Tuner poll

[Fast69Mopar]

Thanx for the big response...

I have little knowledge of custom tuning, but I'm very computer savvy lol!!! I think I'm leaning toward HPTuners. I have not heard of BG Pro though. I will look them up. What makes you like BG? What are your thoughts on tuner apps like AlfaOBD?

HP Tuners is a solid choice. Now, with that being said, being computer savvy is a bit different than tuning. I don't want to discourage you in any way with your choice. I want to share what I know so you can make an informed decision so you don't waste your money or regret your choice.

Going with HP Tuners in the beginning can be quite the intimidating experience. It's a cool piece of hardware that can really wake up a 5.7 HEMI and the 8HP70 trans. I say intimidating because there is a very slow and long learning curve. You can watch all of the tuning videos and sign up for the online or classroom tuning courses but until you actually get the laptop open and the MPVI-2 plugged in and you start making adjustments it's a whole different ballgame.

One thing I recommend to beginners is to start with a handheld tuner that is capable of custom tuning. Have your favorite tuner build a tune for you and flash it to the truck. Then, purchase a used MPVI-2 and download the VCM Suite. Once you have the VCM Suite and the MPVI-2 you can read the tune and save it to file. Then you can download a stock tune from the HP Tuners repository and compare the stock tune to the custom tune written by your tuner. That way you can see what was changed and how it was changed. If you have the funds to do it this way this is what I recommend if you're interested in tuning your own vehicle.

It is easy to get discouraged when starting out with HP Tuners or the BG setup. You want make more power and set the shift points in the trans but don't know what to do. This is where patience comes in. When first starting out I always recommend to make a single change in the tune and test the vehicle operation. If you like the way the vehicle reacts to the change then you can save it to a personal data sheet to remember what you did. If you don't like what happens you can easily change it back.

Also, the reason I purchased the BG Pro Tuning setup is for tuning the JTEC powered vehicles from the late 90's and early 2000's. HP Tuners just recently released their VCM Suite that is capable of tuning the JTEC PCM and I'm not quite satisfied with it yet. I have alot of customers who still race and daily drive trucks and Jeeps with JTEC PCM's so I decided to get the BG setup and use it for tuning until HP Tuners makes some improvements to their JTEC tuning.

Sorry for the novel. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

 

[joshuaeb09]

From what the guys are saying who are racing their 1320's, the 1320 supposedly eats the Scat Pack cars if both are stock. I was figuring it wouldn't be much quicker then a 6.4 Scat Pack,but apparently i'm under estimating the car.Time will tell,as i'm not making any judgement calls on the car till it's got a few timeslips under it's belt,lol. Our local track doesn't open till May 1st,and my wife has already booked that week off ,so she can be at the track the day it opens,lol.All I've done to it,is put a 180 t-stat in it,re-purpose the Moroso catch can off her old car onto this one,and added the Mopar cold air intake and Hellcat headlight duct,that's as far as i'm taking it for at least the next couple years,as FCA warrenties them even if they break on the track,as long as the car is stock,so it'll pretty well stay where it's at for now,besides my wife is hard enough on tires as it is.Did pull the light weight drag radials off it,and replace them with Hellcat replica's and Falkens,so I feel a little safer while she's driving it on the street.I'm all set up to change tires at the track with an electric jack/cordless impacts etc.,so i'll throw the drag radials back on at the track when she's racing it.
Here's a little video on how to use the line lock/tranny brake to launch it.

https://www.dodgegarage.com/news/ar...2019-dodge-challenger-r-t-scat-pack-1320.html

Yea the tranny brake and drag mode on the adaptive suspension makes quite a bit of difference from what I've heard/seen out there. Since my car is more setup for corner carving, ironic being that they're big girls, I imagine a stock 1320 would smoke me down the strip. Speaking of replica's I need to find a pair of offset Demon Rep's since I curbed 2 on a damn pothole out here that was unavoidable =(. Being on the stock wheels with 275 all season nitto's ain't nearly as fun, but at least I didn't destroy the tires that were on em since they cost more than the damn wheels did lol.

 

[RamKing70]

Yea the tranny brake and drag mode on the adaptive suspension makes quite a bit of difference from what I've heard/seen out there. Since my car is more setup for corner carving, ironic being that they're big girls, I imagine a stock 1320 would smoke me down the strip. Speaking of replica's I need to find a pair of offset Demon Rep's since I curbed 2 on a damn pothole out here that was unavoidable =(. Being on the stock wheels with 275 all season nitto's ain't nearly as fun, but at least I didn't destroy the tires that were on em since they cost more than the damn wheels did lol.

I don't know all that much about pro tuning. What is 1320?

