Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85429
Manufacturers frown on retuning NAVISTAR. Changing manufacturer ECM calibrations will decrease life of all drivetrain and engine parts, says Anil Bansal, global electronic and electrical systems director. Dealers will work with customers to change calibrations, which is the safest option, Bansal says. The company deals with third-party ECM tuning relative to warranty coverage on a case by case basis, he says. CUMMINS. The manufacturer has worked to prevent ECM recalibrating by requiring a tool that can be obtained only within the dealer network, says Lou Wenzler, technical sales support director. He says Cummins' dealers can uprate engines roughly 50 hp, but if done by a third-party, engine failures caused by ECM reprogramming will not be covered by a manufacturer warranty. DETROIT. Mark Thomas says the company's engines keep records of reprogramming and unauthorized tampering voids a warranty. "These are very finely tuned machines," he says. "It will take away from the life of the engine." He also says owner-operators could be fined up to $3,000 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency if defeats emissions technology. MACK. With improving ECM technology, says Dave McKenna, Mack can track changes to an ECM with a log kept within the engine computer. He also says ECM flashing voids the manufacturer's warranty. It can harm engine performance and engine life and defeat emissions technology. "It can't possibly be good for the engine," McKenna says. VOLVO. Ed Saxman, product marketing manager, says he's skeptical of anyone "not schooled" in the manufacturer's design. "If you change the parameters within the ECM, you could exceed design limits of some of the components within the engine," he says. Spokesman Brandon Borgna says the company's warranties do not cover any vehicle or system altered to affect "stability, durability or reliability." PACCAR. "There is nothing to be gained by unauthorized attempts to reconfigure the engine ECM's calibrations byond the available pararmeter settings," says Paccar VP Craig Brewster. Tampering can reduce performance and engine life and, per EPA emissions standards, make the engine non-compliant, Brewster says. Devices like the Bully Dog Power Pup and the Pittsburgh Power Upgrade slightly change fuel injection timing and pressure to increase throttle response, fuel economy and horsepower, the companies say. Shawn Udy of Bully Dog says Power Pup units run about $3,000, which includes hard- ware, software and installation. 600 hp engine to begin with, and it will end up saving you money overall." Saskatchewan resident Blake Small flashed the ECM of his current truck and his former truck. Performance Diesel Inc. in St. George, Utah, reprogrammed the 600- hp Cummins ISX he uses in his 2009 Peterbilt 389, and it now runs at about 800 hp, Small says. He says the engine's also running 2 mpg better than the engine and the whole drivetrain – the engine, the transmission, driveline, axles," he says. "If you want 600 hp out of your engine, why buy a 450 hp engine in the first place?" Thomas says. "Spec a when he bought it. "The money saved in fuel costs more than pays for modifications, and it's more fun to drive," Small says. His former truck, a 2005 Peterbilt 379 with a 550-hp MXS C15 Caterpillar, has 22,000 hours on it and hasn't had any major problems, he says. He had PDI tune it to about 750 hp. He sold the truck, but has kept up with its current owner. Pitt Power's Mallinson does say owner-operators should be careful about engine modifications when under warranty, but to consider the bottom line. "Is it worth it to have a warranty and a truck that drives like a dog? Or do I want to drive a truck that's a thoroughbred and going to save me $20,000 worth of fuel?" Mallinson asks. "It's something to think about." APRIL 2012 OVERDRIVE 31