Dodge 3500 cummins Chip vs. no chip

chuckd1025 · 09-25-2007, 10:45 PM

I was thinking about getting a chip installed in my 2005 3500 dually. It has a cummins in it and still under warranty. I was wondering if the chip will make the warranty no longer valid. Some people i talk to say it wont hurt anything others say it will. Then some say it's easy to take out if there's problems take chip out then take it to shop to get fixed. I was wondering if anyones had any problems with chips and what brand would be best. I have been hearing bulldog but im not for sure. Also what exactly will the chip do for me, is it worth the cost?

dukenrock · 09-25-2007, 10:56 PM

I installed the Banks system in my 2004 the first week I bought it. First year a fuel pump went bad and Dodge warrantied it w/o a problem. In my 2001 2500, I had a pump go bad and my local dealership wouldn't warranty the pump because I had installed a Banks system on that one. (Needless to say, I bought my '04 from another dealer) I really like the Banks kit. There's a knob that adjusts the system from 1 (off) to 6 (High-On) and it's an incredible difference. It's not something you can just take out when you go to have serviced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckd1025

I was thinking about getting a chip installed in my 2005 3500 dually. It has a cummins in it and still under warranty. I was wondering if the chip will make the warranty no longer valid. Some people i talk to say it wont hurt anything others say it will. Then some say it's easy to take out if there's problems take chip out then take it to shop to get fixed. I was wondering if anyones had any problems with chips and what brand would be best. I have been hearing bulldog but im not for sure. Also what exactly will the chip do for me, is it worth the cost?

buck183 · 09-25-2007, 11:15 PM

No one on here can tell you if you will be covered by your warranty or not. It all lies in the hands of the servicing dealer. Stay in their good side and your covered. Rub them the wrong way and party over.

There will be nay sayers that say you have no warranty regardless of what I say. Those replies will follow shortly.

Stay on good terms with the dealer and you will have warranty. Some don't care, some freak out.

As for one brand being covered and another not. Brand name won't matter. Do your research and see what works best for guys that have a truck like yours. Different shops are going to try to push different products depending on the deals they get and what they can get from their supplier.

Buck

JPD Motorsports · 09-26-2007, 10:00 AM

If you are worried aobut warrenty then get a hand held programmer/uploader. you caninstall and unistall the program within a minute and don't have to get your hans dirty. The benifits will be more hp, trq, a and a little better fuel mileage(after you keep your foot out of it). My truck was a dog off the line stock and powerbraking was a pain, I put a small tune of 70hp and it would roast the tires like no biggie, and doing a boosted launch it would lunge out. Towing was also a lot better for the extra trq to get rolling easier and hitting the passing lanes. If you do go the programmer rout I would reccomend a set of gauges. Boost, EGT, and for the dodge a tranny gauge. keep the power below 95hp and the stock trans will hold going over that and hammering it will let it go a lot faster.

Sydwayz · 09-26-2007, 10:23 AM

The Dodge Cummins is probably the biggest sleeper with hidden power of all three big diesels.

However, you will need a few things to wake it up.
Free(r) flowing intake.
Free(r) flowing exhaust.
Something that adds some power to the motor.

The Bully Dog chip (like I have on my PSD) has six settings that you can chose from on the fly; stock, plus1, plus2, plus3, high idle, and valet modes. Advantage, if you want cruise around at plus1 99% of the time, and then switch to plus3 every once in a while and mash the pedal, the Bully Dog (and Banks) is perfect for this.

If you chose to go with a Power Tuner/Programmer like SuperChips or Diablo Predator; then you have to sit in your garage for 20 minutes at a time, and reprogram your stock ECU. The programmer saves your Stock settings, and replaces them with a Power Tune setting. Come time to go in for warranty, yes, you can put the Stock tune back into the factory ECU. You have no change on the go capabilities, as you are stuck with your tune until you sit somewhere for 20 minutes, and change it over. The Power Tuners do have other uses though. Most all are diagnostic code readers, and the Diablo Predator (may not be made for all vehicles) is a full real-time diagnostic tool that you can leave plugged in while driving, and watch EVERYTHING going on with your drivetrain. It is a very cool feature, (had it on my last truck). Also, the Power Tuners allow you to adjust tire size and gear ratio if you have changed these from stock.

HOWEVER, either will be obvious when taken in and looked at by a dealer. The Chip will show scratch marks on the contacts where the chip gets plugged into. The Programmer will leave software time/date evidence of when the programming was changed.

Maintenance: The more power you push into the motor (basically by upping the pressure on the fuel being forced in), the blacker the sooner your oil gets; as well as thinner. Unspent/unburned fuel goes somewhere, and it ends up in your oil. Along with all that extra carbon you are producing. Hence, you will need to increase your oil change intervals.

Like mentioned above, no one here can tell you if any one mod, or combo of mods will void a factory warranty. If the dealer you take your truck to, can find a way to legitimately blame your mod for a failure, AND you can bet the manufacturer (backing the warranty) will go along with them, then you are hosed. Often, they will just refuse to cover that particular failure at that particular time/visit. However, they can go so far as to void your ENTIRE warranty for your ENTIRE truck. Once they do this, and populate the central warranty database with such, you are totally on your own.

buck183 · 09-26-2007, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydwayz

If you chose to go with a Power Tuner/Programmer like SuperChips or Diablo Predator; then you have to sit in your garage for 20 minutes at a time, and reprogram your stock ECU.

This is true with the exception of the Triple Dog unit by Bullydog. Shift on the fly just like a flip chip. These units seem to be very popular for this very reason.

Buck

Tony Montana · 09-26-2007, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buck183

There will be nay sayers that say you have no warranty regardless of what I say. Those replies will follow shortly.
Buck

Those Ar. rednecks don't know chit don't listen to them.

Sydwayz · 09-26-2007, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buck183

This is true with the exception of the Triple Dog unit by Bullydog. Shift on the fly just like a flip chip. These units seem to be very popular for this very reason.

Buck

Do you have to leave something plugged into your ODB2 port to do this?

tblrklakemo · 09-26-2007, 11:24 AM

I wouldnt mess with anything other than a smarty. http://www.tstproducts.com/index.asp

Doesnt leave any footprints either.

Check out www.cumminsforum.com for all the best info.

buck183 · 09-26-2007, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydwayz

Do you have to leave something plugged into your ODB2 port to do this?

Yes and no.

You can leave it plugged in if you want and change settings going down the road. Or you can just plug it in while driving (not something I would recommend) and then change to the needed tune.

It's actually kind of convenient compared to most tuners.

Buck