Smarty, the new CaTCHER tool.

[DWeiler]

No surge with mine yet----first fillup after having the Smarty(#9) for a while(don't drive her much)I hand calculated 19. 5MPG with 10min idle warmup with brake running before each driving away as well as bigger sticks---Mach 4's. So overall around 400+Hp with 90% city and a few 5 min runs down the highway to the inlaws acreage---Not bad for this setup.

 

[Fishin Guide]

Marco,



are you sure Bob's truck does NOT have the surge?



Not to stir anything up, but it did exactly what mine does when pressed hard. At least it did when we went for a ride. This was the same day that I brought my truck over to his place and swapped to the stock ECM and Bob loaded the Smarty software. There was no change from my Catcher, other than it seemed to move the surge up a few hundred rpm. The purpose of doing this test was to determine if my VP was on it's way out. To my surprise, no surge on the way home on the stock ECM, M4's and the TST turned on or off. Bob had said he had never noticed the surge before.



I think the reason for that is the smaller tires. He has a little lower overall gearing and probably does not drive as aggressively as myself. Just an opinion there.



I am just a short ways away from Bob. I would happy to try out whatever fix you would like. Well, as soon as I get the truck running. I have also tried a stock ECM and an EZ. I do not know what the power differencial is, but I still MUCH more prefer the Catcher.



Dave

 

[SnoKing]

Marco,



are you sure Bob's truck does NOT have the surge?



Not to stir anything up, but it did exactly what mine does when pressed hard. At least it did when we went for a ride. This was the same day that I brought my truck over to his place and swapped to the stock ECM and Bob loaded the Smarty software. There was no change from my Catcher, other than it seemed to move the surge up a few hundred rpm. The purpose of doing this test was to determine if my VP was on it's way out. To my surprise, no surge on the way home on the stock ECM, M4's and the TST turned on or off. Bob had said he had never noticed the surge before.



I think the reason for that is the smaller tires. He has a little lower overall gearing and probably does not drive as aggressively as myself. Just an opinion there.



I am just a short ways away from Bob. I would happy to try out whatever fix you would like. Well, as soon as I get the truck running. I have also tried a stock ECM and an EZ. I do not know what the power differencial is, but I still MUCH more prefer the Catcher.



Dave

Dave, could this be axle wrap and unwrap similar to what some of us think happens towing heavy at 1800 to 2000 RPMs. Find a truck that is doing it badly and have some one drive beside it and watch the rear springs, or install ladder bars and see if it changes. SNOKING

 

[Fishin Guide]

Dave, could this be axle wrap and unwrap similar to what some of us think happens towing heavy at 1800 to 2000 RPMs. Find a truck that is doing it badly and have some one drive beside it and watch the rear springs, or install ladder bars and see if it changes. SNOKING

No. There is no way this is axle wrap. This is a condition that appears to be additional fuel or timing being added to the truck. Boost builds immediately at this rpm and stays there.



It is definately a different "fuller" fueling curve.



Dave

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Marco,



are you sure Bob's truck does NOT have the surge?



Not to stir anything up, but it did exactly what mine does when pressed hard. At least it did when we went for a ride. This was the same day that I brought my truck over to his place and swapped to the stock ECM and Bob loaded the Smarty software. There was no change from my Catcher, other than it seemed to move the surge up a few hundred rpm. The purpose of doing this test was to determine if my VP was on it's way out. To my surprise, no surge on the way home on the stock ECM, M4's and the TST turned on or off. Bob had said he had never noticed the surge before.



I think the reason for that is the smaller tires. He has a little lower overall gearing and probably does not drive as aggressively as myself. Just an opinion there.



I am just a short ways away from Bob. I would happy to try out whatever fix you would like. Well, as soon as I get the truck running. I have also tried a stock ECM and an EZ. I do not know what the power differential is, but I still MUCH more prefer the Catcher.



Dave

HMMmmm - that's very interesting, and makes me sorta wonder if what's going on is being missed by some Smarty owners due to driving style, and interpreting the "surge" as the intended aggressive acceleration characteristic of the Smarty programming?



In testing my own Smarty, set to #8 with my Comp set on it's lowest 1x1 setting, my manual equipped truck didn't demonstrate the greatly enhanced "lunge" way down lower in the RPM range other owners rave about - but DID abruptly and aggressively leap ahead when the RPM hit about 1800 RPM - along with boost that nearly instantly went well over 30 PSI.



No "lag" or dead spots in acceleration, mind you - nor any real complaint - but definitely what some might describe as an abrupt surge of power and acceleration at the 1800 RPM mark.



That's as close as I have noted to any "surge" with my setup.

 

[Marco]

Exactly Gary!

I have a hard time trying to understand if the " surge " is something related to a few trucks, a few owners, or??? Granted I HAVE seen and driven one 01 AT truck with what * I * would call that surge. Definatively NOT normal. That truck has some really tall tires on it ( 37"?) so we thought it was due to them. Tight converter + tall tires = Lugging the engine... Yet, others get the surge with stock tires.



Sure, a certain " surge " is always there, when the turbo really takes off the boost shoots up instantly under WOT ( and ONLY WOT!) but that kind of behaviour has nothing to do with the surge we're talking about here now.



