Never though I would... but I bought a new Cummins

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

rockbass

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Posts
59
Reaction score
19
Location
Western NY
Ram Year
2010 SLT Sport 4X4 Reg Cab
Engine
5.7
nice truck..wish I could justify buying a diesel
 

Mbrigh3

IG: Stormtrooper_5.7
Joined
Aug 27, 2016
Posts
1,138
Reaction score
639
Location
MD
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Hemi 5.7
you wont regret it. Sexy ass truck!
 

theviking

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Posts
1,176
Reaction score
605
Ram Year
2015
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Congrats, beautiful truck!
 
OP
OP
Broke pilot

Broke pilot

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Posts
313
Reaction score
98
Location
Conroe, TX
Ram Year
2015
Engine
6.4L
nice truck..wish I could justify buying a diesel

Justify hell... I don't need a diesel. Just enjoy it. Once you own one, you'll never get it out of your system. I've been 150% against all this dumb emissions stuff since '07, but figured it's time to try it out. I missed having a diesel truck. Period.

I've been a member on CumminsForum for a lot of years, but after selling my last '01 VP44 truck I kinda fell off. When I got the 6.4L I came here. I've been out of the diesel world for so long and was never really into common rail trucks, I don't even know where to start looking for tuning. And honestly I'm happy with the power, but the trans tuning on the 66RFE could use some help...
 

SouthTexan

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Posts
2,149
Reaction score
1,303
Ram Year
2014
Engine
408 CTD
Justify hell... I don't need a diesel. Just enjoy it. Once you own one, you'll never get it out of your system. I've been 150% against all this dumb emissions stuff since '07, but figured it's time to try it out. I missed having a diesel truck. Period.

I've been a member on CumminsForum for a lot of years, but after selling my last '01 VP44 truck I kinda fell off. When I got the 6.4L I came here. I've been out of the diesel world for so long and was never really into common rail trucks, I don't even know where to start looking for tuning. And honestly I'm happy with the power, but the trans tuning on the 66RFE could use some help...


That depends on which route you want to go and if you plan on deleting or not and if you don't care too much about your power train warranty. You can now get a custom tune without deleting which is the route that I kind of which I would have tried first before deleting. Like you, I was mainly wanting the trans to shift better and not really looking to pick up too much hp.

I went the deleted route since I didn't know that there was a custom tune option without deleting at the time I did it. I got my tune through Hardway Performance which is owned by Ryan Millican and is well known in the diesel tuning world. I mainly stay on my level 1 tune which is a only a +30hp tune meant for heavy towing. For some reason this tune actually feels stronger than the other higher hp tunes with normal throttle input at lower rpms. It almost feels like he moved peak torque a few hundred rpms lower than stock. The higher tunes definitely feel like they have more more top end.

Let me know which rpute you want to go and I will try and give my recommendations on where to go.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Broke pilot

Broke pilot

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Posts
313
Reaction score
98
Location
Conroe, TX
Ram Year
2015
Engine
6.4L
Thanks! The dealer I bought it from offers a lifetime warranty program on the powertrain. Id like to try and keep it, but I know what's gonna happen. I'll get the bug right after I level it. lol I'd like to try an emissions tune, if it can run cleaner (I know it can) I'd be all for it.
 

SouthTexan

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Posts
2,149
Reaction score
1,303
Ram Year
2014
Engine
408 CTD
Then I would talk to the guys over at Calibrated Power Solutions about their EFI Live, MM3, or EZ lynk for your truck. They offer a good trans tune from what I hear while keeping the emission stock. Although I think(could be wrong) that they alter how the truck uses the EGR or turns it off to make the truck use the SCR/DEF system more to lower NOx. This is actually a good thing in my opinion because you are not blowing as much dirty exhaust gases back into the engine. Newer Cummins engines are using this strategy and are actually eliminating the EGR all-together.
 
OP
OP
Broke pilot

Broke pilot

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Posts
313
Reaction score
98
Location
Conroe, TX
Ram Year
2015
Engine
6.4L
Yea, EGR is the real killer. If I could just get rid of that I'd be happpy. I'm all for cleaning up the exhaust as long it doesn't harm the truck. However, remove all the restrictions and let it breathe and you'll save fuel too.
The EPA has pushed it to a tipping point, at what point are we burning more fuel just to run clean? They've already screwed with our fuel to the point that older diesels (VP44 mainly) aren't happy and won't last more than 2-3 years on a pump. They're just trying to justify they're ridiculous government $$ tax dollars.

