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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 07:19 AM
  #2086  
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Vic_Ferrari
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Originally Posted by ADDA 550
I'm impressed...I just got and tryed the SCMT yesterday and here is my take. Note this is on my truck that is a F550 4.88 rr weighing 10600 so it will not wow as much as a 250/350. Still I tryed the tow first, it's alright didn't notice if the engine was quieter at idle or not. Power is probably a little better than stock untill you hit about 3/4 throtle than look out, you can feel it take off, no black smoke shifts at 3500, same as stock. Then I went right into hp wow, now the truck rock & rolls. when you lay on it from a stand still, it's the same as stock, waiting for the rpms and turbo psi to build(remember my truck is heavy so that effects everything). When the right amount of rpm/turbo psi hits...it shoots out as if I just got rear ended by an 18 wheeler fully loaded!!! It sling shots it way throught the gears. It shifts at a ice 3900rpm. Smoke is there through out but not alot. In my truck possibly because of the weight, the turbo lag is their everytime you mash the peddle then bam. Even at any speed. when cruising and you need some speed you can just give it some throttle and it pulls smoothly. Fuel wise I can guranty it will be worse because as VIC says the more you drive it hard the worse the mpg. In econ mode It was little dif from hp. Smokes a bit less.
Today I will put back the tow and see how it is pulling over 10t. of course I'll be easy with the throttle, hehe.

One thing, Vic, why does it ask if my truck is over 10000pounds? mine is 10600pounds, should I not use the hp mode.
If you say "yes" it won't let you have HP mode.

You can use it, but I would recommend gauges.
 
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 09:27 AM
  #2087  
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Tekrep
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[QUOTE=Vic_Ferrari]
Originally Posted by Tekrep

Yeah.....high altitude is a different story.

Did you ever see the original Hummer H1 reviews?
They had hellacious problems with smoke at high altitude.
I've curbed it as best as possible, but its still gonna smoke more at high altitude.

Also, the 03's smoke more than 04-06
I wasn't really worried aobut the smoke, but my cat may just have "fallen off" to keep from getting plugged. Now that I'm used to the power (read... done playing with it...) I don't get in it all that much, and of course the smoke level is directly correlated to the weight of my right foot. $3 a gallon diesel prices help lighten the foot as well. Typically the truck only sees the outside of the garage now on weekends when I pull the boat or dirt bikes.

I'm putting the cat back on to get a little more backpressure- I've been having problems with the backpressure sensor (replaced 3 times, once while bone-stock). The problems manifest themselves as a non-responsive turbo: I see low or no boost, tons of smoke, high EGT, and it feels like I've lost 300 HP - this can be on straight and level ground, accelerating at 60 MPH, unloaded or loaded, and basically the truck couldn't pass a Yugo when its acting up. This typically happens right after a hard acceleration, like after getting on the Interstate or passing someone on a 2-lane highway. This is not an SCMT problem - it is a function of bad sensors, or my own mods to the exhaust- I'm just putting it out there in case anyone else sees it in their rig and mistakes if for a problem with the Tuner - I know this because it continues to do this after I reinstall the stock tune.
 
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 06:47 PM
  #2088  
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Originally Posted by ADDA 550
waiting for the rpms and turbo psi to build(remember my truck is heavy so that effects everything).

the turbo lag is their everytime you mash the peddle then bam.
The weight of the truck has nothing to do with the turbo lag, it may effect overall accelleration but the turbo spool up time will still be the same.

I found that the combination of a 4" exhaust and the HP tune really cut the lag. I recently installed my cat on the 4" system with the cat opened up to 4" and that really increased (add more time) to turbo lag. It is coming back off tommorrow. (I don't run a muffler either)

As Vic says, I would also reccommend running guages.
 
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 09:14 PM
  #2089  
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From: Lake Mary, FL
Originally Posted by Brian460
The weight of the truck has nothing to do with the turbo lag, it may effect overall accelleration but the turbo spool up time will still be the same.
.
Not correct.

Boost is load driven. (notice you can't make boost in neutral).
The more load, the quicker boost spools up.
This is why turbo diesels (in general) make more power to the ground and spool quicker when towing or hauling some type of load (or strapped to a dyno that can create load).

All other things equal, the heavier truck will spool faster.

What he may be dealing with is a particularly laggy stock calibration.

Also, spooling boost quickly doesn't necessarily mean it is going to MOVE quickly.....especially if it's heavy as hell.


As you stated....opening the exhaust a bit will help reduce lag.
 

Last edited by Vic_Ferrari; Sep 1, 2005 at 09:18 PM.
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 10:06 PM
  #2090  
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I have not had time to look at all 140 pages, so please bare with me if this has been asked before.
I am thinking of getting a tuner for my 05 SD just to try to increase mileage. I figured with $3.00 fuel it should pay for itself in 20,000 miles. That is taking for granted I could get a 2 MPG increase. Am getting 14 MPG empty now and get depressed when I see a gas station.
Am I somewhat correct on my expectations?
Randy

Pickup is bone stock with 5,000 miles on it.
 

