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ecm gde power tune
7K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  overlook637 
#1 ·
New to the Forum and a newer ECO owner (Oct 17). Been following the tuning and aftermarket for the trucks since before they were released but seemed until recently the Tuning seemed fairly limited. Seems "generally" the ECM tunes are more reliable than the plug and play (generally no disrespect). GDE is plastered all over any 1500 forum and I love what I read about it and have maintained a great reputation. With more research though I have found others doing the same thing as GDE in tuning but having power adder option on top of High Idle and Engine Braking. places like Punisher Performance, Gorilla Diesel Performance and PPEI all have power options to go with the benifets of Digital DEF Deletes or Full mechanical Deletes. In no way do I want or need a 60hp tune but a 20 or 30hp seems reasonable and reliable...Can anyone speak to any of these other options or opinions on these? Thanks
Creed
 
#2 ·
I know I'll get bashed for saying it but I'm going to anyway. The guys running GDE love the tune because it does keep their engine cleaner but they also love that extra hp. They try to say they dont but that's what makes the truck drive better, the hp. I cant justify the cost of the tune, I paid 750 for an added 250hp on my duramax, well worth it. Do i want the truck to accelerate better and smoother than it does? Absolutely and the reason it does that is a better fuel curve plus the added hp. I didnt buy mine because it said ecodiesel. I bought it because it said diesel which equals better mpg.

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#3 ·
I agree, I wish I had a use for a 3/4 ton because its so much easier to make power I just don't have a need as I will tow heavier loads maybe 6 times a year. Its always more cost effective when it comes to ratio power builds to have a more liter to work with. I believe these other tunes are creating the same power curve and cleaner effect as GDE; adding some HP without maxing out fuel pumps sounds great. Thanks for the input WLF.
 
#4 ·
Many here are afraid of tunes for power. With a history of engine failure, doing a tune that stresses the engine more is reasonable cause for concern.

I am one of the “many” who would avoid extra engine stress. GDE does wonders for helping the engine run clean and last.

That is all you need to remember.
 
#6 ·
Quite simply this is a little 3.0 liter diesel. Trying to get an extra 50-150 HP out of this engine is flirting with disaster IHMO.

I have the GDE tune, and in contrast to what was mentioned earlier, I don't have a GDE tune because of the extra power. I love it because it took care of all the codes and for the throttle response. I also know what my intake looked like after 90,000 miles and don't want my new intake to look like that.
 
#8 ·
I agree, they're not reliable enough in stock form to do to it what I did to my duramax. Whether you want to admit it or not, that 50 extra hp is exactly what you're feeling in your throttle response. Like I said, the throttle curve is way better on GDE tune than the factory which is why it is smoother. I used efi live on my duramax and when you put a number in the wrong place on the chart it ran kinda like the eco factory tune lol. I feel like I'm the opposite of most of the people that have an eco. I would put the tune on for the hp and the egr disable would be a bonus.

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#7 ·
GDE does a WHOLE lot more than add power and clean up the engine. Check out their spec page for all the changes they make. I've seen no other tune come even close.
 
#9 ·
With more research though I have found others doing the same thing as GDE in tuning but having power adder option on top of High Idle and Engine Braking. places like Punisher Performance, Gorilla Diesel Performance and PPEI all have power options to go with the benifets of Digital DEF Deletes or Full mechanical Deletes.
GDE does a WHOLE lot more than add power and clean up the engine. Check out their spec page for all the changes they make. I've seen no other tune come even close.
Yeah, the other tunes don't exactly do "the same thing" as the GDE tune--but there are some similarities. It was hard to find information for those other two, in fact I was not able to find anything about the Gorilla. But the Punisher shows several power levels, most of which GDE says are not good for the turbo. I think PPEI has been around the longest and has been a reliable off-road tune from what I've seen here on the forum.

Keep in mind that I am totally biased toward GDE as I have their off-road tune. They won me over with their background(s), technical knowledge, customer service, and reputation.
 
#10 ·
I'm not sure if PPEI is a branch of PPE but PPE is the tuning I was running on my 02 duramax. If they are they've been around 16 + years. Back in 2006 when I got the tune they had released a 250 hp tune, now with all the aftermarket for that year duramax I see they've gone to a 400+ hp tune. Really wish I had mine back now lol.

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#11 ·
I ran my Ram on a Mustang Chassis Dyno, before and after the GDE Hot Tune. RWHP was just a hair under 240. Guess what, when my 05 Hemi Ram was stock it was advertised at 345 crank hp, but rear wheel hp was only something like 242. I spent a lot of money to get the hemi RWHP to only 318. I think it's pretty impressive that a little 3L Diesel is putting down at the rear wheels what FCA advertised for the crank, with just a mild tune! Comparing mpg between the 2 is a real laugh! Try X 50% for the hemi.
 
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#12 ·
My truck with gde tune did 245 wrhp with water methanol shut off, with water methanol turned on did 260 wrhp. With my ppei tune it does 272 wrhp with water methanol off and 287 wrhp with water methanol on. Very impressive numbers for a somewhat stockish truck. All this talk about extra power overstressing the engine is unfortunately not very true yes egts can get excessive but thats easy to moniter. The bottom end failures have nothing to due with power there from machining errors, assembly errors, and design flaws. Just a fyi my ppei and gde tune get within .5 mpg on average.
 
#13 ·
You also have an aftermarket oil cooler correct? What affect has it had on making & using some of that power when towing? I believe you tow weight over long steep grades.
 
#15 ·
Yep im running a custom oil cooler setup and it helps a lot. The photo im attaching was at the top of cabbage hill on I-84 I was towing my enclosed deck over snowmobile trailer while doing 70-72 mph.

View attachment 76636
I hope that's before the oil cooler install.

Do you know if the PPEI tune over-speeds the turbo to make those power numbers? I've read that's easily done, and will shorten the life of the turbo.
 
#22 ·
I rarely only tow about 2,000 lbs or less and typically my oil temps are running 175F-190F. I am, however a big fan of water/methanol injection. I have run it on marine diesels for a nice gain and to clean up black smoke from running bigger injectors. I ran it on a V6 gas supercharged Tacoma running 12psi of boost for 140,000 miles! The DEF tank certainly would be nice to hold water/meth. especially if the gauge works.
 
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