Smarty UDC Initial Impressions

I have had the pleasure of beta testing UDC for the last two weeks.

I run a Smarty Jr, and UDC allows me to adjust timing/duration/wastegate/torque management. I really have only modified timing and torque management, I touched a few cells in duration but nothing to write home about. My goal is to build a tow tune, as that's mainly what I use the truck for. The things I want out of UDC are...

1) Light throttle/torque for the first 10-20% of TPS for towing and driving on snow/ice/dirt roads. This will improve traction and make my tires last longer. Then bring it slightly above stock for 20-60%, and a bit more aggressive from 60% up.

2) Decreased EGT's while partial throttle accelerating.

3) Better EGT's while in the 50-80% load range while towing.

4) Better power/torque in the 1800-1999 range (i.e. eliminate the massive power increase at 2000 rpms)

5) Less smoke output while empty and light throttle (towing isn't an issue as the load keeps the airflow higher)


As far as the tuning goes, it couldn't be easier. It's very well broken down by rpm and load %age. I have had an OBDII gauge for as long as I have had my truck so I have been watching load and know what driving uses what load, which does help with the tuning. But for the most part normal 1500-2200 rpm acceleration starts at 30% and lowers to high teens, passing is 40-60%, and towing flat is 30-50% with hills 40-100%. Load drops as rpms increase for a given throttle position.

I took the OEM rocky mountain looking timing MAP and smoothed it out. I knew about what I wanted to run at idle and what I wanted my max timing to be at a given rpm and worked backwords from there. I would say I have about 3 hours into the timing MAP alone.

So I am currently on my 4th revision to get loaded in the truck. So far I have done everything I wanted to with the truck. I am down to minor tweaks for throttle response and minor, very minor, smoke. My truck seems quieter, and responds better.

I have about 50 miles of empty driving, and 75 miles of towing on it so far. The empty includes rural/city/fwy, and the towing includes city/FS roads/grades.

I towed the exact same route 2 weeks before I got UDC, I was running the Jr on SW3 TM2 TQ3. With the cruise set at 2200 rpms I was about 50-100° cooler and running a lower load %age with UDC. I normally ran 1050° and didn't even break 1000° with UDC. On the way home I went WOT in 5th gear, 2200rpms, 15-15.5K GCW, up a 8-9% grade. I ran from 2200-2700 rpms. Boost peaked at 32 (same) and EGT's peaked at 1210° (down about 50°) with a much slower climb and the truck felt stronger.

Around town I was able to reduce my between shift puff of smoke, and make the truck more responsive. It also appears that my fuel economy will improve, but it's too early to say for sure. Same thing on the freeway, cruise EGT's are down, boost is down, economy appears to be up, and passing power has increased a little. I used to run about 19-22% load at 65 and have been running 11-13% with my timing in UDC. Lower load means the motor isn't working as hard, which means better economy.

When I swapped out the stock turbo my trucks new favorite EGT was 1000°, it's what it liked for moderate acceleration, hills when empty, etc. It took a bit of work to get above 1050°, but it did like 1000°. With UDC the new magic number appears to be about 850°, and I have to work it pretty good to get to 1050°.

The beauty of UDC is that you can tweak the tune for your specific mods/use/truck. The OEM variance in the motor and sensors are a big factor in why the tunes come from Marco the way they do, and now we get to tune around that. The base tune is all done, it's just the finishing touches that you get to apply.

My next goal is to reintegrate the wastegate. Right now my OEM solenoid is on the work bench, but it will be getting reinstalled and the WG on the turbo will be getting weakened to open at about 20-22 psi and I will control boost with UDC and the OEM solenoid.

As far as my truck, I have the following mods that may effect airflow/power and what I can run for timing in regards to rattle/smoke.

Home Depot Cold Air Intake
OEM 4" Air Filter
AirAid MIT
Garrett Stage 2 GT3782R Turbo
Colt Cams 175/206 Stage 1 Cam
ATS 2 piece exhaust manifold
Turbo Performance manifold/turbine blankets
GDP Power Flow Intake Horn
GDP Air Boss w/ Grid Heater Delete

When I swapped turbo's my faint CR timing rattle disappeared, and even with a more advanced low end timing on UDC I don't have any, and it's quieter than stock.

All in all it's a great product and many will benefit from it once it's available.

Here are some pics.

OEM timing.



OEM duration



OEM rail pressure (not adjustable on the SJR)



OEM wastegate



One of my favorite features of UDC is the ability to compare and overlay two tunes.

Seems like a perfect step in the right direction from mads. It'll be a promising product to compete with efilive. The more options out there the better.

