Tuning for more power, with warranty?

[gltrimble]

You will want to flash it back to stock before going for a smog inspection otherwise you will fail. Takes 2 minutes to switch it back to stock... That's the beauty of the HHT (Hand Held Tuner).

Any smog test or dealer visit you should revert back to stock.

I am not so sure if the vehicle would fail a diesel smog test with a tune. In California I understand that the smog tester is just looking for codes or faults. With none present the vehicle will pass. I have had a minor tune on my Silverado since 2000. It is gasoline powered so they actually look at the emissions. The truck has passed every time. I am waiting for someone to see if the same is true with the Renntech Sprinter tune. We need a volunteer. For most individuals it is easier to disable the tune for the smog check and not take the risk.

 

[Dima74]

You will want to flash it back to stock before going for a smog inspection otherwise you will fail. Takes 2 minutes to switch it back to stock... That's the beauty of the HHT (Hand Held Tuner).

Any smog test or dealer visit you should revert back to stock.

Which monitors do fail to pass? Do you know by any chance?

 

[Taylor Marine]

When they plug the smog machine/computer into your ODB port it compares the ECU map it has on file with your vehicles ECU map... If parameters are different from what it "should" be it will fail. It's not going to be a sensor or monitor error but a ECU error. I had a MADS Smarty tuner on my 06 RAM... Any time I took it in for "smog inspection" I'd have to flash it back to stock otherwise it would fail as the first time I had it inspected I forgot to flash it back to stock... Smog machine failed me and the tech said "you have a tune? You gotta go back to stock before getting inspected." I flashed it to stock and it passed me the second time. Same with my 2015 S550.. Renntech HHT tuner on that also... Would have to revert to stock before getting smogged.

Like I said.... You just plug it in and go back to stock beforehand. It's best to keep the tuner in your vehicle at all times. It's not a hard thing to remember and it's not like the old days where you have to remove your ECU and send it to RennTech for tuning then sent back to you. Hand Held Tuner... The name says it all.

 

[Dima74]

When they plug the smog machine/computer into your ODB port it compares the ECU map it has on file with your vehicles ECU map... If parameters are different from what it "should" be it will fail. It's not going to be a sensor or monitor error but a ECU error. I had a MADS Smarty tuner on my 06 RAM... Any time I took it in for "smog inspection" I'd have to flash it back to stock otherwise it would fail as the first time I had it inspected I forgot to flash it back to stock... Smog machine failed me and the tech said "you have a tune? You gotta go back to stock before getting inspected." I flashed it to stock and it passed me the second time. Same with my 2015 S550.. Renntech HHT tuner on that also... Would have to revert to stock before getting smogged.

Like I said.... You just plug it in and go back to stock beforehand. It's best to keep the tuner in your vehicle at all times. It's not a hard thing to remember and it's not like the old days where you have to remove your ECU and send it to RennTech for tuning then sent back to you. Hand Held Tuner... The name says it all.

What state did you test in? California?... In Tennessee tuned vehicles pass the emissions test without any issues... The dealers now a days can detect a tune with Xentry Spyware that is built in Xentry version 2020.06 and up and it makes sense for states to have something similar to that too.

The name doesn't say it all... You have to understand the technology behind it. Renntech is selling a "slave" version of the programmer that will never give you access to the modified file and more likely the file that they have for modifications is not even a complete file, but only the modified addresses for the original file. Most of the tuners (GDE, Malone, VladimirCDI) do it this way. Malone tuning is using the Russian BitBox in conjunction with Openport 2.0 to achieve the same thing.

Malone Tuning

malonetuning.com

Full access to the ECU file is only achieved by "master" programmers...

 

[Taylor Marine]

Yep.. I'm in California and I'm sure CARB is all over it.

 

[Wrinkledpants]

Looking at renntech's power output, it looks like it's slightly less than factory European power levels for some of the OM642 implementations. Some chassis integrations have 260 hp and 450 lb ft of torque, which is a tad more than 258 hp and 400 lb ft that Renntech shows. Most chips I've seen push boost to the limits of fuel injection, but in this case, it seems like Renntech's tune is in the realm of power outputs from the factory. Gives me a little more confidence that I would not be going too out of the norm for what this motor was intended for.

I can maintain traffic speeds at 8K lbs up and down I70, but around 10k ft my foot will be to the floor, which is probably around 85% actual load compared to sea level. Assuming about 15% power loss at 10k ft, a Renntech's tune at full-load is about factory US power levels for the OM642 (in other vehicles). Since I can maintain traffic speeds without a tune, I'm more in the power load profile of a passenger car than a loaded Class C towing a second car (which would likely use full 400 lb/ft of torque for long durations of time).

There's no free ride as it pertains to longevity of a motor and power output, but this feels reasonable vs a car that gets a chip and it's pushing 50 hp over factory power levels.

 

[Taylor Marine]

Most importantly.... Tuned or not, Change your oil yearly or at 10k miles. 20k on an oil change is a bit extreme as MB specifies, Especially for the first one. I'm going to dump my factory fill at 1500 miles and then change it at 10k. I use Blackstone labs for my oil analysis on my other vehicles. It tells you all about the health of your motor. The initial break-in of the engine loads the oil up with all kinds of stuff like zinc and such from the bearings breaking in. You want longevity, Do the oil yearly or at 10k miles. You could do 12k or 13k but I wouldn't go over that.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[RVBarry]

Monitoring (and understanding) engine, transmission, and exhaust temps should be higher priority than early oil changes, IMHO.

 

[Taylor Marine]

Monitoring (and understanding) engine, transmission, and exhaust temps should be higher priority than early oil changes, IMHO.

An EGT gauge display would be nice in the service menu or even better a user customizable page that one could have all temps as well as EGT, Boost and DPF%. I had pillar gauges on my 06" RAM and then used a Edge Insight on the newer rigs for monitoring. MBUX has the "engine" page which is more a gimmick than useful.. Instant HP and Torque readings are not much use. The DPF% gauge is helpful but they could have gone a little further with vehicle information. I'd like to see actual oil pressure and temp, coolant temp, trans temp, boost and EGT.

 

[RVBarry]

ScanGauge or UltraGauge, or the Torque app, can all show LOD, EGT, and transmission temp. Not sure about boost pressure and DPF%.

 

[OffroadHamster]

All good points and great conversation about tuning for a change! Will Echo RVBarry and Taylor by agreeing with their points.

I run a scangauge:
Ive not seen EGT's creep above about 1200 deg on long pulls uphill. If I start to slow down due to incline and in warm weather I've seen as high as 1350 if I keep my foot in it and climbing above 3000rpm briefly but then requested tq falls of (Pulling boost) and speed continues to drop. This was on a 10% grade at ~8500lbs in 80deg weather. Tune seems well sorted and maintains appropriate safeguards.

 

[Taylor Marine]

I'm going to be a guinea pig here and try the DiabloSport Trinity T2 MX Monitor... If it does not work I can always return it. It can read and display many SAE PID's, You can set alarms for almost anything. It supports gas and diesel engines and looking through the hundreds and hundreds of PID's I believe it will display what I'd like to see.