Smarty, the new CaTCHER tool.

[DThelen]

I'm still waiting to hear more on the fuel saver program. I'm sure a few of you guy's have tested it pretty well by now. What's the results?



Dan

 

[Bob Wagner]

this was posted on another site





mrmajestic

Cummins Fan

mrmajestics Garage Join Date: Nov 2005

Location: Lititz, PA

Posts: 69



Smarty fuel saver mode



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I was acting my age today and checked out the fuel saver mode on my Smarty today. I filled up this morning and checked my mpg with that tank and it came in at 17 mpg. This has been the average with very little clowning around and the god forsaken winter blend. It also represents approximately 75% highway mileage. I made a 216. 4 mile round trip to a customer and traveled at the PA maximum speed limit of 65 mph. Granted there wasn't much stop and go but 25% of the trip was on rural routes at 55 mph and hilly. When I returned I filled up at the same pump and calculated the results. I got 19. 5 mpg, a 2. 5 mpg increase, and a big grin on my face. This allows my to justify the cost to the boss with a straight face. I am not a Smarty salesman and therefore receive no commission but I am genuinely enthusiastic about this product. Feel free to use my logic with your spouse if if necessary.

 

[GIT-R-DONE]

Can someone who is running on the fuel saver mode start another thread just dedicated to that. so we all dont have to go through a few thousand posts , just to have it locked by TDR admin or Moderator?



Would be easier to keep track of the gains by the members that way whom are using the Smarty.

 

[Bob Wagner]

The reports that I am hearing say you don't have to keep the speeds down to realize the mileage gains.



This is a report from Montana running around at 75+





How much I like my Smarty???



Holy COWS!



I took it for a little spin the other night - 80 miles one way. On #9 (GOTTA LOVE THAT!) got 16. 8 mpg, averaged 75mph with a couple of runs up to 100. On the way home, set it on the fuel saver and got 19. 6 mpg, averaging 75 mph. With a couple of passes... Oh yes, I do love it! (I should mention that for my driving style, that 16. 8 mpg is even good!)



Did I get the second one??? SN 00002? You have now reinforced my tendency to pester! "Can I send you money yet?? Pleeeeease?!"



I did PM Marco with a question the other night - I hope that is alright (I really have been keeping quiet about having rec'd my Smarty, I swear!) - my truck has sort-of a dead spot from 70 to 80. Marco suggested that I reset my APPS. That will get done this week. Oh. I also mentioned to Marco that he has done a GREAT job on this Smarty!



Thanks again Bob!

 

[Bob Wagner]

another

Software #1 Fuel Economy -



I had low expectations for this software.....



Easy daily driving in town and on the highway the software is responsive. It's not awesome, but responsive. It did fine, very smooth running, and more performance than the plug in boxes I've tried, and it spools the twins well. OK, I can live with this for $2. 60/gallon, plus I can always hit a button when needed.



BUT,



I had to pass a car this morning... ...

The software did as expected... things are fine, better acceleration than stock, so I keep rolling the pedal to the floor and found the bottom 10% of the pedal .



That's kinda cool. We can get reasonable performance doing all kinds of driving while in Fuel Economy mode, but STILL have some significant performance waiting at the very bottom of the pedal for those ..... occasions. or when towing 14K up Vantage or Whitebird or.....



I haven't emptied the tank yet, so fuel economy info will be coming.







I still haven't emptied the tank, but I really wanted to know the mileage.



This fill up was 25. 01 gallons with 505. 2 miles traveled. That seems really good to me on winter fuel. In the past two months, I've been running high 17s to low 18mpg range. This is 20. 2mpg.



Now, I want to run several more tanks to confirm it.



A typical days travel miles one way include (so double that to go up and back):



6 miles in town Moscow

43 miles of 45mph to 60mph roads

34 miles of highway at 63mph

1 mile of in city Spokane

 

[gregdoerfler]

can you run on fuelsaver program and use a comp or ez box? marco said not to tow with the fuelsaver because of timing would the box add too much?

 

[Sixpack]

can you run on fuelsaver program and use a comp or ez box? marco said not to tow with the fuelsaver because of timing would the box add too much?

I would venture to say probably not to use it, because of the "rather radical timing" already in the fuel saver program.

 

[Matt400]

marco said not to tow with the fuelsaver because of timing

Darn. . always a compromise. Not that I would want to use that software for towing, I am just thinking of the summer when I drive empty daily and tow the boat 2 or 3 days out of the week after work also.

 

[DonS]

Darn. . always a compromise. Not that I would want to use that software for towing, I am just thinking of the summer when I drive empty daily and tow the boat 2 or 3 days out of the week after work also.

If you have 2 minutes to spare before towing the boat, you could always load the stock (or other, towing-appropriate) software. When you're done towing, re-load the fuel saver program.

 

[DonS]

this was posted on another site



When I returned I filled up at the same pump and calculated the results. I got 19. 5 mpg, a 2. 5 mpg increase, and a big grin on my face. This allows my to justify the cost to the boss with a straight face. I am not a Smarty salesman and therefore receive no commission but I am genuinely enthusiastic about this product. Feel free to use my logic with your spouse if if necessary.

