Initial Power Pup Impressions

[JStieger]

I installed the Power Pup yesterday on my '03 HO 6-speed and these are my observations after 1 day:



1) The downloader new out-of-the-box had a sticker on it that said "Prototype Module". This could be a good thing or bad thing so naturally one has to test their concerns so...

2) 1st time install was on the Performance setting and then went for a spin - literally. I went on the interstate to warm the truck up and then pulled off and got back on via the opposite onramp. As I was accelerating the rpms shot up to 3000 in 4th. I immediately though 'slipping clutch' until the back end of the truck swung out about 90 degrees. In between these thoughts I noticed that the EGT's hit 1300 momentarily, but was too busy to notice the boost. In between shifts on this setting I would get a little puff of smoke, but nothing that would remotely classify for the "Great Smoke Stories" thread on this website.

3) So out of natural curiousity and to calm my heart rate down I went back home and installed the Extreme program. After the program download the brake and ABS lights stayed on until I drove around for about 15 minutes. In terms of performance I could only tell a minor "seat-of-the-pants" difference between this program and the Performance program. The smoke was basically the same - maybe a bit more "on demand", but nothing blinding. In town, stoplight "racing starts" only produced about 1000 EGT before I ran out of room before the next light. The performance gain was probably due to having an HO versus a SO, where the SO owners are noticing much more relative gains??

4) I left the truck on the extreme program. This morning it was 28 degrees and I didn't have my trucked plugged in. I started the truck up and after cleaning the ice off the windows and after the grid heaters stopped cycling, the truck didn't go into the factory 1000 rpm high idle mode as it usually did pre-Power Pup installation. I didn't leave the Pup hooked up to attempt the PTO idle feature though.

5) On the Performance or Extreme setting the exhaust sound of the truck changed to a more deeper sound like a straight piped 12-valve CTD. This was an unexpected benefit! (I removed my stock muffler and replaced with a straight-through muffler earlier this year).

6) On these settings I can also hear the lack-of-silencer ring and home-made-baffle-less-intake tubing induced turbo whistle a lot more (better).



I read on some previous posts by TDR member "muddymess" that internet downloads might be available later for the Power Pup to fix some bugs etc. Is this true? Or does it have to be sent in when reflashes become available?



Overall though I am very pleased with the Power Pup. Good bang for the buck!

 

[Yo Hoot]

Thanks for sharing you experiences. Looking forward to getting mine.



I would not like having one with a sticker that said prototype though. Maybe you should get a refund and keep testing it :-laf

 

[JStieger]

Day #3

I did a 500 mile trip today to Salt Lake City and back to Elko. Before I left Elko I filled up, reset the trip computer, and left the Pup on extreme. I got back this evening, fueled up, and hand-calculated 16. 7 mpg. The trip computer said 18. 1 mpg. (FYI, the wallet said $71 @ 2. 369/gal!). The whole way there and back I set the cruise on 78 mph.



I guess I must have been taking it a bit easy on extreme the day before since the weather was kind of questionable because today while driving on the interstate and through Salt Lake my girlfriend asks "what did you do to your truck? I don't remember it pushing you back into the seat like this!"... So I had to confess... The extreme setting also gives a whole new meaning to passing. If you're not careful 95 mph is there in a blink of an eye.



Lastly, after fueling up tonight my cold idle rpm kicked in immediately on a fully warmed up motor and 28 degrees outside, whereas yesterday at the same temp on the first start of the day it didn't kick in at all. Weird stuff.

 

[JStieger]

fuel mileage and idle speed observation

For anyone that's interested:



Just before Thanksgiving I filled up my second tank of fuel on the Extreme setting. This tank was a 50 / 50 mix of town stop-and-go / 80-85 mph interstate cruising. The hand calculated mileage was again 16. 7; the trip computer said 17. 5 mpg.



I also tried the high idle control this evening after work in the parking lot. First I started the truck without the programmer connected and it immediately kicked into the factory high idle = 1000 rpm (outside temp about 15 F). Next, I plugged in the programmer and it read 800 rpm. So I kicked up the programmer to 1000 rpm and then the actual idle speed on the dash tach went to 1200 rpm. So then I set the programmer to 1200 rpm and then the dash tach went to 1400 rpm. I didn't try to go any higher, but when I get more time tomorrow I'll try again. I used the programmer to bring the idle speed down to 800 rpm again (1000 rpm actual) and then disconnected it from the OBD port.



Still happy with it, but I may reprogram to performance mode since the throttle is a tad touchy on extreme and the roads are somewhat icy in parts.



When the roads are good and empty I haven't noticed any clutch slippage (yet) or lack-of-fuel-pressure surges (yet) on the extreme setting at WOT.



I haven't towed with it yet as my '45 jeep is not complete yet and I helped friends get firewood a week before I got the downloader.



Project this weekend, weather permitting, is to plumb in a mechanical fuel pressure gauge (at the CP3 inlet) that's on its way from Geno's now.

 

[MichaelWright]

I have the Pup stacked with my Edge EZ. First off, I didn't load it properly, had Edge box plugged in when I did the download. I'll do it right in a day or two.



The Bad:



Cruise control buggy. I set the cruise at 70, and she keeps going faster. Probably because I didn't load properly with the Edge EZ.



The GOOD:



Lifts the front end off of the ground! Not allot, but just enough to lose "some" of the steering control. Like hauling way heavy in the bed, but your front tires are still making some contact, just barely though. Scared the wife getting on the eway, went WOT from 30mph, she felt the bed sink and watched the hood raise as her head snapped back, priceless!



I wonder how the pup will respond when stacked properly with the Edge EZ? This should be fun!



Mike

 

[ctdodgeram]

I purchased mine about a month and a half ago with outlook.



I installed Extreme program, and it didn't take me long to go to tow mode install. First, clutch slipped badly in extreme 100%, 75%, and on 50% at low rpms. The Cruise control was jerky in any setting when extreme loaded. I too had the flat spot at 2100 rpm.



I sent back, got a new DL'er. Extreme does basically same again, but all cruise jerkiness problems go away now with performance loaded (except clutch slipping). The flat spot seems intermittent now. Can't figure why. First week, great. Then, flat spot again, next day, gone. Hmm?



On the whole, I am keeping it, because the pros out-weigh these small issues, especially if Bullygog is planning upgrades/patches.



Just my humble $. 02