Consequences of chipping a 5.9?

[Dr.LukeMurphy]

I recently purchased a 2007 2500 with the 5. 9 engine. I have been told that I can get better fuel mileage if I chip it as well as more power. What are the downsides to it? My truck has 58,000 miles. Thank you

 

[Prairie Dog]

Welcome, Most of the time these chips just get you more power. Boxes that advance the timing will make a very small difference and boxes that drastically increase pressures beyond Bosch specs may work but at the expense of cracked injectors and damage to other parts of the fuel system. There really isn't any silver bullet that will greatly increase mileage and not cost you in some way. Don't forget to factor in gages and if you have an auto, you'll need upgrades after much of a HP increase.

 

[AH64ID]

A tuner like the Smarty Jr is the best at providing additional mileage without a significant increase in component wear. The timing of the Jr is what provides the mileage, unlike most mileage modules that add pressure. At lower power levels the increased cylinder pressure from timing isn't enough to cause any issues over the long term.



The biggest thing that can be effected is the trans. If you have an auto you can run about 40-70 hp over stock with a very careful foot and be fine, but start racing around and a new trans is around the corner. If you have a manual you can hold about 70 over stock, then when the clucth needs replacement you can get a better one and be fine.



I have the Jr and have seen . 75-1 mpg gain on highway cruising.



But I do reccommend a set of gauges if you get any tuner.

 

[Slow Six]

Been there , done that. In my opinion the mileage gain was insignificant and would never offset the costs. Don't get me wrong the extra power was fun to play with and made a lot of difference in towing but I had transmission and rear end problems that were probably a result of the power and using it. I have guages and engine temps all stayed normal but I was unaware of drivetrain stress. The chips also resulted in a lot dirtier looking engine oil even right after an oil change. I believe the single most important factor in mileage is the right foot.

 

[HBarlow]

Welcome to TDR. It's a great group.

The guys who posted above have all had experience with aftermarket boxes which I have not had.

A couple of old tired phrases apply. "There is no free lunch" and "you pay to play" come to mind. Modifying the late model HPCR engines can and often does come with a price.

First, your warranty will be voided. Second, you'll violate emissions equipment laws. Third, increasing power adds additional stresses to engine components like injectors, injection pumps, etc.

You would have to add a set of aftermarket gauges before making any modifications in order to monitor exhaust gas temp and boost.

 

[MChrist]

Harvey is right. There is no free lunch. It really depends on what you want out of your truck. Are you going to do really heavy work with it, like tow a 12,000# trailer up mountains? Or are you like me, a guy who needs a vehicle for errands, picking up kids from school, picking up supplies, general transportation, but occasionally need to tow a camper or move a trailer for work? I drive around 15,000 miles per year, and maybe 2,000 miles towing. In my case, I don't really NEED more power than stock. . but I also can't leave a good thing alone, and HAVE to modify things, hence the twin turbos, programmer, etc.
Harvey has driven hundreds of thousands of miles with heavy trailers in tow, and has kept his trucks bone stock. He also has had almost no problems that others have.
So it depends on what you need from your truck, what you want from your truck, and what you are willing to trade off to get it.
If you want better mileage, a programmer called Smarty Jr. is a great, simple way to go. Leave it on the lowest setting (40 hp gain) and I believe your truck will perform the way you will want it to, without putting any unnecessary stress on your truck that would hurt it. Expect about 1 mpg gain, and you shouldn't be disappointed. Drive enough miles, and eventually you'll receive a return on your investment.
Keep sniffing around on this site and you're bound to pick up on lots of good advice and tips.
Welcome to the TDR!

 

[BIGNASTY]

It take's a real MAN to admit that his DODGE CTD is a grocery getter and pick's up the kids from school. What no dry cleaning (JUST KIDDING) I give mine days off also. :-laf

 

[Shadrach]

Drive it stock First and see what you think. Does it perform good enough for you? Does it get good enough mileage for you? Are your expectations Realistic??? Learn how to drive a diesel and treat it with Respect. Most people who add power are either towing beyond the trucks Intended specs or they just Want more power because they can get it easily. I like gauges and recommend you put them on Before you do any mods so that you learn what normal is. If you then decide you want to boost power do your homework as a lot of aftermarket devices can cause considerable damage to you engine.

I bought my 03 with a dead Cummins. It had been ridden hard and put away wet. Cyl # 6 had broken rings and a badly gauged cyl wall. All the other cyl had major wear. Number 3 con rod bearing was almost non existent, the rod and crank were blue/black from heat and the valves were worn badly. All because it wasn't treated properly and was towing heavier loads that it should have been. It even had broken rear spring leafs.
Shadrach

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I recently purchased a 2007 2500 with the 5. 9 engine. I have been told that I can get better fuel mileage if I chip it as well as more power. What are the downsides to it? My truck has 58,000 miles. Thank you

Our trucks don't use "chips" they use ECM's.



I did all mods after my 100K engine warranty was up.

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

Welcome to TDR! Almost any question you will have about your truck has already been answered by folks on this forum.

