Jeep Trackhawk: 600 hp?

The Dodge Challenger and Charger both have Hellcat engine options, bringing 707 horsepower to the cars. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has long been rumored, and sources say it will indeed have the same engine, but without the same tuning.

There could be several reasons why it would be detuned somewhat:

Cooling is a major issue with this amount of power, and the Hellcats have goals of high consistency at full power. Competing cars from Chevrolet and Shelby have been slammed for throttling back on the power as they quickly heat up at the track.

The Jeep, unlike the others, is rumored to be all wheel drive, which could allow quicker launches — but would put more stress on the entire system. The engine may have to be tuned to put out the power that can reasonably and economically be handled by the drivetrain and suspension.The Grand Cherokee has a higher center of gravity and too much power could be dangerous.

Regardless, a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk packing even 580 horsepower would be a major boost over the current 485 horsepower SRT model, and would likely attract even more attention from those who would normally go for a German crossover.

FCA US has already applied for a trademark on the Trackhawk name. The application has passed all the legal hurdles and USPTO approval of registration is now waiting for the company to file a Statement Of Use (SOU) in commerce.

Read more at: http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2015/10/jeep-trackhawk-600-hp-30326

First Hellcat tuning software launched

Hellcat Charger and Challenger owners looking for a few extra ponies may be excited to know that the first tuning system for the 6.2L supercharged Hemi has reached the market. It comes from Diablosport, one of the biggest names in the world of tuning, which has a history of adding power with their tuning software.

Diablosport has three power levels, and an extra bit of added security, should you need to return to the dealership for repairs. In each case, the tune is added by plugging into the car’s diagnostics port and pressing a couple of buttons to add a claimed 30+ rear-wheel horsepower.

The first tuning option is the stock tune, which works with the stock PCM tune so there is no power increase, but other aspects of the vehicle such as throttle response and transmission shifts are sharpened up for a more engaging driving experience. I haven’t driven a Hellcat car with the “stock tune,” but in other vehicles, it makes a big difference in driving dynamics. The Hellcat Challenger and Charger are good enough that the stock tune likely doesn’t have the impact on these cars that it does on my Dodge Ram, but this is an option for those who want a crisper drive with the stock power.

The second tuning option is the 91 Octane Performance Tune; it sharpens up the throttle response and adds around 28 horsepower and around 22 lb-ft of torque. Since the Hellcat test cars used by Diablosport laid down 660 rear wheel horsepower, the 91 Octane tune pushes it up around the 690 rwhp mark.

The top power comes from the 93 Octane Performance tune, which adds more than 30 horsepower and more than 30 lb-ft of torque. With this, the Hellcat Challenger and Charger are both capable of laying down just over 700 rear wheel horsepower. Diablosport claimed corrected numbers of 700.2 horsepower at the rear wheels, nearly 40 more horsepower at the rear wheels.

Additional Features, Added Security

Regardless of the tune, the Diablosport products allow Hellcat Dodge owners to adjust the neutral and idle RPM, move the rev limiter, adjust a speed limiter, disable the traction and stability control, adjustments for different tire sizes, and adjust when the cooling fan turns on and off – along with adjusting the engine parameters to make better power.

All of the Diablosport Hellcat tuning packages come with an extra PCM that will make trips to the dealership a little less of a headache. Retuning the engine can both void your engine warranty and cause dealership people to give you a hard time when you come in for service. Owners can send their factory PCM to Diablosport to be unlocked, but from there on out, the dealership will be able to tell that the PCM has been accessed.

The three tuning packages for the Hellcat Charger and Challenger coming with the tuning components themselves, along with an extra PCM already prepared to accept a tune. Thus, owners can swap out the factory PCM for the one with the tuning package; then swap the factory PCM back in before hitting the dealership. (This may violate the owner’s agreement with Dodge/FCA US).

Prices Partly because of the PCM being included, prices are fairly high. If you only want the modified PCM, e.g. to do custom tuning, Diablosport will sell it to you for $799.

If you want the full tuning package from Diablosport, you can pick either their Trinity tuner or their InTune tuner, both of which come with the unlocked PCM. The Trinity for the Hellcat costs $1,199 while the InTune system costs $1,099. Based on those numbers and the Diablosport price of $799 for the new PCM, the actual performance tunes and the tuning components (Trinity, InTune) is $300-400.

Read more at: http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php/2015/10/first-hellcat-tuning-software-launched-30303

Driver learns the value of a dashboard camera the hard way

Are you tempting fate? You are if you are among the 35% of Americans who have been skipping or delaying vehicle service and repairs, according to a new study by AAA.

The motoring and travel organization wants that putting off repairs, such as oil changes, and battery and tire replacements, can not only leave a family stranded on the side of the road but put their health and safety at risk. A delayed repair also can mean higher costs later.

