Got Black Smoke?
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 263
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From: USA
Got Black Smoke?
I was just tooling around on Motorhaven's site and was reading about the different performance tuners. The 7.3L programmer adds up to 100hp & 200 Ft Lbs torque. I've been planning on getting a used SD 4x4, but now the power bug is making me anxious. I want some real world feed back on how well the programmers work ..i.e. do they add a lot of felt power? What got this started, was last year I was on a road trip in my '90 F-350, and a newer F-350 floored it leaving the stoplight. The exhaust just poured black coal!!! It was so great!!! 
I just watched the smoke drift in amazement! I've heard some people say the black smoke isn't good on newer motors, but I know on the older ones they said it was just unburnt fuel and didn't hurt em. 
Anywho my questions are
1. What does it take to make a 7.3L blow black coal when you tromp it?
2. How does the motor perform with a modified program?
3. Any problems I should look for in a '99 and up used SD, and how many miles would be safe to have and still rely on it as a daily driver?
Thanks, Dave
I just watched the smoke drift in amazement! I've heard some people say the black smoke isn't good on newer motors, but I know on the older ones they said it was just unburnt fuel and didn't hurt em. Anywho my questions are
1. What does it take to make a 7.3L blow black coal when you tromp it?
2. How does the motor perform with a modified program?
3. Any problems I should look for in a '99 and up used SD, and how many miles would be safe to have and still rely on it as a daily driver?
Thanks, Dave
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Lake Stevens, WA
Dave to answer your questions:
1:Any of the name brand programmers will cause you to smoke, Edge, Superchips, Predator, in there high setting. I have an EDGE and it and it will nearly black out whoever is next to me.
But however, ideally smoke is not good, it is just unburned and wasted fuel.
2:How does the motor perform? Words can not describe the differance, I was skeptical myself, but in the 100hp setting is literally like going from a geo to a mustang gt. No joke! But on that note, there are a few items you will want to do to prepare for a programmer, First and Foremost, GAGES, GAGES, GAGES!
3: Problems, there is really only one common problem with the 7.3, and that is the CPS(camshaft Position Sensor). I have yet to have problem myself, but it is only a matter of time. Other than that, well maintiained, a 7.3 is bulletproof 400,000 miles or more.
1:Any of the name brand programmers will cause you to smoke, Edge, Superchips, Predator, in there high setting. I have an EDGE and it and it will nearly black out whoever is next to me.
But however, ideally smoke is not good, it is just unburned and wasted fuel.2:How does the motor perform? Words can not describe the differance, I was skeptical myself, but in the 100hp setting is literally like going from a geo to a mustang gt. No joke! But on that note, there are a few items you will want to do to prepare for a programmer, First and Foremost, GAGES, GAGES, GAGES!
3: Problems, there is really only one common problem with the 7.3, and that is the CPS(camshaft Position Sensor). I have yet to have problem myself, but it is only a matter of time. Other than that, well maintiained, a 7.3 is bulletproof 400,000 miles or more.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 1
From: Elverson, PA
I agree with Fordnut74 except for on #1. While a tuner will give you a little smoke - you need to go with a chip with a hot tune to really get you some black. And if you're interested in smoking out 2-lane highways, you better look into injectors and a chip that is custom tuned for your injectors. I can make a pretty good puff of black out of the stacks with my chip on the 125HP setting - but it cleans up pretty good once my turbo spools up. I'm actually waiting to get my chip back with Fuel-7 setting on it - that oughta get me pretty darn close to blowing full black out of my stacks!!
While black smoke IS wasted, un-burned fuel - it's still FREAKIN' awesome!!!
While black smoke IS wasted, un-burned fuel - it's still FREAKIN' awesome!!!
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
From: Lake Stevens, WA
While black smoke IS wasted, un-burned fuel - it's still FREAKIN' awesome!!!
I am still waiting for that oppurtunity to fill the cab of some rice rocket with my fryer oil smoke 
Cat- man is right, a programmer will blow a pretty good cloud of smoke but it is short lived once the turbo spools up. To be a freight train will cost upwards of $2,000 though. If only I had $ 2,000
