Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) caTCHER ecm (Marco's aka MAD)

[jcarey]

Marco,

Any idea as to when you'll start playing with the 600 ecm? I'm all ears .



And I won't tell anyone else on the TDR :-laf .



Jim

 

[Bob Wagner]

Just a heads up that I am sending out the next batch of ecm's tomorrow afternoon (Pacific Standard Time) for those who I have talked to and have shown interest. After that it may be another week or so.



just so everyone it in the know , Thanks

 

[BigDan]

Hey Guys this is my first post on this loooooooong thread.



Ive read all of the good news but has anybody actually tested there acceleration. Like what there 1/4 mile times are before and after the MAD ecm?



Everybody agrees that it is quicker but how much???



I'm stock with a drag comp, will the ECM lower my ET's? im 14. 9 right now



Thanks and sorry if this had already been discussed



BigDan

 

[darkhorse]

Dan, I haven't seen clocked times or many dyno number either. Maybe you'd like to be the first. If you spring for a CaTCHER I'll bet a bottle of Italian wine you'll like it as much on the street as the strip.

 

[KatDiesel]

Ive read all of the good news but has anybody actually tested there acceleration. Like what there 1/4 mile times are before and after the MAD ecm?



Everybody agrees that it is quicker but how much???



I'm stock with a drag comp, will the ECM lower my ET's? im 14. 9 right now



Thanks and sorry if this had already been discussed



BigDan

I'm hoping to get to the track before they close for winter, but have to finish freshening up the front end... ..... Yes its quicker, I have to use the brakes alot more then I used to. Only have a couple hundred miles on it tho.

 

[RCone]

BigDan, trust me it is quicker. More noticeably on the street. Tires/tire breaking loose much easier than before. Unfortunately, I, like a lot of us, tend to do things in batches therefore not establishing quantifiable base lines. Now having said that, just with a turbo change (35/40 to a DodgeZilla 35/40) and the addition of a CaTCHER, my times have improved by about . 75 of a second. But different tracks same elevation though. BTW, CaTCHER does not give up anything on the top end either. Ran a so so ET but best ever MPH at Spokane, WA three weeks ago and track elevation was bout 2600' verses sea level of the other two tracks. I blame ET on me, the driver, not the truck!



Roger

 

[Murle]

Just a small update on the CaTHER. Mileage is staying the same no more no less. The more I drive this mod. the more I like it. For those sitting on the fence waiting..... I hope you don't get any splinters. Get off the fence and get the CaTHER. You will wonder why you did not get it sooner. Oo. Oo.

 

[darkhorse]

Just a small update on the CaTHER. The more I drive this mod. the more I like it.



My sentiments exactly, Murle.

 

[RCone]

Yup!!!!!!!

 

[AKAMAC]

Looks like mine takes the boat tomorrow. Thanks Bob! Mike

 

[KatDiesel]

surely some other people have recieved theirs by now? Just haven't seen much of anyone other then the first group replying???

 

[Bob Wagner]

I just had to post this for Marco, Steve almost had me LMAO



Report:



Posted: Sep. 16 2004,21:31



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bob Wagner delivered mine tonight.



I took off the protective wrap and noticed a sticker below the connector of the ECM. It said Wagner and Associates and listed a address and some phone numbers.



It took 22 minutes from starting the ECM change to engine running and that is including the time required to mix a Mac & Coke. (Could of shaved off another minute had the damn icemaker still been hooked up. )



All the testing below was done with the Comp box off.



The engine started like normal no codes or lights where set. But I did notice a hint of injector cackling. Next I noticed that the engine no longer bows down to the 93 torq converter when putting it in gear. This may mean that this software will help trucks at higher altitudes when first going into gear as well. The way the power of the truck comes on now reminds me of a dirtbike expression, "On the pipe. " My twins love the change and do spool much quicker. The exhaust tone seems deeper when excellerating too. When approching 1800 rpm the truck will test ones manlyhood on wet pavement. Next I checked out the cruise control, it works but it is more aggresive now. Between monsoons tonight I did manage to take it up to 3800 rpm in third. Pretty cool but there still isn't any real power up there. After which I did the most important of all testing to me for drag racing.

