So i really would like to get a DP Tuner, however i have been reading and many recommend that you have to beef up the tranny to handle the power. My question is, do i have to make the trans stronger if i got a DP, and am i looking at any other engine problems if i got the tuner?

 

Matt, anytime you do anything to your engine above stock your "pushing" it. At a minimum a VB is reccomended for your trans. I am running a DP on the stock trans with no problems. I don't beat the snot out of it either. I have noticed better MPG's with the DP (as soon as I learned to keep my foot out of it) and the extra power when you need it is nice too. The only other mod that I would do on your truck is guages. Just a good idea to keep an eye on things. If you want get the guages and when I help Pete with his install we can do yours also.

 

Thanks Jim, I am actually probably going to get the gauges real soon from Pete, PETE'S_6.0PSD. Now you say you have no trans upgrades and have had no problems but you don't beat it up. Now i don't beat mine up either but i do step on it from time to time, do you think i'd problems?

 

No you won't have any problems Matt. Nothing in life is 100% certain, but if you take care of it it will take care of you. Jodyand Diane are great people to deal with you'll be more than happy to talk to you.

 

So i guess it would be best if i gave them a call to work out the details...

 

Remember, if you order your DP tuner before any tranny upgrades, then decide to upgrade the tranny, it will be wise to have your tunes modified for the tranny stuff. That's usually why most folks go the route of mods first, then ordering the tuner.

 

Chris, so what your saying is that if i get the tuner first, then do the VB i will have to get my tunes re-modded for the VB.

 

Correct. If you don't have a modified valve body, then Jody must bump up the line pressure via tuning. If you don't make shift adjustments for more power, your trans will slip like crazy between shifts. Once a valve body is added, then the shifts will have to be reprogrammed again, otherwise if you combine the VB with higher electronically commanded pressures, you'll get neck breaking shifts.

 

Alright thanks Curtis. So overall, i can run the Tuner without having the VB first, but it's just going to be more work and more money in the long run...?

 

It'll depend on your patience and size of your wallet. Jody can give you a price on re-burns. If you purchase their new F6 tuner, you can download new tunes for it via the web (the F5 tuner you have to remove from truck and send it in for new tunes.)

Either way, you need Jody to re-burn for your new mods like a VB, new injectors, big oil etc.

 

Yes you can run without a VB, and it will be more work if you end up going with the VB after the tuner instead of before the tuner.

When I first bought the DP-Tuner chip I still had the stock trans at the time. However, a few months before the chip I put in a valve and spring kit into the valve body to firm up the shifts. On the other hand, my parents (they have an 03 7.3L) put a chip on without doing anything to the transmission, and their shifting is controlled via the chip, no upgrades to the VB. I destroyed my stock trans because of racing, and probably due to the lift and tires (plus stock gearing forever) that I was running. My parents don't race their truck, the most power tune they have is the 80e, and they tow on a regular basis. So far their stock trans still shifts great and is going strong with more than 120K miles and counting.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that even though you mod the valve body, it all comes down to how you drive your truck. Drag racing will kill the stock trans in no time, no matter what you do with the valve body. Treat the truck right, and it will last longer. A valve body is just a little extra "insurance" to help make sure the trans lives a longer life.

FWIW, my stock trans went with just a little over 90K miles on the truck. The T/C was dying. If you really want to beef up the trans, upgrade the VB and the T/C at the same time. Then you'll have a trans that can actually take some abuse.