upgrades to engine
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2009
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upgrades to engine
2004 6.0, 71,000 miles, no problems but knowing there might be a disaster lurking sooner or later I bit the bullit and had some upgrades done.
"Bullit proof diesel egr delete, new oil cooler, ARP head studs, heads pressure checked and decked. I have a young Diesel Technician here in the Greater Seattle area who will do this job for around $4200.00. He removes the engine out the front, when finished, all is ready to go including new oil, coolant and air conditioner recharged. I think this is a really good deal. I checked with two other shops in the area and they wanted at least $6500.00 for the same job. If there are members on this forum in the greater Seattle area looking for this upgrade let me know. I chose the Bullit Proof delete as it seems to be the best out there, it looks like all original equipment is still there and their work is perfect. "Cost vs worth" Now for a tuner, I will probably go for the Edge Evoloution as all gauges are in one unit and with the head stud upgrade I will have no worries. I also have a coolant filter I installed earlier + 4" straight pipe turbo back, engine runs like a bear cat and sounds just as bad. Bring it on!!!
Steve Young @ 425 785 8225
skyoung4u@comcast.net
"Bullit proof diesel egr delete, new oil cooler, ARP head studs, heads pressure checked and decked. I have a young Diesel Technician here in the Greater Seattle area who will do this job for around $4200.00. He removes the engine out the front, when finished, all is ready to go including new oil, coolant and air conditioner recharged. I think this is a really good deal. I checked with two other shops in the area and they wanted at least $6500.00 for the same job. If there are members on this forum in the greater Seattle area looking for this upgrade let me know. I chose the Bullit Proof delete as it seems to be the best out there, it looks like all original equipment is still there and their work is perfect. "Cost vs worth" Now for a tuner, I will probably go for the Edge Evoloution as all gauges are in one unit and with the head stud upgrade I will have no worries. I also have a coolant filter I installed earlier + 4" straight pipe turbo back, engine runs like a bear cat and sounds just as bad. Bring it on!!!
Steve Young @ 425 785 8225
skyoung4u@comcast.net
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 6
From: Abilene, Texas
Stay as far away form the EDGE as you can. Your tranny will thank you. For tunning these trucks go with custom tunes. They have the best record with these trucks. The only two tunners that I would recomend is a SCT with tunes from either Matt at gearheadautomotive or Eric at innovative diesel. The other tunner would be the Spartan Phalnx with there tunes. Don't get any other "canned" tunner (ie...banks, edge, bullydog ect..).
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edge tuner
your advice is certainly in my thinking cap. I usually think when someone gives avice like this, there is a reason. Having just spend $4200.00 on the engine I do not want to have any troubles so I will look into the SCT tuner
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 6
From: Abilene, Texas
You will be much happier in the end. Also make sure you have gauges to keep an eye on everything. Here are a few options For gauges
1 edge cts (this is only an OBDII gauge not a tuner)
2 dashdaq (also a OBDII gauge)
3 scangaugeII (cheapest OBDII gauge)
4 you can get individual analog gauges
The OBDII gauges can read just about everything you need to watch, except for fuel pressure and EGT's. With the dashdaq and the cts you can add senders so they will display them. The scangaugeII won't except external sensors so you will need to add individual gauges for the fuel pressure and EGT. The reason no OBDII gauge will read those two is because there is no sensor on the truck for them.
1 edge cts (this is only an OBDII gauge not a tuner)
2 dashdaq (also a OBDII gauge)
3 scangaugeII (cheapest OBDII gauge)
4 you can get individual analog gauges
The OBDII gauges can read just about everything you need to watch, except for fuel pressure and EGT's. With the dashdaq and the cts you can add senders so they will display them. The scangaugeII won't except external sensors so you will need to add individual gauges for the fuel pressure and EGT. The reason no OBDII gauge will read those two is because there is no sensor on the truck for them.
