Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 28

Thread: New tuner, NEED HELP

  1. #1
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11

    New tuner, NEED HELP

    Hey i am brand new to the tuning world. Mostly worked on old 12 valves. So my question is this... Is there any things out there to help me get started? i know mechanical knowledge. Have a bachelors degree in diesel and heavy equipment. just have no idea how to change all these numbers on a computer screen and make trucks run better LOL. Any help would be greatly appreciated! also new to forums so let me know if i do something wrong.. Thanks! 2003 dodge 5.9L Cummins

  2. #2
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    22
    I'm probably not the best to be giving advice as I have only got a few hundred hours invested into the program. So i am very much a "nob" (as i call it) but might be able to help with some stuff.

    What is your "plan" for the 03 you want to tune?
    03 3500 CCSB SRW 4X4 4:10's
    4.5" lift, 35's, AFE stg1 pro dry, BD SuperB Special, BD Manifold, Stock inj, Arson CP3 kit, Airdog 100, Mild trans build, DiPricol Gauges, Good Lookin Bolt-Ons

  3. #3
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11
    Quote Originally Posted by adamuise View Post
    I'm probably not the best to be giving advice as I have only got a few hundred hours invested into the program. So i am very much a "nob" (as i call it) but might be able to help with some stuff.

    What is your "plan" for the 03 you want to tune?
    Thanks for the reply! Well first off it?s a bone stock cummins. I just got done building the 48re transmission. That?s only thing not factory. I also daily drive the truck. That being said, I would like to turn up the Performance on it as high as I can within the limits of the factory engine. Will plan on upgrading in the future and changing the tune accordingly. But for now that?s where im at. Also will be towing my racetruck to and from the track

  4. #4
    Potential Tuner
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    texas
    Posts
    3
    I am needing the same info on an 05 cummins.

  5. #5
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    22
    Limits of the factory engine are a debatable topic as some guys have pushed harder with success and others have had the precise opposite occur. When i do my tune for a stock cummins engine i try to stick within the following "rules" (if others have an opinion id gladly hear it):
    3500rpm max
    25,000psi rail max
    28 degrees timing max
    No more than 35 degrees combined timing (pilot+main). Becarefull playing with pilot timing
    35-40psi boost (HE341 and HE351 are slightly different so its good to know which you have)
    1200-1300 degrees EGT for sustained pulls, short pulls ive gone plenty hotter without issue so far (both my dmax and cummins)
    3200us pulse (if your CP3 can manage it) is a max effort pulse, i figure 2950ish is safer and easier on the injectors
    If you have a drive pressure gauge, comparing it to your boost pressure and getting them as close to 1:1 as possible will make for a happier engine. Running alot of drivepressure (which will happen if you push your fuel system and stock turbo) is a good way to pop headgaskets as well as cause other very negative effects on the engine.

    That should start you off on the right foot. Again if others have an opinion im open to hearing them
    03 3500 CCSB SRW 4X4 4:10's
    4.5" lift, 35's, AFE stg1 pro dry, BD SuperB Special, BD Manifold, Stock inj, Arson CP3 kit, Airdog 100, Mild trans build, DiPricol Gauges, Good Lookin Bolt-Ons

  6. #6
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11
    Adamuise thanks man! How do I blend the tables? I assume the whole table shouldn?t be maxed out? Lol also is the timing tables based on how far ATDC? Like stock timing degrees (whatever that is) plus what?s in the box? Like say stock timing is 14 degrees ATDC and the box on the table is 3 degrees. Does that make a total of 17 degrees timing.. or is it legit 3 degrees of timing?

  7. #7
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Everywhere
    Posts
    1,772
    Timing table values is based off top dead center. If the box for 2000rpm and 45mm3/s says 6 deg, the ecm aims for 6 deg BTDC, if it where to say -6 deg in that box then the ecm would aim for 6 deg ATDC. Timing in these engines is dynamic though. It interpolates between the boxes for the value of timing to use, same goes for most other 2D and 3D tables.

  8. #8
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11
    Ok cool. I?m still a little confused about the numbers and measurements and what they mean.. Like mm3 and stuff. And the tables and how to read them. That should prob be my first thing to learn right?

  9. #9
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    22
    Before you start messing with anything, save the stock file as "stock tune from truck", then open it and select "save as" and re name it something else such as "stock tune modified". Do not save over your stock tune and always make sure that you dont loose it. I have made that mistake on a modified tune and was glad to have the stock tune available to start over after i had a problem. I would also recommend that before you mess with anything, apply the code modification (in the OS tab) to the stock tune (do not change anything else). Re load it into the truck then read that tune and save it "stock tune modified code". By doing that you enable other scanning parameters that you will want in the future during logging. Also, whenever you build a new tune, build it off the modified code tune that way you dont have to apply the patch to every tune in the future. There is a write up about that on the forum.

