Best tuner/chip for 2005 cummins 5.9L

[dodge man]

I looked up the transmission issue. Google your truck and model year and its called "shuttle shift". It can occur on the 1 to 2 shift or the 2-3 shift. Pressure solenoid might fix it.

 

[LD1]

Sorry to go off track a bit...

You don't consider 60-65 to be up to speed? What are your speed limits out there? Here the limit is 70MPH and there are lots of passenger cars that travel 65MPH all the time. There are also loaded semi trucks doing 40-45 on the hills because that's all they can do. When I tow heavy with my F150 (about 8k for the tractor and another 2500 for the trailer) I find a semi that's rolling good and follow him down the road so I don't feel the need to squeeze the throttle to get out of anyone's way on the hills.

Here in WV it is called the Rolls-Can'ardly Driving Method (Rolls down one hill and Can'ardly make it up the next < spoken with a true hillbilly accent) and is commonly used by those that want MPG numbers close to what the manufacturers advertise. Let the downhill trip bring ya to the speed limit, and let the uphill trip lose a few MPH to save a few MPG.

70 MPH limit here. So I consider 75 up-to speed. The semi (probably empty) that was merging right in front of me was able to pull away. While I was stuck stagnate at 60-65. But it was just odd that with 50% pedal, I could maintain 60MPH no problem. But putting it to the floor I couldnt accelerate at all.

Regardless of brand, make or model, please get some gauges if you add performance above stock. Even if you don't, gauges can help you save your trans before it overheats. Boost, EGT, trans temp, are a must-have. I put a trans temp gauge in my buddy's stock tuned truck, just because he loads it, and hauls heavy. Now he knows how hot the trans is getting and when to let it rest, it has saved him a few times. Boost us fun info, but EGT is vital engine info.

No intention of getting gauges. I'd rather just drive the truck and no worries/wonder about anything. If it breaks, I'll fix it then. But if gauges were a must, they would have been installed from factory. I'm not looking to make this a 500hp rig. Just a little 40-50HP boost (that will actually only be tapped when on a grade like I was) and a bit better economy.

LD1,

Sorry if I made it sound like you just had to do a lot of things. You don't.

After I sold my truck, I sold one of my programmers to a friend with an '04. He did nothing more than install it and he loves it. Better mileage and better throttle response.

Go with either a Smarty or a Bullydog.

Thats exactly what I want. A simple 40-50HP program and nothing more. But I still havent got a clear answer. With the OBD programmers, does the programmer need to stay plugged in for the "program" to be effective. Or once a ~40HP program is loaded, can it be removed and the 40HP program remain in the truck?

I looked up the transmission issue. Google your truck and model year and its called "shuttle shift". It can occur on the 1 to 2 shift or the 2-3 shift. Pressure solenoid might fix it.

Not sure if its the same issue. But I have been too busy to even research.

My issue seems to be the 3-4 shift. Seems it should shift to 4th long before it actually does. Thus I find myself letting off the pedal quite a bit, to the point the truck actually slows down, just to get it to shift, then resume accel. The only other shifting issue is when its in 4th (OD and lockup) and I start climbing a grade. 55MPH is ~1500 RPM. When it needs to shift, it does so and jumps to 2500rpm, then immediately shift and drop rpms back to 2000. Not sure if its actually dropping to second gear, then shifting immediately back to 3rd. Or if its going to third and unlocking the converter, then either going back to 4th (unlocked converter), or staying in 3rd and locking the converter back up. ITs just a really bizarre shifting tranny.

Other unrelated problem with the trans that I will have addressed this fall/winter. The way my transmission guy described it is like a check valve that keeps the converter from draining off when the truck is shut off. Cause when the truck sits more than a couple of days, once started and dropped into drive, its like the truck is either in neutral or slipping real bad. Solution is to cycle through all the gears a few times at idle to fill all the clutch packs and converter back up with fluid. According to my guy he said as long as this is done, no harm is being done. Last year when I questioned him about this, there was a kit he was looking into to fix the issue but didnt know much about it yet as it was a relatively new fix.

Wish I could get the newer transmissions with the old 5.9 common rail motor:thumbsup:

 

[downs807]

Edge CTS and a smarty. Unless your going to do a custom stand alone tune there's nothing else on the market that compares

 

[Raspy]

LD1,

With the Smarty or the Bullydog programmers you plug in to the OBD plug and turn the key to run. Enter the program by following the directions and choosing the level you want. It takes about 5-10 minutes to complete the process. Your stock program is stored in the programmer for later and the new program is in the truck's computer.

Then you unplug it and put it away. Done. No hardware stays connected. There is no physical evidence that anything was ever done.

Then if you want to change the program or go back to stock, you plug back in, set the key to run and follow the directions for what you are attempting. Done. Unplug and put it away until the next time you need it.

You can't change programs on the fly, but I never found that to be something I wanted to do anyway. Put in the 30 HP or the 60 HP program and learn how to drive with it. Then decide if you want something else and do that.

I settled on the 60 HP setting and loved it. Lots of snappy power, more diesel rattle because of the timing increase and more power.

Gauges are a good idea. Don't be stupid and think you can dial in 90 HP and pull with it wide open for long grades. But there is more to it than simply saying "install gauges". Where to install the sensors? How high is a practical limit? Etc. At 30 HP, you'll get better mileage, a bit more power and I don't think you can hurt it, but still. Gauges are good for monitoring EGT. The tranny won't overheat if the TC is locked, so try to pull locked.

Then you'll find that it's best to roll into it a bit instead of just slamming the throttle to the floor and smoking out the place. With some tuning the 5.9 takes on a fine howl that is intoxicating. I never get tired of the locomotive roar.

I believe you can upgrade the air filter to the 2014 6.7 model cartridge with no modifications to the box. They have much more surface area.

Enjoy.

 

[rustyshakelford]

I would atleast get the pyro. They have single gauge pods that retains the handle. I like pre-turbo and tap it on the firewall side of the split on the exhaust manifold. The rear most cylinder runs the hottest. When tuning at all and towing its cheap insurance.

Brett

 

[Raspy]

LD1,

I think you are just going to have to get used to weird shifting. It's a drag, but it's part of the deal. The lockup strategy is different than newer trannies in that it doesn't go along with every shift. Then the 3-4 shift seems like they overlap. I went into this a bit in an earlier post. The handoff is not ever going to be what you might want it to be. And it has to complete it before it locks, so it seems like it's flailing a bit.

Look at it like an old car with overdrive. That gear was selected as a highway gear and shifted into deliberately as though it was a separate tranny. Well, the OD in the 48 RE is like a separate tranny on the back of a three speed Torque-Flite and they were never integrated as well as they might have been. Don't know why that was never ironed out, but it is what it is.

Third gear, locked up is the best towing gear because it's the most efficient and keeps the revs up a bit. Minimal heat generation too.

All of this is why I was so looking forward to getting an Aisin, but now I wish I would have gotten the G-56.

 

[Raspy]

I would atleast get the pyro. They have single gauge pods that retains the handle. I like pre-turbo and tap it on the firewall side of the split on the exhaust manifold. The rear most cylinder runs the hottest. When tuning at all and towing its cheap insurance.

Brett

I think that is the best way to do it too. Then you have to decide your personal limit on EGT. As I remember, I would not allow it to get past 1100. Then you can see the relationship between RPM and EGT. More RPM is good when working it because you get more boost easily with more air just passing through, and the water pump is spinning faster for better and more even cooling.

It's amazing what a Cummins will do. Even at a disadvantage of heavily loaded and running too slow, it will soldier on anyway and destroy anything not strong enough to keep up with the work.

I had a '93 that I pulled a 48' box trailer over the Siskiyous with coming down from Oregon. I didn't know better and kept it floored for miles as I was hypnotized by the locomotive roar. Magical. Then I found out I toasted the tranny because it could not go into lockup to make less heat. Just another fun evening for the engine and it was ready for more.

 

[Raspy]

I looked up the transmission issue. Google your truck and model year and its called "shuttle shift". It can occur on the 1 to 2 shift or the 2-3 shift. Pressure solenoid might fix it.

I had what I would describe as shuttle shift on my '04 right out of the box with about 60 miles on the truck. it would shift back and forth maybe two or three times a second and was obviously broken. Turned out to be a pressure transducer plug that was broken from the factory. It's inside the trans. They replaced the governor and the transducer while in there and it was good to go until I ungraded the valve body and torque converter, etc, at 100,000 miles. That problem was nothing like the awkward shifting they are known for, that can't really ever be ironed out completely.

All of this is why they had to build the 68 and offer the Aisin.

 

[dodge man]

I know when I owned my 04 Cummins I wish it had another gear. It was an auto with 4.10 gears.

A couple of things drove me out of my Dodge. The biggest was rust. I had it reparied a couple of times in different places but it was a constanst battle. I also had a high speed vibration at about interstate speeds. It seems to be a common problem, it was probably a driveshaft issue but I chased the problem a little bit with no luck. Also the truck was very loud. Not the engine, which I liked the sound of it, but wind noise. Going into a head wind was about like being in a open cockpit airplane, poor door seals being the main issue. It was a good truck, but not great. I traded into a Chevy 2500 and love the truck but miss the Cummins and its better fuel mileage.

 

[KNPV PSD]

I'll give another vote for the Smarty Jr. it's exactly what you are seeking. I run the 1st setting on my 04.5 Ram 3500 and it gives a small HP boost, a little bit of fuel economy, and drops EGT a little. It also has not caused my 48RE to destruct while towing! It's very simple to run and allows you to remove the program at any time and go back to stock. And if you want to sell the truck you can sell the Jr for almost what you paid.....