review on tuner/cai install

[deadparrot]

Hello everyone. Figure since ive spent all sorts of time reading threads on products and what you do to your trucks on here that maybe I should add a little myself.

My truck came with 35's on it and a leveling "lift" which is awesome but the speedo not being correct quickly annoyed me. This all led to looking for a tuner to allow me to adjust this one little issue. What I ended up walking into is some really cool features with these tuners. So it begins...

2014 Ram 2500 with the cummins, 6 speed stick, 35's, and I believe its a tradesman trim. As a Ford convert I have to admit I LOVE this truck. I ended up buying the Bullydog GT and S&B CAI.

Bullydog GT was pretty direct on how to install and such. There were some added steps to unlock the motor so the entire process took me around two hours, most of which was waiting for the tuner to do its thing with the computer. Directions were clear and getting power to the tuner from the engine bay to the tuner was as simple as it could be given the limited space under the dash and engine bay. I ended up tapping into the passenger side power window fuse since it comes on when the key is turned on. Took me a bit to work through all the settings as this was my first time but after all was said and done and I hit the road I was pretty happy. The power increase was nice and clearly notable in the Performance setting. I have not tried the extreme setting.

S&B CAI was a pain in the butt LOL... something about the old saying of putting 10 pounds of poop into a 5 pound bag comes to mind. With that said I did manage to get everything completed on my own with the use of the instructions and online videos. The hardest part for me was connecting the the down tube from the filter onto the turbo. Just not enough room to move everything much but that's pretty much how it is with any vehicle today. Snaking the wire to the dash for the ram air indicator light was also a bit of a challenge as I followed the instructions and opened the wire guards along the top of the firewall. But that to is not impossible. Road test didn't produce notable power from the drivers seat, maybe a dyno would show an improvement, but the sound from the turbo can now be heard and that alone is awesome considering that was my goal with the cai.

Over all even if you have never done either I think it is easy enough to get through. Give yourself the day to mess around with it is my advise.

I'm an older guy with kids so keep in mind this is my only hobby. I didn't buy this stuff to compete at the track, roll coal, or add boat loads of HP to the truck. The truck in stock form did everything I could throw at it. I had some extra money from the recent birthday events and here we go.

Thanks for the threads where I did my reading and nailed down what to buy. Next on the list... HEADLIGHTS!

 

[Pull Ya]

I think I have some reallly bad news for you---"Only a hobby". I refer to those as famous last words. Once you get started you will find, as many of us did, there is no end in site. You will end up with Matt from Moe's on speed dial. I'll check back in about 6 months and compare your Mod list now to your mod list then. Good luck and have fun with your truck--you got a great start
Jay

 

[MADDOG]

C'mon Jay...let him have his fun. He'll figure out how this "hobby" works soon enough.

Thanks for sharing, deadparrot. Modding is fun but beware...it can become addictive and expensive!

 

[jlpowell84]

Yea I'm trying my damndest to put the modding brakes on! But that 87mm TB is taunting me in my dreams, my days are filled with visions of an ATI 15% UD pulley, Tail lights from Retro Shop call my name...Must...resist...ughghgh...!!!... .. . . .

 

[deadparrot]

LOL thanks guys. It isn't really my first time down the road. I have had a few Harleys and well all them went like this... Purchase price, upgrades, more upgrades, and then eventually sell for less than purchase price. As I have gotten older ive figured out to not do the upgrades unless I plan to keep it.

But yea ive already been eye balling some stuff I can do on my own for performance and/or appearance. Thankfully I like how she looks now so at least I can focus on the performance. I can only hope guys like Moes take an easy on me. Ive been known to jump in way over my head. Id tell you to talk to my wife about that but lets not bring all that stuff back up.

Her eye roll when I tried to explain to her what a bullydog is was priceless!