Choosing the best tuners for 6.7 Cummins is an important part of optimizing the performance of your truck. We all want to take the best care of our vehicles, and achieving this requires using quality tools.
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If there are quality mechanical parts, it’s far more likely that the build of the mechanism is of a higher standard. Poor quality parts will inevitably perform less effectively than they should. Therefore, to improve the performance of the truck is important to purchase the best tuners for 6.7 Cummins.
Best Tuners For 6.7 Cummins
Within each product review listed below, you’ll find the pros and cons, vehicle-based compatibility differences, and advantages of using one tuner over the other. Hopefully, this article helps to answer your questions and provides you with the information you need to make an informed decision.
Edge Products 84130 Insight Monitor
- Multiple gauge screen layouts
- Custom color mixer for gauge arcs, needles, and backgrounds
- EGT Pyrometer Probe sold separately
Smarty Touch Tuner 98.5+ Dodge/Ram Cummins
- Clears DTC's
- Reads Diagnostic Trouble
- Programmable Speed Limiter from 25 to 250 mph
Bully Dog 40420 GT Platinum
- Four tuning levels
- Performance, safety, and fuel economy all in one unit
MADS Smarty S-67 Programmer
- Ten different adjustable power levels up to 170+
- HP Adjustable transmissiont torque management settings
RaceME for the Dodge Cummins Diesel 6.7
- Improved fuel economy
- Optimized drivability
1. Edge Products 84130 Insight CTS2 Monitor – Best Cummins Tuner
A nice 2-in-1 product, you won’t have to put in double the effort to achieve the same task as you once did.
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The obvious benefits of saving both time and money by investing in one solid, multifunctional product (as opposed to an outdated, bulky set of 2-3 products) is incredibly appealing to the modern-day consumer. Most of us are used to bettering the quality of our lives with technology, from maintaining our social lives and public image to even easily ordering dinner. This new cultural wave of efficient multitasking has increased the quality of our everyday lives, and our driving adventures should be no different.
Features
I purchased this for my 2017 L5P Duramax and it has been an excellent addition to my truck. There are a lot of fantastic features about this, first and foremost there are several settings for the L5P Duramax, I believe there are five distinct egt readings, a boost gauge, turbo vane position (helps me control the exhaust brake manually), fuel pump psi, fuel rail pressure, coolant temperature (the factory gauge is a liar!), and the list goes on.
It also decodes codes, which has been beneficial to me because I’ve had some emissions system issues. Onstar isn’t much help when it comes to check engine lights, either. And it can also order a dpf regeneration; I adore this feature.
I was towing once on a long road trip and had gone 650 miles without regen before, so I knew it would arrive soon. Because I was only an hour from my destination, I thought I’d just command it while stopped to prevent it from starting and getting hot right before I was about to turn it off, ensuring that nothing would be inconvenient for me (keep driving message).
On the interstate, the truck heats up far less to do a regeneration and completes it in a fraction of the time. So it’s a win-win situation. I adore this gadget and feel it was well worth the money; I’d definitely suggest it to anybody who enjoys monitoring what their truck is doing, because it has really taught me a lot more about my vehicle and I enjoy it!!!
- High quality and reliable
- No real cons
2. Smarty Touch Tuner 98.5+ Dodge/Ram Cummins – Best Tuner For 6.7 Cummins
The set of gauges included answered all our hopes and prayers. Before, you would have to buy both the Smarty and a set of gauges, but now you can just buy one product.
You can now choose from 4 different gauge layouts you can choose from to monitor your vitals on your engine. The gauge brightness and auto-dimming make this stand out against other products. There are even customizable backgrounds that come with this tuner, with ECM training added and up to 100 added horsepower! The Smarty Touch Tuner, not only reason clears diagnostic trouble codes but gives you the ability to set audible alarms when your pyrometer gets too hot, or your field pressure gets too low.
