Hello All,

First post here, I appreciate the use of the forum. Okay now for the brain teaser, what is the honest truth behind all the performance enhancing chips, modules, resistors, programmers, and so on? I'm only directing this towards "gas" engines. It appears that most do not do much of anything. Not to frown upon "Jet" but it appears that most people are unhappy with the claims they make. Also I see these resistors on "Ebay" all the time, well do they work? I truly doubt it, the only way that I see it happening is to "fool" the computer into "closed loop" and it doesn't appear that is what they are doing. Is there anything out there that is worth the "bang" for the "buck"?
I do realize that there are people that are happy or satisfied with the item the have chosen and bought, regardless if it worked. Most people do not want to admit a "waste" of money, or an incorrect choice on there behalf. Good example is the guys, buddies, people that you know or have met that think "LOUD=FAST, you know what I'm trying to portray. I think that some initial gain in performance might be due to just re-setting the ECU and giving it a chance to re-learn? Some opinions may come from people that have never worked on a vehicle in there lives, and this is there first performance up-grade. Not that they are incorrect, but the opinion may be quite different from someone who works in the automotive industry everyday.
So I'm just asking for some honest criticism, advise, help? I just paid off the truck (2000 2wheel, 360 auto) and it's time to do some work. I just don't like to wasting money.
If you do have an idea, please throw it at me.
I certainly appreciate anyone that read this all the way through!

Take care!

 

You're right on the money about the Jet chips and the useless reisistor POS they sell on ebay. The "tornado" device you put in your intake is a waste of money for the power (if any) you gain. Best bang for the buck? Get more air in your engine and more exhaust gasses out. This has been a basic rule of thumb for "hot rodders" for decades and still holds true. A "hot" cam might be OK if you can do the work and can live with the results. Of course a faster truck is a truck that handles different, and you've got a whole other subject there.......[&:]

 

Well "dustyloins" that was a super fast reply! I thank you and applause your hospitality. Just to make this quicker and easier, I'm a current manufacturer in the industry, unfortunately I seldom (and I mean almost never) deal with any "factory" ECU's, ECM's, Computers, brains, modules, ect. I'm no stranger to injected small blocks, including but not limited to blown..... ironically I truly have very limited experience with factory, and keeping with smog, C.A.R.B., ect, standards. Thus I need help, and more to the point; educated personal experience.
Without any thought, there will be exhaust, intake, muffler bearings, and a super titanium throthrackler! Oh and not to forget the go-faster-dingle-*****!! LOL

Biggest concern is the ability, and if it even happens: igniting curve, rate of curve, flow management ability, inrichining ability. Not to mention getting into ping. I somewhat see that they try and correct shift patterns, timing, and rate? Well this may all good and well, but from company to company, whom did it correctly? Whom has the best lag time and so on..?
I wish that I had the time and money to sit down and test, roll (dyno) the truck and get hard evidence, but i'ts not going to happen. I do have a sneaky hunch that someone already has, I'm wishful to gain this info.

Thank you guys for any input! I assume we will all benefit from responses!

 

AS some of my fellow DF members know, I'm as skeptical as they come concerning mods for the new Hemi, and even other vehicles. I simply would love to see these manufacturers back their claims, and products with a dyno test money back gaurantee. If it doesn't make within a certain percent of their claim, you can get your money back. Hell if I'm going to blow $300 on a darn CAI that doesn't do a thing except look different.

 

mopartodd
Wish you were out here in my area, love to see all you have.

What you mentioned is my wishful thinking, I see that "superchip" will honor a refund, but I did look around and it does not seem to be true.
I have a customer that is under a "Hemi" and if a programmer does not come up to par (that they just introduced) what is he stuck with???? Junk!

So what is out there?? Other than totally junking the stock ECM? Ideas??

 

well....being the viper mechanic i am i can tell you that sean roe of Roe Racing has a comp called the VEC2 and it can be plugged into the hemi and the v-10 setup too..i use it on the vipers all the time..and if you call him and talk to him he mite have some insight into what he has that can adapt to other vehicles....http://www.roeracing.com/ so give sean a call and tell him i said to pick his brain...Len

 

Len,

Thank you, I will. You have PM.

 

If your looking at doing your 360 then you can't go wrong with whatever you buy. The headers and exhaust systems for your truck will provide gains. If you want to get completely crazy with the build, get some aftermarket Magnum heads and a good set of rocker arms and pushrod guides. Howell automotive has some good cams for the magnum engine. A performance TB, intake, and PCm to top it off. That 360 will cook. Good luck with your search.

 

Just to note, a good set of rocker arms does NOT include the 1.6 rockers from Mopar. Minimal if any gains from those things. However, the Mopar PCM is worth the money, think it's like 0.1 hp, but something in the range of 30lbft. Once mod that I encourage ANYONE with a ram/dakota/durango to get is a Fastman valvebody. The shifts and performance are just fantastic and for $250 it's a hell of a kick in the butt compared to some cheesy overpriced CAI.
issuez

 

The rocker and pushrod guide stabilizers really are not much of an HP gain, but go a long way in making the engine more durable. The Magnum motors valvetrain becomes unstable above 4800 RPM from flex in the stock rockers. The benefit of this set-up can't be realized unless you twist the motor a bit.

On the cams. I meant Hughes Engines, not Howell Automotive. Sorry.