fin

I have a 2001 with an air dog, 3 inch straight pipe, bhaf. I would like to put a chip or programmer in it. I want better fuel economy when empty and more power when towing. So what are YOur recommendations and why?

SIXSLUG

The Smarty is probably the most versatile for our year trucks, you can adjsut the speedo and read codes with it too, but its spendy.

My BIL had a boost fooler and power puck but it gave a lot of trouble throwing codes and it didn't have a mileage option.

When my finances improve I'll do a Smarty and RV275 injectors.

dodgeguy71

I've got the Quadzilla Adrenaline. It claims up to 180hp and 400 plus on the torque. When I first got it I played around with it. I believe it was shipped to me with a wildly hot program as it smoked like haydes and it ran like a scalded dog! No rev limit(I was there once and thought HOLY COW!)

Anyhow, I reprogrammed to a 2000 program and still plenty of get up and go, pulls my truck and loaded trailer quite easily. I thought about the Smarty a lot and tried to find a used one for an 2002 but seems they are only a hundred bucks less that a brand new one and when your talking about a programmer that is several years old/used I failed to see the reason behind it. Heard lots of rumors why but won't get into that.

I like my quad because it has the readings for boost, fuel pressure, egt's, oil temp or trans temp for autos. I can upgrade to the pulse at anytime and then I can set parameters as far as turbo timer, warm up, everything. A friend of mine had a smarty and had to do something extra to get a turbo timer. I just programmed mine and it's set for 3 minutes. Plugged it up and it worked no exta work. I also like the quad because I can change on the fly. Need more power towing that trailer, push the button and up it goes. Less power, same thing. I usually leave mine set on 7-10 and drive like an old maid.

I was running up the interstate one day. A kid from the welding school pulled up to me in his power stroke. He goosed it at my window, I had it set on number 6. I pushed the magic button 4 times and dusted his butt! 11k truck out running a unloaded 1 ton Ford, I like my Quad.

Only problem you'll have to monitor closely is your egt's. I can run for weeks on number 10 and never get close but it's only a few seconds away, literally. I have a three inch that duals out at the rear axle and it needs to be bigger. I can hit 1300 degrees in no time flat, literally seconds!

rattlerbob5.9

What brand and type boost fooler was your BIL using that gave him the problems/codes ? I take it when you say power puck you mean a diabalo brand power puck ?

rattlerbob5.9

No matter what you put in you will need gauges to monitor it, with a quadzilla product you could get them built in. Food for thought.

fin

I have a hypertech but removed it do not like it. Trying to not spend a fortune though.

dodgeguy71

My adrenaline came with the little control pod, about 3/4" tall and 4" long and it has boost, fuel pressure, egt's, trans temp or oil temp all part of the kit. No need for mechanical gauges. I have them though as they were the first thing on my truck. My Quad came with a egt probe, reads boost through the ecm and I bought a fuel pressure kit and have taken off my pain in the butt mechanical fuel pressure and don't know if it will go back on.

The Smarty-

- no option for digital gauges
- add additional $400+ for gauges if you don't already have them
- reprogram smarty, stop on side of road, shut off reprogram, then go on your way and hope you like what you have or else you pull over and do it again.

Quad-

- base kit comes with programmer and monitor for egt, boost, trans or engine oil temp. Electronic fuel is a $100 option.
- programming is the push of a button. 1-10. You can also download different options online, 1000 series, 2000 series or Beta. In the 1000 and 2000 they have different options already set, turbo timer, warm up, fuel shut off in case you get to wild and don't watch your gauges, etc., etc.

Going by Quads site $699 will get you a adrenaline with pod, plus $100 fuel kit and your at $800 clams.

Smarty, $649 plus your $400 for your gauges is a $1050. Fastest download in the industry, 2 minutes. Let's include slowing down to stop, turbo cool down, reprogram and then getting back up to speed.

For the cost of the Smarty I could get into an Adrenaline with the pulse monitor for $899 and still be cheaper than the Smarty plus mechanical gauges.

They should have a test drive option on these things. It's not like your buying a pair of jeans for $35, it's a chunk of cash. I'm happy with my Quad, works well for me, no issues, power at my fingertips and for me seemed better for the money. I know for certain I did not pay $699 for my quad.

SIXSLUG

Not sure on the boost fooler, but it was a Diablo power puck, he offered it to me but I passed. His truck was a 99 so I don't think it would go on an 01.5.

His check engine light was always on he used to complain about it all the time.

SIXSLUG

That's a pretty good argument for the Quad.

RamGazer

W/ the Quad, how much of a fuel savings can you get? I know the Smarty Jr. ($495) you can get anywhere from 1 to 3mpg.

dodgeguy71

One thing I forgot to add, with the Quad and pulse you can set/reprogram on the fly, set timing, slope, stretch or whatever(stuff that is beyond my concern) and still less than Smarty plus gauges.

RamGazer,

I could not tell you the fuel mileage. That is one thing I am but then again am not concerned with. My truck weighs 11,000lbs all day and night everyday, never lighter but always can be heavier. I can say this though. Driving my truck like a normal person I can still pull out 15-16 miles per gallon. I don't know if I've gained or not with the addition of the Quad. I do not know one day to the next where I will be going, what I will be hauling(less weight, more weight), what time I will be leaving(early means hardly any traffic/later means stop and go interstate for miles). To many variables in my day to day to get good numbers. All I can say is on my hand calc the other day it was something like 15.64 or pretty close. I was trying to get a better idea on the mileage before the Quad, seems I may have picked up a mile or so, but it's hand calc so about as accurate as a mud pie from 500 meters.

kmltrucking101

I run an Edge on mine, no change in fuel economy. 6 different power settings, with guages (fuel press, EGT, etc etc..) My advice? Watch your driveline if you install one. Ive got an 02 with a 6spd. 100,000 miles on original clutch.. If Im running anything over setting 3 and gouge the throttle Ill slip the clutch.. If youre not careful, your $900 programmer will cost ya a clutch (manual) or transmission (auto).. I was kind of disappointed with mine. Programmers come with a badass "cool factor", but theyre really impractical for everyday use unless your towing everyday. Just my opinion though.. best of luck and have fun...

dodgeguy71

So true KML. I've spent 5-6 years replacing things on this truck as they have failed to prepare for a programmer. One day clutch went(pilot bearing) bought Southbend. Next time fuel pump, bought Fuel boss. Gauges were installed when I bought it to monitor fuel pressure on a stock truck.

A programmer on a truck with a stock clutch or auto tranny is just asking for trouble.

DodgeRam24V

reading this makes me want to put my quad on my 99 now.

i bought a Quadzilla Adrenaline with the pulse monitor and fuel pressure option for my 01 and was waiting to upgrade the converter first, then sold it out of the blue one day, good by 53 block!!

the part number for a 99 and 01 are different, i called Quadzilla and she said i need approximately $50 in adapters to make it work on my 99.

next Saturday!!

i chose the Quadzilla for the same reasons as above,
#1 reason was the monitor
#2 the alarm
#3 power levels choices

now that i am thinking about it i bought it over a year ago? if i remember right, the Pulse Monitor was just released. It's still new in the box.

kmltrucking101

Truthfully? If it wasnt for the fact that I would loose my fuel pressure guage? Id remove mine.. I can tell a real difference in how the engine runs.. In dont mean power, thats obvious. The engine just seems to run what i would call "rough" when its turned up. Cranked up, its obvious the engine has way too much power for the truck.. I leave mine on the factory setting.. So basically? I have a $900.00 fuel pressure guage..