When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
If you’ve been following BBSLIDERs Betsy Blue thread you know that he had a turbo issue. I sent him my turbo and it’s performance has been outstanding but when it was in my truck it didn’t perform anywhere near as well. Keep in mind that our trucks are nearly identical...HOWEVER, one of the major differences are environmental aka elevation. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...it-begins.html
>>>>This is a great example of what works great for someone may or may not work equally as well for someone else...
My Truck
Below are the specs while I was running the turbo.
E99
2WD
390K miles
4.10 gears
140 sticks
DRW CCLB
Intake:Ford AIS
Tunes:
>>>>>>>>>>>ELEVATION 7000 FT +
Byron’s truck
2000
2WD
383K miles
3.73 gears
140 sticks
DRW CCLB
Intake:6637 RiffRaff
Tunes: Cleatus
>>>>>>>>>>>ELEVATION 3202’ (Lubbock TX 3202 FT to FT Worth 653FT)
Byron put my E99 MST turbo in his 2000 F350 after changing the backing plate and housing. I ran the MST turbo and had significant EGT’s issues regardless of whether the truck was running chipped or even before the chip. I would regularly see max EGT’s 1250* towing through the mountains, the EGT’s would remain high even if I took OD OFF. The EGT’s directly affected the speed I was able to tow, often climbing mountain passes I could barely maintain 50-55mph and keep the EGT’s in check.
Byron reports his EGT’s were well in check even towing significantly heavier weight than I was at the time I ran that MST Turbo.
If you compare the truck specs you’ll see they are damn near identical. The environmental differences AKA elevation are where there are glaring differences!
The following article clearly shows how different turbos perform differently at elevation...so when researching a new turbo or new wheel keep in mind that there’s much more to it than simply asking: “what turbo should I get?” Or “what’s the best turbo?” Don’t fall victim to just following the crowd, do your research and don’t forget how elevation changes will effect your trucks performance...
So in response to this, my elevation starting was at 3500 ft down to about 600 ft above sea level. The performance of the stock Turbo with just the upgraded wheel was more than stellar. I was not able to get my egts above 1100 on a very hard pull on my hottest tune and I had power to spare. The only issue I'm having now is having too much boost so I'm going to have to look into getting a boost fooler. This was further proof to me that a stock Turbo is more than adequate when matched with good tunes and being used at a better elevation than say 7,000 ft. The specs for my truck are spot on and I would say that tunes are a part of this recipe here.
I definitely appreciate John laying out all the specs and helping me see that my decision was a good one so far.
If you compare the truck specs you’ll see they are damn near identical. The environmental differences AKA elevation are where there are glaring differences!
Similar but not identical. Probably the tuning accounts for most of it but also the 6637 probably flows a little better than an AIS assuming both filters are new. His truck is also a 2000 which has slightly larger intake plenums and charge air tubing than E99 right? (Was not aware E99 turbos would bolt to to a L99+...)
Modded stock turbo has worked well for me on a budget and anything fancier than that would be way down the list of needs and wants for my truck.
I run a 2003, with a upgraded WW2 in stock turbo with stock injector. intake and S&B oiled filter with opening in front for better air.. exhaust is 4" Turbo to tail with a flow muffler installed. when pulling long 6% grades hitting them at about 65-70 mph turning 2800 to 3K rpm with 3.73 rear, I do get to a point at about 55 mph push the OD button,, about this time the EGT are running 12 13 and have been around 11-12 for a while now.. for reference I am pulling a 8100 lbs airstream trailer.
I don't have a problem doing about 50 to 53 at about 3K RPM pulling the hill (egts around 9-10) and yes the other yacks are going by me pulling the 5th wheels,, some but not all as I am not in a big hurry to get to the top.. but i understand i don't have to worry about emission issues, or DEF fluid or a lot of the new vehicle issues but i also understand the new truck has mucho power which is nice as well.. that is for the future.
It's TS Performance tuning that I modified to shift decent when Byron was running an automatic transmission. This is not a surprise as I mentioned to the forum back then that my intentions were to do just that....modify the shifting of his current tunes ONLY.
So mass air flow and density has nothing to do with this? It's all about tunes? I don't think so. What does a turbo do? Move air. I know, simple and dumbed down for the rocket scientists in here, but that is what it does. The purpose? To cool the EGTs and to provide boost for power, which also includes the fuel side.
Yes, Cody's tunes are all time, no doubt, but in this equation I think air is the big thing. As John pointed out, less air at higher elevation gives less for the turbo to perform with. More air, better performance....on ALL areas.
