Everything To Know About The 5.7 HEMI Diablosport Tuner

The 5.7 HEMI is one of the most recognizable and celebrated American engines ever made. It's a beast of a power plant, with up to 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque on tap — right out of the box. For an engine that is found in muscle cars and pickup trucks alike, the 5.7 HEMI is both versatile and downright overkill for most people. However, for the small percentage of the population that views a 5.7L hemispherical chamber V8 as "meant for civilians", there are some tried-and-tested ways to squeeze even more out of the HEMI.

Engine tuning is one of the easiest and most cost-effective methods of boosting power and torque figures from most performance motors, including the 5.7 HEMI. While there are many ways to remap a car's engine control unit to optimize performance, handheld tuners — like the Diablosport inTune i3 Tuner for the 5.7 HEMI — are the easiest and most cost-effective way to make modifications to a HEMI's engine parameters and improve performance. Unlike dyno tuning, which requires a car to be tweaked in real-time on a rolling road, handheld tuners like the Diablosport come with preloaded 'maps' (or tunes) that make changes to the 5.7 HEMI's PCU (powertrain control module) at the touch of a button.

Once plugged into a 5.7 HEMI-powered car or truck's OBD II diagnostic port via an included cable, the Diablosport tuner is able to make adjustments to engine parameters including fuel and spark tables, throttle response, idle RPM, and torque delivery. Since most of those parameters are programmed from the factory with efficiency over performance in mind, a Diablosport tuner can extract an additional 14 horsepower and 18 lb-ft of torque from an otherwise stock 5.7 HEMI running 93 octane fuel, according to AmericanMuscle.com.

Power and torque gains are the main reason that most enthusiasts would look into purchasing a handheld tuner like the Diablosport inTune i3. The device itself comes preloaded with three performance tunes — selected via a touchscreen interface — designed to be used with 87, 91, or 93 octane fuel. The higher octane tunes yield the highest power and torque gains with the inTune i3. The preloaded tunes were also designed to be tinkered with to accommodate other popular HEMI performance mods like upgraded air intakes, throttle bodies, and exhaust systems.

While more power is always a welcome addition, the 5.7 HEMI Diablosport provides some additional features that are arguably more valuable than a few extra ponies. Not all performance revolves around power. Improved throttle response, more even torque delivery, and modified shift firmness can all improve the overall drivability of a HEMI-equipped car or truck more than some additional power. The Diablosport i3 allows for the adjustment of all of those parameters to accommodate your individual preferences.

Outside of changing the performance of your 5.7 HEMI, the Diablosport tuner is also a great tool from a diagnostics standpoint. The Diablosport i3 comes with a built-in diagnostic code reader (with a clear feature), meaning no more trips to the local auto parts store in the event of a pesky check engine light. It also features data logging and real-time monitoring features, meaning that you can keep an eye on important engine readings like exhaust gas temperature and air/fuel ratio.

It is important to mention that the 5.7 HEMI Diablosport inTune i3 comes in both standard and Platinum variants, with the latter being capable of storing custom tunes for even more tailored performance gains.