Diesel "Tuning" in United State?

[Scotch]

(TL;DR) - are there any shops that perform 1HD-FTE diesel "tuning" in the US? (Not quite as crazy tuning as some of our aussie friends down under, but I know there are some simple performance enhancements at the margins that could be had by someone knowledgeable in the subject and a dyno. )

Greetings from a long time listener, first time caller.

My wife gives me a hard time that when I'm on an international trip I'm taking more pictures of the amazing non-us cruisers than us and the surroundings. Besides some obvious 70 series models, I'm simply thrilled to hear the constant purr of turbo diesels when I visit MX, central and south america.

After much searching I am in the process of importing a 2000 HDJ100, 5 speed, LHD, low kms. I'm planning on an EGR delete and likely 3" exhaust system to start. But I can't help but quickly stumble upon many an aussie website or youtube video where they add a unichip and intercooler with some great performance enhancements.

Is there anyone in the US doing this?

I'm sure there are plenty of aussie examples, but the direct swap intercooler and unichip from Dynomotive look to be efficient ways to increase performance. Again, I'm not looking for anything crazy to max out the engine, but just some performance enhancements and additional drivetrain insights with my new project.

I imagine @SNLC may be the one to know?

Thanks in advance,

Scotch

 

[OGBeno]

(TL;DR) - are there any shops that perform 1HD-FTE diesel "tuning" in the US? (Not quite as crazy tuning as some of our aussie friends down under, but I know there are some simple performance enhancements at the margins that could be had by someone knowledgeable in the subject and a dyno. )

Greetings from a long time listener, first time caller.
View attachment 3847165
My wife gives me a hard time that when I'm on an international trip I'm taking more pictures of the amazing non-us cruisers than us and the surroundings. Besides some obvious 70 series models, I'm simply thrilled to hear the constant purr of turbo diesels when I visit MX, central and south america.

After much searching I am in the process of importing a 2000 HDJ100, 5 speed, LHD, low kms. I'm planning on an EGR delete and likely 3" exhaust system to start. But I can't help but quickly stumble upon many an aussie website or youtube video where they add a unichip and intercooler with some great performance enhancements.

Is there anyone in the US doing this?

I'm sure there are plenty of aussie examples, but the direct swap intercooler and unichip from Dynomotive look to be efficient ways to increase performance. Again, I'm not looking for anything crazy to max out the engine, but just some performance enhancements and additional drivetrain insights with my new project.

I imagine @SNLC may be the one to know?

Thanks in advance,

Scotch

Ian would be the first person I would call. He's probably built more and installed more of these engines than any one in the US.

 

[gilmorneau]

Can't answer your question, but I recognize that yellow van.

 

[Jorgito]

Hi,

don't think that anybody in US can work with Unichip, same situation in Easter Europe actually. What I ( and others ) did was to buy pre-tuned Unichip. Preivously I had DTE pre-tuned by Gturbo but that chip is not good at all. I ended up buying the Unichip from HD automotive which is quite good kit.

Pre Tuned Landcruiser 1HD-FTE Unichip - HD Automotive

A Unichip is the first step to acquiring more power out of your 1HD-FTE HDJ100 HD79. We are able to program this chip to your exact specifications.

hdautomotive.com.au

It works in the way that you provide information about your mods ( turbo, intercooler, exhaust, injectors ) and HD Automotive will pre-tune the Unichip and send it to you.

Fuel injection is controlled by ECU so there is no chance of tuning other then piggy backing by some chip, there is nobody doing the remapping of the ECU itself, or I am not aware of it. You could potentially try to fit a manual boost controller to get slightly higher turbo flow, but without injection it doesn't make much sense. HD Automotive provides full control of both injection and also the turbo with electronic boost controller which is handled by the Unichip.

 

[Scotch]

Hi,

don't think that anybody in US can work with Unichip, same situation in Easter Europe actually. What I ( and others ) did was to buy pre-tuned Unichip. Preivously I had DTE pre-tuned by Gturbo but that chip is not good at all. I ended up buying the Unichip from HD automotive which is quite good kit.

Pre Tuned Landcruiser 1HD-FTE Unichip - HD Automotive

A Unichip is the first step to acquiring more power out of your 1HD-FTE HDJ100 HD79. We are able to program this chip to your exact specifications.

hdautomotive.com.au

It works in the way that you provide information about your mods ( turbo, intercooler, exhaust, injectors ) and HD Automotive will pre-tune the Unichip and send it to you.

Fuel injection is controlled by ECU so there is no chance of tuning other then piggy backing by some chip, there is nobody doing the remapping of the ECU itself, or I am not aware of it. You could potentially try to fit a manual boost controller to get slightly higher turbo flow, but without injection it doesn't make much sense. HD Automotive provides full control of both injection and also the turbo with electronic boost controller which is handled by the Unichip.

