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In the past four years, the landscape of the diesel tuning industry has undergone significant changes. Regulatory bodies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, are closely monitoring both major engine manufacturers like Cummins and smaller tuning shops. While reputable aftermarket businesses are prioritizing compliance, truck owners are still seeking the enhanced performance, fuel efficiency, and simplified mechanics that often accompany emissions modifications—and they are increasingly willing to take risks and pay almost anyone who can meet their needs.
Locating a company capable of eliminating the exhaust gas recirculation system or diesel particulate filter from engines, such as Cummins, Duramax, or Power Stroke, in newer trucks is now more challenging than before, albeit not impossible. While most prominent diesel tuners in the United States were offering EGR and DPF delete services during the 2010s, the penalties they have incurred have forced customers to seek solutions internationally. Countries like Canada, which have more lenient regulations regarding these modifications, become viable options, sometimes just a few clicks away.
This trend also applies to both software and hardware elements. Tuning resources can be found abundantly online, albeit with varying degrees of legitimacy and origin, with some downloads originating from countries like China or Russia rather than North America. Procuring the necessary hardware, on the other hand, can pose more of a challenge, though a growing supply of components like EGR block-off plates and DPF replacement pipes are now being sourced from north of the US border. These parts are even compatible with the newest vehicle models, such as the 2023+ Ford Super Duty.
I’m not naming this company for obvious reasons, but here’s one example. Notice the strange AI images—there are very few actual product photos on the site. Also, they mention EZ Lynk, a tuner manufacturer that was sued by the US government in 2021.
Nevertheless, acquiring these components does not guarantee immunity for truck owners. Kory Willis, the owner and primary calibrator at PPEI, shared insights on the prevalent challenges faced by his company in tuning these vehicles daily. He frequently encounters compromised files circulating online, often leading to operational issues within a customer’s truck due to the dubious sources of such tunes.
“We come across tampered files or purchases made from individuals in Canada routinely,” Willis highlighted. “Interestingly, customers may think they are acquiring distinct tune files from three or four Canadian companies, only to discover that they are identical upon inspection.”
Willis cited the example of a 10×10 fuel map where precise values should vary uniquely across different tunes. However, he observed a concerning trend where multiple tunes obtained from various sources, including a Russian website, contained identical data points down to the decimal level.
Online repositories offer extensive tune file collections, some boasting over 10,000 tunes. Yet, many of these tunes lack originality and are merely relabelled versions. Allegedly, numerous shops invest in these libraries, valued at $5,000, to reinstall them in customer vehicles for a fee of $1,000 each, often resulting in a swift return on investment. Willis noted that many of these vehicles end up back at PPEI for repairs.
The proliferation of such files in the marketplace heightens the risks, as they can be circulated and resold by anyone claiming them as their own.own. Hang around diesel truck Facebook groups and you’ll encounter individuals using secret phrases like “weight loss” or “diet plans” instead of directly discussing deletes—yes, indeed. The initial poster is usually inquiring about the whereabouts to procure a delete for their truck, receiving responses that simply state “DM me.” Surprisingly, it’s not uncommon for these to be teenagers who acquired a delete tune inexpensively and are selling it for $150 since they didn’t put in any effort to create it themselves.
“They will dispatch the file and quite often, it fails, which is advantageous for us as it prompts us to diagnose them,” Willis mentioned. “However, when it malfunctions, you’re essentially out of luck.”
“When you witness an 18-year-old adolescent begin promoting on forums that they’re a tuner and they provide offerings for every model imaginable, that young individual hasn’t existed long enough to cultivate the expertise to even manage that,” Willis continued. “Thus, the first thing I’m going to inquire is, ‘Did they plagiarize from me?’ So I will scrutinize the software, and in most cases, it is not [mine]. They accumulate a plethora of tuning files from somewhere, it’s a plethora of useless files, and we are unconcerned as they will self-implode eventually.”
In conclusion, Willis describes the delete tuning scenario in the United States as “essentially a game of whack-a-mole.” Those seeking tunes and equipment will locate them, although without any assurances. Numerous diesel truck proprietors are content with taking that gamble, and moreover, it proves effective for some individuals. Nevertheless, it demonstrates that despite substantial federal repercussions against tuners, individuals are still devising methods to achieve their desires.
Have a suggestion or inquiry for the writer? Reach out to them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
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