BullyDog programers do they lock you out???

[HeberRam]

Need some Tech advise with someone who would know or who has experience with the BullyDog power-pup, or Triple-Dog programmer. . I know you can stack boxes etc. , however, does anyone know if you load their programmer, and later change it back to stock, and remove it from your truck, can you then load a competitors programmer or are you "locked-out" from doing so???

In other words do they change the trucks computer to not allow it to accept any ones elses but theirs??

 

[Trashdawg]

If you pull it out completly you can load in a different programmer.

 

[HeberRam]

Trashdawg, other then running the program let's say from tow, or Performance setting and setting back to "stock" and un-pluging it from the OB111 port, what else do you have to do? Are you saying at that point you can load a different programmer?

 

[JVolpe]

I have a BD Triple Dog with CL. Had it since first available. I do not use it any more do to some issues with trying to go back to "stock". I have had a local Bully Dog "Try It" dealer that used it on his new Dodge Ram tell me that it did leave some kind of signature that prevented him from loading a competitor programmer. Said he went round and round with BD about this issue. I will know if it is a problem if the Smarty ever comes out for my 04. 5 600. I will never load the Triple Dog program again. I have been in the computer system design/programming/communication field since the early 70's and I know that these programmers and current DC computers are just a crap shoot. Even though I am my own warranty station, I still do not want to have to go to the dealer and pay for an ECM reprogramming because of a manufacture downloader glitch.



The BD Triple Dog CL does make definite power, but at the cost of high EGTs and hard to manage drive pressures.



I wish I had bought my first diesel truck before they were computer controlled, I would probably still be driving a 12v.

 

[HeberRam]

I thought so???

JVolpe, Thanks for your honest reply... I was fishing for this type of information, and I would like others that have had simular experiences to respond... Do you have any more information regarding the BullyDog dealer that tried to load a competitor programmer? I would like to know if he ever got the issue resolved? The reason I'm pressing for answers, is I think I have a simular problem. :-{} Before I go "Biserk" I need to get more responses.



If in fact that this is happening, BD needs to pay for or correct the problem. I'm not going to let BD set priority / software codes to keep me from using other competitor programmers!!! This would be fraud in my opinion.



Let's here from others

 

[Bully Dog]

Bullydog absolutely does not lock competitors out.

 

[wilddiesel]

I have heard the same thing about these programmers but have no hard facts. Is there anyone else that has had an issue like Heber is talking about? Curious minds would like to know.

 

[HeberRam]

Today while I was at Industrial Injection, we downloaded the extreme setting on my "power-pup" Crazy Larry version to stock, removed the programmer as the instructions state, recycled the key etc. We then tried to install the PPE programmer and the programmer indicated "unidentified vehicle". To be sure the PPE was working correctly, we tried two more PPE programmers and got the same results??? Next we tried to load a superchips programmer and it would not load either. ( by the way, all these programmers are for my vehicle) Next test we will be doing is on another 05' which has not had any programmers installed, to see if the PPE and the Super chip programmers work, and finally we found another 05' that was loaded with a Bullydog and re-set to stock and will test it next week.



I contacted "greg" at Bullydog today finally after a 40 min wait and two calls as my cell phone went dead, and explained the problem. First of all he tried to tell me I had a triple dog, and then said I must have downloaded the crazy larry etc. , as the Power-pup doesn't have the Crazy Larry??? I explained to him , and read him the label, "Power-Pup 04. 5-05 crazy Larry". I don't think he believed me! Anyway it doesn't matter, he stated as the reply from Bully Dog posted above, they don't lock competitors out. In fact he profoundly stated "if you take your truck to the dealer, and change it back to stock, the dealer can not tell you had their programmer in the truck". I have heard "rumors???" that they can?? At this point, I'm not accusing BD of any wrong doing, the programmer worked as advertised. What I'm questioning, is has anyone else, tried to load another programmer, after an installed and removal of BD programmer. I mean, a power-pup, triple-dog, or even a "try before you buy" deal ???



I would really appreciate any feed back, as I'm being told by BD this is the first time they have heard of this..... I really don't want to pay some dealer for a re-flash if others have had a simular problem.

 

[Trashdawg]

I have done back to back with bulldog and other's on ford, gm and dodge and never had a problem.

 

[HeberRam]

Trashdog, can you be more specific in the case of the dodge? What did you load, take off, and add again by brand and type of programmer?

Thanks

 

[Trashdawg]

04. 5 tripple dog w/CL to ATS tuner on the dyno.

 

[BBartels]

Make sure that you are taking the Bully Dog completly out. Your menu will say shift-on-the-fly on top and if you press Y on stock all you are doing is changing the power level to stock. You need to go to "Main Menu" then install download and then "return to stock", I am not saying that you arent doing it that way but thay is the most common reason I see when people are doing this. I have heard a "rumor" that you will not be able to load in a SuperChips but have no hard facts.

 

[HeberRam]

I'm going to the main menu and downloading to the stock setting. The power pup I'm using doesn't have a shift-on-the-fly mode. It's pretty straight forward.

I can't load any other program???

 

[BBartels]

Did you get it straight from Bully Dog at a open house or something like that? I had another guy that had the samething going on with a Power Pup that you cannot even buy and thats where he got it from. PM me and I will give you the name of the person in Idaho you need to talk to. This is a "special" situation and the call center in Tx will not have a clue to what you have, there arent many out there like this.

 

[HeberRam]

Did you get it straight from Bully Dog at a open house or something like that? I had another guy that had the samething going on with a Power Pup that you cannot even buy and thats where he got it from. PM me and I will give you the name of the person in Idaho you need to talk to. This is a "special" situation and the call center in Tx will not have a clue to what you have, there arent many out there like this.

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