This is helpful, thank you

Have you been pleased with the pretuned unichip from HD?

 

[Jorgito]

This is helpful, thank you

Have you been pleased with the pretuned unichip from HD?

Yes, it is very good. But honestly looking back I would keep things simple. Adding the Unichip or DTE modules adds a failure point into the system. These engines are great without any modifications.

I have following:
* gturbo green wheel
* 3'' exhaust
* front mount PDI intercooler
* 4''snorchel
* PDI airbox
* Unichip HD Automotive with electronic boost controller

I could live without all, to be honest when touring I keep the Unichip on fuel save settings to save a bit on fuel

Regards,

Jorge

 

[Scotch]

Yes, it is very good. But honestly looking back I would keep things simple. Adding the Unichip or DTE modules adds a failure point into the system. These engines are great without any modifications.

I have following:
* gturbo green wheel
* 3'' exhaust
* front mount PDI intercooler
* 4''snorchel
* PDI airbox
* Unichip HD Automotive with electronic boost controller

I could live without all, to be honest when touring I keep the Unichip on fuel save settings to save a bit on fuel

Regards,

Jorge

that's helpful feedback

the EGR delete and 3" exhaust seem like no-brainers in that they aren't adding failures

I'm tempted by the direct swap intercooler, but not sure if it would make a noticeable difference.

 

[Dasher]

I just found this post, and I'm in the same boat now. In hindsight, I probably should have spent a lot more time on IH8mud before spending $$$ on upgrades for my HDJ100, but here we are. I have a 2000 HJJ100 from Europe. It was running okay, but it felt like it couldn't breathe and was very slow off the mark. Maybe I am too used to my LX470, but having grown up with these trucks in South Africa, I was more familiar with huge torque off the mark than with this. Anyway, I went and upgraded the turbo (Mambatek GTX2871R), Dynamotive 100mm intercooler, 3" downpipe, and 3" Outback exhaust. Also did the EGR delete. No chip. I just got the truck back, hoping to feel a difference, but it drives almost the same. Looking back, perhaps all I needed was a new muffler that was rusted through and a head gasket. Anyway, reading what you are saying about doing things differently and not going with the Unichip, which is what I am looking at now, made me jump on and write this to ask what options I have now? Leave it as is or add a chip?

 

[Dougal]

I just found this post, and I'm in the same boat now. In hindsight, I probably should have spent a lot more time on IH8mud before spending $$$ on upgrades for my HDJ100, but here we are. I have a 2000 HJJ100 from Europe. It was running okay, but it felt like it couldn't breathe and was very slow off the mark. Maybe I am too used to my LX470, but having grown up with these trucks in South Africa, I was more familiar with huge torque off the mark than with this. Anyway, I went and upgraded the turbo (Mambatek GTX2871R), Dynamotive 100mm intercooler, 3" downpipe, and 3" Outback exhaust. Also did the EGR delete. No chip. I just got the truck back, hoping to feel a difference, but it drives almost the same. Looking back, perhaps all I needed was a new muffler that was rusted through and a head gasket. Anyway, reading what you are saying about doing things differently and not going with the Unichip, which is what I am looking at now, made me jump on and write this to ask what options I have now? Leave it as is or add a chip?

A GTX2871R is going to be a high rpm turbo and not going to give the low rpm boost that diesels need. Probably not much different down low to stock. Maybe even worse. A better turbo is the answer.

 

[Dasher]

A GTX2871R is going to be a high rpm turbo and not going to give the low rpm boost that diesels need. Probably not much different down low to stock. Maybe even worse. A better turbo is the answer.

Thanks. I'm sticking with the turbo and going to get the pretuned Unichip from HD Automotive. Seems the only option to get rid of that dead spot on initial acceleration. I'm not looking for huge increases in power or torque but just enough to feel like this engine is alive when I get going.

 

[Dougal]

Thanks. I'm sticking with the turbo and going to get the pretuned Unichip from HD Automotive. Seems the only option to get rid of that dead spot on initial acceleration. I'm not looking for huge increases in power or torque but just enough to feel like this engine is alive when I get going.

The dead spot will be lack of boost. The only way to fill that is a more active turbo.

 

[Dasher]

I'm hoping the Unichip tuned correctly for my turbo will resolve this!

 

[Hulsty]

Being a 4spd, combined with the factory emissions tune they are always slow off the line. Turbo and a more fuel help.

 

[AirheadNut]

The dead spot will be lack of boost. The only way to fill that is a more active turbo.

This 100%. If your turbo doesn't make boost at low RPM there's nothing a new tune can do to give you more off the line. It will just over fuel and run hot until you get the engine spinning fast enough for the turbo to kick in. Your money will be far better spent getting a turbo that is suited to what you want out of the engine.