Nice work!! Now, I am even more excited for UDC!!

black03cummins said:

Nice work!! Now, I am even more excited for UDC!!

Click to expand...

UDC is sweet, but I want some whipped cream!!!

10-4 on the wipped cream.


Glad to see a visual on the software. I like maps.

Outstanding work!!

Marco / Bob picked a grest Beta guy with you.

very cool!!

Thanks for taking the time to post this.

Now the next step is to head to Motor Mayhem and dyno the Smarty Jr tune versus your UDC optimized tune!

Can you download the UDC tune via laptop to your truck or do you have to use the Smarty box?

I may dyno next week, just not sure yet. I will dyno it soon enough thou.

You download the tune to the Smarty, then to the truck. Writing it to the Smarty takes seconds, and the write time to the truck is the normal ~5 min.

AH64ID said:

UDC is sweet, but I want some whipped cream!!!

Click to expand...

Me TOO!

I might have to get in touch with you when UDC comes out for the S06. Thanks again for the great post!!!

While I did a valve adjust today I also put the WG solenoid (command valve) back in the truck. The Stage 2 Garrett is setup like the OEM compressor housing.

I then dropped the WG from the 38 psi I had it set at to about 24 psi. I went for a drive with the solenoid disconnected (allows airflow without power applied) and sure enough WOT 24 psi was all I could build, and it certainly isn't enough air based on the EGT's and smoke.

I stopped and plugged the solenoid in and went for another drive. I have the UDC set at 35 psi, but was only able to make 28-29 psi (down from the 30-32 I was making). Looking at the DP gauge the WG was working. I wasn't sure if it was UDC or DP opening the WG so I loaded up the SJR SW3, which disables the gate, and it still only built 28-29 psi, with the same indications on the DP gauge that the WG was opening.

So I am thinking that DP is blowing the WG open, which sucks becuase I want to use UDC to dial in the WG, not cranking the crap out of the WG rod. When I installed the turbo I had to crank the rod almost all the way down to even get to 30 psi. I think I finally got to where the WG wasn't opening, and 32 was all the fuel I had but now I am back to wondering.

I am pretty surprised that the DP is opening the WG, the WG feels a lot stiffer than my OEM WG, and it would hold until about 55-60 psi of DP before opening, this one isn't making it past 40.

Any thoughts? Put a few more turns on the rod?

Tie the rod shut and go test again. Could be a boost leak.

All I changed was the valve lash, rod length, and command valve. I was able to pull normal boost yesterday.

what WG actuator are you using now? I just went through testing my OE WG @ different turns on the rod..

I am using the Garrett supplied actuator. It's supposed to be about 3psi per turn, but mine wasn't even 1 psi per turn last year.

I set my OE WG to open with DP only and had better ratios for DP and Boost.. I unhooked the tubing from the compressor and adjusted the WG rod to the pressure I wanted it to crack open, keeping in mind where it would be at its max open limit.. I would take video of DP, Primary charger and overall boost gauges and then pause play back every 2lbs. on the primary.. I have a pressure ratio spread sheet to record the data and make charts if ya want a copy email me..

I know you want to use the UDC though..

DP would be my second choice for controlling boost, a standard WG just seems like outdated technology.

I just went out and shortened the rod 2 turn's, we'll see what it does tomorrow.

I have thought all along that my WG was weak, but really no way to tell. I thought I would hit more boost than 32, but the Garrett Boost adviser and my EGT's beg to differ... I mean I am just over 400 rwhp and on a WOT run in 6th today I didn't break 1250° at 29 psi, I ran until about 2700 rpms.

Example of the Ratio Spreadsheet.. I know ya don't have Compounds but you can put your DP, Boost and the other data in there.. You can really see whats going on with the WG and then dial it in.. I use it to dial in my tunes also..

I don't know maybe UDC can log all that for ya.. Just offering if ya want it..

EDITED: Just and FYI, I'm using "AFE's new WG Actuator, which has a much heavier spring (40lbs.).. It has really improved the performance of my compounds and how the WG works.. I adjusted it to the optimum performance using the chart/spreadsheet..




Chart tells the real story

So in driving around today I was able to pull 29.5 psi of boost, and the DP was about the same, but not fluttering. The DP may have been lower, but don't get that!

Anyhow, I did notice that my slow speed boost is up a little, I wonder if the valve adjust effected the low and top end boost?

I am going to crank the WG all the way down and go for a run tomorrow.

I am also working on tune #8 in UDC. I am messing with my low load timing, i.e. cruise, trying to get as much fuel mileage as possible out of it, and kill a little bit of mod accel haze that showed up with the heat.

Another teaser shot of the timing map.