My SCT tuner thread

[ramthis9501]

I havent calculated it any but I've noticed the change just watching the gauge. The reason I can say Im getting better mileage is because with the tune, the gauge isnt moving as far to the left as it did without the tune going to and from some of my normal trips. For example it took an 1/8 of a tank to go to east side Norman and back before, now its only taking about half that with the tune. I'll hand calculate it one of these days

[Okiespaniels]

Originally Posted by ramthis9501 I havent calculated it any but I've noticed the change just watching the gauge. The reason I can say Im getting better mileage is because with the tune, the gauge isnt moving as far to the left as it did without the tune going to and from some of my normal trips. For example it took an 1/8 of a tank to go to east side Norman and back before, now its only taking about half that with the tune. I'll hand calculate it one of these days

I can watch my guage too Colton, and while it doesn't move as quickly either, the miles recorded vs fuel used never lies. Dodge gas guages are hideously inaccurate especially in the first 1/2 tank.
You need to run about 3 tanks down to the beeper fill them till they burp at least once and record the appropriate data.
I'll give you a perfect example...on this very last tank I just recorded, I had went over 130 miles and had not used a half tank of gas. Since I have a 26 gallon tank it would be easy to surmize I was getting better mileage....like 13 mpg!
But the fillup doesn't lie...20.4 gals and 218 miles. 10.7 mpg and thats rounded up.

[Okiespaniels]

Today was rather interesting....

I went and filled my tank with 91 octane, which is pretty much what you can get for premium in this area.

I noted that my mileage had JUMPED on the last tank. I recorded an IMPRESSIVE 11.4 mpg! Fluke? Or did removing my bug shield drop my drag co efficient?

Anyway, after putting over 21 gallons of hi test in, I loaded in my 93 tune and took and took a test drive.
And then came home and loaded the 89 tune back in. Reason being the dam motor pinged like a &8^%&76798y%%4! So much for that. It may have had a bit more uummmfff down low, but not enough to warrant keeping the tune.

It seemed like the tune was set for about 40 degrees advance that was right now. Not what I would've have done with an old school mechanical distributor.

However, I would be estatic about a consistent 11.4 mpg city mileage, almost a full mpg over my baseline.

[Okiespaniels]

I've recorded 11.5 mpg on my last two tanks and thats probably where the mileage will stay. I am happy with the results and know that I could pay for the tuner in about a year based on the mileage savings. If I'd gotten anywhere around 12mpg I'd be estatic.

This summer I'll be taking the Ram to Minnesota and back with a a detour through my old stomping grounds of Eastern Iowa. I will post up with the good, the bad and the average, and then let the thread close.

I appreciate all your comments and suggestions.

[Okiespaniels]

Well, I finally got down to crunching numbers tonight from my roadtrip.

This was a 9 day adventure up to Minnesota, down to Eastern Iowa, and then home to Okiehoma. Technicaly we were in Illinois for about 40 minutes.
Speeds averaged around 63 mph, the weather was mostly hot and humid so the AC was on. It seems we were always bucking a headwind.

Anyway, the truck survived even if I was a bit stressed. We traveled 1673 miles and burned 130.7 gallons of either 87 regular or 89 ethanol gas.
This averages about 12.8 mpg
GF....the family keeper of records....tells me this is about 1.5 mpg better than the last trip we took in the ram...when gas was also in the 4.10 a gallon range!

She also tells me this was still cheaper then renting an SUV the cost of which would have offset the mileage it wouldv'e gotten.


This was to be my final post, but I may add one more. I exchanged some pms with Sean when I discovered he'd signed on with RF and he ended up sending me a new tune. This tune is still an 89 octane one but is supposed to change the shift point for OD. I believe its supposed to shift sooner. This should improve my "suburban" mileage.

BTW I can't fault Sean for his help and service. He tolerates my dumbest questions and tells me what I need to know.

[Okiespaniels]

Update:

After discussing OD lockup speeds, Sean sent me a tune that locks up the OD about 40/45 mph. This is similar to factory program.
He also tweaked the tune, and whatever he did increased low end torque to where I can actually spin the tires from a dead stop.
I'm hoping he'll offer this tune as an option or canned version. It's supposed to be hotter than the 87 tune but I'm still running 87 octane gas!