Looking into cheap programmer options found this on Google, are they any good? I have a 2000 f250 7.3L, 6 speed manual transmission

 

I have had good luck with Hypertech programmers in my fleet, had one in my '02 Excursion, one in my '01 F350 and I currently have one in my '02 F350, all 7.3's, I personally would stick to known brands, not a knock-off.

 

Do you have gauges? I wouldn't do anything without an EGT gauge at the minimum. I only recommend/ use a PHP Hydra, but that's just me

and i hope you are not looking at one because of that false 5mpg gain BS. You will most likely not gain anything but a bit of extra power. I good chip like a Hydra can definitely wake these trucks up.

 

I would stick with the cheap 5 position tuners that have been around for decades, if cheap was what I was after.

 

Right on right on I'll check into those thanks

 

No, get a Hydra chip.

 

Buy once, cry once. Hydra can also be programmed with a no start setting. Set it, take the controller with you. Now the criminal needs a controller, or a tow truck.

 

I'm really just looking at what's out there and still have a bit of a ways to go before the programmer stage... as I've posted in other threads, the truck was sitting for nearly 5 years, and had rat issues along with typical issues when dealing with 308k miles on a truck. Guages are probably the next step. Considering a duely conversion eventually... lots to do, and want to get the most bang for my buck with out dropping 100k into a 25 year old truck

 

you'd be fine with one of the **** chips on a low setting w/o gauges, just to get the throttle response and make it feel like not such a turd.

 

This is the worst advise to someone, especially if they are new to this.
A stock truck can have EGT issues without a chip. a chip with any tune will just make it worse.
Gauges also help aid in troubleshooting or knowing when something isn't right.

The same could be said about an all out tune. I know how my truck works and I can drive without gauges, but I don't think that's what you tell a newbie.

He's on the right track. Get his truck up to par, add at least an EGT, and then think about extra power. He also needs to make sure his up pipes and all piping is leak free.
He also if not aware, needs to know that he should maintain 1250 EGT's or lower unless he wants to risk his engine. Many just think you can throw a chip/ tuner in and race around like a car...doesn't exactly work like that.
We also don't know his location or use. If he's anywhere near high elevation things aren't so easy, especially if doing any towing and if he has a boost leak that he will not be aware of.
but sure, in the perfect world a low power tune shouldn't be an issue w/o gauges. I won't put a chip in anyones vehicle without a way to monitor EGT's.

My best friend thought the same thing...oh it's fine I know how to drive my truck....I don't need gauges. He finally got a gauge and realized how everything absolutely wasn't fine and how quickly EGT's can get out of control. he only uses a low power tune too.

 

Yea, I won't argue with the principled stance, so you're right.....but, it's so very incredibly unlikely that a stock injected 7.3 gets destroyed by a chip that, well, it'd have to be used by someone incredibly ignorant and negligent to damage anything. Temp risk would be accompanied with huge amounts of black smoke, indicating a boost failure of some kind.