How To Turn Up A C10 Cat

How to Cheaply Add Horsepower with an ECM Flash

How to Determine the Proper Engine Rating

Electronic engines get a bad rap in the heavy duty diesel fuel engine earth due to the corporeality of problems that can go incorrect with them. Nevertheless, the good news is that if yous accept an electronic Caterpillar engine you can easily obtain more than horsepower and torque via the ECM.

Re-rating an engine is an electronic process of powering up or down the default horsepower via the electronic control module (ECM). Re-rating a diesel fuel engine is the easiest way to beef up an engine without digging into the difficult internal parts. You tin can practice modifications to the engine by changing out the pistons, injectors, the camshaft or damper. Calculation an updated turbo is besides another way to increase HP. Yet, these modifications are expensive and may not work equally required which we volition discuss later in this article.

To re-rate a True cat engine one must go to a True cat Dealer or Independent Certified CAT Distributor that has admission to True cat ET (Electronic Technician) program. The CAT ET software will plug into the engine and get a diagnostic readout of the engine health. Once in CAT ET the ECM can be "flashed" or reprogrammed to ability up or down inside a given Cat Engine Family. Yous can just repower a Caterpillar engine within its given family unit.

Example Caterpillar ECM

For example a Caterpillar C7 has Families A, B, C, D, E and F. The Horsepower Rating ranges from 207 hp to 330 hp. Family A only has 3 horsepower and torque options whereas Family unit E has seven options. If your engine serial number prefix is rated "A" then yous must stay in the A Family. The pistons and injectors are different for each Family unit. It is impossible to just go upwards a Family unit. The higher horsepower East and F Families are reserved for Fire Truck or RV Applications. So if you're thinking you tin can easily increase your engine 200-300 HP you are mistaken.

There are two main way to make up one's mind the current horsepower rating of your engine. One is past simply looking at the data tag on the valve cover or timing cover. It volition have the horsepower and torque rating of the engine. If you suspect the engine may have already been powered upwardly or down from the original OEM specs you lot take two options: take information technology to a dealer or dyno testing facility. A True cat Dealer with True cat Sis and CAT ET will exist able to plug into the electronic engine and they can do an ECM Download. This process takes nearly 5 minutes and will give a readout of fault codes, millage, current horsepower rating, torque, oil pressure etc… A dealer generally won't charge you just for an ECM Readout. You can also have a full dyno test done which will give a total range of performance specs washed on the engine.

Other things to consider when doing an ECM re-flash is whether or not the transmission is rated to handle the increase torque load. Transmissions are all about torque rating. An Allison, Eatonor Fuller Transmission all take something called the Nominal Torque Capacity Rating. Whatever that number is multiply it past 100 to go your maximum torque output allowed for that transmission. For example if a transmission has a tag number of RTO – 11909MLL the "xi" or first number, is your Nominal Torque Capacity. That engine would exist rated at 1100 ft/lbs of torque. Before doing a re-rating you must check to see if your transmission can handle the new workload. If your desired re-rating torque measurement is higher than your manual'due south chapters to handle the load then you volition destroy your manual.

Aftermarket Engine Modifications

CAT ET Adapter Kit

Earlier in the commodity we touched on doing aftermarket modifications to your Cat engine. We here at Majuscule Reman build our engines to OEM spec. Nosotros do that only considering playing in the "modification sandbox" can cause numerous issues with warranties. If you add aftermarket injectors, turbos, camshaft or manifolds to increase power it will automatically void any manufacturer warranty. The question is do aftermarket mods work? The answer is that they do indeed work and are the same quality as OEM these days however one must be careful tinkering with electronic engines every bit mods can overload various systems on the engine. Doing modifications can also decrease the life of the engine as it commonly means increased exhaust temperature. If you are called-for more fuel and creating more exhaust it will wear downward the exhaust valves much faster. Aftermarket turbos tin can also clog easier when paired with an electronic engine with a SCR or DPF Filter. Some CAT Engines take turbo regeneration issues caused by the very intricate balance of re-circulated exhaust gasses by the emissions systems.

Some opt to further optimize their engine by seeking out illegal DPF Delete Kits to remove all emissions applied science birthday. It is understandable why some get down that path every bit early on emissions engineering science was prone to plush maintenance and performance issues however, newer engines with emissions upgrades actually have increased in horsepower and torque. If you lot do go down the aftermarket route simply be aware that the warranty will be voided, operation upgrades are not a guarantee and that y'all might be farther dissentious/decreasing the life of your engine. Not to say aftermarket mods aren't fun! There are tons of great aftermarket companies that brand performance turbos, injectors, camshafts and more than just go your pocket book ready equally internal mods are expensive.

ECM Reflash Costs and Warnings

Re-flashing an ECM takes about 2 hours from outset to finish at a CAT Dealer. The software is accessed via CAT ET and a wink file is downloaded to the ECM. This software is propriety to Caterpillar and is password protected. BUYER BEWARE! At that place are aftermarket True cat ET programs on for sale on the internet but none of them will piece of work properly as the software needed is countersign protected at Caterpillar dealer. Cat Corporate charges the dealer about $250 per ECM Re-flash and the dealer will usually simply charge labor to you the client. Overall the cost of an ECM Re-flash is around $500. Not too bad to quickly power up your engine. If you go down the aftermarket/mods route for the ECM use a reputable Re-Power Company like Pittsburgh Power or ECM Diesel fuel.

There are some dangers of ECM Re-Ratings. Virtually ane/30 ECM Re-Flashes ends up with a destroyed ECM. The ECM tin become corrupted or simply wipe itself of all information. The new flash file could only be incompatible with the ECM in the engine and destroy information technology. Mostly these incidents occur with early model electronic engines that have more unstable electronics. Cat ECMs are not inexpensive ranging from $ane,500-$2,000. You can purchase a used ECM withal those are a gamble every bit the pin connectors and solders tin can be easily be bent or cleaved.

That being said, don't let the possible ECM failure scare ya! Getting a picayune more juice out of your True cat Engine tin can easily exist washed with an ECM Re-Rate just make sure to do your homework and take your engine to a reputable source.

Source: https://www.capitalremanexchange.com/cheaply-add-power-with-ecm-flash/

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