The "GLORY" of a Tune

[CaptainMal]

Couple days before the GDE control module arrived the dealer tried to flash my factory module. They broke it and replaced the thing with a new one. Now comes the GDE unit, a used one they re-flashed, so I went to put it in.

Now GDE does not include instructions. They expect you to download them and/or print them out from the website. Did that but figured I could replace the unit without removing anything.

Wrong.

The dealer tech had all four bolts so tight no small wrench would work. Time to remove the airbox. The Mass Air Flo connection will not unclip. Pulled up the red thing, pulled, pried, pushed it down repeatedly and tried time after time. Finally put a large screwdriver under the thing and pried. Something flew and I broke off the connector lock. Well, it's now off.

Air box came out too easy. Think that's because the dealer tech had taken it off and did not replace some of the wiring harness that attaches to it. Later on I had bloody heck dealing with that.

8" breaker bar loosened the bolts and I got the new GDE unit in. Tangled up the control module wiring around the mounting fracked and could not get the connections back. Felt like Larry from the Three Stooges. After messing around to get another harness attached to the air box, wen thorough the directions to do the initial test.

Really no issues from now on. The GDE unit works fine. I rode around until the initial regeneration was finished. That takes way longer than any regeneration I ever had before. Then I throttled up to 100 mph to see if there was a top speed governor but never got to the 106 mph that the factory governor was set at. Might try some later time.

I never felt my 'earliest delivery' truck had any turbo lag. Do not notice any change there. 400 miles later and I really do not notice any performance changes. Truck runs fine. It did not turn into a "fire-breathing dragon". My wish to turn off the EGR system is supposed to be done. That is what I really wanted and why I ordered the tune.

Got and tried to test the turbo braking feature. Could not do it without a hill and one of my trailers. South Florida has no hills so that will have to wait.

Cruise now works at 15 mph. That's about the only thing I can really notice that is different. Power was never an issue for me but is for many. After the tune I really cannot feel any performance difference. Maybe with future towing I will notice the changes?

Now, after some mileage, I think there's a further improvement in fuel mileage. My truck has always done around 24 mpg with local driving and higher 20's on the interstate above 70 mph. Stay in the 60's and I have easily done 30 mpg many times. NOW I seem to be seeing 28 mpg and higher for my local driving. 80 mph seems the same. Overall I am starting to notice the good fuel mileage I always got is even better.

With twin fuel tanks I often go over 1,000 miles without getting fuel. Unless I really go somewhere it will take time to tell. The EGR system is shut off. HORRAH! I can also update the tune in case the future holds trouble with both DPF and DEF systems and it's best to do a delete.

Someone commented they wanted to hear about the "glory" of a tune. I just gave my impressions and did not glorify the results as far as experience has taken me.

 

[BoostN]

Which tune did you order?

Usually even a 40HP tune on a diesel, you're going to know the difference. Surprising you don't feel anything.

 

[CaptainMal]

The normal "Hot Tune" with the addition of the engine braking feature.

I asked them if they could do just a regular tune without any power increase. They can but stated that power increase is not in any way tough on the motor. I'm fine with it.

Really think the problem is I so not "take off" when I drive but often do move faster than normal cruising speeds. Just last night I had to return from a Christmas party at 10 PM and watched the horsepower readout at 75 mph. It only takes about 45hp to run that kind of speed once you are cruising along. At 60 you can move along with only about 30 hp. Not surprised I cannot feel any difference. This truck always ran way faster and pulled light loads or empty, way stronger than my old Dodge 2500 with Cummins.

Put near 1/4 million miles on the Cummins and more than 1/2 that much on a Duramax and same with a GM 6.5 diesel. None were remotely as fast as this Ecodiesel. Used to struggle to hold 70 mph without feeling like the engine rpm's were too high. Now I can cruise at 90 mph and not even notice it.

 

[BoostN]

A GM 6.5 Diesel shouldn't even be in this conversation. Not to break any hearts around here, but a EcoDiesel isn't going to keep up with a properly tuned Duramax (or newer Cummins). Two different animals.

 

[Mharrison]

Injection/fuel systems and turbo systems have come one hell of a long way in ten years. If you think about stock to stock we are putting out the same numbers as a ford 7.3l powerstroke. Granted now they more than double our little motors in both hp and torque. But I like this little motor perfect for what I need.

 

[BoostN]

Yep, it has its purpose for sure!

 

[CaptainMal]

Break your heart.

I have owned the 6.5, the Duramax and the Cummins. Top speeds on all of them is LESS than the Ecodiesel None of those three would be fast as the Ecodiesel from the standpoint of unloaded speed.

Now the only automatic of the three was the Duramax with the Allison. Since the Allison broke it was by far the worst of the transmissions. There were problems beyond problems with that junk and I often covered it with large lemons in tribute to the many, many times that junk broke down. Months of down time. Seriously. 10 injecter failures ON THE ROAD.

The Cummins was especially slow with pickup. You could get real aggressive with the gearbox and throttle, roll coal and have a Smart Car beat you from a stoplight. Hideous slow with a top speed in the high 90's with silly engine rpms and vibration. About the same, but not as bad, for the Duramax. The 6.5 was just moderate powered but it did cruise better than the other two.