Last edited by buckwheat; Sep 1, 2005 at 10:09 PM. Reason: Added information
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 10:48 PM
  #2091  
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From: Lake Mary, FL
Originally Posted by buckwheat
I have not had time to look at all 140 pages, so please bare with me if this has been asked before.
I am thinking of getting a tuner for my 05 SD just to try to increase mileage. I figured with $3.00 fuel it should pay for itself in 20,000 miles. That is taking for granted I could get a 2 MPG increase. Am getting 14 MPG empty now and get depressed when I see a gas station.
Am I somewhat correct on my expectations?
Randy

Pickup is bone stock with 5,000 miles on it.
You should not *assume* any mileage gains, but on a truck making as low as 14 stock, you may see a 1-3 MPG gain.
This is going to be greatly dependent on your driving habits.
If you're stabbing the throttle all over town, you aren't going to save any fuel.

Tuners are designed and marketed as power and drivability improving devices...the additional benefit of increased mileage is realized through making higher power levels under less calculated engine load.

Basically, the tuner is not sold under any promise of mileage improvement, but more often than not results in a mileage gain.
Tuning companies are not specific with mileage gain claims because results are very difficult to quantify.
 
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 10:51 PM
  #2092  
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Originally Posted by Vic_Ferrari
Boost is load driven. (notice you can't make boost in neutral).
The more load, the quicker boost spools up.
This is why turbo diesels (in general) make more power to the ground and spool quicker when towing or hauling some type of load (or strapped to a dyno that can create load).

All other things equal, the heavier truck will spool faster.
So correct me if I'm wrong, Vic, but if I brake-torque the "X" to two grand at a stoplight I'm "fooling" the motor into thinking there's more load, and I'll get faster overall accelleration to the speed limit than if I ease the truck up to that same two grand and then punch it once I'm moving?

Thanks in advance for your answer!

BTW, any update on the cruise control deactivation issue some of us have reported?

Regards,
Steve
 
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 11:04 PM
  #2093  
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Originally Posted by Planecrazy
BTW, any update on the cruise control deactivation issue some of us have reported?

Regards,
Steve
Is this a tuner problem? My every once in a while will deactivate itself on the highway or deactivate upon trying to use the set-accel button.
 
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 06:14 AM
  #2094  
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ADDA 550
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Originally Posted by Vic_Ferrari
Not correct.

Boost is load driven. (notice you can't make boost in neutral).
The more load, the quicker boost spools up.
This is why turbo diesels (in general) make more power to the ground and spool quicker when towing or hauling some type of load (or strapped to a dyno that can create load).

All other things equal, the heavier truck will spool faster.

What he may be dealing with is a particularly laggy stock calibration.

Also, spooling boost quickly doesn't necessarily mean it is going to MOVE quickly.....especially if it's heavy as hell.


As you stated....opening the exhaust a bit will help reduce lag.
Boost is load driven...but when i mash the peddal I see a direct corelation of boost psi and rpms. I know this because when I'm carrying a load and mash it from a stand still It takes longer to build boost because the rpms take longer to build because of the added weight. when I really tow some heavy weight it takes even longer to build boost from a stop.
Another note is in Hp mode my truck goes through the first 3 gears like crazy, witch hinders speed/acceleration. If i would've had a 4.30rr the gears would last longer and i would get more acceleration from lees shifting early on.
 
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 07:23 AM
  #2095  
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Originally Posted by Planecrazy
So correct me if I'm wrong, Vic, but if I brake-torque the "X" to two grand at a stoplight I'm "fooling" the motor into thinking there's more load, and I'll get faster overall accelleration to the speed limit than if I ease the truck up to that same two grand and then punch it once I'm moving?

Thanks in advance for your answer!

BTW, any update on the cruise control deactivation issue some of us have reported?

Regards,
Steve
I didn't say you would necessarily get more acceleration...only that boost would spool quicker. Acceleration has more variables involved (like traction).

You are trying to compare a powerbrake from a stop to a rolling start.

Go to the track, grab a g-tech meter, run some data acquisition.

Some cars are faster out of the hole, some are faster from a roll.

My old 300zxTT was NASTY from a 40 roll, not so impressive out of the hole.
 
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 07:29 AM
  #2096  
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Originally Posted by ADDA 550
Boost is load driven...but when i mash the peddal I see a direct corelation of boost psi and rpms. I know this because when I'm carrying a load and mash it from a stand still It takes longer to build boost because the rpms take longer to build because of the added weight. .
Boost is not RPM driven. Period.

You will see boost increase with RPM because (at the same time) the turbo is spooling as the engine builds load and creates exhaust flow.

Strap your truck on a loaded dyno. You can make as much boost at 2500 RPM as you can at 3500 RPM

When it comes to turbos, boost is not driven by RPM.
Exhaust spools the turbo, and the amount of exhaust flowed has to do with the engines calculated engine load (volumetric efficiency) at that particular moment.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/turbo.htm
 
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 07:35 AM
  #2097  
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From: Lake Mary, FL
Originally Posted by ADDA 550
.
Another note is in Hp mode my truck goes through the first 3 gears like crazy, witch hinders speed/acceleration. If i would've had a 4.30rr the gears would last longer and i would get more acceleration from lees shifting early on.
What RPM is it shifting at in HP mode?

