Smarty, the new CaTCHER tool.

[wlowe]

I posted the following questions once and got no reply. Does anyone know the answer to these?



When installing the smarty software does it install all the currrent updates, (like cold idle, fake oil pressure reading, etc. ), or can you pick and choose the ones you want?



When driving can the cable be left in the OBDII port and just unplug the Smarty? Will it harm anything to leave the smarty attached when driving? Is the cable connection on the Smarty a USB connection?



Thanks,

Bill

 

[Marco]

At madselectronics.com you'd find answered most of your questions.

The FAQ page and the downloadable instructions for Smarty should cover them rather well. Anyway.

When installing the smarty software does it install all the currrent updates, (like cold idle, fake oil pressure reading, etc. ), or can you pick and choose the ones you want?

Smarty has the latest stock software releases on board and uses those. Once you go back to stock the latest software revision is used for that too.

When driving can the cable be left in the OBDII port and just unplug the Smarty?

Yes.

Will it harm anything to leave the smarty attached when driving?

No. If you attempt a communication between Smarty and the ECM with the engine running, the ECM will refuse to connect. No harm, no problem.

Is the cable connection on the Smarty a USB connection?

I'm not sure if I understand what you're asking for...

The USB connector is used for updating Smarty with a PC. The OBD cable uses a different connector.



We've done whatever we could to make Smarty bullet and idiot proof.

Sorry for that word, no offense to anybody! " Idiot proof " is the term used during R&D. Means, nothing a customer could do wrong during the ( proper ) use of the product will harm the product itself or the system it is used with.



Helps?



Marco

 

[cap-n-cray]

Marco,



wlowe brings up a good point. I had the oil pressure sender go bad under warranty. The dealer wanted, as per Dodge, to replace the oil pressure sender with basically a switch not a true pressure sensor. The ECM would be flashed to fake oil pressure on the oil pressure gauge. It made the oil gauge into a idiot light. I chose to replace the sender with the Cummins sender at more cost, but worth having a true sender.



If the most current software is load with the smarty will it make the oil pressure gauge into the switch type?



Cary

 

[wlowe]

Marco,



Thanks for the info.

"Idiot Proof" is just what I need.

As a System Administrator I know a lot about computer/network systems but I make no claim to being an expert on ECM programmers.

 

[RCone]

not hijacking the thread, but just wanted to wish Richard (Darkhorse) well. Godspeed your recovery. Just to let you know, Richard offered his own ECM to me which he was gonna send directly to Marco for me way back when. I was having a difficulty at that time as I was the first CARB 2001. 5 ETC to have my ECM flashed. Richard is a great guy and the "pay if forward" really applies to him. And, BTW, Marco also.



I want to tell any of you that if you are on the fence, run, don't walk to get in line for a SMARTY. Marco has done his homework well, is a Dodge Cummins owner, and stands behind his work. You want my MAD program? Pry it out of my dead hands (which might be somewhat difficult) or get it thru Wags (Bob Wagner) from Marco which would probably be a whole lot easier.



Roger

 

[HookMeUp]

Oil Pressure Idiot Light

Marco,



wlowe brings up a good point. I had the oil pressure sender go bad under warranty. The dealer wanted, as per Dodge, to replace the oil pressure sender with basically a switch not a true pressure sensor. The ECM would be flashed to fake oil pressure on the oil pressure gauge. It made the oil gauge into a idiot light. I chose to replace the sender with the Cummins sender at more cost, but worth having a true sender.



If the most current software is load with the smarty will it make the oil pressure gauge into the switch type?



Cary

I definitely wouldn't want this feature, I would rather see a true reading of the oil pressure.

 

[kscheffler]

Oil Pressure

Would the reflash only apply to when you were in stock mode? So when you are in the other 10 smarty programs would the oil pressure guage reflect actual pressures? If so who cares you will never be in stock mode anyway? But this is good question... .

 

[Marco]

Oil pressure.

Granted, I have not seen each and every software in all trucks.



With that said, I have no evidence that the " fake oil pressure " thing does exist in the second gen trucks. The oil pressure works in my truck with the latest software revision as it did with the software that was in the truck when it left the factory. No fake oil pressure thing.



I've ALWAYS used the latest softwares also for the CaTCHER ECM's. Nobody ever has reported that his oil pressure readings had become " fake".



Someone knows about a TSB about it?



