AMS3
Well-Known Member
Once again, you knocked it out of the park! Thanks for the info Ronnie!
Stressed Out
- Thread starter AMS3
- Start date
Glad you were able to find them.
AMS3
Well-Known Member
Ok, so now I need some recommendations on tunes. I've been in touch with Torrie this week, and will soon be buying the
HP Tuners MPVI2 Suite
He told me it comes with two custom tunes, but also told me he can do anything I want. Problem for me is, I'm not sure what I want. My engine is stock, other than the K&N Filter. I haven't had the chance to install the underdrive pulley, or the BBK TB yet. Should I wait until they are installed, before flashing the tune? Since I have an auto tranny, what do you recommend as far as shifting points, and peak torque? Also, I want to install the BB headers, just haven't ordered them yet. I would need a tune for that as well, yes?
Good Morning.
Questions answered, in order:
The K&N, U/D Pulley and BBK will not affect the tune so you can add those now or after the tune.
Headers may affect the tune (A/F ratio) but they don't normally; and most of the performance tunes have headers factored in, so to speak.
If/when you start removing cats, that can (and normally does) affect your A/F ratios. This is determined by installing wideband O2 sensors during your tuning sessions. A couple of bungs can be tigged onto your exhaust (capped) and you will use these for the wideband, when needed. You should be doing some pulls on a dyno with your tuner at this stage.
My advice (leave the cats on or switch to high-flow cats). My personal truck has 4 Hi-Flows and doesn't seem to be suffering at all in the power department.
Tunes make an enormous difference in the Quad Cab automatics. Part of this because tunes can remove the "Torque Management" which cuts power right at the shift point. That is removed with the tune.
Leave your shift points alone for now. Except for the 3-4 (Overdrive) shift, explained below...
Until you get into larger camshaft profiles, cylinder head mods (porting) and a connecting rod/piston upgrade, there is no point in raising your existing rpm. These engines make a lot of torque (early) like around 2000 rpm, so don't punish a stock one.
You CAN however ask Torrie to raise the 3-4 (Overdrive) shift rpm to match your existing 1-2 and 2-3 shift points. This makes a major acceleration difference as the factory 3-4 shift-point is way too early and raising it will keep your engine away from the pre-ignition. With the factory (lame) 3-4 shift r.p.m. the truck is punching through a lot of air (over 32 square feet, frontal) and it is the worst time for it to jump into overdrive early. Imagine peddling like hell on a mountain bike in 3rd and then jamming it into 10th. You get the idea. (Do they even call them mountain bikes anymore??)
This is when a "loading" dyno like a Mustang is great for tuning (more so than a Dynojet which uses a heavy rolling drum) as you can simulate road-load and do some pulls under heaving resistance (dyno controlled) to ensure the knock sensors aren't being triggered. This is when the A/F and timing tables can be fined tuned.
A tip: Get yourself a good torque converter in the 26 to 2800 stall range. It will fell like your truck feel a thousand pounds lighter and that 30 mph first gear kickdown far less important.
Give Torrie as much info as you can (like the octane of the pump gas you run).
Sidebar: The 48RE transmission has a strength designation of 8 by Mopar with a rated maximum torque input of 570 lbs. ft. Will it take more than that? Yes, it will, ask any diesel owner. But they are marginal in stock trim. BUT...If you are starting down the road of more serious power mods, budget for a tranny build as well, you will need it.
Have fun.
Questions answered, in order:
The K&N, U/D Pulley and BBK will not affect the tune so you can add those now or after the tune.
Headers may affect the tune (A/F ratio) but they don't normally; and most of the performance tunes have headers factored in, so to speak.
If/when you start removing cats, that can (and normally does) affect your A/F ratios. This is determined by installing wideband O2 sensors during your tuning sessions. A couple of bungs can be tigged onto your exhaust (capped) and you will use these for the wideband, when needed. You should be doing some pulls on a dyno with your tuner at this stage.
My advice (leave the cats on or switch to high-flow cats). My personal truck has 4 Hi-Flows and doesn't seem to be suffering at all in the power department.
Tunes make an enormous difference in the Quad Cab automatics. Part of this because tunes can remove the "Torque Management" which cuts power right at the shift point. That is removed with the tune.
Leave your shift points alone for now. Except for the 3-4 (Overdrive) shift, explained below...
