MADS Electronics - Smarty Catcher FAQs

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The MADS Electronics tuning software is well known as CaTCHER software. MADS Electronics original products were EPROMs and Flash-EPROMs (or “chips”) which could be installed in place of the original OEM EPROMs and Flash-EPROMs located in the vehicle’s on-board control module. These chips, just like the tuners of today, keep the entire vehicle safety and emissions systems intact, but modify the fuel injection settings to deliver dramatic power, torque and drivability improvements.

Also the fuel consumption is one of the most important point of MADS Electronics research. CaTCHER software can be used to reduce fuel consumption up to 15% depending on the driving condition.

With the advent of OBD-II vehicle control module in the early 1990s, most domestic vehicle manufacturers installed under-dash ports (“ALDL ports”) which allowed dealers and service techs to “re-flash” the vehicle's control module to change engine settings without replacing any chip.

So today, instead of chips, MADS Electronics products are hand-held tuners that achieve the same dramatic drivetrain improvements, without the hassle of popping the hood, pulling out the vehicle control module and replacing a chip. Installation is quick and easy, taking just 2 minutes and requiring no tools or mechanical skills whatsoever.

Q. What does "CaTCHER " stand for in MADS Electronics products?

A. CaTCHER stands for Clutch and Traction Challenger.

Q. What is so special about the CaTCHER when it comes to MADS Electronics products?

A. The CaTCHER software is a unique animal. It improves throttle response of the engine greatly. It spools up the turbo sooner. (On average 200 RPM sooner.) It deals with the injection timing. It alters the torque management. Just to mention a few benefits. Customers report that the engine now "hangs" on the throttle.

Q. What has MADS Electronics Smarty to do with the CaTCHER software?

A. Smarty is the tool you need to update your ECM with any level of the CaTCHER software. There are ten different software packs in Smarty you can choose from.

Q. What's the difference in the MADS Electronics CaTCHER software?

A. Mainly the throttle response, or maybe better the aggressiveness of the engine response. Since the full blown CaTCHER develops torque instantly, it can become a pain to drive it on slippery roads. Thus the need to reduce the response some. Further more, there are CaTCHER versions with and without added timing stored in the Smarty. The software without added timing are useful if you want to use a timing box stacked with the CaTCHER.

Q. Does MADS Electronics Smarty have only CaTCHER software on board?

A. No, Smarty offers SW# 0 that provides about HALF the power of a stock software. Emissions. Ehm. SW# 1 is a Fuel Saver software. SW# 2 deals only with fuel and boost. SW
# 3 is fuel, boost, and timing. The remaining levels can be considered CaTCHERs.

Q. Does Smarty do the boost fooling function in MADS Electronics products?

A. Yes, all the the software modules in Smarty have modified boost tables in them in order to allow for higher boost without defuelling. (Except SW#0 and of course stock)

Q. Could you take MADS Electronics Smarty and install it on several different trucks, one at a time?

A. Yes! No problem, when you go back to stock Smarty unlocks from the VIN# and ECM. Now you're ready to go into another truck. As many times as you want.

Q. Can MADS Electronics Smarty go from one program to another, or do you have to go back to stock, then to a program?

A. You can go from any software # to any other software #. There is no need to go back to stock.

Q. Is MADS Electronics Smarty ECM or VIN sensitive?

A. YES! Smarty only works with one truck AND one ECM at one time.

Q. What if a dealer flashes the ECM and Mads Electronics Smarty was not returned to stock? Is my Smarty now useless?

A. We've been asked that question many times. Upon request, there is a "safety feature" in Smarty. Should a reflash happen without having Smarty returned to stock first, you need to contact us and tell us the serial # of your Smarty and the VIN# of your truck.

With that information we can provide you with a password that will allow Smarty to update your ECM. That password will work ONLY ONE TIME. That means that you can unlock Smarty from the ECM only one time.

Q. Which version of "stock" will the MADS Electronics Smarty come with.

Smarty does NOT download the complete original software from the ECM and does not store it into it's memory. That is for a simple reason. The protocol in the ECM does not allow to read the flash memory. How can Smarty then return to stock? Simple. It has all the latest stock software already on board. When you choose to return the truck back to stock, Smarty takes the stock software from it's memory and updates the ECM with that software.

Q. Is MADS Electronics Smarty's DTC reader also VIN# locked?

A. No, the DTC reader works always in any truck. Even when Smarty is VIN# locked to your truck, you can still diagnose your buddy's truck. MADS did not want you to have the hassle of going
back to stock only because you need to help someone.

Q. How long does it take to update the ECM with MADS Electronics Smarty?

A. We've done some serious research in order to minimize the time needed for an update. We've developed special boot loaders which cut the required time for an update dramatically. A typical update is done in about two minutes with Smarty S-03A and three and a half minutes with Smarty S-06 POD. Once you get used to Smarty it takes a few minutes from the moment you plug in
Smarty to finish. With the fastest competition it takes more than twice that time.

Q. Does the MADS Electronics Smarty Mount in the truck... or program and then unplug?

Smarty needs to be plugged into the OBD port of your truck, program the ECM, then unplugged.

Q. If the MADS Electronics Smarty update is interrupted, how can I recover the ECM?

First of all don't panic! An interrupted update is a piece of cake for Smarty. Smarty will recover your truck automatically back to the STOCK software. Unlike the competition, you don't have to remove fuses or battery cables. Smarty will handle the situation on it's own. You just need to turn the key on, plug in Smarty and follow the on-screen instructions. A special boot loader does that job.

Q. Can a dealer detect MADS Electronics Smarty?

If you take your truck back to stock software then the answer is no. Smarty updates are NOT
detectable by the dealer!

