The stock RAM 3500 with the "Aisin 69" trans is rated at 385hp/900tq @ the flywheel. As a 8,913lb truck, that might not sound like much, but it definitely gets the job done with a load hooked up. Pulling a trailer, it really drives great and pulls with ease. With the certified max load coming in at 31,210lb - pulling my probably 7k sled trailer is like pulling nothing at all.
However, one can safely say that with the truck unloaded the optional Aisin 69 trans coupled with 4.10 gears leaves 1st gear boost free as it doesn't load the turbo enough to spin it up, and then progressively makes more power as your progress through the gears. On the street, this leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to the seat of the pants feeling the truck leaves you with.
Which leaves you at the beginning of my story. I drove the truck for about 1000mi before I began researching tuning shops in the area which could work with this platform and quickly ended up speaking with Jim Rendant @ Calibrated Power Solutions to meet my tuning needs. I did the classic diesel bro question to open the conversation, "Jim, tell me what you guys do to delete and tune these trucks!" To my surprise, I was quickly shot down. Rather, Jim suggested that I enjoy the quiet diesel power he could provide through a "clean tune" that retained all the OEM emissions equipment. He then sold me on a new tuning platform (to CPS) called the Smarty MM3, which unlocks the ECU while also allows delivery of the tune files and serves as a monitoring device after the tuning has been completed. It matches nicely with the stock cluster and lighting, IMO:
Best part of the Smarty platform is the monitoring capability paired with the EGT sensor.
After extensive tuning work was done both on the street and on the dyno, the dyno charts started to flow to me from Jim. Thankfully, the truck fits on the dyno:
Stock baseline values came in first:
Followed by three tune files that are able to be switched between in real time:
Of course I had to say that I would have really liked to see over 1k torque...
So Jim opened up the RPM range on the graph a bit to show me that it actually makes 1067ftlb at around 1800RPM!
The gas pedal feel is much improved as well. I no longer have to give the pedal a solid push to 3/4 throttle to get moving. Really makes a huge difference in the truck, IMO. Anyone that has driven a stock 13+ Cummins knows what I'm talking about! Dead pedal totally gone.
All in all, I'm very happy with the results given nothing more than a tune was applied to the truck. CPS kept the tunes VERY mild on this go around, because the Aisin trans still hasn't been unlocked, so they cannot tune it yet. Once that becomes available, the truck WILL be going back in for additional tweaking and will probably make some more power once that's done.
However, one can safely say that with the truck unloaded the optional Aisin 69 trans coupled with 4.10 gears leaves 1st gear boost free as it doesn't load the turbo enough to spin it up, and then progressively makes more power as your progress through the gears. On the street, this leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to the seat of the pants feeling the truck leaves you with.
Which leaves you at the beginning of my story. I drove the truck for about 1000mi before I began researching tuning shops in the area which could work with this platform and quickly ended up speaking with Jim Rendant @ Calibrated Power Solutions to meet my tuning needs. I did the classic diesel bro question to open the conversation, "Jim, tell me what you guys do to delete and tune these trucks!" To my surprise, I was quickly shot down. Rather, Jim suggested that I enjoy the quiet diesel power he could provide through a "clean tune" that retained all the OEM emissions equipment. He then sold me on a new tuning platform (to CPS) called the Smarty MM3, which unlocks the ECU while also allows delivery of the tune files and serves as a monitoring device after the tuning has been completed. It matches nicely with the stock cluster and lighting, IMO:
Best part of the Smarty platform is the monitoring capability paired with the EGT sensor.
After extensive tuning work was done both on the street and on the dyno, the dyno charts started to flow to me from Jim. Thankfully, the truck fits on the dyno:
Stock baseline values came in first:
Followed by three tune files that are able to be switched between in real time:
Of course I had to say that I would have really liked to see over 1k torque...
So Jim opened up the RPM range on the graph a bit to show me that it actually makes 1067ftlb at around 1800RPM!
The gas pedal feel is much improved as well. I no longer have to give the pedal a solid push to 3/4 throttle to get moving. Really makes a huge difference in the truck, IMO. Anyone that has driven a stock 13+ Cummins knows what I'm talking about! Dead pedal totally gone.
All in all, I'm very happy with the results given nothing more than a tune was applied to the truck. CPS kept the tunes VERY mild on this go around, because the Aisin trans still hasn't been unlocked, so they cannot tune it yet. Once that becomes available, the truck WILL be going back in for additional tweaking and will probably make some more power once that's done.
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