Topic: Programmers with dual-fuel tuning can help improve your truck's fuel economy whi

[bluedevil]

Every truck owner appreciates having more power for climbing hills, accelerating onto highways and hauling heavy loads. How about better fuel economy? The rising price of gasoline has made motorists conscious of the cost of a fill-up.

We asked if it was possible to improve performance and stretch fuel mileage as easily as using your Remote control to change TV channels? Almost every vehicle on the road today uses a computer to control the operation of the engine, transmission, and other systems. By reprogramming this electronic “brain” with specially developed software, a truck owner might be able to ncrease horsepower and get more miles per gallon.

Just as personal computers, PDAs and iPods have revolutionized the way that people get information and entertainment, reprogramming devices are changing the way motorists upgrade their vehicles' performance.

Dual-Fuel Tuning An Advantage

Reprogramming devices that offer “Dual Fuel” tuning allows you to set your vehicle’s computer from a high-performance tune that requires 92 octane, to a tune that also delivers performance and fuel economy, from 87 octane fuel.

To get more in-depth information on how Programmers and Dual Fuel systems operate we spoke with several people at Hypertech. The company manufactures power Programmers and computers with this “Dual Fuel” feature. The Power Programmer III and HyperPAC Performance Automotive Computer give owners of gasoline-burning trucks and SUVs a choice of tuning programs for regular and premium fuel. With the price of regular gasoline averaging 20 cents per gallon less than premium, that’s a significant savings.

“The truth is that most trucks make nearly the same power on tuning optimized for regular gas as they do with optimized premium,” explained Mark Heffington, the founder and president of Hypertech. “For these vehicles, there is never a reason to use more expensive premium gas. Simply stated, this means more power for less money. It’s a win-win situation because truck and SUV drivers get more power and save an average of 20 cents per gallon at the pump.”

Those savings can add up. If a truck owner buys 50 gallons of gas a week for a year and saves 20 cents per gallon, a programmer can quickly pay for itself. It’s important to note to read the fine print on Programmers and computers with “Dual Fuel” tuning. Some claim to have tuning for regular gas, but when you read the fine print, you discover that their calibrations for regular gas make no more power than the stock tuning. In the case of Hypertech, the company’s optimized power tuning for regular gas produces virtually the same power gains as the premium gasoline tuning, in most applications.

How is the possible? The answer lies in the nature of gasoline, the process of internal combustion, and the fact most contemporary engines are not high compression. Therefore, most engines do not benefit from the higher octane fuel.

Understanding Octane

There are many misconceptions about octane. Some consumers believe that octane rating equates to more power and better mileage – a belief that is fostered by gasoline companies that tout the benefits of premium while promoting the sale of a more profitable product. In fact, octane rating is simply a measurement of a gasoline’s resistance to detonation – nothing else.

Why care about detonation? Because unchecked detonation can damage or destroy an internal combustion engine. In normal combustion, the flame front spreads smoothly from the spark plug across the combustion chamber. During detonation, however, the heat and pressure produced by the rising piston cause the air and fuel mixture in the cylinder to self-ignite. Instead of a smooth, progressive rise in cylinder pressure, detonation produces a high pressure shock Wave that hammers internal components and produces a distinctive “knocking” sound.

The higher the octane number, the more resistant a fuel is to detonation. The octane rating posted on gas pumps is an average of the Research Octane Number and the Motor Octane Number, expressed by the formula (R+M)/2. Both octane numbers are generated in a single-cylinder engine with a variable compression ratio by comparing the knock resistance of the gasoline being tested to heptane (zero octane rating) and iso-octane (100 octane number). Obviously no one drives a truck with a single-cylinder engine running on these exotic fuels, so the RON and MON numbers are simply indexes of a gasoline’s anti-knock characteristics.

What this all means is that paying extra for gasoline with a higher octane number than the engine requires, is literally a waste of money. If the motor doesn’t detonate on regular, then using premium gas will not increase its power or improve its fuel economy. In fact, the compounds that are added to gasoline to raise its octane rating typically have less energy content than regular gasoline.

Since operating cost is an important consideration for owners of trucks and SUVs, engines for these vehicles are designed to operate on regular fuel. The compression ratio, valve timing, combustion chamber design and other related factors are intended for use with regular gas.

