Turn it Up

[Mastercraft]

Has anyone had a Volvo "turned up" ? What were the results and how much did the Dealer charge, was it worth it? I talked to the Volvo dealer in Cheyenne while on the road....the service guy obviously didn't want to do it since he said it would take about 6 hrs and said there are a lot of parameters to change.

 

Seems like it would be best to use a dealer who has a tech who is familiar with the process.

 

Also, it would seem that if I turned it up to say 600/2250, it wouldn't use any more fuel than it does now, if I didn't go any faster on the 6-7% mountain grades....or am I wrong?

 

At $2.15 a gallon for 100% diesel (no Bio), maybe I don't care if I uses a little more

 

thanks

Rich

 

[spindrift]

I suspect you really don't need the power. So, how much do you wanna' pay to play?

[MrSeas]

Here might be something that could help you out...

http://www.otrperformance.com/d12-d16-hp-volvo-performance-programmer

[Exile]

If they turn it up, you shouldn't be using those extra hp unless your foot is on the floor. If your foot isn't all the way down now, more hp shouldn't make a difference. Maybe they can change the torque/rpm setup, that might make a difference.

 

Fuel consumption wont change unless you use more throttle than you are now. Same injectors, same pistons and turbo. Only less safety factor for bearings, rods, valves, head bolts, temperatures, turbo rpm, driveline, etc.

 

I would be leary of running up a hill with my foot flat on the floor, but i guess if the hill is long enough, i might do it.

[SIBERNUT]

Check your engine SNO. Some engines can't be turned up past a certain point w/o changes in internals, etc like my N14

[Phil D]

Based on what I've read over the years about the D16, I think that as far as the engine internals are concerned, they're all capable of producing the maximum factory output. The reason that you never see the higher settings, like the 600/2250 that you mentioned, in the VNL models is that there isn't enough room under the VNL hood for the larger cooling stack required to support the higher power output. That's why the "big power" settings were only available in the VT models.

[Jack Mayer]

Phil is right (as usual ). It is primarily a cooling issue. We have the same truck, Rich....or real close, anyway. I'm not sure WHY I'd need more power. I'm at 53K+ lbs now and have mine turned down to "only" 515 hp (it was factory delivered at 535hp). I have plenty of power, although the truck "can" work on the steepest grades in the Rockies.

[Randyretired]

Another concern is the drive train. Is the clutch, transmission,drive shafts and so on designed for the extra power and cooled if necessary? My ISX is set at 500hp but a little more might be fun but it isn't worth it to me. I haven't weighed our rig lately but we are probably around 50,000 pounds.

[G&K]

Cooling is the issue, but it's mostly an extreme climate problem. If you are in moderate climate you can boot it up that hill just fine.

 

Again, it's the difference between severe commercial service and hauling an RV around.

[Mastercraft]

I realize I don't know what a Kansas flat road is like as all our adventures are running up and down the western slope.

The only time I get pulled down from my normal 62 mph (conditions permitting) is on the 7% grades. We are 51K.... 10K, 26K and 15K. Just did Wolf Creek pass from the east (it had just snowed a bit). On the way up the truck would hold 45 mph or so, driving per the $$ instructions from the dash display. The way down was nothing like the white knuckle ride some have described it as. I never did use the service brakes, even approaching the one "switchback" with a 25 mph advisory.

 

On I70 going east, there was never a power issue up to the tunnel, mostly because of the winding road and construction.

 

I suppose if I hit Performance mode and held my foot on the floor it would go a little faster but it would really like fuel.

 

I am hearing I should sit back and enjoy the ride where I'm at. Good advice.

 

thanks

Rich

[G&K]

The smart money is definitely on "leave it alone". I could use the extra power less than one percent of the time so it's a pretty expensive luxury.

 

But it sure would be fun!!

[Jack Mayer]

The smart money is definitely on "leave it alone". I could use the extra power less than one percent of the time so it's a pretty expensive luxury.

 

But it sure would be fun!!

For sure I'd leave it alone....you are not exactly "underpowered". But, like George I "feel" it would be nice to have 700hp and comparable torque. But I'd want tandems if I was doing that. George planned ahead and already has them

[G&K]

Lol!

 

That Euro D-16 with 750hp has 3550 NM of torque. That translates to something on the wild side of 2600 lb/ft. Bring it on!!

[G&K]

I read something that suggested the Euro 6 engines used SCR (def) but without our huge EGR percentage. And it sounds like their exhausts are very clean while the trucks have more available power, better fuel mileage and spend less time in the shop.

 

Hmmmm.

[peety3]

The D-16 is a (roughly) 16-liter engine, just as the D-13 is a (roughly) 13-liter engine. Same for the other manufacturers. In most cases, the auxiliary components for any given displacement are all the same, but the engine computer limits the torque where appropriate, and perhaps the horsepower (it's probably more a cap secondary to the torque limit), as many of the classic stick-shift transmissions are "pay to play" (aka you have to pay to get beefier components to handle the torque potential). There's probably also a warranty component to it, from the engine's perspective: they know the odds of component X failing at 1650 vs 1850 vs 2050 etc., so they lower the price point to match those expectations. Once the warranty is up, they don't really care how hard you run it, so they're presumably willing to bump it up on request. The Volvo I-shift is only sold in configurations that are ready for the max torque rating of the Volvo engine it's behind, so that gives the dealers a lot of leeway to change it.

 

My '01 Ford Excursion had a performance chip on it for a while. The connection would get flaky, and cause the truck to stall, so after enough rounds of the six-month stall cycle, I finally ditched it and went back to stock. Whenever I'd complain about the chip getting flaky, my wife would wonder why I bothered with it. Then one weekend, she drove it for a bit in Houston, and I had to floor it and beg it to accelerate onto the highway, and my wife said, "this weekend showed me why you liked that chip"...it truly woke up the truck. I suspect it's more of a change than what you'd get from just a factory HP/torque increase, but I do intend to have my future HDT turned up as far as they'll allow.

[G&K]

You make a lot of sense. I was wondering about sodium-filled valves, or improved turbo metallurgy to allow higher EGTs?

 

I'm pretty sure my current tune doesn't allow the full 535/1850 in the lower gears, based on pyro and boost pressure indications on long steep climbs.

 

I understand the logic behind increased hp/torque but have little knowledge of the specific trade offs.

[Mastercraft]

I have heard that these HP numbers are only good in the top 4 or 5 gears.....to keep from twisting the truck frame so the side mirrors scrape the ground.

 

I don't get these Scania, Euro Volvo numbers. What good is it to have 750 HP, at least in Germany, trucks can not use any lane except the right, no passing for any reason, and they are all governed to 61 mph. Also, are there any hills in Germany?

 

Maybe those are some special bread of miniature Euro horses

 

I would love to have one of those Scania cab overs though

[G&K]

Most of those trucks, most of the time are governed to 80kph, or 50mph.

 

But there is relatively little flat terrain and weights can be much heavier, either 88000lbs or 97000lbs.

 

So more hp equals shorter dock to dock. The heavier you are the more difference.

 

Try the alps or the appenines with a heavy load, or even London to Aberdeen.