EMISSIONS
POLICY
We build high-output diesel trucks. We also keep them street-legal. Here's exactly where we draw the line and why.
BIG POWER
DOESN'T REQUIRE
DELETING ANYTHING.
The most common question we decline to answer is some version of "can you just pull the DPF?" The answer is no — and not because we're playing it safe. It's because the shops that do delete builds do worse calibration work, charge for the delete hardware, and often produce less usable torque than a properly tuned emissions-legal truck.
A well-tuned 6.7 Cummins on EFI Live with the DPF and DEF system fully intact will outperform most deleted trucks on a chassis dyno. The emissions hardware on 2013+ platforms is more than capable of handling 600+ lb-ft builds. The calibration is what most shops skip — because it takes longer and requires platform-specific knowledge they don't have.
We tune Cummins, Duramax, and Power Stroke on EFI Live and HP Tuners. All tunes are emissions-legal. That's the only kind we do. If you want to understand the full diesel ECM tuning process, the tuning page covers what changes at each stage and what the emissions hardware is actually doing under a performance calibration.
We will: Tune your diesel to its full potential within the emissions-legal calibration window. Stage 1 through Stage 3 compound builds, CP3 injection pump conversions, and compound turbo configurations — all tuned on EFI Live with OEM emissions systems intact.
We won't: Remove, bypass, block, or disable DPF, DOC, SCR, DEF, or EGR systems. We won't tune a truck that has already been deleted. We won't install defeat devices or altered sensors. No exceptions.
Why it matters: Texas requires emissions testing on vehicles manufactured 1996 or newer in Harris County and surrounding counties. A deleted truck that fails state inspection creates liability for the shop and the owner. We're not in that business.
Platform-Specific Emissions Compliance
Each platform has different OEM emissions architecture. Our tuning accounts for the hardware specific to each engine family — regen cycles, DEF dosing, EGR mapping, and EGT targets all stay calibrated correctly under performance tunes.
- DPF and SCR/DEF system remain fully active under Stage 1–3 tunes
- Regen cycles recalibrated for higher EGT under performance load
- EGR mapping adjusted within legal parameters — not disabled
- CP3 injection pump conversions compatible with emissions-legal calibration
- 68RFE and Aisin trans tune included where applicable
- DPF, SCR, and DEF system retained on all tunes
- Ford EGR system adjusted within legal parameters — not deleted
- CP3 conversion (2019+ 6.7 PS) paired with emissions-legal calibration
- 6R140 transmission tune included in Stage 2+ builds
- HP Tuners and EFI Live both supported depending on model year
- L5P (2017+) requires HP Tuners for legal ECM access — we're licensed
- LML CP4 → CP3 pump conversion paired with emissions-legal EFI Live tune
- DPF and DEF system remain intact under S300/S400 compound builds
- EGR cooler service performed without deletion
- Allison 1000 trans tune integrated into compound builds
What Falls Outside Our Scope
This isn't a judgment. It's a scope statement. These are the specific services we don't perform and the reasons behind each.
DPF removal, DEF system bypass, EGR deletion kits, and DTC defeat devices are outside our scope. This includes tuning a truck that already has delete hardware installed.
Why: Texas emissions testing in Harris County covers all 1996+ vehicles. A deleted truck fails inspection. The owner absorbs that liability. We're not going to put you in that position and we don't carry that liability ourselves.
If your truck is already deleted and you want to restore it to emissions-legal status, call us. That's work we're willing to scope.
We don't build dedicated competition trucks intended for closed-course use only. Our sled pull and diesel drag builds are built and tuned for trucks that also need to be street-driven and registered.
Why: Our dyno and calibration process is built around street-and-tow usability. A competition-only tune requires a different workflow, different liability, and a different customer relationship. See the services overview for what we do build.
WHAT
EMISSIONS-LEGAL
ACTUALLY MEANS.
An emissions-legal diesel tune doesn't mean a neutered one. It means the DPF regen strategy is recalibrated to account for increased soot load under higher fueling. It means the EGR flow table is adjusted within the legal window, not set to zero. It means the SCR/DEF dosing map matches the new NOx production profile.
Done correctly, the truck passes state inspection, produces more power than stock, tows more confidently, and still has a functioning emissions system that isn't clogged from improper calibration.
The build process we follow — consultation, staged plan, prerequisite work, installation, then dyno tune — is the same whether you're building a street/tow truck or a sled pull truck. See the build process page for how the calibration step works and why the sequence matters.
Diesel Emissions Questions
Straightforward answers on emissions compliance and diesel performance tuning.
LEGAL POWER STARTS WITH THE RIGHT CALIBRATION.
Book a consultation and we'll map the right build for your platform — within the legal window and built to perform on the street and at the hitch.
BOOK YOUR CONSULTATION