Reaching this level of successful innovation wasn’t a simple production process; in fact, it took the company two years to produce the final tuner. After extensively thorough research and testing, they created this high-performing, meticulously-made product, which is only expected of a product from Smarty. Backlighting included! If you’re looking for emissions-friendly tuning, the Smarty Touch Tuner could be a great option for you.
Features
The addition of the Smarty Touch EGT probe could further enable you to access readings of your exhaust gas temperatures. Having the increased optionality of seeing more information can be helpful to the truck driver who’s willing to invest a little more for improved functionality. Adding the Smarty-touch specific EGT probe is completely optional. Assess your needs and purchase accordingly.
You will be happy with the increased horsepower as well as getting more fuel mileage. As for future plans, Smarty is currently working on adding several aux sensor inputs.
- Offers great optionality
- It’s pricey
- Poor customer service
- The product doesn’t come with instructions and is confusing to figure out
3. Bully Dog 40420 GT Platinum Tuner – Best Cummins Tuner
This tuner features switch-on-the-fly tuning as well as both diagnostics and monitoring to optimize the tuner’s performance.
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This tuner is also quite safe and has improved fuel economy to benefit your vehicle.
The driver is given the option of four different power levels that can handle just about any situation. From speeding over a highway to making 3-hour long trips, the tuner contains several ways to optimize your engine’s power, performance and all at the hands of the user, too.
Monitoring your tuner and engine has never been easier, and this tuner seems to be a huge hit with customers, too! Having all of these qualities in a single product is quite appealing to users who want the reliability of a multipurpose tuner, without the hassle of having to purchase multiple different parts and match the specifications of your truck. Just test this one tuner and you should be good to go!
If someone still prefers to have an ordinary working truck that gets the job, that’s perfectly fine. It depends on the individual driving the car.
- The setup itself is easy and takes under one hour
- Pre-loaded with dyno-proven tunes that add more power, torque and increase fuel economy
- Display critical vehicle data using the on-screen virtual gauges
- Also displays clear DTC’s (Diagnostic Trouble Codes)
- Appealing switch-on-the-fly power makes highway drive easy
- SCT Custom Tuning Support available
- Stores up to 10 custom tune files created by your local SCT
- Access to a custom Tuning Dealer
- Compatible with multiple manufacturers
- Works as described and adds significant power
- Is possible unexpected rebooting of the tuner
- If you purchased a post-2013+ Dodge Cummins, an unlock cable must be purchased for tuning (part# 42214)
- It Will require you to charge the battery because of your programming
- The monitor size is small and therefore difficult to view any shot content on
4. MADS Smarty S-67 Ram Programmer – Best Programmer For 6.7 Cummins
Despite having power levels similar to competing brands, when it comes down to drivability, the Smarty takes the lead.
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To explain how that could be possible, picture several engines with similar amounts of power. What’s different is the way they each retrieve that power. Functionality is what will ultimately execute on the power level of the device, and this is where the Smarty prevails.
Rather than a gradual increase in horsepower that requires a significant wait in order for the engine to reach its highest level of horsepower, the Smarty S-67 Ram Programmer takes a different approach. By using the opposite of the competitor’s slow and progressive curve, the speedy method for the Smarty to gain horsepower involves pulling the majority of that power in from the bottom and then carries it to the top using the power band. These two different methods of increasing horsepower can have a significant effect on the final driving experience.
Features
An impressive range of ten power levels makes it nearly impossible to ignore the Smarty programmer’s performance capacity. You can even get this powerful tuner to increase the fuel economy without the hassle of making a ton of adjustments. With the Smarty, you won’t have to make ANY modifications to increase the fuel economy of your vehicle.
Another stark difference between the Smarty and the other guy is how easily you can switch out the gear because you can pay less attention to the boost of power and focus more on a simple, speedy gear change. Easy, right? The impressive amount of optimizations given the minimal effort required to manage the Smarty tuner is what makes this product so ideal for anyone looking to save time in taking care of their car.
The high quality of the Smarty isn’t surprising giving the extensive research that went into perfecting this product. Through hours and hours of testing, they worked hard to increase the fuel economy. A change in one aspect of the tuner can easily mean other areas are affected. By increasing the fuel economy, the tailpipe emissions are reduced, which in turn reduces the number of regenerative cycles the vehicle is able to perform. Talk about a domino effect!
Outperforming previously mentioned tuners in the performance capacity, the power levels can lead to gains going all the way up to 170 horsepower. Not to forget the quick recalibration in one-tenth of an inch. Again, the easy-to-read code display will show codes in the Pxxxx format, making it incredibly simple to process. The Smarty shows that increasing functionality doesn’t mean sacrificing the user experience.
While the power levels range goes up to high levels, drivers are strongly advised not to use levels 8 or 9 if they are on high-speed runs. Prolonged use or any speeds that go beyond 105 mph are dangerous to the DPF, or Diesel Particulate Filter by causing high gas temperatures.
Additional Information
Separately, VGT adjustments or Variable Geometry Turbo adjustments are also accessible to the driver if they choose to dial in the feature. Sound complicated? Let us break it down. Each driver has a different driving style, and Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) adjustments allow the driver to make the switch over from the default settings to adjust the performance capacity of your turbo. Changes aren’t required but are nice to experiment with if you want to get full use out of your new tuner.
The four Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) adjustments are below:
- The first is stock, which will leave you with a pretty slow and laggy throttle.
- The second is a default, which will give you the perfect balance between MPG and responsiveness.
- The third is mileage, which doesn’t have as strong of responsiveness as 2 but is more effective mileage-wise. This is ideal if you are towing and moving around heavy equipment.
- The fourth is the most responsive, without posing an unwanted level of backpressure. You should be aware that with this one, the mileage may not be up to par as it would be with the other Variable Turbo Adjustment options. In fact, it is likely that mileage will be cut down with this option, so keep this in mind!
Nevertheless, any software updates for Smarty are completely free. What’s even cooler is that you can contact them and have them update your software for you to speed up the process. If you happen to live nearby, you can even bring your tuner in and receive the free software upgrade. You’ll even receive a free implementation and programming of your truck. Sounds pretty awesome and worth taking advantage of.
- The impressive range of ten power levels
- Easy to increase fuel economy without any adjustments
- Switching out gear is easy and speedy
- A high amount of optimizations considering the minimal effort required to manage them
- Prolonged use of speeds above 150 mph can cause high gas temperatures
5. RaceME for the Dodge Cummins Diesel 6.7 – Best Diesel Tuner For 6.7 Cummins
The ECM’s download time will range from 3.5 to 5 minutes, depending on the model of your truck. (If you’re not super familiar with this tuners thing, just know that time frame is an impressive one in this industry.)
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The updates of the ABS tire heights can be done in just a few seconds, increasing from 22.5″ to nearly twice as much at 44″. The tire height can be adjusted at a speed of 1/10th of an inch in just a few seconds.
Features
More detailed technicalities include the enabling of the cold weather 3 Cylinder High Idle within all of the software. Add to this the built-in USB ports for easy access to the internet for any required updates. This advanced technology is regarded as reliable and works using your 0EM hardware. The software is additionally preloaded with ME Race/Off-Highway software, making it all-encompassing for your driving experience.
Compared to the competition, the RaceMe engine takes the lead as the fastest engine on the market. You can expect the RaceMe to load in just a few minutes, which beats other options by a landslide. As if the product wasn’t impressive enough, the DTC Code reader will allow you to both read and erase codes. You can easily interpret the codes given that they are written in layman’s terms. While ABS codes are also erasable, they are not displayable using the RaceMe engine.
Overall, the pros of the RaceMe engine are that it’s simple to use, has high-quality performance, and isn’t heavy as you’d expect an engine to be. There are no downsides to using this engine.