I currently own 2 of the 3rd Gen trucks and both have the Smarty on them, one is a Jr. I use the tow setting on the Jr and when not towing regularly get near 21 mpg figured by hand, running at 65 mph. The other truck has the regular Smarty and 100 hp injectors with a 4. 10 rear end and also gets over 20 mpg at 65 mph.

Combined, these two trucks have over 1 million miles on them. The guy I bought the '04. 5 from had injector trouble which I later discovered was likely caused by running a different programmer than Smarty and he used the program that upped the rail pressure enough that it shortened the injector life. The '05 was a repo when I bought it, knew nothing about it's history. Those injectors have 150,000 miles added since I bought it and zero problems running the Smarty Jr on the Tow setting at all times.

The good thing about the Smarty is you can download a higher powered software into your truck and still choose to leave the fuel rail pressure at the factory level.

The most important thing on the Common Rail engine is clean fuel filtered to 2 microns and adding a lubricant to the fuel. I currently use two cycle oil. The 2 micron filter is very easy and inexpensive to add and may go over 100,000 miles between changes. Search on TDR for "2 micron fuel filter" in the 3rd Gen engine and transmission forum to find lots of reading. You need this filter whether you add a Smarty or not.

The main thing is to enjoy your truck. Adding the 2 micron fuel filter and Smarty will increase that enjoyment.

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[CDonaldson]

Welcome to TDR, congrats on entering the Cummins/Dodge truck world.



When I got my truck, the first thing I installed was gauges. That way I would get to know my truck and how things go. I added 2-mic fuel filtration, best to protect those expensive injectors from the damage that the high pressure can do to them.



I have a Smarty Jr, use it on the tow setting, saw a little fuel economy, but the towing with it is night and day over stock, I very happy with the Smarty Jr, would do it again in a heartbeat. Going power nuts is nuts, the Jr just provides good programming for better overall performance, Dodge should have programmed out trucks the way the Jr does right off the assy line and out the factory doors. I use my truck, don't abuse my truck, and I have had no warranty claims or engine problems whatsoever.





CD

 

[RVTRKN]

I recently purchased a 2007 2500 with the 5. 9 engine. I have been told that I can get better fuel mileage if I chip it as well as more power. What are the downsides to it? My truck has 58,000 miles. Thank you

Wellcome to TDR, and please fill in your signature so we can see your specific truck. I'm one to leave them stock unless you have a specefic application that will require more HP/TQ. In the stock application they pull extremely well heavy, and IMO no need to chip. Pay to play does cost a lot, when you blow up major componets.

 

[MChrist]

One thing I forgot to mention about the Smarty Jr, is the peppy feel it gives the truck. I distinctly remember when I bought my truck, I pulled out onto the street and there was a lag that I wasn't used to, coming from driving a Chevy Tahoe. I almost got rear ended because there wasn't immediate acceleration like a gas engine. The Smarty Jr fixes that, even on the lowest power setting. For me, that alone is worth the price.
As far as gauges, you can get a monitor like the one from Edge. It just plugs into your OBD port under your steering wheel column and will give you several points of information.

 

[Harlacher]

I agree with install gauges before you do any mods. My truck is a 1999 and I put a TST tuner on it way back in 2000, blew a boost hose and was just going to nurse it to the campsite with my loaded trailer. Then I looked at the EGT gauge and it was pegged. If I had not of had that gauge I am sure I would have melted that engine; the tuner was only giving me 80 extra horse power. Gauges will save you a lot of time in fixing things that could have been prevented, like injection pumps.

 

[Regcabguy]

Borrow a Smarty Jr and load the sw#1. Egt's will drop 100-150* and it'll drive so much better. No comparison between stock and this lowest setting. The engine will still outlive most of us and be a heck of a lot more fun to drive.

 

[Shadrach]

Smarty is the one " power enhancement device " that I do like. It also reads codes and can compensate for bigger tires. Shadrach

 

[CamarosRus]

I have a 2003, 305 H. O. engine [pre emissions](3500 SRW, Long Bed) 6spd with 3:73's.



Any comments on how this combination likes/dislikes the Smarty Jr.



I occasionally will pull 10,000GVW tandem axle auto trailer.

 

[CToney]

CamaroRus I have a similar truck. The JR was my first mod back when they first came out. It was my best mod. I have gotten caught up a bit with the power enhancement. Just check out my signature. Nothing major but, now I run on perf POD 99. I have the TQ management set to stock. Even with everything else stock the JR set on tow was great. If you keep rpms above 1700 when towing and are not afraid to downshift your clutch and transmission should last. I don't drag race, sled pull, etc I tow a lot and wouldn't be without the Jr. When you need to pass with a trailer on the power is there to do it with confidence. With our trucks rated at 305 555 and the newer ones with the same drivetrain at 325 610 increasing the power a bit is ok.

Have fun.

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

With a manual transmission the you get more benefit from what the Smarty does every time you shift gears and press on the accelerator.

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[Motorhead]

I too run a Smarty jr and like it. It also leaves no trace when you have to go to emissions testing.
One of the best things that I did to my truck for UN-LOADED highway mileage was the installation of unlocking front hubs. My truck is a 4x4. Best mpg was 22. 3 hand calculated driving from Seattle Washington to Yreka California.