 

[dan carey]

Diablo

 

[16RamHemi]

I have a 2014. Sean from Hemifever told me that the trans of the 2014s is hit or miss for tuning. In my case, i would use Jay Greene. He had no concerns about tuning the 14 8 speed using hptuners. Not saying anything at all about Seans tunes. People rave about them. For my application Jay with HpTuners is a better option imo

 

[RamKing70]

I have a 2014. Sean from Hemifever told me that the trans of the 2014s is hit or miss for tuning. In my case, i would use Jay Greene. He had no concerns about tuning the 14 8 speed using hptuners. Not saying anything at all about Seans tunes. People rave about them. For my application Jay with HpTuners is a better option imo

In really tossed over Diablo, hptuners and alfaobd. I understand Diablo is only on their handheld. Alfaobd can be used on both smart phone and pc. Hptuners is on a pc. Hptuners being the most adjustable.

Do people make the tunes for Diablo, or do you only get the can tune from Diablo? Alfaobd is only can tune.

Right now I'm not looking to do much on tunes. Just need to be able to adjust my tire size and axle gearset. Right now I did adjust my tires, but I cannot access the gearset. From what I'm hearing alfaobd can do it. But I'm also hearing that I need an unlocked computer to make gearset changes . So I'm not sure

 

[16RamHemi]

In really tossed over Diablo, hptuners and alfaobd. I understand Diablo is only on their handheld. Alfaobd can be used on both smart phone and pc. Hptuners is on a pc. Hptuners being the most adjustable.

Do people make the tunes for Diablo, or do you only get the can tune from Diablo? Alfaobd is only can tune.

Right now I'm not looking to do much on tunes. Just need to be able to adjust my tire size and axle gearset. Right now I did adjust my tires, but I cannot access the gearset. From what I'm hearing alfaobd can do it. But I'm also hearing that I need an unlocked computer to make gearset changes . So I'm not sure

what do you mean gearset?

 

[RamKing70]

what do you mean gearset?

Axle differential ring and pinion

 

[joshuaeb09]

I don't know all that much about pro tuning. What is 1320?

It's the factory drag spec N/A Challenger. Pretty much a Scat Pack with the SRT hood, Transbrake like a Demon, Line lock, and adaptive suspension w/ Drag Mode like a Demon. The "special" 392 cars are pretty cool and I was torn between my Shaker and the T/A. My Shaker ended up being like 6 grand under sticker and there were no T/A's around so I ended up with the Shaker.

In really tossed over Diablo, hptuners and alfaobd. I understand Diablo is only on their handheld. Alfaobd can be used on both smart phone and pc. Hptuners is on a pc. Hptuners being the most adjustable.

Do people make the tunes for Diablo, or do you only get the can tune from Diablo? Alfaobd is only can tune.

Right now I'm not looking to do much on tunes. Just need to be able to adjust my tire size and axle gearset. Right now I did adjust my tires, but I cannot access the gearset. From what I'm hearing alfaobd can do it. But I'm also hearing that I need an unlocked computer to make gearset changes . So I'm not sure

AlphaOBD can't really tune anything and is more of an interface with the computers for adjusting parameters or running diagnostics like the dealer tools. Many of us use it to adjust things like the TPMS parameters or enable features the truck didn't come with like LED turns, etc. I keep an old android phone setup with it and my OBD MX

The tuners should be able to adjust your gear ratio, but its of little consequence since the speedo on our 4th gens is based on wheel speed sensors rather than transmission output shaft speed or diff input shaft speed. As long as you get the Platinum version of the Diablo you can use either the canned tunes, which IMO suck, or get custom CMR tunes from any of the tuners that can write them.

 

[bellaireroad]

Thanx for the big response...

I have little knowledge of custom tuning, but I'm very computer savvy lol!!! I think I'm leaning toward HPTuners. I have not heard of BG Pro though. I will look them up. What makes you like BG? What are your thoughts on tuner apps like AlfaOBD?

sounds like with your computer skills the HPT is a good match

 

[RamKing70]

can't really tune anything and is more of an interface with the computers for adjusting parameters or running diagnostics like the dealer tools. Many of us use it to adjust things like the TPMS parameters or enable features the truck didn't come with like LED turns, etc. I keep an old android phone setup with it and my OBD MX

The tuners should be able to adjust your gear ratio, but its of little consequence since the speedo on our 4th gens is based on wheel speed sensors rather than transmission output shaft speed or diff input shaft speed. As long as you get the Platinum version of the Diablo you can use either the canned tunes, which IMO suck, or get custom CMR tunes from any of the tuners that can write them.

Thanx... so if I'm really looking to adjust some factory parameters already in the ECUs, the AlfaOBD would work fine? I'm not really, at this point, building it for racing. Just some offroad fun. I have 35x12.5x18 tires on it now. Re-geared to 3.55s. So I was just looking to change a couple parameters. I do mostly highway driving and want to keep my MPGs up. So I figured just change the tire and pressure settings. I know the gearing doesn't matter on speed, however, with my Matco MaxMe tablet I'm seeing that the computer is showing 0 for the axle gears. That strikes me weird. I don't know why it would show that.