Until you get into larger camshaft profiles, cylinder head mods (porting) and a connecting rod/piston upgrade, there is no point in raising your existing rpm. These engines make a lot of torque (early) like around 2000 rpm, so don't punish a stock one.
You CAN however ask Torrie to raise the 3-4 (Overdrive) shift rpm to match your existing 1-2 and 2-3 shift points. This makes a major acceleration difference as the factory 3-4 shift-point is way too early and raising it will keep your engine away from the pre-ignition. With the factory (lame) 3-4 shift r.p.m. the truck is punching through a lot of air (over 32 square feet, frontal) and it is the worst time for it to jump into overdrive early. Imagine peddling like hell on a mountain bike in 3rd and then jamming it into 10th. You get the idea. (Do they even call them mountain bikes anymore??)
This is when a "loading" dyno like a Mustang is great for tuning (more so than a Dynojet which uses a heavy rolling drum) as you can simulate road-load and do some pulls under heaving resistance (dyno controlled) to ensure the knock sensors aren't being triggered. This is when the A/F and timing tables can be fined tuned.
A tip: Get yourself a good torque converter in the 26 to 2800 stall range. It will fell like your truck feel a thousand pounds lighter and that 30 mph first gear kickdown far less important.
Give Torrie as much info as you can (like the octane of the pump gas you run).
Sidebar: The 48RE transmission has a strength designation of 8 by Mopar with a rated maximum torque input of 570 lbs. ft. Will it take more than that? Yes, it will, ask any diesel owner. But they are marginal in stock trim. BUT...If you are starting down the road of more serious power mods, budget for a tranny build as well, you will need it.
Have fun.
AMS3
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the tutorial, you really should be a writer for these things. Would the torque converter need to be tuned into the ECU, and what brand would you recommend? I was going to run straight pipes, but I guess I can just go with the B&B high flow cats. I called them just now to ensure that they are higher flow than the stock ones. We don't have emissions testing here in GA, that's why I was thinking of the catless exhaust. If I in fact DO go catless, what O2 wideband sensors do you recommend? Sorry for the million questions, I just want things to be right the first time.
Last edited:
Thanks for the continued accolades (although they aren't necessary).
Maybe I will do a You-Tube Channel one day. Any topics you would like covered??
I DO enjoy the performance stuff.
I went with a TCS converter (The Converter Shop) in Arizona. I believe you get what you pay for with these units.
Maybe some of the other guys can give their thoughts on which brand to get.
A good 26-2800 stall makes a MAJOR difference.
I went with cats because I (personally) can't stand the smell without them. The old comments about cats smelling like rotten eggs, etc. is just that, old.
Modern Hi-Flows (and cats in general), don't smell.
IF they do smell like rotten eggs, something is seriously wrong. Again, NOT like the old days back when guys were punching out the restrictor in the gas filler tubes so they could still use leaded fuel. That of course ruined the cats, caused fires, took the temper out of torsion bars from heat, etc. AND...guess what?!? They stunk like rotten eggs!! Imagine that ?!?!
Exhaust smells when a vehicle is first started until the cats are up to temperature and "flash". After that, there shouldn't be much of any kind of smell. Unless of course you ate something that didn't agree with you.
I can't even follow some guy in traffic that's removed his cats on his car, truck, whatever. I don't care if using 4 cats is costing me FORTY horsepower (which they aren't...not even close). As far as hi-flow cats go, many of the factory cats are every bit as good as the hi-flows as far as power goes. I've had good luck with B&B's. As our vehicles are "old" now, a modern hi-flow is better than o.e.m.
Anyway, enough of a rant...
I use Bosch Widebands but I've had them for years. Ask Torrie what he prefers as there may be something different now so go with his recommendation.
The valve body gets a signal from the ECU to re-route fluid so the torque converter goes into lockup. When that happens is based on rpm, road speed, ambient temperature, coolant temp, throttle position sensor info.
Putting a converter in doesn't require a change in tuning.
In fact, lockup is somewhat hard-coded into the ecu. It can be changed (but NOT easily). I will stop there.
Ronnie
Maybe I will do a You-Tube Channel one day. Any topics you would like covered??
I DO enjoy the performance stuff.
I went with a TCS converter (The Converter Shop) in Arizona. I believe you get what you pay for with these units.
