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educate me please: 03' Dodge controllers/tuners

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    educate me please: 03' Dodge controllers/tuners

    I have absolutely no experience wit these these tuners and really would like some help. I bought this truck new - 04' Dodge 33500, crewcab, 2wd, 6 speed, 5.9 HO..put a 40' GN trailer on it and ran it in hotshotting business a few years before taking a time card job. I sold the truck to my father whom was also running hotshots. When he retired it became a ranch truck. It was on the ranch truck for many years, I just kept bugging him about it and that I got first dibbs when he wanted to get rid of it. Well I got the truck back finally a couple months ago. Been cleaning, servicing it and in general getting ready for road trips. The truck has right around 500k on it and it runs like a champ. That's the back story and the reason I say all this, with the amount of miles on it, will it hurt to add a controller or is keeping it stock the better way to go?. A buddy swears by the smarty brand. I think if I did this, I would like to keep the motor stock. So what controller works best with a 5.9 HO/6spd/2wd? The only mod is that I straight piped right after I bought it new back in 04. TBH I would enjoy seeing it coal roll when getting on it some..childish but I am 50 and this is my midlife crisis truck I guess

    #2
    leave it alone is best

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      #3
      It's like they say...if it's not broke, dont fix it. Too hard to make all the aftermarket accessories jive together to where your not gona have some sort of trouble.

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        #4
        if you're going to put a programmer on it, i suggest you build the transmission a little bit. by build i dont mean rebuild, i mean have a shop put in an HD trans with a billet front, torque converter, and internals. if not and you choose to run a tuner on it, it will blow that trans up very quick. the build on mine cost about $2,300 with labor and all. NOW after you get a built trans put in, smarty is a good brand, but theyre leaning more towards the expensive side. if you dont want a hell of a lot of power, i run a bullydog on mine that i bought from oreilleys for $400. only adds 160hp on the highest tune but still rolls coal and is quick enough. ive been running mine for about 8 months and it has given me zero problems.hope this helps.

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          #5
          Originally posted by jwells93 View Post
          if you're going to put a programmer on it, i suggest you build the transmission a little bit. by build i dont mean rebuild, i mean have a shop put in an HD trans with a billet front, torque converter, and internals. if not and you choose to run a tuner on it, it will blow that trans up very quick. the build on mine cost about $2,300 with labor and all. NOW after you get a built trans put in, smarty is a good brand, but theyre leaning more towards the expensive side. if you dont want a hell of a lot of power, i run a bullydog on mine that i bought from oreilleys for $400. only adds 160hp on the highest tune but still rolls coal and is quick enough. ive been running mine for about 8 months and it has given me zero problems.hope this helps.
          Mine is a 6 speed standard but maybe I will leave well enough alone

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            #6
            I have a 03 6speed Manual 296,000 miles and I’ve been running a smarty on extreme for 100,000 miles with no issues at all. My clutch holds it fine even pulling 8-10k fuel mileage increase was minimal but the throttle response and power you get is ridicules. I couldn’t drive my truck with out it.

            I had a bully dog on mine for a little while but continued giving me issues for what ever reason it would put my truck into limp mode.

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              #7
              Originally posted by BLACKFINTURKEY View Post
              I have a 03 6speed Manual 296,000 miles and I’ve been running a smarty on extreme for 100,000 miles with no issues at all. My clutch holds it fine even pulling 8-10k fuel mileage increase was minimal but the throttle response and power you get is ridicules. I couldn’t drive my truck with out it.

              I had a bully dog on mine for a little while but continued giving me issues for what ever reason it would put my truck into limp mode.
              Is this the Smarty Jr?

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                #8
                Originally posted by brushtrooper View Post
                Is this the Smarty Jr?


                No the senior.


                Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                  #9
                  I have the Smarty Jr on my 07 5.9L. It's at 300k now, and I've had it on since about 75k miles. I keep mine on "Towing" mode, which is basically setting 2 (out of 3). Plenty of power increase with a little bit of mileage increase as well. Zero issues at all and mine has a automatic trans with zero work done to it. I also do not drive with a heavy foot. But when I do need the power, it's there.

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                    #10
                    If it were me id look into the Smarty MM3 tuner for this truck, from mild to wild with tunes, lol. But seriously its probably the best tune setup for the older cummins and newer cummins trucks.

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                      #11
                      I agree, I have an 03 6 speed with 344k miles. Been running smarty sr on it since 80k miles with no issues.

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