Hey guys! Finally registered on the website after being on here for so long! Been on here daily for a long time, just never signed up lol. This might be alittle lengthy lol

Well anyway, just like me and a lot of guys on here looking for help, I was always looking for tuner reviews and everyone's experience so I thought I would chime in and offer mine. You guys helped my decision and also cursed me to try other tuning as well lol!

Truck is an 03 f250, daily driver with 365,xxx miles on her and runs like a champ. For the longest time it had just a simple hypertech 100hp tune and exhaust and ran like that for about 300,000 miles.
Fast forward to now, hydra, gtp38r turbo, FF 205/80 injectors, intake, uppipes/ped delete 5"exhaust, FRX, new pump, and a copy cat sam wise trans. running on 35s.

Now for the tunning! Reading data on edge cts3

PHP tunes- PHP tunes right off the bat were a huge difference! At the time of those tunes, the truck was on 31" tires and no injectors and without a monitor. Every power level you could feel the added power. Much more responsive and top end! I was shocked at how crazy the truck felt, after all this time and years with the truck, it truly did feel like a whole other animal. The tunes had the pep and if I had to guess ran alittle on the hot side(dont take my word for it) but they would puff a good amount of smoke if you got into the throttle. Even ran the modifiedVB tunes when the trans was built and the truck did good. You could feel the added kick with line pressure when it shifted gears. Only thing was when the 35s were added on, the truck loved to lug down real low in 4th gear and then would take a good amount of throttle to make it downshift to 3rd. But anyone looking for simple power that you could feel, the PHP tunes are awesome! You wont be disappointed.

SDK tunes- These by far had the best trans tuning of all the 3 for me. Every bodies truck reacts differently but the trans tuning was on point. A couple revisions to rev out the gears alittle longer and adjust the shift hardness and add some more fuel and that was it. SDK tunes shifted harder than the rest and have an aggressive 4-3 downshift which I like. For my truck with 35s, it had the truck downshifting at about 1300rpm(43-45ish mph) but keeping the rpms up and allowing you to stay in the power band and not lug down. Now for the power, after driving around on the 1023 tunes, then sdk and back to 1023, the tunes don't feel as strong per say as the 1023 tunes. Accelerating from a stop everything feels good but compared to 1023, they win on that. Get on the top end, 70mph, 2000rpms and ease into the throttle and she picks up and starts singing. Very clean tunes, even on the highest revision from sdk where I said to dump the fuel to her lol. Had multiple revisions for more fuel to get her up and moving. Truck just felt like it wanted to go, but the fuel wasn't there. I have noticed with these tunes that they have a very low IPR and ICP readings but also higher egts than 1023 tunes. If I am under the turbo, lugging and ease into the throttle, egts get aliitle hotter, nothing crazy but a good 100-200 degrees difference. Comparing the top end, once your in boost past 20psi, rpms up and moving, at that point they both feel very similar with maybe the edge to 1023. Overall the sdk tunes have an aggressive trans tuning strategy but don't feel like that have that "ooomf" accelerating like the 1023 tunes.

1023 tunes - So after running sdk tunes for almost a year and coming back to the 1023 tunes, there is definitely as difference for sure. Yes, there have been multiple revisions for trans tuning and getting the downshifting correct (biggest thing for me). Right off the bat, like most people have stated the throttle is very touchy, like will surprise you and make you say a few choice words at first when you suddenly lunge forward lol. But you eventually learn the sensitivity. Right away these tunes pull and accelerate through the gears. The truck gets up and moving and gets out of its own way. The responsiveness is there, and the truck is quick to boost up in any gear. Even when the truck is in 4th gear locked, lugging, easing into the throttle she will get back on top of the turbo, boost comes up and the egts are cooler than sdk. With these tunes the IPR and ICP are slightly higher when accelerating but level off when up to speed. Daily driving the "cummins killer" tune is great. Most of my driving is highway at 70 mph, and cruising at 70, rpms at 2000 and I give here some good throttle, boost comes up quick, and before you know it, my monitor is reading 23 psi of boost, then goes negative cause the edge is reading the stock map sensor but she keeps pulling hard and is singing! only then will the truck leave a good trail of smoke. Other than that, besides a little hard acceleration from a dead stop and the truck runs very clean! The truck does not move the way a 7.3 should lol. Don't get me wrong, its still a 7.3, but she can move when she wants lol. All in all, the 1023 tunes are very peppy and seem stronger and with aliitle trans tuning seem to hit the spot.