Maybe some of the other guys can give their thoughts on which brand to get.
A good 26-2800 stall makes a MAJOR difference.
I went with cats because I (personally) can't stand the smell without them. The old comments about cats smelling like rotten eggs, etc. is just that, old.
Modern Hi-Flows (and cats in general), don't smell.
IF they do smell like rotten eggs, something is seriously wrong. Again, NOT like the old days back when guys were punching out the restrictor in the gas filler tubes so they could still use leaded fuel. That of course ruined the cats, caused fires, took the temper out of torsion bars from heat, etc. AND...guess what?!? They stunk like rotten eggs!! Imagine that ?!?!
Exhaust smells when a vehicle is first started until the cats are up to temperature and "flash". After that, there shouldn't be much of any kind of smell. Unless of course you ate something that didn't agree with you.
I can't even follow some guy in traffic that's removed his cats on his car, truck, whatever. I don't care if using 4 cats is costing me FORTY horsepower (which they aren't...not even close). As far as hi-flow cats go, many of the factory cats are every bit as good as the hi-flows as far as power goes. I've had good luck with B&B's. As our vehicles are "old" now, a modern hi-flow is better than o.e.m.
Anyway, enough of a rant...
I use Bosch Widebands but I've had them for years. Ask Torrie what he prefers as there may be something different now so go with his recommendation.
The valve body gets a signal from the ECU to re-route fluid so the torque converter goes into lockup. When that happens is based on rpm, road speed, ambient temperature, coolant temp, throttle position sensor info.
Putting a converter in doesn't require a change in tuning.
In fact, lockup is somewhat hard-coded into the ecu. It can be changed (but NOT easily). I will stop there.
Ronnie
AMS3
Well-Known Member
"Thanks for the continued accolades (although they aren't necessary).Thanks for the continued accolades (although they aren't necessary).
Maybe I will do a You-Tube Channel one day. Any topics you would like covered??
I DO enjoy the performance stuff.
I went with a TCS converter (The Converter Shop) in Arizona. I believe you get what you pay for with these units.
Maybe some of the other guys can give their thoughts on which brand to get.
A good 26-2800 stall makes a MAJOR difference.
I went with cats because I (personally) can't stand the smell without them. The old comments about cats smelling like rotten eggs, etc. is just that, old.
Modern Hi-Flows (and cats in general), don't smell.
IF they do smell like rotten eggs, something is seriously wrong. Again, NOT like the old days back when guys were punching out the restrictor in the gas filler tubes so they could still use leaded fuel. That of course ruined the cats, caused fires, took the temper out of torsion bars from heat, etc. AND...guess what?!? They stunk like rotten eggs!! Imagine that ?!?!
Exhaust smells when a vehicle is first started until the cats are up to temperature and "flash". After that, there shouldn't be much of any kind of smell. Unless of course you ate something that didn't agree with you.
I can't even follow some guy in traffic that's removed his cats on his car, truck, whatever. I don't care if using 4 cats is costing me FORTY horsepower (which they aren't...not even close). As far as hi-flow cats go, many of the factory cats are every bit as good as the hi-flows as far as power goes. I've had good luck with B&B's. As our vehicles are "old" now, a modern hi-flow is better than o.e.m.
Anyway, enough of a rant...
I use Bosch Widebands but I've had them for years. Ask Torrie what he prefers as there may be something different now so go with his recommendation.
The valve body gets a signal from the ECU to re-route fluid so the torque converter goes into lockup. When that happens is based on rpm, road speed, ambient temperature, coolant temp, throttle position sensor info.
Putting a converter in doesn't require a change in tuning.
In fact, lockup is somewhat hard-coded into the ecu. It can be changed (but NOT easily). I will stop there.
Ronnie
Maybe I will do a You-Tube Channel one day. Any topics you would like covered??
I DO enjoy the performance stuff."
There are still plenty of us who own these beasts, and I guarantee that if you had a youtube channel, you would get a lot of clicks. Might even put some money in your pocket for fuel
. You could do tutorials from suspension, steering, to performance, preventive maintenance, etc. Basically, you are the old hard bound Chilton Manual that we had back in the day. And again, thanks for the info! 
Ronnie is King
'Am Not!!!
Oh ok but you can be my friend if you like
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