If it's shifting around 3900 rpm.....it's going through the gears faster because it's ACCELERATING faster!

Honestly, you should do a little homework on this.
The whole idea of a fast car is to buzz through the gears as fast as possible, provided there is traction.
This is why people take their race cars and make the gears "shorter", so max RPM is reached at a sooner MPH in each gear, allowing for more torque multiplication and quicker acceleration through each gear.
Example: changing a mustang from a 3.55 to a 3.90 gear

The 6.0 in HP mode should shift from 3900-4100 RPM. If it's shifting there, then it's optimal.

Every car has it's "sweet spot" for shift RPM for the best ET.

An 03 cobra, even though it will rev to 7000 RPM, will make it's fastest times shifting at 6400 RPM. It's all about power delivery, how it gets to the ground and where it is when it hits the next gear.

In HP mode, the truck is the fastest where it is set to shift from 3900-4100 RPM.

If it's shifting there and you think it's getting through the gear too quick....that's called "acceleration".

Now, if it's shifting too soon (3500 RPM), we have an issue to fix.
 

Last edited by Vic_Ferrari; Sep 2, 2005 at 07:39 AM.
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 01:07 PM
  #2098  
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Originally Posted by Brian460
Is this a tuner problem? My every once in a while will deactivate itself on the highway or deactivate upon trying to use the set-accel button.
Brian, what you're describing sounds like a cruise control issue -- perhaps a switch that needs adjustment on the brake pedal or something related to the switching system...

The issue some of us have experienced is that when we purposely cancel the cruise control either by gently tapping the brake pedal or by using the "ON/OFF" switch on the steering wheel the truck "jolts" a bit, as if you had firmly tapped the brake pedal for just an instant. In stock tune, however, the cruise control disengages seamlessly, with no jerking regardless of how it's deactivated.

Several months ago Vic had indicated that it was on the "list" of things to be addressed, so I was just wondering if he had heard anything more regarding any progress. Once they have a correction in place we (the ones who are actually experiencing this phenomenon) would then send our tuners back in for reprogramming...

It is a minor irritation, to be sure, but I'd still like to get mine updated when the "fix" is in...

Regards,
Steve
 
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 02:47 PM
  #2099  
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ADDA 550
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Originally Posted by Vic_Ferrari
What RPM is it shifting at in HP mode?

If it's shifting around 3900 rpm.....it's going through the gears faster because it's ACCELERATING faster!

Honestly, you should do a little homework on this.
The whole idea of a fast car is to buzz through the gears as fast as possible, provided there is traction.
This is why people take their race cars and make the gears "shorter", so max RPM is reached at a sooner MPH in each gear, allowing for more torque multiplication and quicker acceleration through each gear.
Example: changing a mustang from a 3.55 to a 3.90 gear

The 6.0 in HP mode should shift from 3900-4100 RPM. If it's shifting there, then it's optimal.

Every car has it's "sweet spot" for shift RPM for the best ET.

An 03 cobra, even though it will rev to 7000 RPM, will make it's fastest times shifting at 6400 RPM. It's all about power delivery, how it gets to the ground and where it is when it hits the next gear.

In HP mode, the truck is the fastest where it is set to shift from 3900-4100 RPM.

If it's shifting there and you think it's getting through the gear too quick....that's called "acceleration".

Now, if it's shifting too soon (3500 RPM), we have an issue to fix.
The SCMT I bought is working flawlessly, it is a great product and I am happy with it. It does shift at the correct rpm.
I was simply stating I beleive my truck looses a little accel. because of the time it looses to change each gear. You want more gearing but up to a certain point. Then it become scounter productive. I know in my car in order to reach 98mph in the 1/4mile, the last shift to fourth must be done at 88mph in order to reach the 1/4. You loose a 1/2 second in doing so. A taller 3rd letting me reach 98-100mph would prob save me .3-.5sec.

Still, VIC you haev been very helfull and tolerant of my question. because of your help it made me make the right decicion in purchasing the SCMT. Thanks.
 
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 02:50 PM
  #2100  
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From: Lake Mary, FL
Originally Posted by ADDA 550
The SCMT I bought is working flawlessly, it is a great product and I am happy with it. It does shift at the correct rpm.
I was simply stating I beleive my truck looses a little accel. because of the time it looses to change each gear. You want more gearing but up to a certain point. Then it become scounter productive. I know in my car in order to reach 98mph in the 1/4mile, the last shift to fourth must be done at 88mph in order to reach the 1/4. You loose a 1/2 second in doing so. A taller 3rd letting me reach 98-100mph would prob save me .3-.5sec.
.
Agreed.

There is a "window" of what is optimal for shifting/gearing.

Too much can be just as bad as too little.
 
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