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How Tuning Works

Crossfire

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Does anyone know how the different tuning works? like the stage 1 gives you more power by adding more fuel in the system or by increasing the air intake ? ( They have to go hand in hand to maintain the correct air fuel mixture) , so seems like stage 2 is where you are able to add more air to the system ( By adding a boost valve) . Stage 1 is mainly by adding bit more fuel or advance timing. The more info we know , helps to make better decisions. ( Also what is the impact of fuel consumption on these different stages, may not be the top criteria)
 
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Nothing is for free. A given volume of fuel burned at stoichiometric ratio of air, produces max power and produces highest combustion temp, and is thus most efficient. So to increase power, you need to shift the combustion closer to stoichiometric ratio and/or add more energy by adding more fuel and necessary mass air flow to stay near stoichiometric ratio. Different tuning is simply making different trade off choices. Today, power and performance is traded off to meet Tier IV emission requirements. Engines are more efficient at producing power at higher operating temps, but higher exhaust temps increase NOx emissions, so EGR is used to lower the exhaust temp by reburning a portion of exhaust, thus reducing combustion temp by replacing combustible air with exhaust which has very little unburned oxygen, thereby, reducing combustion temps. To add more energy, you need to increase mass air flow and fuel, which will also increase heat load that must be cooled. That is why the highest tuned engines step up to a more powerful turbo to provide high boost pressure at high volume and add an intercooler to reduce air temps, thus increasing air density to achieve maximum mass air flow, and then higher volume fuel pumps and larger injectors are used to increase volume of fuel injected, and larger radiators, electric water pumps, and electric fans added to manage the increased heat load. What you trade off to get more power is, reduced durability (life of the engine and drive train), increased emissions, and lower fuel economy. Most of these tunes used to start be eliminating EGR, but many tune shops quit this practice after getting heavily fined by the EPA when caught.

Mahindra artificially limits speed and published GVWR to remain within the federal regulations as an offroad utility vehicle in order to sell in America, but they still have to meet the Tier IV offroad emission requirements which is why the engines are so tuned down. Fortunately the engines are very robust and can be moderately tuned up with minimal reduction in durability, however, you may also need to beef up the drivetrain to handle the increased torque if you tune way up.

In my opinion, Wade at Diesel Freak has the most experience with highly tuning large diesel engines and applying that knowledge, experience, testing and commitment to finding the best balance of trade offs to increase performance without drastically decreasing durability and driveability to the Roxor. He would be my first choice for a Roxor tune. Unfortunately he is still working on developing a tune for the 2.7L, and I suspect the largest hurdle is in figuring out how to communicate with the new ECM used on the 2023 HD with 2.7L engine. Given more time I think we can expect him to provide a reliable tune for the 2.7L.
 

Crossfire

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Nothing is for free. A given volume of fuel burned at stoichiometric ratio of air, produces max power and produces highest combustion temp, and is thus most efficient. So to increase power, you need to shift the combustion closer to stoichiometric ratio and/or add more energy by adding more fuel and necessary mass air flow to stay near stoichiometric ratio. Different tuning is simply making different trade off choices. Today, power and performance is traded off to meet Tier IV emission requirements. Engines are more efficient at producing power at higher operating temps, but higher exhaust temps increase NOx emissions, so EGR is used to lower the exhaust temp by reburning a portion of exhaust, thus reducing combustion temp by replacing combustible air with exhaust which has very little unburned oxygen, thereby, reducing combustion temps. To add more energy, you need to increase mass air flow and fuel, which will also increase heat load that must be cooled. That is why the highest tuned engines step up to a more powerful turbo to provide high boost pressure at high volume and add an intercooler to reduce air temps, thus increasing air density to achieve maximum mass air flow, and then higher volume fuel pumps and larger injectors are used to increase volume of fuel injected, and larger radiators, electric water pumps, and electric fans added to manage the increased heat load. What you trade off to get more power is, reduced durability (life of the engine and drive train), increased emissions, and lower fuel economy. Most of these tunes used to start be eliminating EGR, but many tune shops quit this practice after getting heavily fined by the EPA when caught.

Mahindra artificially limits speed and published GVWR to remain within the federal regulations as an offroad utility vehicle in order to sell in America, but they still have to meet the Tier IV offroad emission requirements which is why the engines are so tuned down. Fortunately the engines are very robust and can be moderately tuned up with minimal reduction in durability, however, you may also need to beef up the drivetrain to handle the increased torque if you tune way up.

In my opinion, Wade at Diesel Freak has the most experience with highly tuning large diesel engines and applying that knowledge, experience, testing and commitment to finding the best balance of trade offs to increase performance without drastically decreasing durability and driveability to the Roxor. He would be my first choice for a Roxor tune. Unfortunately he is still working on developing a tune for the 2.7L, and I suspect the largest hurdle is in figuring out how to communicate with the new ECM used on the 2023 HD with 2.7L engine. Given more time I think we can expect him to provide a reliable tune for the 2.7L.
Thank you so much for the explanation, the question I have specifically on the commercially available tunes, ( stage 1 and stage 2) , stage 1 is not really touching the Air side ( no mods to boost valve ) meaning maintaining same boost pressure as stock. Engine not getting any more additional air and power increase should come from either putting more charge( fuel) in the cylinder by advance timing, which will make rich mixture?? ( Not sure if I am making sense or not, not a diesel expert).

On the stage 2, most commercially available. Everyone recommends or must have is boost valve to trick the waste gate till 16 psi or so. So That is lot more extra air , feel like we have both Air and Fuel control on stage 2. ( Only concern is installing a boost valve and not sure how reliable they are) . With both air and fuel controls , that may be a better tuning.


Unless someone know that stage 1 also does have control on both air and fuel ? I will let experts weigh in.
 
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