- Offers three times speedier downloads than its competitors
- ECM’s download time will range from 3.5 to 5 minutes, which is quick
- The updates of the ABS tire heights take a few seconds, increasing from 22.5″ to nearly twice as much at 44″
- The tire height can be adjusted at a speed of 1/10th of an inch in just a few seconds
- Will need to be locked to the vehicle by a VIN# to access ABS adjustment options.
Best Tuner For 6.7 Cummins – Buyer’s Guide
The tedious days of only being able to buy an EFI Live Autocal or purchase a tool that will let you manually unlock your ECM by removing it are long gone. Add to that having to also own an Insight CTS2 and it’s enough to overwhelm anyone; it’s simply too many products that you have to buy!
Did you know that the 6.7L Cummins Diesel is now the world’s most powerful engine incorporated into the build of a Dodge Ram? While it’s regarded as a very reliable engine, the mass production of the Cummins engine means sacrificing on some parameters that could optimize the truck’s utility for the driver. That’s where tuning comes in.
What is tuning anyway?
The word “tune” is defined as the following: to adjust a device mechanically for precise functioning. Using quality tools is critical to the performance of your vehicle, so it’s a good idea to go with a more reputable brand like Cummins.
Tuning your Dodge Cummins has a lot more options now than it has in the past. The ability to evaluate the status of your engine in real-time is incredibly exciting and fits into our tech-enabled modern world. Keep in mind that a tuner isn’t 100% necessary, it just adds value almost similar to an accessory. In the same way a hot tub is exciting to have, but not entirely necessary to clean your body or shower, tuners are not vital to getting your car to work properly.
If you’re still set on purchasing a tuner, with advancements in the market, you’ll be in good hands. It is important to point out that not every accessory listed will be compatible with every model of Cummins trucks. The driver must do their due diligence before purchasing. Tuning your truck will immediately affect mileage or power.
What is Cummins?
You’ll notice the name “Cummins” appearing a lot throughout the article. What’s Cummins? A bit of quick background on the brand: Cummins Inc. does everything from design, manufacture, and service diesel fuel engines (though alternatives are available, too) from 2.8 to 95 liters. According to the company, diesel and alternatively-fueled electrical devices are set from 2.5 to 3,500 kW. The company has thousands of dealers nationwide and covers over 190 countries and regions around the globe.
Also, not every product listed below is manufactured by Cummins. Cummins is simply a commonly-used brand within the automobile industry and is therefore known to be reliable. The first product is actually from another company called Edge Products Inc.
Precautions to Consider
Cummins trucks have been tested by many people who have already shared their experience of their performance and calibration. It’s not common to experience many problems when using a Cummins engine, so the risk with these tuner investments shouldn’t worry you.
That being said, by adding horsepower to your engine that exceeds a certain point from a manufacturing standpoint, you must manage your expectations accordingly. Keep in mind the domino effect that can occur when tuning your engine. The 6.7 Cummins is a very durable engine, but if you’re planning on adding horsepower that exceeds the 120 level, you should consider additionally adding head studs for added insurance.
You don’t want a blown head gasket, so these precautions can help smoothen the transition you make to your engine. Modifying your truck should enable you to enjoy your truck even more, and it would be awful to see something break because perhaps you got too excited about the new tuning features. No one wants a costly repair bill, so do the research beforehand to get the best bang for your buck the first time around.
If you stay under 120 horsepower, you won’t have much to worry about besides a blown head gasket. If you really want to run some high horsepower tunes, consider getting a valve body swap. There are a lot of factors to take into consideration when caring for the safety of your vehicle. The tires, gear ratio, and weight behind the truck can put a lot of strain on the transmission if you’re doing it frequently. The larger your tires, the more you should consider running the lower horsepower tunes, preferably 30 or 60.
Conclusion
Just to analyze the 5 products one more time, this time in relation to each other, here’s an assessment of potential risks with each tuner:
The Insight Edge Products 84130 Monitor is the #1 gauge monitor on the market and is commonly used by the majority of the population. Its state-of-the-art display is better suited for the modern driver than analog gauges that are not only costly (up to hundreds of dollars) and time-consuming to install, they are also tangibly large and take up too much space.
