Tuning a stock engine
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,330
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From: 'Pitlock, Maine
Tuning a stock engine
Like the heading says...How many people are running stock engines AND tunes? Has anyone ever done a poll asking about HG problems with stock engines vs. HG problems with TUNED stock engines? If not, how do I set up a poll question? If so, could anyone link me to that poll please? Thanks in advance.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 309
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From: Ohio
I'm running a SCTx4 with factory tunes right now on a basically stock engine, meaning stock head bolts and gaskets, started running the tunes at about 190,000 miles and now well over 210,000 with no issues whatsoever. It can and has been done by many just be cognizant of what you're dealing with and don't be a dummy! Good luck
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 380
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I ran my truck stock with tunes until the hg's blew.
EDIT: Just to elaborate a little bit. I have ran tunes since right after the warranty expired and you have to accept the fact that there is a possibility that your head bolts will eventually fail. I figured someday the hg's would blow and I would be doing a stud and BP job and I was ok with that from day one of plugging the tuner in. Mine blew at 212k. If you're not ok with taking the chance, I wouldn't run tunes.
EDIT: Just to elaborate a little bit. I have ran tunes since right after the warranty expired and you have to accept the fact that there is a possibility that your head bolts will eventually fail. I figured someday the hg's would blow and I would be doing a stud and BP job and I was ok with that from day one of plugging the tuner in. Mine blew at 212k. If you're not ok with taking the chance, I wouldn't run tunes.
More Turbo
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 670
Likes: 13
From: Nampa, ID
The general consensus seems to be if you have stock head bolts, keep the tuning conservative. More importantly, do not run any extra power when towing heavy.
I believe it is more common for a 6.0 to blow head gaskets from overboost, hot tuning, blown egr cooler that increases cylinder pressure or just running it too hard, especially when towing. If you play it smart, you may never have to address the head gaskets.
It is true that the head bolts on each 6.0 may not be equal from the factory. From what I understand, some trucks rolled off the line with undertorqued head bolts.
There any plenty of 6.0s running around with a lot of miles on the stock head bolts. It is a common failure, but it isn't quite as bad as some think it is.
If my truck had stock head bolts i would run gearhead's 8k tow tune as my daily. I run SRL+, but i have head studs. If you are looking for an excuse to eventually stud your truck, run a hot tune. Then when you blow the head gaskets, you will be able to run your hot tuning with peace of mind.
I believe it is more common for a 6.0 to blow head gaskets from overboost, hot tuning, blown egr cooler that increases cylinder pressure or just running it too hard, especially when towing. If you play it smart, you may never have to address the head gaskets.
It is true that the head bolts on each 6.0 may not be equal from the factory. From what I understand, some trucks rolled off the line with undertorqued head bolts.
There any plenty of 6.0s running around with a lot of miles on the stock head bolts. It is a common failure, but it isn't quite as bad as some think it is.
If my truck had stock head bolts i would run gearhead's 8k tow tune as my daily. I run SRL+, but i have head studs. If you are looking for an excuse to eventually stud your truck, run a hot tune. Then when you blow the head gaskets, you will be able to run your hot tuning with peace of mind.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,330
Likes: 65
From: 'Pitlock, Maine
Thanks for all the input people. What I'm trying to determine, I guess is... are the head gaskets on 6.0's bad in stock situations? OR are most of the head gasket failures more or less self inflicted? I HAVE seen on one of the forums (I don't recall which one) that sometime during the production of these engines an auto torque machine at the production plant was out of calibration ( sometime in early 05 comes to mind, but again I don't recall for sure) and I don't know how true that is. (But I did see it on the internet so it must be true, right? ) anyway thanks for the replies, I don't intend to tune my engine and I do monitor with gauges so at 128,000 I hope to see a few more trouble free miles.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Ontario
Thanks for all the input people. What I'm trying to determine, I guess is... are the head gaskets on 6.0's bad in stock situations? OR are most of the head gasket failures more or less self inflicted? I HAVE seen on one of the forums (I don't recall which one) that sometime during the production of these engines an auto torque machine at the production plant was out of calibration ( sometime in early 05 comes to mind, but again I don't recall for sure) and I don't know how true that is. (But I did see it on the internet so it must be true, right? ) anyway thanks for the replies, I don't intend to tune my engine and I do monitor with gauges so at 128,000 I hope to see a few more trouble free miles.
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Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,330
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From: 'Pitlock, Maine
It's not the headgaskets that are the actual issue, it's the heads having too few bolts per cylinder for clamping pressure. It's a flawed design that is aided by having stronger studs put in that withstand stretching and high pressure. I too have seen the story about an out of calibration machine, didn't hear much more on it. The simple reply is some tune on stock and do fine, some stay stock and blow some HGs by 80,100,120k M? You never know. If your truck isn't over boosting, EGR cooler isnt leaking into the cylinders etc, your giving it the best shot
I don't intend to tune it either. Although I suppose it don't guarantee I won't have a problem...it does guarantee I won't have a problem caused by tuning
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,741
Likes: 3
The poor torque problem was with the early engines; late 2002 and early 2003.
By 2007, most of the hardware bugs were worked out of the engine; at least those not directly attributed to the aforementioned poor design.
-blaine
By 2007, most of the hardware bugs were worked out of the engine; at least those not directly attributed to the aforementioned poor design.
-blaine
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