Tuner without head studs
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,308
Likes: 1
From: Elyria, OH
Tuner without head studs
Do you all recommend it? id like a small tune that will help with the trans shift points and some power while towing (econo tune??), but i dont want to go blowing my head gaskets its an 06 with 47xxx and dont want to mess it up. I plan on getting the bulletproof EGR cooler soon too. What should i get for gagues? The scangague II or actual gagues in an Apillar?
Just wanting some opinions here, dont want any criticism by me asking this, i am still educating myself with these diesels. Thanks in advanced for anyone who posts back
Just wanting some opinions here, dont want any criticism by me asking this, i am still educating myself with these diesels. Thanks in advanced for anyone who posts back
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
From: Kerrville, Tx
here is my opinion. i would say its ok with a tow tune and maybe you can get a performance tune when not towing, thats where you get the best fuel eco. but dont go ***** to the wall with the performance tune and im talkin a tune that adds maybe 80hp at max. as for the gauges i would get the scangauge II and get 2 pillar gauges. those would be pyro and fuel pressure. the scangauge doesnt offer those from what i have read. as a side note i ran my truck which is a dually on a full race tune without studs for about 4 months without a problem. but i also couldnt keep my foot out of it and some of that had to do with age. now that im in college and have some more since and headstuds my foot tends to stay out of it. long story short i think you will be fine if you dont push it hard!
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 373
Likes: 2
From: Alberta, Canada
Lots of opinions on this.
My dad owns an 06 F350 and after doing all this work to my motor i've informed him that if he wants to tune it we'd better get studs on those heads before we run into a problem.
My dad owns an 06 F350 and after doing all this work to my motor i've informed him that if he wants to tune it we'd better get studs on those heads before we run into a problem.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 880
Here is my take on tuners and blown headgaskets/motor failure.
I have been running a tuner on my NON STUDDED truck for 5 years with no problems. Prior to my new SCT with custom tunes, I ran an old superchips.
Tuners do not destroy trucks.....PEOPLE destroy the trucks. The vehicles are usually pushed too hard for too long by inexperienced people without the proper monitoring of EGT's, ECT, Boost, trans temps etc etc. Don't get me wrong....things happen and mechanical things break for no reason all the time, but it seems that there are many factors involved in a damaged motor than just plugging in a tuner, driving casual with a few throttle stabs and all of a sudden you have a blown motor, turbo, head gaskets etc....it does not happen that way!
Obviously a tuner increases fueling, which creates heat...which kills motors. If done correctly....4" straight pipe, EGR delete, Coolant filter, solid maintenance and most of all GAUGES....you should be fine as long as you know what you are doing. Just my opinion
I have been running a tuner on my NON STUDDED truck for 5 years with no problems. Prior to my new SCT with custom tunes, I ran an old superchips.
Tuners do not destroy trucks.....PEOPLE destroy the trucks. The vehicles are usually pushed too hard for too long by inexperienced people without the proper monitoring of EGT's, ECT, Boost, trans temps etc etc. Don't get me wrong....things happen and mechanical things break for no reason all the time, but it seems that there are many factors involved in a damaged motor than just plugging in a tuner, driving casual with a few throttle stabs and all of a sudden you have a blown motor, turbo, head gaskets etc....it does not happen that way!
Obviously a tuner increases fueling, which creates heat...which kills motors. If done correctly....4" straight pipe, EGR delete, Coolant filter, solid maintenance and most of all GAUGES....you should be fine as long as you know what you are doing. Just my opinion
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,308
Likes: 1
From: Elyria, OH
How much do custom tunes generally cost? And i have plans on a bulletproof EGR cooler and already have a 4" turbo back exhaust. Ill probablyt get gagues first thing. What kind of things should i be monitoring?
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Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 880
I bought a three package deal from gearheadperformance.com for 100.00.
Matt gives you the option of selecting tunes for a truck with headstuds or a stock headbolt setup. He asks you minor specifics about your truck as far as mods done.
At a minimum you should monitor EGT's ECT's TRANS BOOST....IMO these are very important. Later you can add more if you feel inclined to do so.
Since you already have a 4" TB youre good...think about straight piping it...much cooler temps awesome sound IMO
The reason EGT's is so important is that is what will kill your motor.....as an example....I will jump on my truck with this new tune and watch the EGT's increase by 500* in seconds then plateau and gradually climb. I have my gauge preset to populate the entire screen and flash when I reach 1200*...that is when I let off. Without a gauge I would never know.
Matt gives you the option of selecting tunes for a truck with headstuds or a stock headbolt setup. He asks you minor specifics about your truck as far as mods done.
At a minimum you should monitor EGT's ECT's TRANS BOOST....IMO these are very important. Later you can add more if you feel inclined to do so.
Since you already have a 4" TB youre good...think about straight piping it...much cooler temps awesome sound IMO
The reason EGT's is so important is that is what will kill your motor.....as an example....I will jump on my truck with this new tune and watch the EGT's increase by 500* in seconds then plateau and gradually climb. I have my gauge preset to populate the entire screen and flash when I reach 1200*...that is when I let off. Without a gauge I would never know.
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Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,308
Likes: 1
From: Elyria, OH
I have a 3.5" dp to 4 in exhaust to 5" in bed ypipe to 6" stacks. no muffler or cat. I will get the gagues first thing. Then ill see about the SCT x3. Thanks for everyones input on this
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
From: Kerrville, Tx
i would do both scangauge and then the 2 gauge pod. scangauge moitors your eot's and ect's that way you dont have to tap into anything. the only "gauges" you need are EGT and fuel pressure. if its an 03-04 truck then get boost as well. the rest can be done on scangauge
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 19,071
Likes: 241
From: Saratoga Springs,UT
+1 for scangaugeII monitors eot,ect,icp,icpv,ipr,boost, ficm and many more
joe this fuel pressure gauge you have did you just screw the sending unit into the test port by the upper fuel filter housing
and did it need power as well I assume it does if so where did you pull it from
I already use the blue spring but would like to monitor more close
thanks
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 880
blade,
I bought the relocator hose from ITP diesel... I think they are sinister diesel now. I ended up mounting the sending unit on the power steering reservoir by the degas bottle using a 1 1/2" conduit clamp from Lowe's. I did not want the heavy sending unit hanging off the front of the motor. I grabbed power from the fuse panel.
I bought the relocator hose from ITP diesel... I think they are sinister diesel now. I ended up mounting the sending unit on the power steering reservoir by the degas bottle using a 1 1/2" conduit clamp from Lowe's. I did not want the heavy sending unit hanging off the front of the motor. I grabbed power from the fuse panel.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 19,071
Likes: 241
From: Saratoga Springs,UT
blade,
I bought the relocator hose from ITP diesel... I think they are sinister diesel now. I ended up mounting the sending unit on the power steering reservoir by the degas bottle using a 1 1/2" conduit clamp from Lowe's. I did not want the heavy sending unit hanging off the front of the motor. I grabbed power from the fuse panel.
I bought the relocator hose from ITP diesel... I think they are sinister diesel now. I ended up mounting the sending unit on the power steering reservoir by the degas bottle using a 1 1/2" conduit clamp from Lowe's. I did not want the heavy sending unit hanging off the front of the motor. I grabbed power from the fuse panel.
thanks for the reply joe
I had no idea the sending unit was that big
was there a spare in the fuse panel
thanks
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
From: Kerrville, Tx
i think he ment glowshift not glowgauge. i have a glow shift and have been through a sender already. i dont have that extender thing yet but its going on soon!!! make sure whoever gets it to order the adapter piece first