Thought I would throw this out there. I have a 2003 F250 extra cab Superduty with 935000 miles. I will probably keep this truck for a while as it is paid for and I really like it. So far the only thing I have done to the truck is change the oil and filters, air filter, two new batteries and tires twice. Before the end of my 100,000 mile warranty I will be having the leaky? egr cooler replaced as well as a fuel injection sensor. Can anyone reccommend what else I should be concerned about and have looked at before my warranty has expired. the AC doesn't seem to work as it did when new but not sure what the dealer can or will do about that. I'm wondering what problems I might expect to have and what would be some good add ons, ie; exaust, chip, or whatever else. Thanks All, Craig Walterscsw@inreach.com

 

You might be close to a record with 930,000 miles. lol just had to.

Need to know more about your truck. 7.3 or 6.0, 2wd or 4wd, and what do you want it to do?

BTW, Welcome to FTE. Lots to learn here, great people.

 

Wow! 935,000 miles in less than five years! You must live behind the wheel.

 

I say he has a set of rollers in the driveway and leaves a block on the accelerator pedal at night.

Top upgrades are Cold air induction, Exhaust and Tune. outside of those, you really need to set a goal on what you hope to achieve.

 

whoops.... OK 93,500 miles. Truck is a 2003 Ford Superduty extracab 6.0 diesel automatic transmission four wheel drive. as a contractor I use the truck for work and occasionally pull a car or a skidsteer trailer. I'm also thinking about a cab over camper. I like the idea of a chip or tuner (are they the same thing ?) and wouldn't mind switching out the exaust system, but am concerned about over stressing the transmission and have a problem tearing out a perfectly good stainless steel exaust system. Such problems!!
Anyway thanks everyone, Craig Walters

 

Chip and tuners accomplish the same thing however the chip is physical and a tuner just uploads programs directly onto the computer and you have more control over individual parameters with a tuner(such as tranny shift firmness). If you were to get custom tunes for a tuner then you would be able to help minimize the stress that would on the tranny and you can get the truck programmed to act the best way that suites your driving habits, change shift points especially useful if you tow quite a bit. Alot of people get away with a stock exhaust on a truck just running a tuner, however a bigger exhaust will help keep egt's down especially helpful when towing(plus I like the look of a 4" exhaust v. the stock one). I would also suggest gauges, I don't know if the 03s had a boost gauge or not, but the absolute minimal I would suggest if it doesn't is pyro(egt), tranny temp(especially since you tow and you have an auto) and boost(unless the truck has it already, I have found that the boost gauge is one very very few things that is accurate from the factory, if you have it I would get for water or oil temp(I prefer water temp to oil but some suggest the reverse).

 

Humm, what is cold air induction?

 

[QUOTE=tex25025]Chip and tuners accomplish the same thing however the chip is physical and a tuner just uploads programs directly onto the computer and you have more control over individual parameters with a tuner(such as tranny shift firmness). ,

Is this correct? A chip cannot be programmed and dosen't upload anything to the pcm so is 100% undetectable by the dealer where as the tuner changes the pcm programming and its use may be detected by the dealer.

 

[QUOTE=bfloyd4445]I didn't say that at all, re-read my post.

 

[QUOTE=tex25025]I was making a statment and asking you if my statment was correct or not. I've read that chips do not change any pcm programming so can never be detected and was wondering if you knew if this was correct or not.
<<<Is this correct? A chip cannot be programmed and dosen't upload anything to the pcm so is 100% undetectable by the dealer where as the tuner changes the pcm programming and its use may be detected by the dealer. >>>

 

There is a 6.0L forum a little further down on the main forum page here. These questions have been answered many times over in there. Here is a link to the 6.0L forum.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum107/

To give a quick breakdown, chips and inline fuel devices like Banks, Edge Attitude, Bully Dog, take the readings from the sensors in the engine and change them before they get to the PCM in order to trick the computer into supplying more fuel, boost, etc. The PCM never gets the real information from the engine, and therefore cannot see when problems occur. These devices also cant take into account the added power going through the transmission, which over time leads to tranny trouble (there have been very few reports of Torqshift trouble on stock trucks, but the majority of people who report tranny problems are running a chip/inline fuel device). This is why most of the people here do not suggest running a chip/inline fuel device.

Programmers (Edge Evolution, SCT Excal, SCT Livewire) actually go into the trucks computer and re-write the computer code to get it to act differently, usually by hooking up to the OBD port under the dash. The programmer can leave safety checks in place to help keep the engine from being damaged. They can also change the programming of the transmission to adjust for the added power. You can run the stock tunes that come on the device or pay a programmer to write tunes for you. Most here would suggest to pay a programmer. By far the most recommended unit for the 6.0L here is the SCT Excal with custom tunes from Matt at Spartan Diesel Technologies.

 

[QUOTE=bfloyd4445]Beerstalker said it. You can detect either one, although I believe they are detected thru different methods. Custom tunes are going to be your best bet as they are more tailored to you, chips have their limitations over tuners.

 

[QUOTE=tex25025]How can you detect something that dosen't change anything unless a data logger is used to record pcm inputs?

 

[QUOTE=bfloyd4445]Symptoms are specific to certain things.

 

Most of the inline fuel devices mess with injection timing, duration, and cylinder pressures. These can leave tell tale signs in the cylinder walls and piston tops. There is a thread in the 6.0L forum with pictures of an engine that was disassembled after using one. It had a very easy to see star pattern burned into the piston that is a giveaway to a inline module being used (not to mention the wires you have to tap into in order to install some of them).