Dodge 3500 cummins Chip vs. no chip
 

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 I was wondering if the chip will make the warranty no longer valid.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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Those Ar. rednecks don't know chit don't listen to them.:p:D:greenchainsaw:

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

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.

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

Don't you have some drugs to run from Cuba or something? :violent-smiley-045:

Buck

Are you for sure it doesnt leave any foot prints or is that jus what there logo is to sell more?

I have a Predator plug-in module on my `05 2500 Cummins. It plugs in on top of the valve cover, takes about 2 minutes to swap. Gave it a good jump in power and mileage. Costs $350. I had a fuel injector leak (external) a few weeks ago (70K miles). I took it in and was warrantied no problems. I asked the tech if this was a normal failure and he said, "only on trucks with aftermarket chips that boost the fuel psi, like yours". I asked if I should be concerned about warranty problems and his reply was "I get paid by Cummins to repair your vehicle. Why would I want to cut my own throat ?".

Pretty sure. Call them and chat a bit. THey have quite the following with die hard cummins tuners. Those guys know their chit. It is the best on the market. Period. Your question is if it is worth the cost. YES! Weak link on the dodge is the auto trans. You can run about 100 extra hp before it begins to slip.

From the TST website.

"2) No trace is left in the ECM!
I herby CLAIM that SmartyCR is the FIRST AND ONLY downloader that does not erase any of the stored data in the ECM. Smarty does NOT leave any footprints. Smarty does NOT set ANY codes once the ECM is set back to stock. Smarty does NOT need to have fuses pulled. Smarty...
Well you get the picture.

No matter what the competition claims , in one way or another they're ALL detectable. Smarty is NOT!

Yet, Smarty can not do one thing for you. Fix what others have broke. Smarty can not restore a key on counter that another downloader has erased . Smarty can not fix VIN# troubles caused by other products. If your Check engine / ABS light is on because another product has screwed your ECM, Smarty can not fix it.... the other guy HAS to."



I know several guys running these and there has never been an issue with them. Return it to stock and take it in...no problems.

I would do a smarty and stack it with a BD crazy larry.

I have a 2004 crew cab dually with the cummins 325, I run the TST power max. My dealer cancelled my warranty after I blew the turbo. Since then I have installed a gulf coast by pass filter,TCI triple disc convertor, four extra quart trans pan, fass fuel pump,opened the muffler internally. I get 22.2 average hiway and 18.5 around town. No matter what you do to your truck, put a convertor in it. I don't care who's truck you've got , if it automatic it needs a convertor. Brian

I know several myself too (me included). It is the one SINGLE thing you can buy for your truck that can do everything from "wake it up", add some mileage, all the way to fry your clutch or destroy your transmission on the higher levels.

I LOVE mine, but I also have a South Bend dual disk clutch to put the power to the ground, otherwise I would have totally smoked the stock unit.

IMO after putting chips in my last 3 Cummin's Dodges the rule of thumb I use as well as a lot of people I know and talk to is; anything that increases your hp by more than 100hp you are going to put your transmission and turbo in danger. Anything less than 100hp, if you don't drive like a 16yr. old kid, racing from stop lite to stop lite, you shouldn't have any problems.
Jay

There really isnt a need as the smarty can be both a fueling box and timing box...or just fueling. The smarty alone will push your truck to the point that it will need upgrades to turbo, injection, fuel, etc. to get full potential. What it boils down to......the cummins is most capable and tune friendly diesel motor available. Have fun.

quad zilla race 2 beta port . best custermer service in the ind.

of corse if you stack with a smarty . .sweetttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

dtr is the place for the info on a cummins.

cummins forum too.....