Cummins Uprate Kit

[Ken B]

Has anyone purchased/installed the Cummins uprate kit advertised in the TDR publication? I know the ad mentions "Designed for all 1998. 5 and newer Dodge Ram Turbo Diesels with manual transmissions", but what if you have an auto trans upgraded with DTT's TQ and VB? Anyone know the cost of this kit? Any feedback postive/negative about it's claimed performance boost?



Thanks in advance for thoughts and comments. -Ken B

 

[pwr2tow]

The cummins uprate ECM costs approx $1,000.

For the price and bang for buck you can get more power for less in a simple timeing plus fueling box.



If you want to change the ECM for more power wait for a while longer. We have a friend on the TDR by the name of Marco and he is working on a rewrite for the ECM that will have 4 different power levels that range from mild to wild.



smokindiesel.com will be selling them. Go to there web site to find out more.



Ron

 

[Justbeamn]

If your talking about torques maximas (sp) save your money. It's around $900. For that price you can get more for you money frm a fueling box or a VA/EZ (cheaper plus more power).

 

[Ramafid]

I have an auto and was wondering about that as well. I'm going to Muncie and I think the Cummins people are going to be there. I will ask them if they can boost the power on an auto. I think that having Cummins do the uprate would be best, but who knows. I'll let you know when I get back.

 

[Ken B]

Thanks for everyone's replys/advice/feedback. Ramafid, I'm interested to hear what you find out at Muncie. -Ken

 

[Guest00]

TM

K_Arts and I both are running the TM on our 2k's.

Kevin has had good luck with his DD2's, I had to go back to DD1's because mine would die when you put it in gear. Ok w/ DD1's. It does more than just give you 245 hp and 505 lbft torque. It moves the fuel and timing curve down to 1500 rpm instead of the stock 2000 rpm, much better torque curve for the DTT goodies and 200* lower egt's. With the DD2's I could put the truck in cruise at 75 while towing 5th and not slow down on any grade. It pulled like a m&. But I could not tollerate the stalling every time I shifted into d or r. Keven has not had that problem. The truck barely smoked w/ TM and DD2's at wot and low boost, when I switched to stock ECM and DD2's it smoked like a freight train till 2000 rpm ( no offense Kat ). So to day I removed the DD2's, installed the DD1's, put the TM back in with an EZ and the the power is back at 1500 rpm, no smoke. The TM can be had for $850 from several Dodge dealers or $1100 to $1300 from Cummins for the 99 to 01's. It is more expensive for the 98. 5's from Dodge and Cummins for some reason.

 

[KatDiesel]

Originally posted by JNutter

K_Arts and I both are running the TM on our 2k's.

Your running the Cummins TM????? How did you get them to sell it to you with an auto equipped truck? Just curious.



And no offese taken, on the train thing... ... and actually Kevin's dad is a railroader too.

 

[K_Arts]

Katdiesel---guess thats My liittle trick.



When you call up to purchase the TM, you really have to know how to talk to the sales people and hope that you get the right person to talk to. When I was trying to purchase one, about 99% of the people that I talked to wanted to tack on a Core Charge, kind of insuring that they get your stock ECM back, or they charged you a flat price that included install (again so that Cummins can get your stock ECM returned to them). Fortunately, the last time that I called I talked to this guy that seemed pretty new. he didn't want my VIN number nor type of transmission. So I figured that I better buy it while I can.



As JNutter said, I do have the TM running with the DD2's and it has seemed to help me retain my bottom end for towing in high altitude. I guess the question that comes up is "Is the TM worth the cost?" Well that totally depends on what you are doing and probably altitude. As JNutter said, the TM actually changes the Fueling curve, it doesn't just give you power. Being that him and I are both located in high alititude, our trucks are lacking much more power compared to someone at sea level. Yes the TM rediscovered a lot of power, but it seems to give me power in a broader RPM range then stock.



I hope this helps.



Please feel free to e-mail me if I can answer any direct questions.



Thanks



Kev

 

[MikeR]

Kat,



I gave Jack my CPL and engine numbers for my manual trans truck when he was shopping for the ECM.



-Mike

 

[Ken B]

Wow, it's great to hear from a couple of people who actually have the Cummins Uprate ECM, thanks. It sounds like it works pretty well.



Mike, you mentioned giving the engine number and the "CPL" when ordering the ECM... . what's the "CPL"?