My Ecodiesel now has 40,000 miles on it. The thing flat out hauls and easily cruises in the 80 - 90 mph range with literally no effort. It is way faster that all the other three.

Now wait a minute. We are not talking towing ability. That, my friends is a whole other topic. The Duramax and the Cummins would, by themselves outpull both the Ecodiesel and the 6.5. That is not the topic. The Ecodiesel is one fast diesel package when combined with the 8 speed automatic and 3:55's. Eliminate the top-speed governor (106) and the thing would fair go into the 120s, it's picks up to the 106 speed that fast.

 

[Mharrison]

A stock late model duramax and cummins both would smoke our trucks....unless you have a special fast truck they are not what I would consider fast hell I have been beat by a stock 5.3l Chevy with 35's under it...

 

[CaptainMal]

No. They are slow from the start and ponderous at higher speeds. My take on this, after hundreds of thousands of miles experience, is transmission and gearing. They do not "smoke" the Ecodiesel. If you raise bloody heck with them at the start they shake, shift with a giant jerk and just do not accelerate smoothly at all. My Ecodiesel just calmly gets up to speed without all that mess.

Above 75 mph the Cummins was the worst. I literally did not like running it above 68 mph because of the bad fuel mileage and busy engine with 3:75's Duramax was fine until about 98 mph when the governor took over and the thing stopped.

My Ecodiesel is far better than either of those bigger engines ( like twice the size) for cruising along at speed and doing a causal acceleration without getting into a full race attitude.

You could not row the gearbox in my Cummins fast enough and come close to normal traffic accelerations from a stoplight.

None of these are fast by gas engine standards. They are designed to pull but the best road runner is the EcoDiesel by far.

 

[BoostN]

Sorry Capt..

Take a Duramax with a simple tune and it will roast a EcoDiesel. I've owned three... my dad owns 2 currently.

Now, saying an Allison is junk is really laughable. We all know once you tune a Duramax with twice the stock power. That's when they have problems..

The Allison is a great trans.

 

[John]

I agree, the Cap's perception is way off.

 

[CaptainMal]

If the Allison is so great, why did mine literally come apart at 140,000 miles?

As for the motor, sure they have and can produce more power. They just do not cruise along above 75 mph effortlesssly like the EcoDiesel does. Then again, since my Duramax lost 10 of its' 8 injectors (???) and cost me close to $20,000 in breakdowns and repairs, expect me to say bad things about that junk.

 

[Brady]

My step-fathers '04 Allison let go at 104,000 miles. He has a lift, 35s, and a plug in tune. He drives like crap. Hammers on gas, slams on brakes. My wife won't ride with him, I only do if necessary. My kids will not. He was pulling their 32' camper up to the Amish country when she grenaded.

All that being said, I still think the Allison is a good trans. But it is in no way bullet-proof, or in his case, idiot proof.

 

[Mharrison]

Cap you started by saying it was the fastest now it just cruises the best at speed? It has 8 gears of course it's going to cruise along effortlessly. And the injector failures were due to the injectors and pump being way ahead of the filtration system

 

[CaptainMal]

Depends on what you mean by fast. Top speed - the Ecodiesel has a higher governor speed.

Stock with factory transmission from a start - close.

Cruising effortlessly at higher speeds - Ecodiesel.

The little Ecodiesel with the 8 speed transmission is one darn good package, not only for such a tiny and flimsy thing, for anything.

 

[swordfish]

hey cap i agree with you on the instructions. going green is a nice concept, but whats the difference if they send me printed instructions with the product or i print them out on my computer using my paper, it is still using paper, and yes for $800.00 i want the damn instructions, and as for the receipt, i,ll know if I'm $800.00 poorer anyway enough paper bashing, (could you post your re-gen intervals)

 

[CaptainMal]

Never had any idea of what my regen intervals were. Watched them many times but mostly I do not look at that gauge much. The regen. numbers are set up to be the largest ones right in my face yet I still tune them out. Mostly when I drive I look at the road and strain to ,listen to my motor. I can do that for hours and days at a time. If I turn on the radio I usually get miffed in minutes and turn it back off.

To my knowledge I have not had a regen yet. Think there's about 1/2 a front tank used so that would be in the 3-400 mile range. No plans on anything but short runs and mostly I have been riding motorcycle and just using the truck for church, the bar to watch the Steelers get beat today and tomorrow to take my wife to the hospital again.

Doubt I will be any reliable source of regeneration information.

 

[DMDK-ECO]

Sorry to barge in on a conversation but thats some strange claims.
Might your EcoDiesel be one of a kind?
You do know that an HFE Pentastar V6 Ram is faster then our truck stock right? Even Dodge admits it.

As for Cummins, I had owned 4 of them from 98s all the way to 2012 models. And all of them are faster, cuz the torque hits from 1600rpm on and just pulls like a freight train all the way to 3000.
I also towed 24foot camper/utility loaded up, with all those trucks up Coquihalla summit without leaving 5th gear and 2000rpm going 120km/hr.

Oh and a Prius beat me off the line and cut me off yesterday.
Cant wait on my GDE.