Hypertech for example, uses computer-controlled chassis dynamometers to develop optimized fuel curves and ignition timing calibrations to maximize performance with less expensive regular fuel. Since these engines are typically not detonation-limited, the power gains with regular gas match or exceed the improvements with premium, in most cases.

Can you save money at the pump by running regular gas in an engine designed for premium? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Likewise, using a programmer that is Tuned for high-compression and supercharged engines are calibrated only for premium fuel.
Modern computer-controlled engines have knock sensors that protect the engine from an occasional tank of “bad gas.” However, the computer retards the ignition timing severely when the knock sensor detects detonation. This action significantly decreases performance and increases the flow of heat to the cooling system. If you’ve purchased a high-performance vehicle designed to run on premium fuel, you’ll have to continue to pay a premium for its performance capabilities.

How Dual Fuel Programmers Work

Aftermarket Programmers don’t require much knowledge of your vehicle’s computer system to install them. It is very easy to add a new tune to your vehicle. The Hypertech Power Programmer and HyperPAC computer simply plugs into the vehicle diagnostic connector under the dashboard. Once this is done, the programmer or computer does the rest, automatically.
These devices typically have a screen that asks a few questions about your truck and the changes that you would like to make to the computer programming. You answer by pushing the Y (“Yes”) or N (“No”) buttons. The programmer then downloads its software to the vehicle’s computer in less time than it takes to drink a cup of coffee.

The basic idea is a brain transplant; the factory-installed program is uploaded and stored, allowing it to be restored at any time. In the case of the Hypertech units, the programmer then installs new software developed by Hypertech's engineering team on computerized chassis dynamometers and validated in road tests to improve performance and fuel economy on one of the two (or more) tuning modes that are offered.

Depending on the vehicle and engine (gas or diesel), this software swap can produce gains of up to 115 horsepower and 285 ft.-lbs. of torque over the factory tuning – without even opening the hood. With more power in reserve and less frequent downshifting, many drivers also report an increase in fuel mileage.

Why doesn’t every programmer manufacturer provide multiple precision tuning? The reason is that many tune for mass production and therefore must compromise their engine control programs for worst-case scenarios. They don’t optimize their software for towing, hauling and other conditions that demand maximum performance. In the case of Hypertech the company has Tuned vehicles for more than 20 years as is considered an industry leader in the area of vehicle computer tuning.

The ability to customize a vehicle's computer to suit their specific driving styles and to complement modifications such as custom Tires and wheels, is key to using a programmer that is specific to your vehicle’s application.

The Power Programmer III and HyperPAC Performance Automotive Computer for example, can adjust automatic transmission shift Points and shift firmness electronically in many vehicles. Firmer, faster gear changes noticeably improve acceleration, and the quicker shifts also extend transmission life. The Power Programmer and HyperPAC can correct the speedometer and odometer readings when non-stock Tires are installed, allowing compliance with the law and preventing an expensive ticket.

In addition, the powerful HyperPAC (performance automotive computer) also includes Drag Strip, Dynamometer, Gauges and Diagnostics programs. It also has available plug-in modules to further extend the HyperPAC's impressive capabilities.

Unlike some reprogramming devices that are sold for “off-highway” use only, Hypertech’s Power Programmer and HyperPAC are emissions legal, with certification received or pending for all 50 states. This means that users of Hypertech products will meet certification requirements when registering, selling or undergoing emissions tests administered by state or local agencies. Any emissions-related product must have an approved or pending California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order (E.O.) number. Without this verification, the vehicle may not pass a vehicle inspection and the owner could incur a fine or penalty.

“We build, test, certify and sell on-highway power-enhancing products that are safe, legal and absolutely optimized for the best possible performance available today,” said Hypertech spokesman Jim McFarland. “Almost 40 states currently have inspection and maintenance or related programs. Parts without an E.O. fail these tests unless the part or tuning is removed and the vehicle returned to stock. Consequently consumers are learning not to buy parts that don’t carry an E.O."

Hypertech’s products as well as many other Programmers are available from a variety of are available from automotive parts stores, RV dealers, outdoor sports outlets and mail order and online retailers.

[tdybr27]

So what are the recommended settings?  I have a programmer, just haven't programed with it yet.