 

[MikeR]

Corresponding Parts List. It tells the Cummins shop which parts go into building a particular engine.

There are so many variations,you need to give the parts guy either the CPL or engine numbers to look up parts for you.

You can find the numbers in the tag attatched to the side of the timing housing,under the top rad hose.



-Mike

 

[Ram4Sam]

I noticed the 245hp and 505lbs are the same as an HO. Is the uprate kit just a HO ecm?



Sam

 

[Guest00]

Get the correct part # of the TM that you need for your application and go to the parts counter and order the part by part # and not have them look it up or you will get the BS runaround. I can get them locally here at Augi's Dodge in Belen NM for 850 + tax or you might try another NM dealer www.moparforles.com.( edit: I guess I got the site adress wrong ) I have the part #'s if someone wants them. Cheaper if you get them over the net as no sales tax.



Cummins will not say that this is the HO ECM in so many words but then again they will not deny it. It is amazing that the hp and torque #'s match.



My egt's are about 200* lower when towing with just the ECM change out and a lot less smoke as there is almost no turbo lag.

 

[Ken B]

Is the "Torqus Miximus" ECM and easy switch/Install?

 

[Guest00]

TM Part #s









Mopar Part Numbers Mopar List Price Cummins Part Number



1998. 5 EPA P5007281 $3200. 00 3935964RX

1999 EPA P5007283 $1000. 00 3935966RX

2000 EPA P5007285 $1000. 00 3935968RX\3937129RX Cummins List $1239. 00

 

[K_Arts]

Originally posted by Ken B

Is the "Torqus Miximus" ECM and easy switch/Install?

Yes and no. The first time that I installed one it was a pain in the butt. Because you can only pull the stock ecm out one way. . due to the fuel lines and a big wire harness being in the way. Though after you do it a couple of times you get the hang of it. I can now do the switch in less then 15 minutes.



The only tools that you need is an Allen wrench (I don't recall the size) to unscrew the adapter to the ecm, and then a 10mm socket.



What you want to do is this, First remove the 2 bolts holding the fuel filter canister in place and then just let it hang. Next use the allen wrench to unscrew the wire adapter from the ecm (this can be a pain pending on how long your allen wrench is), there are now only 3 bolts holding the stock ecm in place. They are on the left, right and bottom. I remove the two side bolts first, then the bottom one. Then your stock ECM is free. Be patient as you remove it and pay attention to how you remove it... cause the new one has to go in the same waythat you take out the old one!!! You'll see what I mean. Don't forget... be gentle... . cause you have fuel lines right there.



Normally I pull the bottom of mine out and slide it down. . so that I can pull it out.



I hope this answers your question.



Kev

 

[McDowra]

Just put a 235hp controller on my 215hp motor Noticed increase in performance with no side effects produced by the manual trans box on my automatic

 

[MikeR]

It rocks!

This Torqus Maximus ECM is actually incredible! I really like it! After a few thousand miles here's what I observed... .



-The ECM now has all the grunt from 1500rpm on up,where the stocker wouldn't kick in till about 1800rpm. Yes it still does fully fuel to 2700rpm just like the stocker. It winds up smoother without the 2000rpm spike.



-The exhaust brake engagment now has only a 1 second delay rather than the 1. 5 second delay that the stocker has.



-My EGT's have dropped 50deg during highway cruising,and it is definitely quieter between 1800-2100rpm. I can now cruise at 475-500deg on flats doing 67-68mph where I used to burn 525-550deg on the same roads. Grade climbing also dropped 50deg.



-I gained a solid 1 mpg in both city and highway fuel economy. I didn't expect this,but it's very welcome.



-Maximum boost gained 1psi. Just like the ol' trucker rule= 1psi of boost is equal to 10 horsepower... seems to play here.



This is the ECM program that the Dodges' should have come from the factory with. However,I don't think this thing is worth $850 or even $500 bucks. It's very nice,but not $800 nice.



McD,

I've been thinking of trying what you did if any NW BOMBers care for an upgrade (putting my stock man trans ECM on an auto).



-Mike

 

[ftb87]

question? Can they also program the new ecm with the idle up tsb?



Frank

 

[Big A]

Mike,

Have you tried one of the other timing/ fueling boxes on the truck? and if you have, which is better?

Thanx

Big A