10 Things You Can Do After Unlocking Your Dodge PCM

You just got your 2015+ Dodge PCM unlocked — now what? An unlocked PCM gives you full access to your engine's calibration through HP Tuners VCM Suite. But if you're new to tuning, you might not realize just how much you can do.

Here are the 10 most popular things Dodge owners do after unlocking their PCM, from simple quality-of-life fixes to serious power gains.

1. MDS Delete (Cylinder Deactivation Delete)

What it does: Eliminates the Multi-Displacement System that shuts down 4 cylinders under light load on V8 HEMIs.

Why people love it: No more annoying transition between 4-cylinder and 8-cylinder mode. Smoother power delivery, better exhaust note, and eliminates the MDS-related lifter tick that plagues many 5.7L HEMIs. This is easily the #1 most requested PCM mod.

Works on: 5.7L HEMI, 6.4L 392 HEMI

2. Performance Tune (More Horsepower)

What it does: Optimizes fuel maps, spark timing, cam phasing, and torque management tables for maximum power.

Why people love it: A proper tune on a stock 5.7L HEMI can add 20–30+ horsepower and a noticeable improvement in throttle response. On modified builds (intake, headers, exhaust), the gains are even larger because the factory calibration is too conservative for aftermarket parts.

Don't want to tune it yourself? N2 Speed offers remote custom tuning — we send you the file, you flash it at home.

3. Speed Limiter Removal

What it does: Removes the factory-imposed speed governor (typically 121–168 mph depending on model).

Why people love it: If you take your car to the track or participate in top-speed events, the factory limiter is an artificial restriction. With the right tires and modifications, your car can go faster than Dodge allows from the factory.

4. E85 / Flex Fuel Tune

What it does: Recalibrates fuel tables, spark timing, and injector duty cycles for ethanol fuel (E85 or E70).

Why people love it: Ethanol has a higher octane rating (~105) and runs cooler than gasoline, allowing more aggressive timing and boost. Supercharged HEMIs running E85 can see massive power increases — we're talking 50–100+ horsepower on Hellcat and Redeye builds. Even naturally aspirated HEMIs pick up 15–25 horsepower on E85.

5. Cam and Header Tune

What it does: Recalibrates the PCM for aftermarket camshafts, long-tube headers, and exhaust modifications.

Why people love it: Aftermarket cams and headers are among the best bolt-on mods for HEMIs, but the factory calibration doesn't know how to handle them. Without a tune, you'll get poor idle quality, check engine lights, and leave power on the table. A proper cam/header tune optimizes cam phasing, idle air control, fuel trims, and eliminates P0420/P0430 catalyst efficiency codes.

6. Supercharger / Turbo Tune

What it does: Calibrates the PCM for forced induction builds — aftermarket superchargers, turbo kits, or pulley upgrades on factory supercharged cars.

Why people love it: Forced induction is where the big power lives. Whether you're adding a ProCharger to a 5.7L or doing a pulley swap on a Hellcat, the PCM needs to be recalibrated for the increased airflow, fuel demand, and boost levels. This is not optional — running forced induction without a tune is dangerous.

7. Transmission Tuning

What it does: Adjusts shift points, shift firmness, torque converter lockup strategy, and gear selection logic.

Why people love it: The factory transmission calibration is tuned for comfort, not performance. A transmission tune gives you firmer shifts, earlier or later shift points, and more aggressive torque converter lockup. The 8-speed ZF (8HP) responds incredibly well to tuning.

Note: Transmission tuning requires a separate TCM unlock in addition to the PCM unlock.

8. Rev Limiter Adjustment

What it does: Raises or lowers the engine's RPM limit.

Why people love it: The factory rev limiter on most HEMIs is set conservatively. With a performance cam and supporting mods, raising the rev limiter lets you access the full powerband. Some builds with aggressive cams make peak power above the stock limiter — a tune lets you get there safely.

9. Tire Size / Gear Ratio Correction

What it does: Recalibrates the speedometer, odometer, and transmission shift logic for non-stock tire sizes or gear ratios.

Why people love it: If you've gone to larger wheels and tires or swapped to shorter rear gears (3.92, 4.10, etc.), your speedometer is wrong and your transmission is shifting at the wrong points. A PCM tune corrects all of this so everything reads accurately.

10. DTC Management (Check Engine Light Fixes)

What it does: Disables check engine lights triggered by aftermarket parts that removed factory sensors or components.

Why people love it: Installed long-tube headers and deleted the cats? You're going to get P0420 and P0430 codes. Removed the EGR? More codes. With an unlocked PCM and HP Tuners, you can disable the specific diagnostic monitors that trigger these codes so your dash stays clean without ignoring a real problem.

Get Your PCM Unlocked and Start Tuning

All of these modifications require an unlocked PCM. If you haven't unlocked yours yet, N2 Speed offers fast mail-in unlock services with 24–48 hour turnaround:

• HP Tuners PCM Unlock — $199.99
• Remote Custom Tuning Packages (unlock + tune in one order)

Questions? Call us at (954) 406-8550 or email sales@n2speed.com.