Q. Does the MADS Electronics CaTCHER raise the rev limiter?

The CaTCHER versions alter the high RPM settings in the ECM for fuel, timing, boost, torque limiter whatever... in order to allow the engine to rev. Depending upon the mods done to the engine that shows up on a dyno graph or does not.

Q. How much horsepower will the MADS Electronics CaTCHER add to my 98.5-02 engine?

A. The CaTCHER is VERY noticeable from idle up. As soon as you touch the throttle, you will KNOW that the CaTCHER is in there. First of all, the power added by the CaTCHER depends upon the mods done to the engine. On a stock engine, typically we see an HP increase at the rear wheels of about 60 HP.

With taller injectors, the HP gain increases. How much? That depends upon the injectors, turbo, intake, and exhaust. The best mod combined with a CaTCHER is without doubt a good set of injectors.

Fuel pump wire tapping boxes without added timing come next if you're after serious HP. In that kind of scenario, the CaTCHER becomes very noticeable in the top HP range. Some customers have gained over 75 HP with that kind of stack above all other stacks they had tried before.

Is there a warranty on this MADS Electronics product?

Of course! Anyway, let me mention the fact that out of the over 2000 Smarty's sold thus far, we have had only five defective units. MADS uses the strictest quality control possible. Every single unit is tested individually four different times during the assembly before it leaves our facility. Everything is traceable for every single unit. MADS knows exactly where the parts for it came from, who assembled it, who tested it. MADS wants the Smarty products to be as trouble free as possible.

What is the Warranty Period for these MADS Electronics products?

One year warranty for MADS Electronics Smarty boxes.

Smarty S-06 PoD for Dodge Cummins Turbo-diesel 5.9L (2003 - 2007)

MADS Electronics IN STOCK AND READY TO SHIP!

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Horsepower Settings

CaTCHER software's inside
Ten different performance levels.
Fastest download in the industry, up to three times faster than the competition, a typical ECM update takes about 3.5 to 5 minutes, depending on the truck model.
ABS tire height updates in just few seconds.
Not traceable in the stock setting. Smarty leaves no footprint.
Manual High Idle is enabled in all softwares
Reads Diagnostic Trouble Codes in plain text.
No tools required, no fuses to pull.
USB built in for simple updates .
Most complete keyboard in the industry.
Reliable, it works off your OEM hardware.
Programmable Speed Limiter from 25 to 250 mph
Power on Demand

Fast guide to S-06 POD Smarty's software levels

The horsepower settings. except #0, all other softwares have a modified "Torque management" ( TQM ). The throttle response is greatly improved but is set to a save limit. With "Save" I mean save for your tranny and rest of the driveline.

SW # 0 : Half power SW # 1 : 30 Hp increase, with added timing
SW # 2 : 60 Hp increase, no added timing.
SW # 3 : 60 Hp increase, with added timing.
SW # 4 : 90 Hp increase, no added timing.
SW # 5 : 90 Hp increase, with added timing.
SW # 6 : 130 Hp increase, no added timing.
SW # 7 : 130 Hp increase, with added timing.
SW # 8 : 170 Hp increase, no added timing.
SW # 9 : 170 Hp increase, with added timing.

MADS Electronics tested the Smarty on stock trucks on a Mustang Dyno.Stock means just that. Stock! Even the air filters were stock...

The trucks were S T O C K, even the wastegate settings! MADS Electronics checked the "baseline" ( the stock truck Hp at the rear wheels ) twice in a day in order to be sure about their findings. The above declared HP numbers are all rounded down to the closest number. For example the 90 Hp file actually did 96 Hp. That's a 90 Hp software for me, not a 100. The 170 Hp was 174.

Power on Demand 100 power levels selectable in just one second while driving! It's easy: just type the preferred power level directly on Smarty keyboard, from 00 to 99. That's all! For security reason, the truck waits that the throttle is released before applying the new power level.

No trace is left in the ECM!

MADS Electronics does herby CLAIM that SmartyCR is the FIRST AND ONLY downloader that does not erase any of the stored data in the ECM. Smarty does NOT leave any electronic footprints in the ECM or any other electronic module in the truck. Smarty does NOT set ANY codes once the ECM is set back to stock. Smarty does NOT need to have fuses pulled.

No matter what the competition claims , in one way or another they're ALL detectable. Smarty is NOT!

Yet, Smarty can not do one thing for you. Fix what others have broken. Smarty can not restore a key on counter that another downloader has erased . Smarty can not fix VIN# troubles caused by other products. If your Check engine / ABS light is on because another product has screwed your ECM, Smarty can not fix it, the other guy HAS to...

ABS / Speedo recalibration

The tire height can be adjusted up to 44" in increments of 10 tenth of an inch in just a couple seconds. Of course, Smarty needs to be VIN# locked to the truck in order to get into the ABS adjustment section.

DTC Code reader

The name says it all. You can read and erase codes. Codes are displayed also in plain English. That's old news by now. Smarty S-03 was the first one to provide that utility, others found the idea to be a good one too. ( Smarty does erase ABS codes too but does not display them )

ECM update speed

Faster than anything else on the market! Again we've done our homework on the protocol. Less than 5 minutes. Three times faster than a Star-Scan diagnostic tool or competitor.

MADS Electronics has developed their own bootloader in order to not have to pull fuses should an update become interrupted for any reason. All you have to do is to turn the key off / key on Smarty does everything else on it's own..

Updates

The CaTCHER software as they are today are only a starting point. Expect major news in future. MADS Electronics is interested in your feedback, opinions, likes, dislikes... MADS Electronics will make the Smarty do what YOU want, TOGETHER.

MADS Electronics Smarty Model S-03A for Dodge 24V
Cummins Turbodiesel (98.5 - 02)

SMARTY MODULE MADS ELECTRONICS IN STOCK AND READY TO SHIP!

MADS Electronics Special Features