Diesel chip: worth putting in?

[PurpleFloyd]

I just brought home a new to me 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins. It has 34k miles and there has never been a 5th wheel hooked to it and when I went to put the ball mount into the receiver it was like new and has never been used.

When I left Shakopee Chev with it I reset the ave. fuel econ button and when I got to Truman it read 21.5 mpg. This was with me driving as conservatively as I have ever driven with the cruise set right on 65 or 55 and the tach at 1600 at 65. My kids started to call me the old fart because i was getting passed left and right. On the way up I was driving the 07 ford explorer sport trac with the 4.6 v8 and with a similar driving style I averaged 19.8. I was amazed a bigger truck with a bigger diesel could log higher MPG.

That being said, if I am interested in getting the best mileage possible but am not concerned about any additional power is there a tune that would be the best for me to go with? I am looking for a used 20-24 foot cargo trailer to deliver cabinets and countertops so I am not going to be towing rediculously heavy loads but I would appreciate the best mileage I can get when the trailer isn't hooked up.

As a side note- Does anyone know a good business to recommend for finding a used enclosed trailer?

[TravP]

Nice truck! Tell whoever does your tune that you want something for fuel economy.

[crappiegetter]

A lot of my friends own diesels and all of them have different things done. A few good options are bully dog tuners or a banks tuner with a pda. Another option is something two friends are looking into called efi live that you can store many different program settings to load at different times for various conditions that you have. Diesels have many options but most are power/torque adders.

[TravP]

An EFI Live cable tune is the way to go. I think your thinking of the Autocal device from efi live though, $$$$.

[PurpleFloyd]

Nice truck! Tell whoever does your tune that you want something for fuel economy.

Thanks.

Interestingly the salesman informed me it was driven by a little old lady from pasadena.

[Ryan_V]

Make sure you hand calculate as well. i have the exact same truck, color and all, and my computer is off by 1.5 mpg. It reads high for me

[311Hemi]

Make sure you hand calculate as well. i have the exact same truck, color and all, and my computer is off by 1.5 mpg. It reads high for me

\

x2, only mines an 03' and it runs a little high as well....but not 1.5 mpg. I can get 22 mpg pulling a 16'boat with 35" tires if I drive 50 mph.....but that never happens other than the time on the way to Canada that I really wanted to test it. Could hardly stand going 50 mph. I think I see around 14 mph pulling my 18' Crestliner Sportfish fully loaded doing 70 mph.

[PurpleFloyd]

Make sure you hand calculate as well. i have the exact same truck, color and all, and my computer is off by 1.5 mpg. It reads high for me

Good point. I will make sure to do that too.

[Valv]

Awesome truck, excellent choice, congratulations.

Forget the idea of the custom tune, the best you can do for the Cummins truck engine is a Smarty programmer or a Edge EZ box (if you can still find them). Set them both for economy and you will gain 1 to 2 mpg or slightly more.

Beware of price vs mileage. The Smarty is around $ 600, the EZ was around $ 350, you have to calculate how many miles you will be traveling and do the math if it's wort the extra cost.

ALWAYS calculate the mileage by hand, not with the overhead computer, they lie a lot.

[TravP]

Why would you say forget the custom tune idea Valv? Their cheaper and you get more out of them...

[PurpleFloyd]

Awesome truck, excellent choice, congratulations.

Forget the idea of the custom tune, the best you can do for the Cummins truck engine is a Smarty programmer or a Edge EZ box (if you can still find them). Set them both for economy and you will gain 1 to 2 mpg or slightly more.

Beware of price vs mileage. The Smarty is around $ 600, the EZ was around $ 350, you have to calculate how many miles you will be traveling and do the math if it's wort the extra cost.

ALWAYS calculate the mileage by hand, not with the overhead computer, they lie a lot.

Thanks for the compliment. When I saw the picture, the mileage and the price I didn't think twice and I am glad I pulled the trigger on it.

Between the smarty and the EZ, how are they programmed and would I have control over tweaking the settings on either one?

[Gissert]

Tuners are fine, and I always wanted an EZ, but just never got around to it.

More importantly, run good fuel and an additive. This ULSD stuff is really dry. I have an 01 Dodge and it has 356k on the clock. I am still on the original injectors and pump.

While its still in stock forum. I get 20-21mpg (hand calculated) frequently on summer blend fuel, and running 63mph. If I run 70-75, its down to 18.5 in a hurry. A stiff headwind will knock the numbers down too.

[Valv]

Smarty has many more options, the highest settings are not suggested unless you seriously modify your truck, you can add close to 230hp more to it.

Anyway it has several configurations to fine tune your desisered needs without compromising the truck mechanical integrity.

It also has ability to read and reset codes and more.

Edge EZ had only 3 settings, all very safe. They also offer newer programmers with different options, they have good products.

[Moose-Hunter]

On my 02' powerstroke... No chip or tune needed on my 7.3. I added Auto meter gauges, a good extreme duty Ford air cleaner and a 4" turbo back exhaust. Plenty of power, good mileage and no soot covering my boat. About 140K and no huge repair bills.

BUT... I'm one of those guys that doesn't need a diesel so it'll be going on the chopping block soon. A decent 1/2T P/U or larger SUV is all I really need. Anyone wanna trade?

[dukhntr]

Mine (2005) is not chipped. I just got 16.66 (hand calculated)from Elbow Lake, MN to I Falls on the way to Canada, towing 1850 Sportfish. I was driving 65 all the way. BTW, the overhead "lie-o-meter" showed 20.3 mpg.

dukhntr

[Ryan_V]

Mine (2005) is not chipped. I just got 16.66 (hand calculated)from Elbow Lake, MN to I Falls on the way to Canada, towing 1850 Sportfish. I was driving 65 all the way. BTW, the overhead "lie-o-meter" showed 20.3 mpg.

dukhntr

Wow! Thats far off

[PurpleFloyd]

I am pulling an 18' boat up to Ashland, Wi this weekend so we will see what the hand calculated MPG is on the trip.

[Whoaru99]

Dunno...never tried a custom tune, but the TST Powermax (fuel box) and Edge EZ (timing box) I bolted/plugged onto the 24V Dodge I drove for a while sparked it up pretty good. Nice thing was I could turn them on or off in different combinations. I bought it all used for not much coin, and sold it all used for what I paid for it when I got rid of the truck.

All off if someone borrowed the truck, Edge EZ on for a bit of power gain plus a bit of mileage increase, then TST + Edge when I wanted to rock and roll. The TST by itself was OK, but the timing from the EZ really helped it come alive in the combination.