But only do this if either a) your spouse is math-challenged or b) you put an awful lot of miles on your truck. If neither (a) nor (b) are met, the spouse will quickly figure out that it will take 33,800 miles to pay for a $650 mod, going from 17 MPG to 19. 5 MPG at $2. 55 per gallon.



I'm not slamming the Smarty (I love mine) - I just don't think we should try to rationalize or justify the purchase based solely on fuel economy.

 

[c-hawk]

But only do this if either a) your spouse is math-challenged or b) you put an awful lot of miles on your truck. If neither (a) nor (b) are met, the spouse will quickly figure out that it will take 33,800 miles to pay for a $650 mod, going from 17 MPG to 19. 5 MPG at $2. 55 per gallon.



I'm not slamming the Smarty (I love mine) - I just don't think we should try to rationalize or justify the purchase based solely on fuel economy.

I'm in category b. At the pace i've been going this year if i can get a 2. 5mpg improvement that smarty will pay for itself in about 8months. Of course i bought it for the performance...

 

[RDHamill]

can anyone explain the issue between towing and timing ?

I'm thinking that I'd love to have the throtle responce and milage when towing, even if I'm not useing the big power settings. I tow all the time, and keep my TST powerMax 3 set at "3", have been thinking of gettting a timing box as my TST does only fuel&boost.



thanks

 

[Murle]

I learned long time ago that if you bought only what you needed you will never buy anything that you wanted... ... I did not need the Smarty, but I wanted one..... Sometimes you just have to break down and buy something you want. Remember it is better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission... ... At least you will have something when you ask for forgiveness



Fuel saver Program #1 is getting av. 2 MPG better than stock on my 2000 1 ton.

 

[NoSeeUm]

can anyone explain the issue between towing and timing ?

I'm thinking that I'd love to have the throtle responce and milage when towing, even if I'm not useing the big power settings. I tow all the time, and keep my TST powerMax 3 set at "3", have been thinking of gettting a timing box as my TST does only fuel&boost.



thanks

No expert here so take this with a grain of salt. I, like you, got interested in timing. Do a search here on TDR with the keyword "timing" and you get allot of hits.



Basically, as you advance (add) timing the peak cylinder pressure increases for a given engine load. This increased pressure, multiplies the force exerted upon engine components. It seems added timing is good to a point as it increases HP, lowers EGT's and improves fuel mileage. The more retarded (LOL )stock timing most likely controls combustion temperature to reduce NOx emissions. So it seems that there must be some lee way in the timing curve if you are willing to forgive some of that. However, the danger is hidden. Because, as in most cases, the things damaging your engine are not read on any of your gauges.



Adding Timing is a TDR thread I started, but Hohn really is the poster boy IMO.



Once and for all: Do TST boxes have TIMING?? is another TDR thread that might interest you. Marco, among many others, offers good insight into the mechanics of timing.



Jim

 

[Marco]

Gang,



I've never looked into the parameters of the 3Cyl High idle. Who writes let's never idle it's truck for more than 30 seconds. Even in bitter cold climates, I start the engine, wait for the oil pressure to read, place the transmission into gear and idle away. 90% of the engine wear is due to idling a cold engine..... Go figure if I've ever been interested in that thing!



All that to say, I don't know what would be involved in modding that thing...

One very simple mod could be a simple pot in series with the IAT. Increase the resistance, voilà you've varied the temp reading, thus the point where the HI kicks in... .





With advanced timing, having to deal with a very stout engine like the Cummins I'm not as much worried about the increased cylinder peak pressure as with the combustion temps.



The one thing that's (almost) never mentioned when talking about advanced timing is the combustion temperature. Then more advanced the timing than higher the temps. In fact retarding the timing lowers the combustion temps thus NOx.



Correct me if I'm wrong! The pistons Cummins uses for the Dodge trucks are made out of some exotic material ( Star Trek??? ) that's impossible to melt!

Right? :-laf :-laf



Marco

 

[Matt400]

Then more advanced the timing than higher the temps. In fact retarding the timing lowers the combustion temps thus NOx.

Are you sure about that, retarding increases temps and reduces nox.

http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/FAQ/timing.htm

 

[Big P]

Advancing the timing will...



Decrease exhaust temperature

Increase cylinder temperatures/pressures





How does this statement make sense?

 

[DThelen]

Advancing the timing will...



Decrease exhaust temperature

Increase cylinder temperatures/pressures

increase NOx

increase effiency

 

[MCummings]

More timing makes the pistons run hotter, and the turbo cooler...





Merrick

 

[DLBurns]

Smarty's in the Bay Area

I would really like to see one of these Smarty's in operation before I jump in. If there is anyone in the Bay Area, San Jose area that has one that wouldn't mind demo-ing it for me... I'll buy the beer ( or soda pop in my case )

Also would love to hear from those of you that tow with mild injectors ie... 1. 6's

PM me if you don't want to waste space on the thread.

Thanks

Dave