Smarty, the new CaTCHER tool.

[HeavyHauler]

I'm pretty sure that it loads the latest stock software onto your ECM. It has no way of "remembering" what your original software was.



I'm not crazy about this either, because it looks like my lift pump never will cycle the way it used to, but I guess it's the price you pay.



From the MAD website:



Q. Which version of "stock" will the Smarty come with.

Smarty does NOT download the complete original software from the ECM and does not store it

into it's memory. That is for a simple reason. The protocol in the ECM does not allow to read

the flash memory.

How can Smarty then return to stock? Simple he has all the latest stock softwares already on

board. When you choose to return the truck back to stock, Smarty takes the stock software

from it's memory and updates the ECM with that software.

 

[kscheffler]

Current OEM Software; yes

THis was discussed a few pages back somewhere above page 20. Look for my user name it was about the oil pressure reflash. You do get the current OEM software and all the good and bad that comes with it.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

You do get the current OEM software and all the good and bad that comes with it.

HMMmmmm - too bad if true - I've heard a few very unhappy customer stories with some of the reflashes DC has put out along the way...



I might have to widen my search for a spare/backup ECM - then install IT, and keep my original for the spare...

 

[darkhorse]

Gary, I wouldn't jump to conclusions without hearing from Marco. For example, I don't think the Smarty stock program gives you the "idiot light" oil pressure gauge but you will get the cold weather high idle.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Gary, I wouldn't jump to conclusions without hearing from Marco. For example, I don't think the Smarty stock program gives you the "idiot light" oil pressure gauge but you will get the cold weather high idle.

If that was *all* I got, no problem - weather here was down to 7 degrees last night! I'm really not sure what all reflashes have been done on the '02's, but sure heard some bad news related to driveability, power and economy on some year models - just never have kept them all separate in my mind as to their relationship to my year truck.

 

[darkhorse]

I hear you, Gary. I did set my truck back to stock a couple of times with my Smarty & I didn't notice any drivability problems but it did feel rather sluggish. :-laf

 

[benhall]

When I got back to the states after being stationed in Germany, I had the high idle feature turned on and any up to date flashes done and my oil pressure guage still works like it is supposed to. That was done Jan 04.



Ben

 

[millrat]

-7 this mornin when I started my truck, had Smarty #9 in from yesterday. After about 2 minutes of thick white smoke and a few puffs of black and the most painful idling I've ever heard,the rpm started to go up,and so did the smoke level. My wifes Blazer literally disapeared. Does it matter what level is in the truck for cold starts?

 

[darkhorse]

-7 this mornin when I started my truck, had Smarty #9 in from yesterday. After about 2 minutes of thick white smoke and a few puffs of black and the most painful idling I've ever heard,the rpm started to go up,and so did the smoke level. My wifes Blazer literally disapeared. Does it matter what level is in the truck for cold starts?

I've started mine in #9 at far colder temps than that. Sure there was some smoke but nothing like what you are describing. It is a good idea to use the block heater at those temps.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I think something has been interpreted wrong.



In the instructions I say to not tow with the fuel saver (#1). ONLY!

ONLY the FS has a rather "radical" timing.



All other softwares CAN be used for towing ( and have been! ).

Most customers for the CaTCHER ECM's came from the towing crowd...

#9 has proven itself for towing many many times.

Clear as mud?



I AM paranoid when it comes to timing and trailer hitches, Hohn told me this, too. Sorry Marco! If some of your best customers are towing with your software, that's good enough for me!



I shut up now!



Brian

 

[Todd F]

All I can say is the Smarty is awsome! The power delivery is super smooth. The only thing is I wish is there was an option for the RPM limiter, its very easy to go way past the safe RPMs with a standard transmission especially when the rear tires break free accidently... .

 

[benhall]

Question, for those of use with the over head computer, how does this affect the estimated MPG and distance to empty?



Ben

 

[Bob Wagner]

Question, for those of use with the over head computer, how does this affect the estimated MPG and distance to empty?



Ben

I love my mileage :-laf





#ad

 

[benhall]

I take it that the Est. MPG is worthless then?



Bob, I might be ordering my Smarty earlier than I what I thought. Tax return money is music to the motor. :-laf



Ben

 

[Bob Wagner]

Yes, as the fuel economy increases so does the differenatal in the readout. I was just over 20 mpg on this tank.

 

[rweis]

I use the overhead as a yardstick.



At 1375 rpm, on a known stretch of road, after the ECM has sensed the engine temps have stabilized and released advance / retard (I think) control to normal, I get 30mpg - 31mpg. Hand calculated over the ENTIRE tank (24 gallons) is 18mpg.



Then with Smarty I will do the above same rpm, stable engine parameters, probably over 5 runs (days) see what the overhead reads.



Then if I can be disciplined enough (or sometime in the future when I know I will be driving the same route everyday and can be disciplined enough) will run the entire tank on the fuel saver and hand calculate it to see what it is.



Should be interesting,



Bob Weis



The cooler fuel mpg is 18. Prior to cooling the fuel the mpg was 17, net gain of 1 mpg (which for me is about $163 / yr (65 gallons @ $2. 50 / gallon).

 

[millrat]

Bob,how can I get my overhead to read like yours?It would be fun to be able to tell people that when they ask,and then be able to "prove" it.

 

[Bob Wagner]

keith, that was just the readout after I was try to acheive better mileage. no tricks at all.

 

[millrat]

Could it be done by tire size?On that subject,I was thinkin about doing the ABS just to see how fast I am actually driving. would it be more accurate to measure from ground to center of axle(x2=32),or go with the advertised size(35")?

 

[DonS]

MPG:

Fuel saver program (#1).

Not towing anything, weight estimated at 7500#.

458. 5 miles (Santa Clara, CA to Lake Tahoe and back, via US 50) in one day. Lots of climbing, passing, etc.

On the Interstates (280, 680, 580, 205, 5), cruise set between 75MPH and 80MPH, as traffic would bear. On US 50, non-cruise speeds between 45 and 70 MPH, depending on the non-climbing engines in front of me. I wasn't aiming for maximum fuel economy here.

Filled up upon returning home: 25. 529 gal ($71. 46!!!), for 17. 960 MPG. Based on past experience, I'd expect about 15 MPG prior to Smarty with this kind of driving. Before and after the trip, I filled up as far as I could into the filler neck, according to my custom.

Overhead computer displayed an average of 20. 6 MPG.

1 code - the expected ECM fueling calibration.



ABS:

I adjusted my tire height to 32. 75" (BFG AT/TA KO, LT295/75R16). I reset the GPS and the overhead's trip computer at the same time near the beginning of today's trip. GPS says I traveled 437 miles, overhead says 440. 5 miles. 0. 8% is close enough for me. I had previously tried 32. 50" - it was "too slow" (that is, speedo reported a speed lower than GPS, and the difference was greater than this 0. 8%).



And now, back to our originally scheduled programming (#9).