KEM tuning

ohiostroker95 · Apr 12, 2015

I'm in need of new SCT dpf/egr tunes and i came across KEM. Was wondering how good their custom tunes are. Would like someone that has them or knows someone that does. Thank you!

ohiostroker95 · Apr 12, 2015

Also saw River City Diesel if anyone knows about them as well

Cfox17 · Apr 12, 2015

I have not ran either of these personally, but I have always read and heard great things about Innovative Diesel tunes and Gearhead tunes. They seem to be the two leaders of the pack.

I just got my truck tuned myself and I'm running a mini maxx with the hot damn tunes and I'm about to MCC unlock and get some Gearhead tunes myself.

fine69 · Apr 12, 2015

I have the special edition sd card tunes from KEM, my truck hates them! It doesn't shift well on any of their tunes, I've gone back to the canned H&S tunes until I can get some custom tunes from Gearhead.

sootie · Apr 15, 2015

Gearhead all the way...

patrickpsd · Apr 15, 2015

I have RCD and innovative tunes. Haven't don't much with the innovative but the RCD shifts nice and is very street able. Going to be doing some testing on a few dif tunes this weekend

patrickpsd · Apr 20, 2015

I didn't have any Kem tunes but here's what I came up with after some testing Saturday. I was looking for all out power for pulling. But as far as trans tunning goes there all decent. RCD is about the sofest shifting of all of them. Will be doing some more testing at the track soon to get 1/4 times from them

Tune testing today.....
Wanted to actually see for myself what tune is better with a side by side comparison of 5 tunes on the same day on the same dyno with the same setup changing nothing but the tune. Was sick of saying gearheads better or innovative is better without seeing any proof so $500 later I got satisfaction.

59/76.7 turbos and 60% nozzles

Super flow top of the line load cell dyno

Made at least 2 runs and each tune back to back and each time the graphs were damn near on top of each other. Dyno repeated very nicely.

I don't want any negative comments on how dynos aren't accurate you want to see track times. Its still a side by side of each tune. All engine. No trans or launch or driver variables.

First run was gear head 716/1398
Second was RCD 651/1329
Third was innovative 646/1223
Fourth was spartan 350 742/1497
Fifth was spartan 310 729/1537

Also did a run pulling 2 rear duals off dropping 320lbs in roaring mass. Did not make any diferance what so ever.

Have only run the RCD tune on the track. 9000lbs and a 12.925 at 102mph. So that's damn close to the numbers off the dyno

Pockets · Apr 20, 2015

Very nice man... that's really cool to see them right next to each other like you did it.

patrickpsd · Apr 20, 2015

Thanks. Ya I haven't seen anyone do it yet and I wanted to know for myself so finally just went and did it

08SUPERKING · Apr 20, 2015

Nice work...

Gearhead · Apr 20, 2015

patrickpsd said:
I didn't have any Kem tunes but here's what I came up with after some testing Saturday. I was looking for all out power for pulling. But as far as trans tunning goes there all decent. RCD is about the sofest shifting of all of them. Will be doing some more testing at the track soon to get 1/4 times from them

Tune testing today.....
Wanted to actually see for myself what tune is better with a side by side comparison of 5 tunes on the same day on the same dyno with the same setup changing nothing but the tune. Was sick of saying gearheads better or innovative is better without seeing any proof so $500 later I got satisfaction.

59/76.7 turbos and 60% nozzles

Super flow top of the line load cell dyno

Made at least 2 runs and each tune back to back and each time the graphs were damn near on top of each other. Dyno repeated very nicely.

I don't want any negative comments on how dynos aren't accurate you want to see track times. Its still a side by side of each tune. All engine. No trans or launch or driver variables.

First run was gear head 716/1398
Second was RCD 651/1329
Third was innovative 646/1223
Fourth was spartan 350 742/1497
Fifth was spartan 310 729/1537

Also did a run pulling 2 rear duals off dropping 320lbs in roaring mass. Did not make any diferance what so ever.

Have only run the RCD tune on the track. 9000lbs and a 12.925 at 102mph. So that's damn close to the numbers off the dyno

Was it downshifting on our tunes? I hate the fact that my tunes don't dyno well because you can't get full spool sometimes because the trans will try and downshift... I also keep the smoke control very tight so if the turbos aren't fully lit, you won't get full fuel.

patrickpsd · Apr 20, 2015

Gearhead said:
Was it downshifting on our tunes? I hate the fact that my tunes don't dyno well because you can't get full spool sometimes because the trans will try and downshift... I also keep the smoke control very tight so if the turbos aren't fully lit, you won't get full fuel.

No it didn't downshift. I can send you the graph and the data logging if you like. Not sure how to post pictures on here. It was boosting about the same on all tunes. 55ish psi. And you can at least say yours dynoed the best off all the "custom"_ tunes

ckrueg · Apr 20, 2015

Do you know the pulse width on each tune?

patrickpsd · Apr 20, 2015

ckrueg said:
Do you know the pulse width on each tune?

2296 gear head
1928 RCD
1952 innovative
2296 310
2000 350

ckrueg · Apr 20, 2015

That's interesting, makes sense the rcd and innovative are lower but odd how the 350 is lower pw than the other 2 yet made more power.

johnp115 · Apr 21, 2015

Gearhead said:
Was it downshifting on our tunes? I hate the fact that my tunes don't dyno well because you can't get full spool sometimes because the trans will try and downshift... I also keep the smoke control very tight so if the turbos aren't fully lit, you won't get full fuel.

Yeah my truck constantly dyno'd 30-40ish hp lower than track times would and be 8-14psi low on boost.

Great work though dyno-ing back to back. We need more of that in the diesel performance world. It is a tough task to do unfortunately though

patrickpsd · Apr 21, 2015

ckrueg said:
That's interesting, makes sense the rcd and innovative are lower but odd how the 350 is lower pw than the other 2 yet made more power.

Ya I agree but I'm sure there's more factors then just PW. I'm sure injector timing plays a factor. And some other variables

patrickpsd · Apr 21, 2015

johnp115 said:
Yeah my truck constantly dyno'd 30-40ish hp lower than track times would and be 8-14psi low on boost.

Great work though dyno-ing back to back. We need more of that in the diesel performance world. It is a tough task to do unfortunately though[/QUOTE

Ya I was surprised I haven't been able to find anyone who's done it. Kinds sucks spending money on different tunes just to test them. But at least now I know. And data logged everything in case these company's wanted to look at anything and try and improve on stuff. Would a liked to have something from Kem to.