Tuned ECU + 3deg Cam Gear Report

I've been so happy with my new 3 degree cams from @mightytacoman and a "new" ECU with a "basic tune" from @JustDSM that I thought I'd make a post. All this was installed in a 2013 DCLB with about 125K miles on it.

The gears went in this spring and even with the stock ECU I noticed an improvement in perceived power and perhaps just slightly better MPG. Didn't really track the MPG though. Then I bought a "junkyard" ECU identical to my factory unit for $100 and had it shipped to JustDSM for his "basic tune." After a minor tweak for an upshift issue, the whole package is working nicely!

The truck is now fun to drive. Prior to these two mods (the only "performance mods" of any kind), the truck just felt lacking, like it was always resisting doing what I was asking it to do in terms of responsiveness and acceleration. Now, it's simply a blast to drive around with so much better throttle response and "on-demand" power along with smoother shifting and better passing power on the highway. I have no way to measure it, but it honestly feels like another 20-30HP. Haven't really tracked the mileage closely, but I sure didn't lose any MPG in normal driving. I'm certainly getting less MPG just because I can't keep my foot out of it!

Anyhow, I can't recommend this gear/ECU combo highly enough. Both mightytacoman and JustDSM were FANTASTIC to deal with and super responsive to all my questions.

 

Any plans to throw a full exhaust system on it? Been thinking of doing the same combo as you, but I haven't seen much supporting data (dynos) to push me to knock it out. Happy to hear it's treating you well.

 

My original plan included long tube headers and exhaust among other things. But the combo of these cam gears and a tune has me where I wanted to be at minimal cost and fuss. For my needs, it's the perfect combination so I'm going to leave it as-is and just enjoy it. If you're on the fence, get off it and get it done! My only regret is not doing it sooner.

 

I'd agree, cam gears and a tune are a great bang for buck performance increase, without any "side effect" of noise, maintenance, install hassle etc...
I have the cam gears done and also noticed a slight improvement of low end grunt, mileage stayed the same at worst.

 

Thanks for documenting this upgrade, sounds like a fairly straight forward combo to gain some useful power. I need to read up on the how the tunes work but can you briefly explain the process? Do you need to send them your ECU or a spare? What is the cost for their basic tune?

 

Vince,

Please reach out to @Boltripper or visit https://overlandtailor.com for further information regarding the tune mentioned here.

We'd be more than happy to discuss options with you regarding getting your truck tuned. We can provide pre-tuned ECU's (as jgang opted) or we can set you up with one of our licensed 3rd party tuners who can perform the flash for you. We also offer tune files for those with their own flashing hardware. Many options, many variables, so it's best to reach out with specific questions and needs you may have so we can get you setup with a solution that fits your needs/timeline.

Justin