Bully Dog Worth It?

[Gone Hunting]

I was in Mopac and they showed me a Bully Dog tuning box made by VanAiken. Anybody have experience or an educated opinion on this set up? Seems simple to install. Claims are large. If it is too good to be true, it usually is!

Edit (for 2003 1.9 TDI)

[R_Ethug]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

yea maybe for a dodge truck not a vw.. for a TDI stick to upsolute.. PM boy racer on here for a chip.

[Tuna]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

I will try to elaborate somewhat if I can (surprised no one else has spoken up). Tuning boxes do work and you can get decent gains the only issue with a tuning box vs. a chip is that a tuning box is very limited in what it can manipulate. What a tuning box does (correct me if i'm wrong people) is it essentially "tricks" the ECU into thinking certain parameters (such as intake temp) are different from what they are, this in turn causes the car to dump in more fuel to make up for it. This does work but not very efficiently (your smoke goes way up, exhaust gas temps go up etc.). A chip, because your actually changing the ECU's programing can do many things a tuning box can't. For example, the chip may turn up the boost but also changes the fuel map, timing and other things to go along with it, so really, it's just doing what an ECU is designed to do, just more efficiently.

My knowledge literally scratches the surface of some people in here but I hope that kind of helps. Oh, and not sure how much the bully dog one is, but an Upsolute chip be be substantially cheaper also.

[vwsalesguy]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

Look into Diesel Power North America....

[Kor]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

Look into Diesel Power North America....

All these boxes do for diesels from what I can see is just max out the injectors pretty much. Thumbs-down to that idea.

[Tuna]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

All these boxes do for diesels from what I can see is just max out the injectors pretty much. Thumbs-down to that idea.

and cost nearly double.....

I don't really think they "Tune" a whole lot

[Gone Hunting]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

Gents,
That is why I ask here. BTW, on the other thread about loss of power. You guys were right. On Saturday, I finally had time to pull the intake manifold. I could barely get my finger in the small opening. Scraped out what I could. Soaked over night to no avail. Finally trial laquer thinner and that loosened most of it.

Last night, I passed a truck and trailer in 4th gear at 4200 RPM!!!!! I forgot that car is actually fun to drive.

Regarding the comment from the VW sales person, a less than positive response back. 3 times I called the parts department there trying to buys some parts. 3 times I never even got a return phone call. Doubt very much if I will try the 4th time. Like I tell the suppliers in my business, "All I am trying to do is spend money with you. Why does it have to be so difficult to find someone to take it?"

Will look into the Upsolute Solution.

Thanks again to all.

[Dieseltuning]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

Our modules are actually quite complex due to the fact that they intercept the data from the ecu to manipulate and fire the injectors at times which will give added power without affecting economy. These PD modules for the 2004-2006 VW Tdi's are more than a couple of resistors and diodes that trick various input signals to the ECU. The engineer was in Calgary and Vancouver 10 days ago and he set up a lab scope and plotted all the fuel injection maps from a running TDI He did this with a stock engine, a three wire PD module as well as the newest wireless PD system. The graph showed the injection pulse cycle and he was able to show and explain where he adds more injection pulses. It gave me a whole new appreciation of what he has developed. The latest development wireless PD is a simple install, has 16 levels of enhancement, carries a three year warranty and leaves no trace after removal. There are several members on this board who are using our systems, please feel free to chime in. Joe This is a time slip from Kent Raceways on a 2005 Jetta TDI 5 Speed with only the DieselPower Module I was left lane #4700 from the NHRDA National Hot Rod Diesel Association. Time slip[/IMG]

[Stonewall]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

The graph showed the injection pulse cycle and he was able to show and explain where he adds more injection pulses.

Ok but how did it adjust the boost map to compensate for the extra fuel? Yes I fully understand electronics and I can see how you can add extra injector pulses but what I can't see is how a plug in module can get enough info from enough sensors to properly match fuel and air for all rpm and load ranges.

[vwsalesguy]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

I will be happy to let any one who has doubts come for a rip in my jetta.....

[Gone Hunting]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

Gentlemen,
The thread is getting very interesting. Can anyone post dyno runs comparing the 2 systems? Timeslips let me more about the drivers skill than the effectiveness of the modifications. I could probably take that same car and lay down a clean 22 seconds! Unless I stopped for lunch at the 1/8 mile......

Thanks!

[vwsalesguy]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

Gentlemen,
The thread is getting very interesting. Can anyone post dyno runs comparing the 2 systems? Timeslips let me more about the drivers skill than the effectiveness of the modifications. I could probably take that same car and lay down a clean 22 seconds! Unless I stopped for lunch at the 1/8 mile......

Thanks!

2005 PD TDI Jetta

[Gone Hunting]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

Thank you sir,
I am a 2003 non-PD. Anything on that?

Anyone have a Upsolute dyno printout?

[vwsalesguy]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

Thank you sir,
I am a 2003 non-PD. Anything on that?

Anyone have a Upsolute dyno printout?

Go to www.dieseltuning.com

[Stonewall]

Re: Bully Dog Worth It?

I will be happy to let any one who has doubts come for a rip in my jetta.....

The power output means nothing to me, longevity and fuel economy does though. I am wondering how a plug in module controls things like boost pressure etc. I don't need dyno sheets or 1/4mile times, they are erelavent in the real world long term driveability.