Sorry... off my soap box. It's frustrating
 

SouthTexan

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Posts
2,149
Reaction score
1,303
Ram Year
2014
Engine
408 CTD
Oh I understand. Working in the medium and heavy duty truck industry, this gets brought up all the time. There are some industry analyst that think that we are doing more harm with current standards due to what it takes to meet them than if we still had the pre 2007 NOx emission standards.

Once you account in the DEF industry and pollution it takes to make DEF, the pollution it takes to make the plastic containers, the pollution from the fleets dedicated to DEF delivery, the pollution from mining of rare earth for these catalysts, the pollution that the plastic containers make in the landfill, and the added pollution from these truck using extra fuel then the benefits start going out the window. All this for a 2.3 g/HP-hr reduction in NOx versus pre-2007 emissions and post-2010 standards. It seems like some bureaucrat in Washington is only focusing on bringing emissions down to a specific number, but they are not taking in account the pollution it takes to get there.

PM standards are a different manner. I can understand the needs in those since it for human health which is why am not against the DPF filter, just the EGR and SCR.
 

BossHogg

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Posts
1,932
Reaction score
2,443
Location
Oakland Township, Michigan
Ram Year
2015
Engine
6.7L Cummins
Although I think(could be wrong) that they alter how the truck uses the EGR or turns it off to make the truck use the SCR/DEF system more to lower NOx. This is actually a good thing in my opinion because you are not blowing as much dirty exhaust gases back into the engine. Newer Cummins engines are using this strategy and are actually eliminating the EGR all-together.

I made an inquiry about turning off the EGR, my question was, could the emission system handle the treatment with no EGR and if so, for how long and what troubles should I expect to see.

There are no studies and none planned. Frustrating.
 

SouthTexan

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Posts
2,149
Reaction score
1,303
Ram Year
2014
Engine
408 CTD
I made an inquiry about turning off the EGR, my question was, could the emission system handle the treatment with no EGR and if so, for how long and what troubles should I expect to see.

There are no studies and none planned. Frustrating.

Since they have full access to alter the ECM, my guess is that they lowering the NOx limit at medium to heavy load. This is generally when the combustion temps get hot enough (@ 2,500F) to create a lot of NOx, and is when the EGR opens to cool the temps down. If this is the case, then you would technically not be emissions legal even though the EGR is still attached.

However, it would not use any more DEF and would be better for your engine since cooling the combustion temps creates more soot and makes the engine less efficient. Since there is less soot, then your DPF will not be clogged as much so you will not need to regen as much which means less fuel dilution.

They could also do like VW and add a program to make you emissions legal when hooked up to a smog machine.
 

AzRamLover

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Posts
433
Reaction score
98
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Congrats on the beautiful new truck!

Did yours have the "dead pedal" problem? The truck I test drove had it really bad and scared me away.
 
OP
OP
Broke pilot

Broke pilot

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Posts
313
Reaction score
98
Location
Conroe, TX
Ram Year
2015
Engine
6.4L
No it didn't... didn't know that was still a thing with the Cummins. The old VP trucks used to get a dead pedal when the APPS sensor was dying. Super frustrating...
 

SouthTexan

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Posts
2,149
Reaction score
1,303
Ram Year
2014
Engine
408 CTD
I think it is a thing with just about all drive by wire electric throttles. It is the reason why things such as the BD Throttle booster, Sprint Booster, and Pedal Commander have grown in popularity over the past years. Although, the amount of dead pedal is subjective from one person to the next meaning that some may notice it more while others may tend to not notice especially if they are used to it.
 

choquette

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Posts
107
Reaction score
10
Ram Year
2016
Engine
CUMmins 6.7
Congrats on the new truck.
 
OP
OP
Broke pilot

Broke pilot

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Posts
313
Reaction score
98
Location
Conroe, TX
Ram Year
2015
Engine
6.4L
Thank y'all... I'm enjoying the hell out of it. At this very moment I'm back at the dealer getting my new rear bumper put on and having the truck cleaned and filled with diesel and DEF. it was so late (2300ish) when we left the dealer after signing everything the service guys were gone. I took the truck to have it washed at my usual place yesterday and while I was going over it in the daylight I found 2 rock chips in the rear bumper that were already starting to rust. Came up here to the dealer to complete the PDI, showed the GM and he said we can have the body shop guys fix it, or we can grab a bumper off a different truck and swap them. I said swap em! Don't want them trying to paint match this color.
Long story short, anyone in the market for a truck, the DeMontrond guys here in Conroe are still top of my list! That's some customer service...
 
Top