5 Most Powerful Power Stroke Diesel Tuners
If you have not already hopped on the bandwagon, here are some great tuners that can get you started.
1. Edge Products (Evolution/Insight)
Part of what can make a tuner great is it being simple and easy to use. The folks over at Edge Products have designed several different tuners to easily turn up the wick on your Power Stroke diesel. Available for 7.3L, 6.0L, 6.4L, and 6.7L Power Stroke engines, Edge has a handful of devices that provide an easy-to-use interface for altering engine characteristics, power levels, transmission shift points, and engine diagnostics.
For those that may not be looking for outright performance, Edge also has a handful of tunes to set speed and rev limiters and manipulate fueling to improve fuel economy when needed. Owners of older Power Stroke models will find the Evo/Evo II programmers more than sufficient, but owners of newer model trucks will want to look into the new, stylish Evolution and Insight programmers.
2. SCT X4
If you begin discussing performance tuning with diesel enthusiasts, chances are that many will suggest the SCT tuner for its abundance of features. The new X4 super tuner offered by SCT incorporates many of the same functions as their older generation tuners while adding additional features combined with a flashy new interface. The result is one of the most powerful tuners on the market at an incredibly competitive price.
The X4 comes with all the usual fixings such as pre-loaded tunes, code reading and clearing capabilities, datalogging, and numerous user-adjustable parameters. It also has the ability to download tunes and updates wirelessly, and also to record the vehicle's stock map to allow for a headache-free way to return to stock if necessary. Many individual tuners prefer using the SCT platform, so if you are interested in custom tunes for your truck, the X4 may just be your best bet.
3. Bully Dog GT Platinum Diesel
Long synonymous with diesel performance tuning, Bully Dog performance tuners are another option for Power Stroke owners looking to fine tune their engines. Bully Dog's GT Platinum Diesel handheld programmer is a sleek unit that can upload tuning files to the ECM and is also able to attach to the dash and display various engine parameters such as turbo boost pressure.
Unfortunately, the Bully Dog unit is only available for newer 6.4L and 6.7L engines. That said, there are a ton of usable features provided by this programmer including on-the-fly map switching, DPF/Regeneration control, transmission shift characteristics, and just about any vehicle accessory options you can think of. Performance gains of up to 120 horsepower are available with this unit, but you also get a neat "driver coach" that monitors your driving habits to help improve fuel economy. If you have a late model truck, definitely look into this sweet little unit.
4. Superchips Flashpaq
The Superchips Flashpaq is considered to be the best bang for your buck tuner on the market. While it may not have an elaborate user interface or sleek, futuristic design, the Flashpaq is compatible with 1999 and newer Power Stroke engines and provides some of the largest performance gains for the Navistar International power plants. With the touch of a button, gains of 100+ horsepower and 200+ pound/feet of torque can be effortlessly applied to your diesel truck.
Superchips has gone to great lengths to make this a simple tool that just about anyone can use. Basically, if you are able to use a modern smart phone, Flashpaq operation will be a walk in the park. Additionally, the Flashpaq can be used as a diagnostic tool to read and clear OBD-II fault codes. Overall, it's a great tool that gets the job done without the need of any fancy bells or whistles.
5. Banks Power Automind
Similar to the Superchips Flashpaq is the Automind programmer from Banks Power. The Automind is a small, handheld tuner that uses the OBD-II port to upload tunes, remove the factory power delay and speed limiter, and adjust transmission shift points and firmness. The 2.8-inch screen is adequate for tuning and diagnostic work, but does not provide an abundance of information while driving as the larger dash-mounted tuners do. That said, this little tuner can do just about everything that the big boys can, but still be discreetly stowed away in your glovebox. The pre-loaded tunes offered with the Automind unit have received good reviews and are said to be top notch in both driveability and performance for all 1999-2015 Power Stroke diesel models.
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