[funkypunnk]

According to what I was told the GM PCM advances timing as far as possible without inducing detonation. If that is true, then premium gasoline would allow for more advanced timing than regular, thus producing more power!

If the PCM actively changes timing in such a way, then there are some questions that arise regarding this article.

First, was it written as a generalization?
I would have to believe that all modern computer controlled engines do the same so that doesn't fit.

Second, how good a product is the hypertech unit when its' engineers are so oblivious to the way the PCM works?
Draw your own conclusions!

Third, why does my mileage improve when running premium (93 octane) over regular (87) to the point that it negates the added cost of the premium?
Since this is the only thing I know to be factual I have to assume that these guys are nuts!!!

[KY_BOB]

According to what I was told the GM PCM advances timing as far as possible without inducing detonation. If that is true, then premium gasoline would allow for more advanced timing than regular, thus producing more power!

That is their intention, do they always hit it on the nose? NO.  I've data logged Murman's 03 AV and seen 1-2 deg of KR at WOT on the top end, just prior to the shift, the worst possible time to have predetionation.  His truck can't stand any more timing advance on the top end and need to be pulled down by a degree or so to run 87 octane gas.  On other vehicles you may get by adding a couple of degrees of advance on the top end.  That said, there are 2 timing tables in you program, a "high octane table and a low octane table.  Each of these tables is a rather large spreadsheet with rpm ranges across the top and cylinder airmass down.  On almost any factory tune there will be places that could be increased or decreased of optimize the tune.

Can it be done as a generic tune that works great on any vehicle, my opinion is NO.

To give you an idea of how many cells can be adjusted, I copied my timing table.  You won't be able to make any since out of it in this format but you can see the number of entries.  This is only the high octane table the low octane has the same # of entries.  I run the same table for both high and low, thus taking away some of the computers ability to learn and making it more closely follow my tune.  The Idea being, that if it's tuned properly, it wont have to adjust.  Of course the only way to do that is by logging the truck and adjusting according to the log.



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[KY_BOB]

Second, how good a product is the hypertech unit when its' engineers are so oblivious to the way the PCM works?
Draw your own conclusions!

I think that hey fully understand how the PCM works but all they can do is give it their best guess as to what the tune should be but at the same time they have to be conservative as to not hurt anyone's vehicle.  I have 2 hypertech tunes saved and  have looked them over.  I can tell you that they do not copy the high octane table to the low octane table.  If they had the ability to have the perfect tune for your vehicle, they would as there would be no reason for the computer to have to pull timing in certain cells everytime which it the purpose of the low octane table.

[KY_BOB]

Third, why does my mileage improve when running premium (93 octane) over regular (87) to the point that it negates the added cost of the premium?

Because some parts of your high octane table are too high and that after learning from the KR sensors it's pulling timing and not running at the peak ability of your tune.

When you put premium in it, it learns that it isn't going to get KR and probably runs straight off the high octane table.  Now, if that table or some of the cells in it can be increased and still not get any KR when running premium gas, that is where it can be improved on even more.

I don't for a second doubt what you are saying about getting better milage with 92-93 octane gas but I'll bet if you drove it on 87 for 2 or 3 tanks and then switched to a tank of 93 that there wouldn't be any improvement in the first 1/4 -1/2 tank of gas as it would still be in it's learning curve and gradually adding timing in parts of the table.  After a full tank 300-400 miles it should top out and get the best that it'll ever get.

Make since 

[KY_BOB]

I need a drink after those 3 posts.  Glad it's slow at work today.

[bluedevil]

I need a drink after those 3 posts.  Glad it's slow at work today.

Geez.... i didnt mean to start chaos with this article i found. 

[bluedevil]

So what are the recommended settings?  I have a programmer, just haven't programed with it yet.

This is my old setup before i switched to HPT. It made my rear wheels to chirp on take-off.

 rev=6100

your tire size=?  (mine is 30.50")

Shift points
1-2= 3+
2-3= 10+
3-4= 10+

128mph

[KY_BOB]

I need a drink after those 3 posts.  Glad it's slow at work today.

Geez.... i didnt mean to start chaos with this article i found. 

Hey, no chaos.  Just thought that I would share a little about timing. ;D


Want to talk about fueling or airflow next?