OVTUNE real world testing and results.

No problem! Agreed about the mpg, I lost a noticeable amount by simply going up one size and 3-4 pounds heavier so I can't even imagine those running 33's-35s with much heavier tires.

Driveability improvements alone make it worth it and the fact that 87 perf is a big difference over stock and 87 base but mpgs stay relatively the same if you don't go crazy and have fun like I did when I initially got it.

 

I agree and that's my plan for the longterm! So far I have gotten 3 tanks on 87 perf and 3 on 93 perf so it will take time but I am planning to test them out over 5 or more tanks each. I was simply curious how each would fare over the exact same route.

 

I applaud your determination to give a real world test but driving that short distance will tell you exactly nothing. There are way too many variables that will be magnified in that short distance. You need actual TANKFULS of each type over several hundred miles in all conditions. What you are seeing right now is nothing. Not even a data point.
Full disclosure I have designed and conducted hundreds of tests on vehicles over my career.
Good luck and looking forward to serious test results!

 

I added a disclaimer to the OP since this has been brought up a lot, my intent was simply to test the mpg on the same route with mixed driving conditions. I was mostly curious to see if performance would get lower mpgs even while driving normally. I wasn't trying to make this a representation of any tank averages as that would vary from person to person depending on their routes, tire size/weight, driving style etc.

 

Again, that short of distance tells you and anyone else exactly nothing. Forget about tank averages too. Even after you run thousands of miles and you publish your results, it still will only be "your" result for the exact reasons you posted. However, however! It will then be a data point! Let's say you see a 2% increase in mpg or a 3% decrease over 5K miles. That is real. If I then do a similar test we plot the results. My results might be way different though (driving habits) so then we need a third point, and a fourth, etc. Eventually you will get a trend and averages and they will be representative of this mod. Until that happens, you don't have anything. Sorry.
But, you can do a decent 0-60 test that would tell people something. The most important thing there is temp, humidity and make sure however you are timing is not dependent on human reaction. Do ten pulls and post results!

 

I agree! We would need multiple people running these tests to make actual tangible results, however as I stated I performed this test for my own curiosity and posted results here. Not intending this to be representative of the tune for everyone.

I disagree about this short loop telling us(or me at least) nothing though. I performed it after swapping tires and immediately saw a 1.5 mpg decrease vs old tires and that's about the same overall decrease I have experienced over a long period of time after changing tires.

I also did not see a significant variance between stock and ovtune mpg so this loop confirms what I have personally experienced.

The aim here is to see if I could determine a tangible difference, and by that I mean, are most members going to care about a =< 0.5 mpg variance? Probably not.

Due to everyone's setups with multiple variables, a proper test would be great for determining the average percentage of improvement or decline in mpg as you mentioned, then members could expect to get about the same percentage.

I posted the results for 0-60 here as well and although I have only done 3 pulls on 87 per and 3 on 93 perf, the results have been consistently lower for 93 perf between .4 -.5 secs and I would have to perform a 6 mile loop before getting back to the ramp so I won't be testing that many lol.

This is all very interesting though and I would love to be able to properly test this out with a lot more samples as you mentioned.

 

Interesting info. Anybody ever actually ‘talk’ with the people over at OVTune? I’ve asked several times via email for them (Mathew) to give me a call......................crickets. No ph# on their website. Only asked that I email them my questions. I’m willing to spend the dough on their tune BUT at least I’d like the option of a courtesy response to ask, over the phone (yeah I’m old) and get answers to my questions. Curious as to other people’s experiences?

 

Nobody talks to anybody anymore. Send them an email and Mat posts here. Tag him.

 

You also shouldn’t use the dash mpg meter for your mpg calculation. Use actual miles over gallons of fuel consumed

 

Almost a whole second (considering all the other variables involved). I feel that is impressive for $700

 

If you are geared, well then you can talk informatively about the benefits of doing that.

If you are tuned, then you can talk informatively about the benefits of doing that.

I'm tuned, but not geared... so I won't be talking about gears.

 

You are not a pleb, AND the comment is factual. Sure, Mat's changes to the software will be there the moment the flash is completed... but the ECM still needs to "learn" real world values that can only be had by driving. Knock correction learned value comes immediately to mind.

MY truck's behavior will change after a flash over hundreds of miles, most notably in throttle response (and sometimes MPGs - depends on the file). This experience will vary, as some guys report no change at all.

Take it or leave it, I've been running the M/T tune since pretty much the beginning (too many test files and official releases to really count lol). This is to say I'm not bench racing.

 

It WOULD add another data point that would benefit this thread IMO.

 

The behavior did certainly change for the better in my experience, for 87 and 93 performance.

Most notably the throttle response got a lot better and it wasn't as "jumpy" as it was on the beginning.

MPG's simply improved becaused the novelty wore off and I stopped accelerating like a maniac in every corner, it's been pretty consistent after the first tank of gas and anything less than. 5mpg I would personally attribute to the marging of error due to different driving conditions and routes.

If someone has done the exact same route with stock and tune over a long period of time that shows any significant variance, I would love to see some data

I drive a lot of miles weekly and in my experienc, the only that has ever changed my MPG's enough to be percetible has been smaller bigger tires and winter fuel.

 

Here's the totals for my truck. Keep in mind that some tunes were only run during winter or summer or for much shorter periods of time.

Every tune was 87 octane. Fuels varied based on what I could find, I generally ran the highest octane available based on where I was.

The towing was tagged generic but it was vastly different areas and loads in general, 04b12 was probably the most weight but most aerodynamic (and downhill from Colorado to Iowa). 1.04R towing was winter time with my sail of trailer. Total miles towed 9,347 which is a lot more that I thought I'd done with this truck. Fluids will be changed again soon.

 

I'm geared 4.88 and running fob 91. No real difference in mpg over the past two tanks. Significant improvement in throttle response and low end power.