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upgrades
thank you for your generous information. My main reason for making the engine upgrades is that I tow a very expensive Porsche Tractor to shows here in Washington+ I just wanted a piece of mind knowing all was good under the hood. I do no want to have a catistrophic breakdown somewhere between here and Portland, some of my friends have had that happen to them with their 6.0's. I noticed you have a pilar gauge setup? + a lot of goodies to boot. You have a lot of $ tied up in your truck for sure. I will now look for the sct tuner + the gauges so I can keep an eye on what is happening, EGT for sure but with a straight pipe, they should be much lower. Yes, Porsche made tractors, from 1938 to 1962. Air cooled Diesels, I have 4 of them, all from 1959
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Oregon
Look into a coolant filter and what coolant did you go back with??
Fuel pressure gauge because under 45lbs kills injectors. Yes gauges
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Fuel pressure gauge because under 45lbs kills injectors. Yes gauges
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 6
From: Abilene, Texas
thank you for your generous information. My main reason for making the engine upgrades is that I tow a very expensive Porsche Tractor to shows here in Washington+ I just wanted a piece of mind knowing all was good under the hood. I do no want to have a catistrophic breakdown somewhere between here and Portland, some of my friends have had that happen to them with their 6.0's. I noticed you have a pilar gauge setup? + a lot of goodies to boot. You have a lot of $ tied up in your truck for sure. I will now look for the sct tuner + the gauges so I can keep an eye on what is happening, EGT for sure but with a straight pipe, they should be much lower. Yes, Porsche made tractors, from 1938 to 1962. Air cooled Diesels, I have 4 of them, all from 1959
still have a lot of planes for the girl. I was going to ask about the porsche too. I would love to see a pic of that.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 944
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From: Happy Valley, Oregon
Texans gave you good advice. The SCT tuner is what I run as well as the Edge CTS for guages. The CST now has fuel pressure so that is great. Not sure if the 04 needs the blue spring upgrade for fuel pressure. I did what your doing at 58,000. I wanted my truck to last and be reliable. I did a bit more and replaced some parts that werent worn out but with the engine sitting on the ground it was easy to do. It only costs a few more bucks in parts at that point.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
Only thing that I would add is might want to think about a Fuel Regulated Return. That will help injectors #7 and #8 from running a very high chance of being "starved" for fuel.
Other than that, everyone has hit spot on. I would also say the price that you were quoted is a pretty reasonable one.
Other than that, everyone has hit spot on. I would also say the price that you were quoted is a pretty reasonable one.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,791
Likes: 8
From: Edmonton AB, Canada
^what he said. Avoid the edge.
I was getting to ~35psi boost with the edge .
Now with my SCT livewire TS Highest ie seen is 25psi and goes a lot better then it do with the edge. I feel much better with the 25psi on my stock head bolts.
I was getting to ~35psi boost with the edge .
Now with my SCT livewire TS Highest ie seen is 25psi and goes a lot better then it do with the edge. I feel much better with the 25psi on my stock head bolts.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,035
Likes: 18
From: Alberta
I've been running the Edge Evolution CS for nearly a year and a half with no transmission problems. I'd say it programs transmission nicely. And if you don't like it the way it shifts, it allows you to change shift speeds as well as shift firmness. But hey, that's just my 2¢!
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
I've been running the Edge Evolution CS for nearly a year and a half with no transmission problems. I'd say it programs transmission nicely. And if you don't like it the way it shifts, it allows you to change shift speeds as well as shift firmness. But hey, that's just my 2¢!
One of the "issues" with stuff like this is that it takes time for things to develop. Sometimes too much time has passed and therefore the incorrect (or no) correlation is made to cause and effect.
A lot of variables go into that, mainly what specifically does your truck have to deal with on an ongoing basis?
To give you an idea, when I first put (at one time) Stage I injectors and a 64mm turbo, and tuning to match, my transmission lasted about a year. At that time I was putting on about 40k a year mainly hauling around 15-16k. I wasn't expecting the tranny to last, certainly not that long, but I'm willing to still bet it was because of those parts that I put on it is what contributed to it's premature failure (at the time the tranny failed it was only 3 yrs old).
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