‘00 PSD 4x4 w/ 340k all stock except for Magnaflow muffler, the big Napa filter, IAH delete, red line delete, and Hutch / Harpoon Mod. Rotella T6 oil

Sorry fellas don’t have time to sit and do lots of research so I’ll get to the point. Would like to get a bit more power out of my truck (via simple low cost mods), so have a couple questions.

1. Is a 3 1/2” down pipe worth it? (Don’t really want to replace exhaust system)

2. Currently have a SuperChips flash programmer. I like what it’s provided, however I hear lots of talk about DP and SCT and that the SC is outdated. Can someone shed some light on what these units provide the SC doesn’t and why they are better? Don’t really wanna get deep in programmer custom tunes unless it’s easy and included with the unit.

3. Banks Big Head mechanical waste gate actuator. Opinions?

4. crisper / quicker tranny shifts? (new valve body?)

One last thing,, reading on here guys are seeing 22-28 psi boost pressure on stock turbo’s.. just how the heck are they getting that on a stock turbo? Most I’ve seen (read by Scan Gauge II) is 16-17..

Any other suggestions welcomed.

Thanks.

 

No on the down pipe, unless replacing the whole system with 4". OEM with Magnaflow not a bad place to be. Depends on desired power level.

Current best available is a PHP Hydra switch with free library. Unless you tow heavy and want an exhaust brake tune then you're stuck with DP Tuner, like me. Tunes will often include transmission tuning, look into the details.

Banks Big head not at all critical. Depends.

First level is a chip with tunes on a mostly OEM engine, plus a billet turbo wheel. Solid boost in HP with no need for big exhaust. Plus bellowed up pipes.

Gonna stop myself here. Please define your goals further, like intended use of the truck and budget. "Bit more power" is a good start but not expansive. With a big goal and budget you could be looking at big injectors, turbos etc.

 

I'll play the role of crotchety old guy and say sorry but "get a bit more power" is incompatible with "don’t have time to sit and do lots of research". Any time you are modifying a vehicle to do something above and beyond what it was originally designed to do, you had better do your research or you are simply setting yourself up for frustration.

Aside from that, what David has mentioned above is a good start. The first step is to make sure the baseline is solid i.e. no boost leaks, exhaust leaks, excessive blowby, injectors in good shape etc. etc. If you don't plan to go wild with the power level, your best bet is to find someone with a truck that is running well and modified to what you are looking to do and just copy that.

 

Intake and exhaust mods are not required to make more power. What you’ve done is adequate.

The programmer you have is not a very good way to increase power.

I always say ‘make it run right, then we’ll make it run better’. Verify ICP/IPR DC are good (maintain 2800psi and under 40% DC under sustained WOT) with stock tuning. Replace leaky up-pipes - I rarely see stock up-pipes that don’t leak anymore. Do the in-tank and pre-pump mods and verify fuel pressure remains strong at WOT. Make sure cooling system maintenance is up to date (consider a proper cooling system flush with block drains removed and switch to ELC if you haven’t yet).

Before adding more power, you NEED an EGT gauge and I think a fuel pressure gauge is also critical to avoid problems you can’t otherwise see. The other PID’s can be monitored with your SG2 or an app like FORscan Lite.

Now you’re ready for better tuning. Hydra is the only good choice here. The tuning from the other place mentioned sucks - IMHO. The Hydra comes with access to a library of tunes for stock injectors. You can easily load (15) tunes and learn what you do and don’t like about ‘custom tuning’. From here, you can get a tuner tweak calibrations for exactly what you want. With stock injectors, you can expect up to 100hp over stock tuning (the 120/140hp tunes many people offer just make more smoke and EGT and don’t actually make higher max HP). This is significantly more power than you have now and makes the truck way more fun to drive!

Stock shifting is typically pretty good, although some years are better than others. When people say ‘firmer/crisper’ shifts, I think they are looking for a bark the tires shift like a good muscle car. Even if you liked this harshness, it would not be good for the transmission. We want the transmission to shift SMOOTHLY for the best longevity. We also want it to stay cool (under 200* max indicates ‘everything is ok’). I am not a fan of ‘upgraded valve bodies’ for the most part.

 

i'll add that these guys are all leading you to great information, but bottom line is that you will indeed need to do research, take the time now or you will need to do it to later!

Ask me how i know!

 

I apologize, should have explained myself better.. as far as “research”, over past two years I’ve read so damn much on upgrades it all blends together. Unfortunately, looking at manufacturers websites doesn’t always provide the truth about the product, just what they want customers to know to entice sales. So, I turned to FTE. I’m an old gear head that built nitrous gulping 460’s in the 90’s, and have a decent knowledge of the 7.3. But you all know what works and doesn’t on these engines.

I do some towing, occasional stock trailer, dump trailer, but’s mostly a bass boat or 16’ utility.

As far as power, I’m a power junkie, but I want this engine to last, just looking to “wake it up a bit”, and get a few more ponies out of it. Not looking into bigger injectors, or turbo at this time. I like the pep the old super tuner gave it, and if there’s better, I’d go that route.

”Shifting”,, don’t need the tire barking punch. Just a firm quick transition between gears when down on the pedal. (like the Allison tranny)

I’d like to keep expenses under $1500

Almost forgot. Picked up a 6.0 tranny cooler awhile back. How are you all connecting to the existing 7.3 lines? What fittings are you using?

 

As long as it doesn’t wind up and bang, your shifts are probably fine. See how you feel about it after you add a Hydra.

I prefer to cut the 3/8” hard lines and use a compression to 1/2” hose barb to adapt to 6.0 transmission cooler.

 

I mainly followed this write up when I did mine. Maybe it will help

https://www.drive.google.com/file/d/...1mrsDjf0B/view

 

Ahhh, analysis paralysis. I can appreciate that.

As for getting more power for under $1,500, this will probably take the form of fixing power "robbers" more than installing actual power "adders" if you haven't checked for boost and exhaust leaks yet. This includes instrumentation so you can tell if you have power loss in the first place. Gauges, bellowed up pipes, and upgraded CAC tube and plenum boots and clamps are good places to start. How much boost is the truck making now? What are your EGTs?

I plumbed my 6.0 transmission cooler in with Aeroquip AQP lines with AN fittings. I had aluminum AN bungs welded onto the 6.0 transmission cooler. I am a bit of plumbing snob.
BTW, do you know if that 6.0 cooler came from a truck with a grenaded transmission? If so, backflush the hell out of that thing and then consider an extra transmission fluid filter. You do not want any broken transmission particles making it into your still-functioning transmission.