Sorry to hear about your pitfalls rblomguist.

But from this thread and reading other post in regards to performance, I didn`t come across major engine malfunctions with regards to destroying an engine UNLESS you hit the upper echeleon of tuning without the proper upgrades / gauges to keep track of your tuning.?

I would like you to fill us / me in on what caused your troubles. No sarcasism ment at all.

 

Be glad to but with the following disclaimer: Please everyone, this is just my take and my experiences so don't get all up in arms if you think differently. I try to take a common sense approach to this stuff nowadays.

Here's a simple sample within the 6.0 community that I immediately saw upon joining the FTE and buying a Ford. Look up the amount of people that have reported blown headgaskets, then start looking at the profiles of the trucks, it's amazing how many of those have mods.

Here's the logic I see....In a nut shell when you take a factory design, especially the current ones that are already pumping out big HP and torque, and alter the factor parameters (to produce more) such as boost pressure ), fuel volume injected, and fuel injection timing (moved from where it is in the stock event) you are moving the relibility %ages away from your favor. Now, there are circumstances where the factory may have designed something wrong in which case a mod may increase relibility but that's not what I'm referring to; I'm talking about guys wanting to mod strictly for more power. In almost any motorsport when you start modifying for power you eventually get into a loss of reliability to one degree or another depending on the threshold of the original engineered design. It's my opinion that these newer diesel engines are very close to going over the edge of the relibility curve, especially for folks that actually use their diesels to tow. Now, as for my Dodge/Cummins experince: Installed an Edge EZ, which in that application adds only 50rwp and when used with the boost elbow (boost fooler) also allows the truck to produce more boost; In my case that was about 5 more psi boost. Now, that 50 additional hp pretty much necessitated I spend 350-400 bucks on gauges so I could monitor the EGTs, boost, and fuel pressure since all of those items were closer to critical mass because of the aftermarket power mods, none of those were absolutely needed while I was stock although an argument for the fuel pressure gauge could be made even stock on a dodge. Also, despite the claims to the contrary when you add fuel/power EGTs normally go up, so I had the muffler removed to help keep the EGTs closer to a safe zone, again not needed while stock.

It gets better....The 1st time I towed my current travel trailer with the EZ the headgasket grenaded. Realizing from what Diesel Dynamics told me about the trans and running an EZ I spent big bucks on a Mag-Hytec double deep pan, synthetic trans fluid (something like 18 quarts of it), and a trans temp guage setup. I also had the bands adjusted & filter changed. Within 6mo of towing with the EZ my transmission went south. Stock dodge 47REs are borderline with the 200hp stock hp, but when you add a box like an EZ that pumps out more hp/tq all at once and early on the power curve it's just a matter of time. Out comes the checkbook to the tune of 6k for an aftermarket diesel trans setup (so I can tow in OD and hold the aftermarket power)....18 mo later it craps out and costs me another $1k to fix. None of the tranmission stuff was necessary before modding the truck (just reg maint) About that same time (and still running the Edge box) my 2nd headgasket starts to grenade on me one day. About this time there's enough of us on the TDR having the same problems that a trend is clear in regard to hp mods. This trend is much much more pronounced in folks that tow heavy i.e. 5vers etc but even the street pickup guys are having some degree of problems like transmissions lunching etc. After a bunch of us with similiar truck useages found each other on the TDR I decided to toss the Edge box and go back to stock. After I did that I never had another failure, others expereinced similar. In addition, if you look at the guys that don't have a clue about mods, these boards, and the diesel aftermarket industry in general a ton of them go years with no major catastrophies, even the guys that tow heavy. I can't emphasize enough that my troubles were not isolated, they were fairly common betwen folks that had modified for power.

Some folks can mod and never have a problem, and again, to each his own/more to ya if you want to mod. Just try to stay realistic about what you're doing to a factory design and realize you could very well be reducing your chances for a trouble free experience. The thing that kills me is folks complaining about Ford and you look at their profile and they've modded the heck out of the truck. The 1st page with text on it in the owner's supplement says plain as day it's not adviseable to do mods like we're talking about here. I think if Joe owner wants to do go ahead and "chip" his truck even when Ford warns about doing it, so be it, it's a free country, just don't slag on Ford if you torch a headgasket while running 20+ lbs of boost over what Ford had it set to run (just a hypothetical example).

Rich

Rich

 

I'm not going to join on in this argument anymore.

As said by a couple of others already here, to each thier own.

I mod mine until it literally can't stand it anymore. It torches, explodes, melts down on a regular basis. When it does so, I laugh and fix it. Generally I do so myself...I get parts cheap, labor free. Some people don't have that luxury and I understand that. Personally, I couldn't care less what tears up- its all metal, its all repairable. I don't rely on the truck for work, and I have other means of transportation if needed. On many occasions I have performed mods knowing that more likely than not it will cause damage- sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I get a nice fireball. Some people would call that dumb- as far as I'm concerned, its a form of research and development.

It has been down to 3 functioning cylinders, and 1 functioning gear ratio. Times it has actually left me stranded- zero. Ironically.

Good luck- to both those who will get 350,000 miles out of their drivetrain and those who will get 3500

 

I feel that money is better spent on bug/grill screens, Bilstein shocks, frequent oil changes, Fumoto drain valves, coolant filter, Powerservice fuel additives and higher fuel costs (so I can keep filling up, driving and enjoying my truck)!!! Save on all the mods and go to bed at night not worrying about voiding your warranty or having to "deal with Ford over it".

My '03 Excursion has 55,000+ miles and the only trouble has been reflashing and now it runs great!!!

However, this is America and we love our cars and trucks and we love them modded and fast!!!

Have fun to all and enjoy,

Jeff

 

Being an avid reader of this forum, I started thinking about the SCMT tuner and a cat back exhaust system right after I bought "Mama's Beast" in April 2004. But, the most I ever tow is an Exciss aluminum three-horse-slant stock trailer with tack room and over the gooseneck sleeping area (G.V.W.R 10,400 lbs.) Going up "The Big Hill" on I-77 North from North Carolina to Virginia in Tow/Haul mode with thee horses aboard at 70 MPH (no sweat), I have to look in the rear view mirror to remind me the trailer is still back there as I pass everyone. If I ever upgrade to a three-horse-slant with living quarters, I would have to think about the tuner and exhaust upgrade if performance is noticeably degraded on "The Big Hill". As for now, it's not broke and I see no need to fix it. Thanks everbody for your input. It really helps this newbie.

Mama's Beast: 2004, F-350, CC, 4X4, FX4, Lariat, PSD with Auto Tx, Moonroof, 29,000+ miles; Stanadyne with every fill up.