Anyway, whatever, I'm working with Barry trying to find a solution. He has tested the first softwares yesterday. One of them seemed to lessen the surge somewhat. It's a trace... I've already send him a new update for his Smarty.



I think that poor guy didn't immagine how much time is involved in testing different performance softwares... :-laf :-laf :-laf



THANKS Barry!!!



Marco

 

[Marco]

Barry has just send me an E-Mail.

Looks like we're up to something! Surge is almost gone... Oo.

More work needs to be done on it.



Marco

 

[BJMarshall]

No problem. Anybody want to take up a collection for some new brake pads and some fuel? :-laf :-laf

I think we're making progress!Oo.

 

[Fishin Guide]

I guess I'll have to upgrade to a Smarty now to get of my issues then.



Dave

 

[Marco]

I guess I'll have to upgrade to a Smarty now to get of my issues then.

Dave,

you should know that Bob or Me will not leave a customer dead in the water.



'Nough said?



Marco

 

[BJMarshall]

I would think Marco would take care of you. This has been customer service beyond my wildest expectations.

 

[Bob Wagner]

Dave, I have a package headed to Marco tomorrow, get me your ecm to me by then and I will send it.



Marco can get your ecm updated when the fix it found

 

[Marco]

Marco can get your ecm updated when the fix it found

No problem. There are several other ways we can handle that problem.

For example. Update his ECM in his truck with a Smarty. Smarty will remain VIN locked but not a biggie...



Whatever it takes.



Marco

 

[isb360]

I have not experienced surge on my truck, just lots of smiles. However, if a software "patch" becomes available to address any surge issues, will it be available online via download to Smarty?



Thanks

Tim



p. s. my buddy with BONE STOCK 01 ETH truck is going to try my Smarty this weekend... should lead to another sale and happy customer!

 

[Bob Wagner]

Whatever it takes.



Marco

exactly



taken from your website



MADS Electronics has three main concerns :



1) Product Quality.

2) Customer Satisfaction.

3) Customer Service.

 

[Marco]

if a software "patch" becomes available to address any surge issues, will it be available online via download to Smarty?

Slow down! Before I'll release an update a lot more tests need to be done.

For now we know only that Barry's truck SEEMS to behave better. That's not enough for an update. Several more cutomers will have to confirm!



Once everything is a OK ( will take some time! ) then definitively, Yes.



Marco

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Well, so far, I wouldn't bother to change anything I have experienced in my Smarty - other than the minor issue of the abrupt backing off of fueling intensity when I let off the throttle that nearly chirps the tires in the REVERSE direction, and has left a permanent imprint of my forehead in the windshield! :-laf :-laf



I'll get lots more experience with my Smarty in a few days, as we start a 2000 mile 3 week RV trip. .



Let the games begin! :-laf Oo.

 

[Fishin Guide]

I never had a doubt that Bob or Marco would take care of me.



Bob has bailed me out of more than one jam!



Thanks guys.



Dave

 

[Marco]

OK, got another update from Barry. I'm sure he'll chime in and tell you more on his own. The surge in his truck is gone with more than just one software version. I'll have to look into it more deeply to understand more and see if I can improve it further. Tomorrow, I'm already @ home now.



I'd like to have more than one test done. Maybe this time with a stick?

Any other volunteer?



Thanks for your help guys!



Marco

 

[FTwardoch]

HMMmmm - that's very interesting, and makes me sorta wonder if what's going on is being missed by some Smarty owners due to driving style, and interpreting the "surge" as the intended aggressive acceleration characteristic of the Smarty programming?



In testing my own Smarty, set to #8 with my Comp set on it's lowest 1x1 setting, my manual equipped truck didn't demonstrate the greatly enhanced "lunge" way down lower in the RPM range other owners rave about - but DID abruptly and aggressively leap ahead when the RPM hit about 1800 RPM - along with boost that nearly instantly went well over 30 PSI.



No "lag" or dead spots in acceleration, mind you - nor any real complaint - but definitely what some might describe as an abrupt surge of power and acceleration at the 1800 RPM mark.



That's as close as I have noted to any "surge" with my setup.

I'll try to describe what *I* feel as it (the dead spot as I call it) happens.



Truck is an '01. 5 Auto - twin disk converter, beefed internals and a hard shifting valve body. 3. 54 gears, 315 tires - a natural setup for 'lugging'.



Driving normal (not aggressive) going through the gears, upon going into TCC lockup, if you are in the 1300-1600ish rpm range, it feels like it stops pulling (as measured by the SOP meter). Pushing the loud pedal does nothing to make it feel stronger until you kick it hard enough to downshift.



Once it hits 1750ish (all rpm ranges are approximates) it is like it gets a kick and starts pulling hard once again. It only happens when in lockup.



It did NOT exhibit this characteristic with the Edge EZ on it before - which is primarily why I originally asked about this. All things equal, I went from the EZ to Smarty and the flat spot appeared.



Dunno if this helps or if it is the same symptoms as most are describing (the surge discussion may be the same as the flat spot - surge being the sudden 'take off' in SOP-felt power after the flat spot is experienced).



Either way, I love my Smarty... ... ... ... .