I have a 2002 Dodge Durango RT that I would like to use as a project vehicle as soon as its no longer my daily driver (a year or so). It's got a 5.9L 360 magnum engine and I'll probably keep that setup but maybe just use a race block. I have my heart pretty set on doing a twin turbo build from scratch (not any of the two kits I've seen) and I'm not really interested in the supercharger kits either. It will be primarily a fair weather daily driver but will also see time at the local drag strip. Anyway my question is how do I go about tuning it so that it passes state inspection. Here in NH we don't have smog tests but the vehicle does have to be plugged into the ODB and come back free of trouble codes. I found a guy with the same vehicle running a supercharger with an Accel DFI Gen 7 stand-alone but all attempts to contact the guy have failed. Even worse the guys on another forum said the vehicle blew the engine. I just don't know whether it was built halfassed or bad tuning. I've also heard that SCT was an option but I'm not sure if it could handle a setup this complex since it utilizes the factory ecm. Plus I've heard of a few cases where guys have fried their ecm on the dyno.

So what are my options? SCT, Accel, FAST, etc. Just remember that it needs to pass inspection with no trouble codes. (I don't "know a guy" that can hook me up).
Even any info about any system will help at this point. I plan on talking with my local tuning shop but I want to go there with options since I doubt they have done this particular setup before.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

Where do you live? Local emissions inspection regs affect this more than any other single paramter. Here in NC 1996 and newer is OBD inspection only. This generally means the factory ECU must be left in place.

 

Yeah that's how it goes here in NH. but I thought that because the Accel had its own diagnostics that it would work. Like I said I don't know anything about tuning. But I did receive a reply from my local tuning shop that said if it is possible the answer is with SCT. I did some research on it but I guess it's back to the forums to ask more questions. Its frustrating not being able to get definite answers and I don't want to give up or settle for a lesser engine build but I also can't justify building a 15,000+ dollar engine just to find out in the end that I can't drive it on the road because I can't get a sticker.

So anyone using SCT on a 1996 or newer street driven vehicle that is turbocharged now but wasn't from the factory and was never offered that way?

 

You can do a piggyback/parallel with Megasquirt. I haven't done it, but I was thinking about boosting my 04' Grand Cherokee. Here in NY we have to plug in 96' and new cars for inspection as well.

http://www.diyautotune.com/tech_articles/installing_megasquirt_in_parallel.htm

Jess

 

Seeing as that you're a senior member you may know more about this than me but just make sure you do alot of research before pulling the trigger especially with the megasquirt. It may work for that application since its a very common platform that people modify. I looked into it and couldn't find a single person who used it on their Durango/ Dakota especially with mods like what I'm planning. Believe me I could have the entire short block done by now with all premium parts if I could just find a definite answer and as frustrating as all this research and e-mailing everyone who could know is I can't justify spending 15k+ on the engine assembly alone to find out in the end that I can't pass inspection because of a check engine light that I can't get rid of.

 

The MS computer does not care who made the motor, it just needs certain information(sensors) to do what it needs to. How about trying the parallel/piggyback MS deal and see if you can make changes to your truck without it throwing CIL's? Then you would just have spent a few hundred dollars, which you could recoup by selling it if it won't work for you.

Jess