Yes I played myth buster. The pavement was actually dry so there is a question that had to be answered... Can the brakes hold over 5 pounds of boost in 4 wheel drive with the MAD EDM? Yes sir the brakes can, I held almost 20 but when the brakes where released the truck wanted to play rodeo. A game that we have played before at a much higher boost.

I love how the truck comes on the pipe now. However, as the expression goes,"With power comes responsibility!" It is much easier to break the rear end loose now.

I feel the new ECM makes less power in overdrive below 1600 rpm than the stock ECM. But that is a good thing too as auto's arn't suppose to be chugging around in overdrive below 1500 rpms anyway. But in every gear and rpm outside of the one I stated earlier the power comes on stonger and quicker. And now to try and end this mini novel, the last thing I noticed was...

Do not bring up engine rpms quickly in Nuetral. It stumbles and sounds like the timing is way advanced. Once again anyone with a diesel should know better than to do this as well.



After burning a quarter tank of fuel, I feel this is by far the best of all the electronic enhancement boxes I have used.



Thanks to Marco and Bob Wagner both,



Opie

 

[Marco]

Take the MSG above with a grain of salt.



Altough it's a great report, keep in mind what mods that truck is running!



What appears to me most "truck" related in that report is the "less power in overdrive below 1600 rpm". Everybody with less extreme mods reports exactly the other way arround.



I can only guess, I think THAT truck get's too much fuel and too little air in that Rpm range. I've said that many times before,too much fuel, poor performance... Probably Opie needs to get used a little more to the CaTCHER.



Marco

 

[TractorNut]

I feel like this is a dumb question. . but how is the Catcher affected by the reprogramers... (small aftermarket HP increases. . ) I just know there are a bunch out there. . and I feel this upgrade. . (the Cather) would be better for those that are going that route. . and will probably never do another upgrade. . (great for everyone else too. . )

Thanks

Bryan

 

[BigDan]

Hey Opie.....



How come you didnt to some testing with your comp box on???

Especially on 5X5???



The caTCHER and the comp should work well together right????



Please lets us know????

 

[smittybuilt]

MY ECM IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY AND IT SUCKS AFTER DRIVING WITH ONE ON YOUR TRUCK. I will be pm marco and tell him my bad news. this is a great thing except when it doesn't work it feels like a stock truck.

 

[darkhorse]

Hey Smitty, What model year are you running, 2001? Sounds like you have the wrong file in there. When I got my first one back it was way off & would hardly idle. It rane rough under light throttle & smothed out when I got on it. The second one ran strong but no cc. Neither one anything like stock. Third try & zowie! Hang in there.

 

[smittybuilt]

my truck is an 02. it worked fine for the past 2 weeks other than the cc, and then tonight the wait to start light quit working and the lift pump will not run by bumping the starter or anything, but the truck would still run and run pretty good but i got nervous about the lift pump maybe not working going down the road.

 

[Murle]

Hey Opie.....



How come you didnt to some testing with your comp box on???

Especially on 5X5???



The caTCHER and the comp should work well together right????



Please lets us know????

I have not had my box hooked up but one time since the CaTHER. Don't need it and probably will not every hook it up again. The CaTHER does everything I want my truck to do and more. I think the boxes are going to be a thing of the past.

 

[Bob Wagner]

Hey Opie.....



How come you didnt to some testing with your comp box on???

Especially on 5X5???



The caTCHER and the comp should work well together right????



Please lets us know????

Big Dan, Opie is no longer a member on the TDR boards. Here is his response on the http://www.nwbombers.com







The smoke with my truck is slightly less but I may have some worn valve seals. The boost is faster both with the comp on or off. As it sits with the Mach 2. 5 in it right now I feel the truck would make it into the 12's off the bottle. Yes the Mad complements the Comp quite nicely.

I won't be able to back that one up for some time though as I am going to be running the enhanced 6's on Sunday. If the pulls gets rained out I will see about dynoing instead. So I am recommending you to include it in your upgrades. If the 24 valve ever gets a truely redesigned/bombed VP they will be the king of diesel horsepower.