“According to a survey of AAA’s certified Approved Auto Repair shops, consumers that forget or ignore recommended maintenance ultimately pay higher repair costs,” cautioned John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “These repair facilities estimate drivers can save an average of one hundred dollars per visit simply by properly maintaining their vehicle.”

AAA and other experts found that U.S. motorists routinely put off service and repairs during the Great Recession, a common problem during economic hard times. But the new study shows that more than one in three American vehicle owners are still delaying action even as the economy recovers.

That’s one of the reason AAA reports it had to respond to 29 million calls for roadside assistance in 2014. Three issues accounted for nearly 60% of those calls:

• Dead batteries. The organization says two-thirds of Americans have never had their vehicle batteries tested;
• Flat tires or blow-outs.  The AAA says 60% of Americans don’t regularly check tire pressure, despite the fact that can reduce fuel economy and lead to potentially deadly tire failures;
• Keys. Even with the rising use of keyless entry systems, AAA has seen “no significant reduction” in calls from drivers locked out of their vehicles.

But a number of other roadside service calls – about 12 million annually – are caused by engine problems, fuel issues and other “mechanical mishaps,” according to Nielsen, who stressed that many of these are the result of delayed or skipped service. Repeatedly putting off oil changes, for example, can eventually lead to an engine failure.

The study of 2014 roadside calls showed that AAA towed 2 million vehicles due to engine problems, and another 600,000 for transmission issues. Another 235,000 were towed to a service shop because of brake problems.

Fuel problems present another big problem. AAA says its service teams were called out 500,000 times last year because motorists ran out of gas. Meanwhile, more than 13,000 were towed in for repairs because diesel owners inadvertently filled up with gasoline – or vice versa.

Automotive service experts warn that such problems are likely to get worse in the months ahead as the weather starts turning cold in much of the country. That routinely leads to an increase in a number of common vehicle problems, notably battery failures.

Read more at: http://www.autoblog.com/2015/10/12/dashboard-camera-accident-scam-video/

2nd Annual Bikers and Friends Comedy Night

The 2nd Annual Bikers and Friends Comedy Night to support the American Legion Riders Veterans Support Outreach Project!!

WHERE: VFW Hall located at 633 Ford Ave, Wyandotte, MI 48192
WHEN: Saturday, October 24th 2015

Doors Open at 5:30PM; Dinner at 6:00pm; Show at 7:30pm

Headliner: Mark Knope ~ Feature: Mike Neubecker ~ Feature: Julie Lyons ~ Opener: Melanie Hearn

Advance Ticket Price: $25 ($30 at the door if available)
* Admission includes: Show, Buffet dinner, Two Beer/Wine or Soft Drink Tickets (cash bar)

50/50 Drawing, Door Prizes

Sponsored by:
American Legion Riders Downriver Chapter (Benefits Veteran Outreach programs)

Advanced Tickets available at:
American Legion post 217
2817 Van Alstyne St, Wyandotte
 OR
Tongues Coffee
2958 Biddle Ave, Wyandotte

Call Mike for more info: 734-771-2287

Cloud-Based Warning System Could Curb Wrong-Way Driving Deaths

What if there were a quick and simple system that alerted all drivers when someone was driving the wrong way down the road? ​German automotive supplier Bosch aims to better warn wrong-way drivers, both those actually driving the wrong way and those near the car driving the wrong way, using a cloud-based software application.



The premise is that Bosch provides a software application that constantly checks a vehicle's movements against what it understands as the permitted direction on any given road. Imagine it like any other GPS software, but with a specific focus on which way the car is moving. If the information gathered from the vehicles doesn't line up with the way they should be driving, that's when an alert goes out to both that driver and any oncoming drivers utilizing the system.

According to Bosch, radio alerts in Germany about wrong-way drivers can take several minutes to go out, by which time the danger's already come and gone for most folks. A statistic they quote says that one third of critical incidents caused by wrong-way drivers occurs within the first 1,650 feet or so, meaning that an accident's already happened in these cases before there's ever a radio-based warning. Thus the cloud-based system they're working on, which would alert folks much faster.

One potential flaw in the system: It's only as good as the number of vehicles using it. Part of the way it detects and alerts folks of wrong-way drivers appears to be tied up in information gathered anonymously from nearby vehicles. This also would be completely ineffective for anyone driving around without the software application, or without "an unbroken connection to the internet," which is something it requires to function.

The service is scheduled to launch in 2016, and will be made available for as many "infotainment" devices as possible, in hopes of casting a wide safety net. In the meantime, don't drive down streets the wrong way. That could help too.

Read more at: http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/a26678/cloud-based-warning-system-could-curb-wrong-way-driving-deaths/?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_content=55fbf09304d3013205000001&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter