New 2016 R171 Owner

Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic

   New Podder. Looking foreword to helping other podder's as you all have helped me make the decision to join the fold.
Had a harrowing journey picking up the pod in the winter. Almost wiped out in freezing fog trying to cross the mountain range on the way up to OHIO (Jeff Couch's RV Nation) and fog so thick I could barley see on the way back over the same mountain.
Pulling with a 2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport. The Jeep had to work for it crossing the series of 7% grades on my way back home. I am most likely going to add the the K&N air box mod to get the puny V6 to breath better, and perhaps a cheater chip to push the limits of timing and gear shifting. There goes the warranty!
Glad I went with the E2 hitch for the weight distribution and sway control. Not once did I feel that I had control issues. I have one of those fancy inertia brake controllers that seem to do it's job well.
Well, I will quit while I'm ahead, so thanks to all here for helping me make what I hope to be an interesting journey!

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
jimqbaum Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 11 Jan 2016 Location: Virginia Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Topic: New 2016 R171 Owner Posted: 12 Jan 2016 at 9:09pm
	New Podder. Looking foreword to helping other podder's as you all have helped me make the decision to join the fold. Had a harrowing journey picking up the pod in the winter. Almost wiped out in freezing fog trying to cross the mountain range on the way up to OHIO (Jeff Couch's RV Nation) and fog so thick I could barley see on the way back over the same mountain. Pulling with a 2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport. The Jeep had to work for it crossing the series of 7% grades on my way back home. I am most likely going to add the the K&N air box mod to get the puny V6 to breath better, and perhaps a cheater chip to push the limits of timing and gear shifting. There goes the warranty! Glad I went with the E2 hitch for the weight distribution and sway control. Not once did I feel that I had control issues. I have one of those fancy inertia brake controllers that seem to do it's job well. Well, I will quit while I'm ahead, so thanks to all here for helping me make what I hope to be an interesting journey!
	Have A Blessed Day Pod 171 Ram Hemi tow truck. Got rid of the Jeep Wrangler. It was puny and girly

David and Danette Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 24 Nov 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1223	Posted: 13 Jan 2016 at 6:15am
	Welcome to the forum! Thankfully you made it back home safe. We too bought our 171 from Couch's RV back in 2009. Enjoyed the five years we owned it and never had a problem with it. Hope that you too have many happy years camping with your new 171.
	2018 Vista Cruiser 19BFD (2018- 2012 Vibe 6503 (2014-2019) 2009 r-pod 171 (2009-2014) Middle Tn 2014 Ram 1500 Quad cab

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 13 Jan 2016 at 7:27am
	Welcome. I tried the Fastpaq tuner for 6 months and just sold it, not enough options and I didn't see any mpg improvement with the economy tune. I did see a power gain on the tow tune, but it shifted so harshly I blame if for a broken motor mount. I just bought a Diablo Sport InTune I2, just starting to experiment with it.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

jimqbaum Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 11 Jan 2016 Location: Virginia Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Posted: 13 Jan 2016 at 8:24am
	Spoke with a good friend that I grew up with who was a auto mechanic by trade and retired from that service. He said these "chips" are OK but, there always is a but, you have to watch your exhaust temperature. To achieve the power part of the equation, the engine is leaned out and along with that is a dramatic temperature rise. Monitor the EGT and back off if the engine gets too hot! I would like to know your findings on the chip your are experimenting with?
	Have A Blessed Day Pod 171 Ram Hemi tow truck. Got rid of the Jeep Wrangler. It was puny and girly

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3331	Posted: 13 Jan 2016 at 12:13pm
	Welcome to the "group' jimqbaum! Thankful to hear you made it safely out of Ohio as I heard there was a major car/semi pileup in that state yesterday. When we picked up our brand new 177 in Escanaba, Michigan back in March 2011 we pulled it through a fresh 8" snowfall. Wasn't even aware that we needed a anti sway bar, even going across the Mackinac Bridge because with all that snow, the pod stayed in the towing vehicles tracks. On our maiden voyage in May of that year, we found out how badly we needed that as it would nearly cause us to lose control in we went over 45 mph! Since installing the sway bar control, no issues, even with tremendous cross winds. Enjoy your pod and be prepared to give tours as you camp.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 13 Jan 2016 at 12:56pm
	In general modern engines are designed to run hotter, from the 180's in the past to the 200's now. This helps with emissions. Unfortunately I know from personal experience that on vehicles that are under heavy load a lot (like towing), tend to deform the exhaust manifold as a result. So that gives credence to your friend's info. I have the ability to monitor a lot of data points with my Aeroforce Interceptor, I'll have to flip through the options to see if I can monitor exhaust temp and then do some before-after testing to see how different tunes affect the temps. No "chips" used anymore. Older cars needed actual chip swaps to make adjustments. Modern cars are just programmed like any other computer. Some adjustments are made via data tables, some via modifications to the programming. The only change I've made so far is to the cooling fan temperature turn-on points. Normally GM trucks hold 210 F during daily driving, but when towing it will slowly climb to 235, then the fans will kick on high and it will quickly drop to 210 (while the radiator temp goes down to 185, then quickly shoots back to 210 and it starts all over). I'm hoping to hold that temperature closer to 210 all of the time, partly to prevent knock retard from kicking in, partly because that extra heat load gets transferred to the oil system and I've seen those temps skyrocket while towing. I'll be camping this weekend so I'll be able to see how the adjustments work. Then I plan on trying some of the other canned tunes like performance and economy.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

jimqbaum Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 11 Jan 2016 Location: Virginia Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Posted: 13 Jan 2016 at 1:41pm
	Interesting observation on the cooling fan operation. Let us know how that tuning turned out for you? I probably am not going to fool with the computer/chip feature of my engine until I get way more information on it's operation and implications. The Jeep crowd is really into this stuff, so I will peruse the boards for information.
	Have A Blessed Day Pod 171 Ram Hemi tow truck. Got rid of the Jeep Wrangler. It was puny and girly