Ever try running a mile at 8000 feet? Yup, it hurts. Same idea. Poor turbo burns its own lungs while the denser air for a lower elevation turbo provides plenty of oxygen for much better performance.
But for those that don't tow and just have theories because they think tunes are the end all, be all...keep thinking that. It simply isn't true.
It's TS Performance tuning that I modified to shift decent when Byron was running an automatic transmission. This is not a surprise as I mentioned to the forum back then that my intentions were to do just that....modify the shifting of his current tunes ONLY.
But hey, TS sucks, right?
Cody, you are mistaken. You gave me tunes for my last truck, which was a ZF-6 because GH screwed them up due to "mass fuel desired". Yes, you did fix a TS chip, but GH had had their hands on it before you got ahold of it.
BLUF: Colorado350 hit the nail on the head with his first bold comment... BLUF = Bottom Line Up Front
Originally Posted by Colorado350
If you’ve been following BBSLIDERs Betsy Blue thread you know that he had a turbo issue.
More like the hammer and turbo had an issue...
Originally Posted by BBSlider001
Yeah, soooooo, I beat my turbo to death. LOOOOOONG story short, I had enough.....LOL. I have a temper....no shame.....is what it is. New one on the way.
...may have been a blessing in disguise for BBSlider001 since he recently reported...
Originally Posted by BBSlider001
I could not get my EGTs above 1000* no matter what I did. I started in my Extreme Tow tune just to see what it would do. MY EGTs were totally under control
These are amazing results that few have been able to achieve using a GTP38, GTP38R, MST, KC Turbo, SXE, Precision or Holset turbo. It seems he found the "golden ticket" and should NOT change a thing!
Although, there are more differences between the two trucks running conditions and configuration than just environmental/elevation and the year of manufacture.
I had originally thought to post up some information related to some of those differences. Although, I have decided to leave my comments as they are above because I can get longwinded and too detailed at times where my message has been lost in the wall of text and images.
Take this post for example.... Ridiculous amount of information compiled over months of data logging and research. EGT vs FUELPW vs ICP vs IPR DC...
Originally Posted by Colorado350
This is a great example of what works great for someone may or may not work equally as well for someone else...
This is why the FTE always insists on people knowing their truck/van, knowing their goals for the truck/van, knowing their budget, knowing their mechanical ability, knowing what to expect, knowing what to look out for and knowing how to get there!
Cody, you are mistaken. You gave me tunes for my last truck, which was a ZF-6 because GH screwed them up due to "mass fuel desired". Yes, you did fix a TS chip, but GH had had their hands on it before you got ahold of it.
I'm old and forget a lot. Must be thinking of someone else.
I ran Gear Head tunes with a MST for years. Then I ran 1023 tunes with the same MST. Both of these tunes did well, but NOWHERE near as well as Bbslider001 reports. I would have to downshift to 4th or 3rd (ZF6) at times and keep RPM near 3000 and boost near 30 PSI. This is criss country and long distance trips towing heavy. Over the Rocky mountains, up to MT, down to NM, we have seen most of this great nation and it gets better each time we head out.
I upgraded my turbo a couple of years ago from the MST and both the Gear Head and 1023 tunes ran terrible. Not even decent, terrible. They were good when the truck did not have the 5th wheel attached, but 90% of the time the 5th wheel is on the truck and the tryck is working for a living.
I was lucky though! I tried the PHP tunes because they were already paid for with the Hydra purchase, and it turns out the 65HP works great. I tried the 85HP and with stick 255,00 mile injectors, I saw no difference. I was lucky because after the turbo upgrade, even after recouping a lot of funds, my penny piggy bank was nearly empty. I did not have the funds to seek out a tune that would work well for towing a 5th wheel with the turbo I had installed.
Tuning absolutely can and does make a big difference in how a 7.3L will run.
All ended well though! I have 100's of thousands of lines of data, videos, screenshots, pictures and charts to show me the differences in tunes other than what the EGT, boost and RPM gauges tell me. EGT and boost are at the very basic level of information that a driver can comprehend when running a modified 7.3L. FORScan, AE and TP can look at so many aspects of how the PCM is functioning and how the engine is running in milliseconds. BAFX is ~40 milliseconds and OBDLink is ~12 milliseconds.
Often times all that is needed though is EGT and boost.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
I sent him my turbo and it’s performance has been outstanding but when it was in my truck it didn’t perform anywhere near as well. Keep in mind that our trucks are nearly identical...HOWEVER, one of the major differences are environmental aka elevation. 