Marco

 

[Marco]

not hijacking the thread, but just wanted to wish Richard (Darkhorse) well. Godspeed your recovery. Just to let you know, Richard offered his own ECM to me which he was gonna send directly to Marco for me way back when. I was having a difficulty at that time as I was the first CARB 2001. 5 ETC to have my ECM flashed. Richard is a great guy and the "pay if forward" really applies to him.

X2

I second that!



Richard is one of the nicest guys I've ever met on the web!

How are you Richard? PLEASE keep us updated!



Marco



P. S. Maaan, Roger what a ride that was with your ECM! :-laf :-laf :-laf

 

[SnoKing]

It was posted recently, that the oil pressure gauge works correctly when you have oil pressure, but when you do not have pressure, it paints 40lbs on the gauge. It was suggested that I disconnect the pressure sender to verify that. I however have not done that.



Maybe you (Marco) can answer a question on how TSB flashes work on the RAM/Cummins. If you get say the cold weather high idle flash and it is dated after the oil pressure flash, does the later flash contain all the earlier reflashes? That is, when they flashed my truck for high idle, did that flash included the earlier oil pressure reflash.



SNOKING

 

[HeavyHauler]

It was posted recently, that the oil pressure gauge works correctly when you have oil pressure, but when you do not have pressure, it paints 40lbs on the gauge. It was suggested that I disconnect the pressure sender to verify that. I however have not done that.

I can verify that when you do not have oil pressure, the gauge goes to ZERO! Somehow I ended up with a hole in a oil filter shortly after I got my truck and the gauge bottomed out. It was pretty scary.



What I have read on here somewhere is that as long as you have 7psi, it still shows 40psi no matter what. Could that have been on a 3rd gen though? I can't remember.

 

[Marco]

does the later flash contain all the earlier reflashes?

Yes, that is how they do their thing at Chrysler.



Marco

 

[BHight]

oilpressure reading

It's been my experience that the gauge reads true reading of oil pressure no matter what version of smarty is loaded. This pertains to flexible,accurate readings.

15/40 dino oil @ idle: cold 80psi

operating temp 35 psi



Like stated before, 1st class quality through and through! Very satisfied with throttle response now. It's like a whole different truck!! :-laf

 

[Murle]

It's been my experience that the gauge reads true reading of oil pressure no matter what version of smarty is loaded. This pertains to flexible,accurate readings.

15/40 dino oil @ idle: cold 80psi

operating temp 35 psi



Like stated before, 1st class quality through and through! Very satisfied with throttle response now. It's like a whole different truck!! :-laf

One less fence sitter... .....

 

[millrat]

lookin for a Canadian dealer for TST yesterday,ended up on the phone with a guy named Mark at PDR. We got talking about stacking different boxes,and when I said I had a Smarty on the way he told me it did the same thing as an Edge EZ and they had the dyno tests to prove it. Having never tried the EZ I cant argue, but this seems to contradict everything I have read. Anyone had the opportunity to compare?

 

[SnoKing]

lookin for a Canadian dealer for TST yesterday,ended up on the phone with a guy named Mark at PDR. We got talking about stacking different boxes,and when I said I had a Smarty on the way he told me it did the same thing as an Edge EZ and they had the dyno tests to prove it. Having never tried the EZ I cant argue, but this seems to contradict everything I have read. Anyone had the opportunity to compare?

This should be good!!!!!!!!!!!!! SNOKING

 

[HeavyHauler]

Well, I'm not even going to entertain this, because I know what kind of garbage the EZ can be. But what's more interesting, is that Marco has a PDR logo listed on the MAD website under dealers. So what gives Piers?

 

[Sixpack]

lookin for a Canadian dealer for TST yesterday,ended up on the phone with a guy named Mark at PDR. We got talking about stacking different boxes,and when I said I had a Smarty on the way he told me it did the same thing as an Edge EZ and they had the dyno tests to prove it. Having never tried the EZ I cant argue, but this seems to contradict everything I have read. Anyone had the opportunity to compare?

Having driven both in my truck I can say the drivability with the Smarty is much more responsive right off idle. The power gain I've read, is about the same for both units.

 

[millrat]

That's what I thought,about the same hp,but they're not really comparable unit's are they?

 

[Big P]

That's what I thought,about the same hp,but they're not really comparable unit's are they?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! I had one of Marco's ecms in my 02. That thing would blow away an EZ. It gave instant throttle responce at any rpm.



BTW: For a while, I ran a Comp with the pump wire unhooked, so it worked like the EZ. So I have had experience with them both.