Using a performance programmer like a Smarty, even with the lower settings, you can add further gains in power as well as fuel economy. Be conscious of whether you’re pressing the even or odd numbers, as there is a distinct difference between the two.
If you’re looking for the lowest EGT’s in the industry, a great option for you could be the RaceME Tuner. The improved fuel economy is also a plus, in addition to internet-enabled updates. You won’t need any tools either for installation, so this is a simple tuner to use for your engine.
For the thrill-seekers who want to add lots of horsepowers, the ten power options that come with the MADS Smarty S-67 Programmer 07-09 could be an appropriate investment. It all comes down to managing your needs and not neglecting to consider the model of your truck. With this option, you can also keep the footprint untraceable so the dealer won’t be able to see it.
Last, but not least, the Bully Dog 40420 GT Platinum Tuner provides on-the-fly switch tuning and assessing (monitors and diagnostics) to manage performance, safety, and fuel economy in many environments. Each tuner has its benefits and based on compatibility with your truck, advantages that can enhance your driving experience. It appears that the number one product on our list, the Edge Products 84130 Insight Monitor is the most popular, all-encompassing monitor (that’s up to date). Many people get used to its multi-gauge display/touch-screen. The aesthetic qualities of the best tuner for 6.7 Cummins are still an important part of the customer’s experience and this is the top recommendation in terms of both functionality and appearance. Happy deciding!
The Edge Products 84130 Insight CTS2 Monitor is just great and best tuner for 6.7 Cummins for me. Like you said, I can’t notice any flaws or cons yet but I’ve only been using it for a week so we’ll see. But at the moment it does a great job.
I like the quality level of the Insight CTS2 monitor from Edge. I mean, you really get what you’re paying for. The monitor feels great, does it’s job well and the cables and other accessories are made of good materials as well. As for me, it’s the best tuner for 6.7 Cummins!
The Smarty Touch Tuner is probably among the best tuners for 6.7 Cummins (if not the very best one). Now that this has a monitor, I can’t see myself using anything else. Is it pricey? Yes, it is. I didn’t find it confusing to figure out, maybe that’s me. And I didn’t need to use customer service so I don’t know if it’s good or not. I bought it because I know it is good. The version without a monitor is very nice (I saw it in action) but when I heard there’s a monitor now, I had to get it.
You said the RaceMe is the best diesel tuner for 6.7 Cummins and I agree. This and Smarty are the best tuners for 6.7 Cummins. When I saw it is 3 times speedier than anyone else, I knew I needed to get it. Tire height adjustments are done super fast and ECM’s download is done within 4 or 5 minutes max. Yeah, you do need to lock it to the vehicle by a VIN# to access ABS adjustment options, but that’s not so bad. Well worth the money I paid for it.
I also think the VIN# is not that big of a deal considering the benefits this has. The price is reasonable if you ask me. I mean, 3 times speedier than anything else means a lot to me and makes it worth it.
I own a 2013 Ram that’s been deleted and lifted. I pull a 28’ trailer daily. My main concern is to better my gas mileage. Which one do you recommend?
Thank you,
Travis
There are a lot of tuners on the market for the 6.7 Cummins, but finding the best one for your needs can be tricky. If you’re looking for a tuner that will improve your gas mileage, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
First, you need to decide whether you want a programmer or a module. A programmer plugs into your truck and allows you to make changes to your engine’s computer. A module, on the other hand, replaces some of the components in your truck’s computer and makes changes itself.
Second, you need to figure out which features you want in a tuner. Some tuners simply change the way your engine runs, while others also offer features like monitoring and diagnostics.
And finally, you need to decide how much you’re willing to spend on a tuner. They range in price from around $200 to over $1000, so it’s important to find one that fits your budget.
With all that in mind, here are our picks for the best tuners for the 6.7 Cummins.