 

[LDBagger17]

I have a lifter failure and finally have all my parts but cam, it will be here tomorrow or Saturday and then the fun begins. I'm trying to decide wether to go to HP tuners or get a custom tune through my Diablo I already have. I will be doing heads & cam, already have all the other normal upgrades including 6.4 manifold. Any thoughts on tune, I'm not very computer savy.

 

[joshuaeb09]

Thanx... so if I'm really looking to adjust some factory parameters already in the ECUs, the AlfaOBD would work fine? I'm not really, at this point, building it for racing. Just some offroad fun. I have 35x12.5x18 tires on it now. Re-geared to 3.55s. So I was just looking to change a couple parameters. I do mostly highway driving and want to keep my MPGs up. So I figured just change the tire and pressure settings. I know the gearing doesn't matter on speed, however, with my Matco MaxMe tablet I'm seeing that the computer is showing 0 for the axle gears. That strikes me weird. I don't know why it would show that.

If its reading the ABS system like most speedo calibrators can touch without enhanced access then that's normal since Ram's don't care about the axle ratio to determine wheel speed. Unless you actually want a tune then Alpha OBD is probably all you're after.

I kind of use the following things for all of my computer interfacing needs :

AlphaOBD/OBDLink MX -
Configuring my up-fitter switches, managing TPMS pressure (Currently 28 PSI for my load range C2's), enabling LEDs, HIDS, etc., Diagnostics like bad parking sensors (Great way to find the bad one when you kill one or to pick out which of the ebay specials performs the best), resetting modules, etc

RoughCountry GPS Calibrator (No longer sold AFAIK) -
Calibrating speedo when I change tires since all brands are a little different or after re-flashing a tune. The GPS function works great when set at 70MPH and I don't have to fiddle with getting the ratio right.

Diablo i3 Platinum -
Flashing Revision Tunes, Switching to my custom 91 tune from my 93 tune if I plan on a road trip, or datalogging.

Legacy USB OBDLink (High Polling Speed) -
Real Time datalogging for diagnostics if I want a high poll rate on multiple PIDS to a laptop. Useful if you want to check for any performance issues or get more detailed info. Also handy for diagnostics on other vehicles in the family. If I was using HPTuners then I wouldn't bother with my trusty USB OBDLink and instead would be using their interface.

 

[joshuaeb09]

I have a lifter failure and finally have all my parts but cam, it will be here tomorrow or Saturday and then the fun begins. I'm trying to decide wether to go to HP tuners or get a custom tune through my Diablo I already have. I will be doing heads & cam, already have all the other normal upgrades including 6.4 manifold. Any thoughts on tune, I'm not very computer savy.

I would talk to whoever you're going to have do the tuning 1st and then make a decision. I'd lean towards HPTuners, but if you already have the Diablo and your tuner can work with it might as well use what you got.

 

[Wild one]

I don't know all that much about pro tuning. What is 1320?

Joshua pretty well nailed it.If you know what a Demon is,it's basically the son to a Demon,with-out the blower.That's if you consider the Hellcat to be the little brother to the Demon,the 1320 is the Demons son,lol.

 

[Hemiman3872]

OK everyone... I know there are many ... Many threads on the subject. But... Let's do this all in one...

What is the best hemi tuner to go with? Price, functionality, ease of use. Here are a couple I'm thinking of. I like HpTuners and alfaobd. Add any others that you recommend

Alfaobd
HpTuners
Bullydog

Diablo and Hemifever tune.

Hemifever built the tune for you and you loaded it with Diablo?

 

[Hemiman3872]

OK everyone... I know there are many ... Many threads on the subject. But... Let's do this all in one...

What is the best hemi tuner to go with? Price, functionality, ease of use. Here are a couple I'm thinking of. I like HpTuners and alfaobd. Add any others that you recommend

Alfaobd
HpTuners
Bullydog

 

[Hemiman3872]

I have the diablo trinity 2 EX platinum tuner I’m curious as to what each tune is for? Like the diablo tune,91 octane tune, jammer tune, what’s the difference?

 

[joshuaeb09]

I have the diablo trinity 2 EX platinum tuner I’m curious as to what each tune is for? Like the diablo tune,91 octane tune, jammer tune, what’s the difference?

Those are the 3 canned tunes. The "Diablo" is 93, 91 is the same detuned a little for 91, and the Jammer Tune should be a 91 tune for the Diablo Sport Jammer CAI.

 

[Gwfillmore]

I use the Edge Pulsar! Great tool with four modes! Pass through attached to your Ram computer.