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I have a 1997 F350 4x4 crew cab PSD with low miles (110k) all mechanicals are in good shape runs like a top - has AFE stage II intake and MBRP 3" downpipe with 3.5" straight pipe for exhaust everything else stock.
scenario: I was towing my equipment trailer with my old F100 on it and a bed full of misc stuff making a total towing and payload weight of 8500 lbs. from a 55 mph head start pulling a short (1/3 mile) 15% grade I was only able to hold 45 mph all the way up - the truck held it but that was all she had this isn't going to cut it for me, my amount of towing is only going to increase and I don't want to spend my life pitter-patting up the passes and foothills. my boost is normal and everything seems to be in check, no stuck brakes, alignment is good etc.
the 460's and V10's I've owned did much better than this truck with similar payload and weight - I'm contemplating buying a different tow rig... any honest numbers from other OBS owners on what kind of speed would be normal for a scenario like mine?
45 on a 10% grade isn't bad if you didn't have any sort of run with the stock truck. In all honesty 215 hp at the crank is rated at 3000 rpm i believe. So rpm is your going to be your friend. I'd leave afe. Not bad intakes.
A chip for with custom tunes and some gauges will really wake her up. My truck has slightly larger SD injectors but will flat roll on with 8500 lbs behind it. Need to put my intercooler in to help with egts as the extra 50cc of fuel can heat things up. With the stock AA injectors your egts will be much more controllable.
45 on a 10% grade isn't bad if you didn't have any sort of run with the stock truck. In all honesty 215 hp at the crank is rated at 3000 rpm i believe. So rpm is your going to be your friend. I'd leave afe. Not bad intakes.
A chip for with custom tunes and some gauges will really wake her up. My truck has slightly larger SD injectors but will flat roll on with 8500 lbs behind it. Need to put my intercooler in to help with egts as the extra 50cc of fuel can heat things up. With the stock AA injectors your egts will be much more controllable.
I've contemplated guages and a 6 position dp tuner but I'm questioning sinking more money in the truck with such a weak starting point ...
I have very little done to my truck. Now that you can see my sig. I have basically a stock SD truck with a chip and OBS turbo w/o the IC. It made right at 300hp at the wheels. It gets the whatever job done I have ever needed. I have 2000 lbs of rock in the bed right now and its barely on the overload spring. I'm very confident that i could hook another 6500lbs behind it and pull close to a stock 6.4.
For about 2200 or so dollars you could have gauges,IC setup, Chip, and stage one injectors and have a very good running reliable setup. And it will have a much better mpg towing vs a v10 truck or 460. That setup would put you around 325-350 and 270ish in a tow tune at the wheels.
I have driven with about the same weight on the same type of grade with similar results. I have a crew cab long box 4x4 with 140k now. I have an intake and exhaust including the downpipe. I was only able to do 45-50mph with boost numbers around 18psi. My friend has a truck very with the same setup as mine but he walked away from me on the hills doing 70. The difference....tuning. All he had was a cheap Superchips 1704 tuner.
I would get a tuner preferably a chip and watch the difference. You wouldn't think it would make that much difference but it DOES. I just put in gauges and the tuner is next.