This may all be in my head, but how would i know if my truck is producing the power it should ?

I've got an all stock '04.5 4x4, QC, 95,000 miles. I tote around a 3500# box trailer, and while it hauls it fine, i've never been WOW'd like i thought id be with 610 ft. lbs. of torque. IMO my truck runs perfectly, doesn't smoke or do anything it shouldn't. I've been in the automotive industry for the past 20+ years so i feel like i have a good idea when something is running correctly or not.

Cutting to the chase,..... this week i test drove a customers truck, identical to mine except it is an '06 and has 52,000 miles. I didn't beat on his truck, but did give it enough throttle to notice a very different tone to his turbo compared to mine, and his had much more pickup. I have 3.73 gears, and need to run his VIN and see what gear is in his, otherwise i cant see a difference in our trucks.

Any thoughts on how i could see if my truck is working to it's potential ?

Thanks in advance.

 

Some trucks are Monday trucks, some are Wednesday trucks. I've seen it too. My truck (when stock) was always a good running truck, other people I knew did not have such luck.

I would try to find someone with a smarty to load and unload a program on your truck... you'll get the most current Dodge software without the reverse honk and other bad stuff.

Do you have any gauges? Have you upgraded you fuel pump from the canister pump to an in tank or aftermarket pump?

 

Wait, is this true? I knew you could load/unload programs between trucks, but I thought the Smarty would download the current trucks code, store it, then upload the performance code. When you "unloaded" the performance code, I thought the Smarty just re-flashed your computer back with the downloaded/saved original code you had before.

Does it not make a backup of your original code before it flashes your computer? Does it instead just flash your computer with the "performance code" then re-flash again with a default "stock" code (but still new code)?

 

I'm betting that your customer's truck has 4.10 gears. That will make a difference in perception of power. It will also make a difference in fuel economy. Technically, the 04.5 had 600lbft and the 06 had 610lbft. But, there's speculation about whether the difference was real or marketing ploy.

 

okay........ just checked and he's got RPO code DMES = 3.73 Rear Axle Ratio.
The only difference i can see between our trucks would be that he has the 48RE trans. Maybe that has a lower 1st gear compared to my 47 ?

 

Your truck should have a 48RE as well

 

whoops, your right. I was thinking he had the 5 spd vs. my 4.

Okay........ so moving to the next thing. Since i noticed a much more obvious turbo sound from his truck, could his be producing "better" boost, or more than mine that has twice the mileage ? Maybe his is providing boost at a lower RPM ? Just throwing ideas out there.

BTW, i do have gauges, and so does he. We both have the Edge CTS

 

No. The program the smarty loads is whatever version that is most current with MADS. It does not store your trucks stock tune, just the key counter/personal info of the truck. It is a default code, like you said.

Does he have a manual transmission? The autos in the 04-07 are the same.

Your truck is exactly the same as his. If you both have autos, the 04.5-07 were the same, only a few minor differences that would not matter. All the hard parts were the same. (there are some differences, I know. Intercoolers, instrument clusters, APPS... nothing that will really affect this.) There would be different programs loaded in the ECM.

Get the newest flash for your truck. Make sure your CTS has the same update his has. Make sure your air filter, fuel filter and fluids are fresh. Make sure the weights of the trucks are the same... run them across the scale, see what you really get.

Some trucks do just run different. One truck behind the other on the assembly line... one can be great, one can be a lemon.

 

We are both AUTO's. I do have a LEER shell on mine, but he's got a 5th wheel hitch, and one of those fancy roll-away bed covers, so i bet we're pretty even as far as the add on weight goes.

I suppose i can't find out if i have the newest flash for my truck without having it hooked up to a DRB at the dealer aye ?

My service is up to snuff too, we both just did fuel filters, and injector cleanings. I guess i could use my CTS to record my 0-60 time and compare it to his. Just gotta get him to do the same thing.....

Thanks for the help guys.

 

Find someone with a smarty. Where at in central cali?

You'd be surprised with the weight difference.

What size tires do you have compared to his?

 

we both have the stock size tires.

How could a 200# (or less - guessing) have an effect on one of these trucks ?

So i find someone with a Smarty, what do i do with it ?

 

200 is not that bad.

As long as the smarty has the most current tune, when you load and unload it, it gives you the newest stock tune. If there were any updates, it will load then.

 

will there be a difference between using the Smarty vs. going to the dealer ? I have an in at the local dealer, and can probably get it done for nothing or a 12pk

 

As an update to this, i just discovered that my customer's truck DOES have a K&N cold air intake kit fitted. Do these make that much difference ? Maybe this is why his felt so much more responsive.

Thoughts ?

 

That's why you are hearing the turbo sing along. You can upgrade, but don't get a K&N, they don't filter worth a crap IMHO. Do your research before deceiding on an intake.