Diesel Tuner's Blog

03-05 Cummins Custom Tuning is Finally HERE!

For over a decade the diesel performance industry has been waiting for REAL custom tuning for their 2003 - 2005 Cummins.  These early common rail engines have dealt with box programmers and pressure boxes for long enough, finally there is a solution.

MM3 Tuning has been out for less than a year and has already made a big splash in the highly modified Cummins world.  With the capability to tune 1998.5 to 2017 Cummins this tuner has a wide range of support.  

However many different reasons there are for the success of this new Smarty based custom tuning platform I dont know, but the 3 reasons below are certainly the most common ones we here at Calibrated Power. 

ARTICLES ABOUT MM3 TUNING:

• The 7 Worst Types of Headlines (And How to Fix Them)
• 5 Major Challenges Marketers Face (And How to Solve Them)
• The Top 10 Qualities of High-Quality List Posts

What is the best tuning for a 2016 Cummins?

This is a common question these days.  Many Cummins owners like you understand the importance of high quality, custom tuning.  However, figuring out which custom tuning platform is best for you can be complicated.  

EFILive has a great reputation and is a favorite among diesel tuners.  MM3 hardware and UDC Pro Tuning is derived from Smarty, a company that also has a stellar reputation among Cummins owners.  

Other Articles about 2013 + Cummins

• Jim McNicoll, 2016 Ram with an Aisin
• Top 5 Questions About MM3 Tuning
• 68RFE Tuning

Many truck owners that have a Cummins powered Ram equipped with an Aisin transmission have inquired about transmission tuning and performance upgrades.  Although at this time Aisin transmission tuning is not available, we have had excellent results with the increased drive-ability of the trucks. 

Recently we worked with Jim McNicoll to tune his 2016 Ram equipped with a Aisin transmission with our Custom MM3 Tuning.  Below you will find his review of the tuning and the process. 

Other Articles about MM3 Tuning:

• Questions About MM3 Tuning
• Stage 2 Beta Testing MM3
• 04 Cummins tuned with MM3

How to use the Smarty MM3 Gauges

With the new Smarty MM3 hardware being used for Cummins equipped pickups it is important to know how to use the gauges to your benefit.  Although a few minutes in the driveway playing with the touch screen will answer a majority of your questions, this article will help you with some basics that will help you out.   

Read more about Smarty MM3 Custom Tuning

• 04 Cummins Tuned w/MM3
• MM3 Beta Stage 2
• Questions About 2013 + Cummins Tuning

What benefits come from 68RFE Tuning?

The 68RFE transmission provides some improvements over previous automatic transmissions matched with Cummins pickup trucks.  With 6 gears equipped to help with fuel mileage the new(er) transmission has some other improvements.  When these transmissions rolled out in 2007.5, they were the first diesel specific transmission developed by Chrysler.  Finally they had stepped up the filtration and moved away from bands being used internally.  All in an effort to extend service intervals, increase reliability,  and drive down maintenance cost.  The dual face torque converter clutch and integrated tow haul capability made the 68RFE a truly solid option for diesel truck owners.  

Other Articles About Cummins Tuning:

• 7 Things to Know When Tuning Your 2013+ Cummins
• Smarty MM3 Beta Stage 2
• '04 Cummins Tuned w/Smarty MM3

Tuning for CME 2013-2016 Cummins 

If you have a 2013 - 2016 Cummins, you probably have some questions about aftermarket tuning for your truck.  From warranty concerns to transmission tuning options to peak horsepower, truck owners generally want to learn everything they can before picking the tuner right for them.  Below you will find information on the 7 most common topics we discuss with customers at Calibrated Power.   

Other Articles About Cummins

• Smarty MM3 Tuned Cummins
• Cummins Turbo Shootout
• Smarty MM3 Beta Stage 2

Custom MM3 Tuning on a 2003 Cummins:

For many years truck owners with the 2003 - 2005 Cummins motor have craved quality custom tuning.  Sure there have been attempts in this field, and some were even decent, but never before has there been a software capable of fully custom tuning for these trucks.  

Darrell has had his 2003 Cummins for a few years.  He invested in a built transmission (a few times), 50hp injectors, 2nd Gen exhaust manifold, 188/220 Hamilton cam, Wilson thasher intake, 62/74/14 turbo, ati balancer and a Smarty with TNT-R tunes. 

The truck came in with plenty of power.  It also came in with plenty of smoke, plenty of room to improve shift quality and throttle response and plenty of character.  Darrell uses the truck to pull equipment, daily drive, and all around just to have fun.  Although he does not drag race or sled pull in a highly competitive atmosphere, he wants the most he can get out of the truck.  

• 62/74/14 Turbo
• 50hp Injectors
• Smarty So6 with TNT-R Tunes
• Dyno'd 540 RWHP 

Custom Tuning for 1998.5 - 2002 Cummins VP Trucks! 

We have been tuning 06 and newer Cummins along with 2001 and newer Duramax motors for over a decade.  It's been no secret in the industry that truly custom tuning on the 1998.5 - 2002 Cummins was sadly missing.  However in the past there has never been a decent hardware option for us to get our files onto those trucks.  Box programmers offered mild adjustments, but certainly nothing at the caliber of tuning we are accustomed to. 

Now with Smarty MM3 we have the long missing hardware access to deliver tunes that are up to our standards.  Creating clean, powerful tunes that drive smooth and offer the windshield experience our customers expect. 

With our new test truck arriving this past weekend, our office is buzzing with excitement.  Testing kicks off in the next few days and we will be bringing you the results and hopefully answering your questions though out the process.  Below you will find the most common questions asked about VP tuning so far.

• Does MM3 Tuning require you to tap the pump? - Testing in process
• Will the RPM limit be raised? - Yes,  but to which final level remains to be seen
• Can the Smarty Touch be updated to use MM3 software? - Yes