Team,

Apologize for the long post in advance, but am very appreciative of any and all assistance you can render.

Will be redeploying from Afghanistan in a few months and looking to do some mods to my truck. Posted a photo in the gallery but can't figure out how to get it to show up next to my name yet.

She's an '08 6.4L SC/LB. Bought the truck new in San Antonio...don't have the fact sheet with me here but it was factory upgraded for the Border Patrol and has some upgraded suspension, skid plates, etc. Haven't done much to the truck since buying it mid-2009, just a bed liner, tints, tool box and viper alarm.

Do not want to break the bank, but do have some funds saved up from three 12 month deployments to this place (don't spend a lot of money over here...none actually), so want to do it right and get a quality system that will last. Truck is no longer under warranty.

1. I would like to add a tuner and do a DPF delete. Do you have to/should you do a CAT delete as well? My research is suggesting a Spartan tuner but see a lot of folks with the H&S Mini Maxx as well.

2. Thoughts on an exhaust system...is just replacing the CAT and DPF w/ pipes sufficient or do you recommend a complete system. If new system, what are your favorite setups?

3. What other modifications would you recommend that improve baseline performance and reliability...see a lot of folks with aftermark intakes, filters, intercoolers, etc.

4. I was getting a nasty 'death wobble' throught the year before I deployed. Replaced the tires which seemed to help for about a day, then brought the truck to dealer and they did a few hundred bucks worth of work, twice (can't recall specifically but think it was driver side track arm or something like that). Still weary though, are there any aftermarket stabilizers that have proven to be effective?

5. Looking for equipment that sounds nice, looks nice, improves performance and reliability. I tow a bass boat, horse trailers, planning to get a 5th wheel RV one day, but not looking for extreme race performance gains.

6. I will be in the middle Tennessee area for a few months after redeploying in February. Can anyone suggest a reputable diesel shop to order these parts and get the work done at. More than willing to drive to get the job done right. Will depart TN for northern Virginia area in April so that's another opition as well. Will keep the truck registered and plated in TN (perk of being military) so I shouldn't have to worry about emissions regulations...I don't think.

To sum it up, what would be the optimal/essential upgrades and what would be your ideal purchase?

Thanks again for the feedback. Enjoy the forum and am learning a lot. Can't help you fix your truck just yet, but if you ever require the help of a U.S. Infantry Company let me know.

Rangers Lead the Way!

CPT W.

 

First and foremost, thanks for your service.
Personal opinion is going to get you a varying range of replies. First thing I did after spending hours of research was to do the DPF delete, I used the H&S to do that but they are coming hard to find and expensive. Do the cat and filter delete, it's way easier than just the filter delete. Full exhaust kind of depends what you expect to do with your truck. If I had the money I probably would have just done the full exhaust, 4 inch would do your fine.
I would probably then do a EGR delete, and not so much on worries of a bad cooler but it Free's up a bunch of space on the drivers side of the engine compartment and if your tuner deletes the EGR anyways your just towing around a couple of extra hundred pounds.
Lastly I would probably do a new inter cooler pipe.

 

Thanks, Sir.

What do you mean by no worries about a bad cooler? And why do you say new intercooler pipe, stock pipe bad?

What are your thoughts on a coolant filter and tranny filter, seen a lot of stuff recommending these through dieselsite.

As of know looking to do EGR/CAT/DPF delete w/ a Spartan or H&S tuner and a 4" turbo back pipe.

 

If not overheated the EGR coolers usually don't develop leaks,
Large tranny filter in side the pan if you have that one stock is OK, depends on build date of your truck.
Coolant filter probably isn't a bad idea although I don't think the 6.4 has a problem as bad as the 6.0's did.

 

If it was me, I would do a Spartan tuner, 5" Flo-Pro (these have the best exit angles in the business in my opinion) or MBRP, and an S&B intake. EGR cooler delete would be a good decision also.

 

As far as shops to do it, check out Bean's Diesel in Woodbury, Tenn I believe.

 

Thanks UGA33. Going to swing by Bean Diesel while I'm home on leave in a few weeks and check it out.

 

I agree, get rid of it

So many people thinks they have did a "Full EGR Delete" with their tuner and / or block off plates

Their not deleted until they are Completely removed from the engine with the coolant lines plugged IMHO

 

I just did the EGR delete kit. I didnt notice until I took the fender liner off that the horizontal cooler had been leaking. Ever price one of those? Get rid of them.

I have MBRP exhaust, but it seems to me that they are all the same. Most are straight piped and some have the basic spiral shark tooth design muffler. Its just weather you want stainless or aluminized pipe.

 

Thanks sv250. Definitley going to delete EGR.

Whats the benefit of doing a turbo back vs. downpipe back exhaust. Is there a big difference between stock downpipe and aftermarket downpipe?

 

The factory downpipe is small. It looks to be 3.5", but when you cut it in half to get it off you will see that it is a pipe inside of another pipe. Maybe its 3" in actual dia. The aftermarket one is true 4".

 

I didn't kno about the pipe in a pipe on 6.4's

I bet the bigger aftermarket pipe wld be much louder than stock ?

I kno my 7.3 was.

 

Yes, it is a lot louder

 

Im OUT.
I'm outgrew the loud exhaust