Hope I could help any guys out there wanting opinions! Feel free to ask any questions. Heck now I wanna try jelibuilt tunes and a t4 setup. I have problems lol

 

Welcome to the posting side of FTE!
It’s almost as addictive as PMS for the trucks.

 

Thanks! Haha

 

@RocketStrappedTURTLE Based on a lot of what I've heard around here recently - most tuners are simply not being very responsive for updates to their tunes. How would you rate the 3 you mentioned from a responsiveness and willing to tweak tunes perspective? I'm assuming the PHP tunes are their "stock" hydra tunes right? Do you know your gearings? is it stock? Do you have the stock tranny without shift kits etc?

I have the same turbo and tires and was looking at moving from my 160/0 injectors to the same ones you have. I've been really on the fence about it though considering all the bad stories I've been hearing.

 

Mike,
PHP no longer does custom tuning for the 7.3. They have moved onto other things. Their stock library of tunes is pretty good and has a lot to choose from so most people will likely find something that suits their fancy with stock injectors. The only issue you could run into is if you needed tweaks for shifting and such due to larger tires. No customizing.

PHP also has a Titan tune unlock feature for larger than stock injectors. Unfortunately the feedback in this has been that this library is lacking very many options.

I’m running PHP myself with stock injectors. The only issue I have is sometimes it likes to shift up a little early or wait a little too long before shifting down. This could be a result of my 1 size taller than stock tires. They definitely do not help my condition any. Overall I am pretty happy with them and feel they are the best of the 4 I’ve had on the truck.

-PHP has some nice tunes. I prefer them even with the “issues” I stated above. I prefer it to shift too early as opposed to hanging onto the gear forever.
-TS tuned chip came with the truck. Way too harsh shifting. Felt crude.
-Total Diesel Performance tunes I don’t care for the shifting on my truck. Too harsh. I’ve never asked for revisions though.
-Banks ottomind, someone let me try one once. It does not modify the transmission so the shifts were far too soft and slipping into gear under heavy throttle. It’s been years so I don’t remember the details. I previously loved a version of this on my OBS ZF5 truck.

It’s worth noting that I’m running a low stall Converter and transgo tugger VB kit.

 

I have read that here and there but honestly I haven’t had a problem with getting in touch. Keep in mind I was always within the 30day revision window or had to pay for another one once it was over.

php doesn’t do the Custom tunes, but I have called them and had all my question answered when asking about the titan unlock and the future for php.

Sdk performance responded to all my emails and revisions, maybe a day or so late at the longest. Called the shop multiple times and have talked and asked the guys questions. Keep in mind they are in Canada

1023 has responded to all my revisions either the day of or the next, and trust me i have sent a good bit of revisions in. Even called the shop a few times, and if they didn’t answer they returned my message or I just would call back again at a later date and I would get a hold of someone. A lot of people forget they are in Alaska lol

I love my injectors! Talked to multiple vendors on here, CNC fab, full force, swamps, the tuners and for the setup and what the truck is used for 205/80 is the perfect match. Both tuners like the 80% over 100% due to tunability and the injectors cleaning up nice. Also they don’t kill my hhop which is still the factory one with 365,000 miles. My IPR and ICP readings are still great. Truck runs cool and when I wanna get in it she will move. Clean tunes and don’t have to worry about smoke output at all but the power is there

 

The truck is running 3.73 gears and a built auto

 

I have read that here and there on the forum but to be honest I haven't really had a problem. When I was doing my revisions I was always within the 30day window or had to buy another one for more revision.

like previously stated, PHP doesn’t do custom tuning. But I have called the shop and talked to the guys about the titan unlock and the future for PHP.

SDK performance replied to all my revisions within a day of 2 at the most. Called the shop a good bit and was always able to get in touch with someone to answer my questions. Keep in mind they are in Canada so time is something some don’t think about lol

1023 was no different. I have had a lot of revisions with them, a lot lol, and was always answered within that day or the next. Probably asked them a billion questions on the phone too. If they didn’t pick up, they would usually return my message or I would try calling at a later time. Same thing with them is they are in Alaska so time is a factor too.

 

With my Full Force 180/80 injectors I have tried the FF tunes that came with them, PHP, 1023, Gearhead and Tony Wildman. The Tony Wildman Extreme tunes blows all of the other ones out of the water. I have gotten many revisions from Gearhead, and 1023, I tried Gearheads Highest tune and 1023s Cummins Killer and Ludicrous tune, never could get the throttle response and low end power that the TW extreme tune has. I have a 6 speed so I don't have to worry about the transmission tuning.