    I'm going to assume by "blend" you are referring to smoothing the tables. There are a few buttons at the top that allow you to do that. Best advice i can give you on that is select a table to play with (do not save) and experiment with it (same with the interpolate buttons).
    There are only a few tables that i max out.
    Timing tables are what are in the boxes. For example in the Main SOI tables (match both low air dens and transient) if you have a value set to 10degrees in the box, that is what will be commanded. Again, becarefull to not add main timing without making sure it doesn't exceed 35degrees when added with pilot timing.
    Most tuners disable the post injection event as well as it was primarily meant for emission purposes and isn't needed.
    03 3500 CCSB SRW 4X4 4:10's
    4.5" lift, 35's, AFE stg1 pro dry, BD SuperB Special, BD Manifold, Stock inj, Arson CP3 kit, Airdog 100, Mild trans build, DiPricol Gauges, Good Lookin Bolt-Ons

  10. #10
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11
    Ok I saved the stock tune. Then I re-saved it again with a different name. I opened the new file and hit apply code modification. It popped up a warning with the same instructions you gave me. Then it said to write the modified file.. so do I need to be hooked up to the truck to write the modified file?

  11. #11
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Everywhere
    Posts
    1,772
    Quote Originally Posted by Cumminsmaynee View Post
    Ok cool. I?m still a little confused about the numbers and measurements and what they mean.. Like mm3 and stuff. And the tables and how to read them. That should prob be my first thing to learn right?
    mm3 is a metric volume, cubic millimeter. mm3/s is mm3 per stroke

  12. #12
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11
    Ok cool. How much is a cubic millimeter of fluid? I’m guessing it’s a fluid measurement. Like I don’t really know how much to change.. I know Diesel power is fueling, air, and duration and timing. But I don’t know what to change and how much to change

  13. #13
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Everywhere
    Posts
    1,772
    Yes it?s a volumetric measurement and how much is a cubic millimeter? Well, it?s a cubic millimeter, make a cube 1mm long on all sides and there?s a cubic millimeter. There?s conversions on google to help find its equivalency in gallons of that would help picture it better.

    In your duration table at 140mm3 and 160mPa, add 20% to that cell. All the cells surrounding it down to 80mm3 and 100mPa blend up into that cell you increased by 20%. There?s a start for duration. Remember as rail pressure increases it exponentially takes less time to get the same volume of fuel out of the injector.

    Lower rail pressure in the cruise region will help with mpg, between 12.5-14.5k PSI has worked well for me and many others for upper start at say around 2000-2200 rpm al the way up to 3500rpm and 95mm3/s up to 140mm3/s, start filling in that massive cavity to increase fuel amount in that upper region.

    Timing in that same upper region as the rail pressure ramp up timing as well, use a timing calculator and start of at say 40% of your injection duration at BTDC but blend it into that cavity towards the center of the timing map. Too much timing in that area can hurt turbo spool up, cause more smoke and depending on many other factors could potentially run into too early combustion or ?timing rattle? as some call it.

    Play with it from there. Small changes at a time and one change at a time so you don?t end up chasing tails trying to find out what change you made is causing grief.

  14. #14
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Everywhere
    Posts
    1,772
    Plenty of topics and guides and information out there everywhere on the interwebs, there won?t be anything out there on how to tune your own specific truck, or any truck really. But there?s plenty out there on the basics of tuning in a general sense. It?s hard to get into specific vehicle mods and everything else, every truck is different, even a stock truck compared to a stock truck. The two may be completely identical but may not react the same way to the same tune.

  15. #15
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11
    Ok thanks y’all! I guess I’ll have to wait til I get back from vacation so I can write the code modified file on my truc and re read it like adamuise said to do. Then I can start changing parameters and such

  16. #16
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11
    So. I wrote the code modified file to my Truck like @adamuise said to do.. it did fine, but when I read it back this popped up.. any ideas what?s going on?




    ?The data you just read is not from your vehicle. Your vehicle isn?t readable. The data is a supplied stock file. If you use this data to write your vehicle you will lose any existing changes your vehicle may already have.?

  17. #17
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Posts
    15
    03-05 ECMs are WRITE only. Check out the sticky at the top of the page

  18. #18
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11
    Ok sorry I’m new to all this.. what’s a sticky? And where do I find them besides at the top of the page?

  19. #19
    Advanced Tuner
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    704
    Quote Originally Posted by Cumminsmaynee View Post
    Ok sorry I?m new to all this.. what?s a sticky? And where do I find them besides at the top of the page?
    See screenshot below:

    Sticky.PNG

  20. #20
    Tuner in Training
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Posts
    11
    So I got on the main injection pw table and added 10% to the very first box. Then highlighted and smoothed entire table. Then did same thing and hit the interpolate button. Looking at the lines graph every line is straight and angled from bottom. Idk if that’s good or not. I tried attaching a picture from my phone but it wouldn’t let me. Said invalid file.