If its not too much trouble would you be kind enough to PM me his contact into? And thanks for the info......a non car guy like myself needs all the help he can get.....

Mark

Mark,

His name is Con and his # is 877-226-6724. Great guy to work with. If you want to look at what superchips has go here We have been using the superchips for years and they are the safest bang for the buck out there. All I want is a little extra for towing like you. I've tryed alot of them and most of them are geared more toward the HP nut. Superchips is one of the few that makes safe power for towing.

[mfaley]

I called Con and he is a nice guy and very helpful. I mentioned your recomendation and he had a couple of solutions. The first was the super chip and the other was the Edge EZ.

He seemed to think that, with may lack of knowledge [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] and my needs, that the Edge EZ would be a better fit. Howerver, its about $125 more. I think that for the extra $125 I could figure out how to program the SuperChip.

Thanks for the recomendation.

I also checked on the exhaust brake [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] . Not cheap....Might have to wait for Xmas for that one.

[robertn]

Richard,
I have thought about "chipping" mine. I wondered, what about updates? I know if there is an update for your model/year, the dealership can easily do it. How is that affected by the chips and modules?

[bgott]

You only have to upgrade the valve springs on the 12 valve engines. The springs aren't an issue on the 24 valve.

Robert,

It all depends on whether you have a module or a programmer. If you have a module it doesn't matter what the programming on the truck is. The module runs independent of the truck programming.

The programmers are usually fine if they can recognize the base code. The programmer then deletes the base code, stores it in the programmer, and programs one of three different programs. If the programming on the truck changes drastically then yes you will have to send the programmer in to be reprogrammed. But usually they will work for all current and most future programming from the dealer.

A chip is the worst of all of them. A chip has to be programmed for each individual program. If you get your truck re-flashed then you need to send your chip in to be re-flashed. Not many people make chips anymore. That's why you saw the big change to modules and programmers some years back when the trucks went all computerized.

[mfaley]

BGOTT, thanks for the info. I have the 24 valve.

Richard, with the SuperChip there are different settings with the top one not recommended for towing and the middle one seems to have a weight restriction. The info I got from Con was the middle one is fine as long as you dont lug it. Which one are you using while pulling and does that match your experience?

Mark

[Pat]

mfaley, Of course not all Cummins techs at all Cummins places are super techs but I recommend Cummins as a safer bet by far from a random Dodge dealer and unless you know of a specific third party with a good reputation then try Cummins. Between Cummins and Dodge they are likely to be able to determine what springs (if there were options when yours was assembled) that youirs has. Cummins will be happy to put in the RIGHT springs for the job if you have them install an exhaust brake.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Mark,

I only use the lowest setting. On previous trucks I've had gauges and you have to watch the egt's on the middle setting. If you have a gauge setup with boost, egts, and transmission temp then fine go ahead and run it. But unless you have gauges I stay on the lowest setting.

[Chillimau]

I agree with CowboyDoc, but would change the transmission guage for a fuel pressure guage.

With a Dodge and a manual transmission, I would rather have a fuel pressure guage showing postive pressure from the lift pump to the injection pump. The injection pump depends on fuel for lubrication and needs positive pressure from the lift pump at all times.

I don't follow the Ford Trucks so a transmission temp gauge may be more important than a fuel pressure guage. If I had an automatic in the Dodge I would want both fuel and transmission temp guages.