I'm new to FTE and new to the PS world. I sold my 2005 Cummins for a 2006 F-350 PS 6.0L 4x4 Short Bed 4 door. I currently have an AirRaid Intake and, I think, a 4" Ford Racing exhaust in addition to a Superchip. All mods installed by dealership. However, I just bought a new fifth wheel and am not happy with the Superchip. The 5er weighs around 15K lbs so I'm close to my max at GVWR. I'm looking for added power for towing only. I don't race and I drive like a grandpa. I'm looking/researching programmers now and have been recommended the Edge Juice with Attitude Platinum. I had the Edge Juice with Attitude in my Cummins and LOVED it! But I have also heard that the 6.0L has a tendency to blow head gaskets. I was told the EJ w/attitude was a good choice for what my needs are. But recently someone mentioned a Spartan programmer. I have never heard of Spartan other than reading about it on the FTE threads recently. I could use some recommendations on which programmer is best for the 6.0L for my particular application - towing a big, heavy fifth wheel. Having a programmer with gauges is a must! I need to be able to monitor my EGT, oil temp, eng temp, tranny temp, boost, etc. That is also why I want to get rid of the Superchip (no gauges). Please let me know what you think. Thanks!

 

The way I see it best for the truck and the money is either the sct xcal 3 with custom tunes and the edge insight for gauges or a quality set of analog gauges on the pillar. The other option is the spartan phalanx which is said to be a great programmer but it is fairly new to the market. The nice thing about the phalanx is that it includes gauges. I would stay away from the edge products and get something that has trans tuning and custom tunes

 

I would get rid of the intake and go back to a stock one. You receive zero benefit performance wise with an a/m intake on the 6.0. The a/m intakes do not flow more then stock until you hit 3700 rpms. Peak HP and TQ are at 3300 and 2000 respectively. Also most a/m do not filter more then then the stock intake. Some engines(such as the 7.3) could use an a/m intake rather or not it's tuned, but not the 6.0. It just isn't needed and in fact, can cause problems due to poor filtration.



Actually driving like a grandpa on these new diesel engines can be just as harmful as racing all the time. Especially true with diesels equipped with EGR systems(such as the 6.0) and the added "joy" of the VGT turbo coupled with that system makes for some more fun with easy going drivers.


Bad bad bad. Unless of course you want to be paying for a new tranny sooner then later.

What works well on one engine doesn't mean that it translates to other engines. Alot of people learned that hard lesson coming from the 7.3 to the 6.0 and trying to use the same brand of a/m tuners and intakes. Just doesn't work.

That is actually a very poor choice. If you are going to do this, you need to do it right the first time. Might cost you more in the front end, but chances of having big repair expenses are alot lower.


Either the Spartan Phalanx or SCT's X3 will do well for your situation. I use the Spartan tuner and I haul ~16k worth of horse flesh all the time.

I would not, I repeat, would not get the LiveWire by SCT. That is pot luck on rather or not you will get a unit that works and will continue to work. The LiveWire is SCT's 6.0. Some good, some bad.

Spartan you can get all the gauges to run through the screen or you can just get the DashDAQ without the Spartan tuning software to run as gauges and use the X3, but those are the only two choices that I would give a person at this time that is looking for a tuner for the 6.0.

 

I definitly agree with tex. I currently have a Edge Juice Platinum with Attitude while I love having the gage readout the tuner sucks and provides little benifit. I've had several problems which have led me to disconnect the platinum for several days so it would reset. It's caused the engine to just die to having 50% of my injectors cut out. I've been doing the research and will probably go with the Spartan Phalanx.

 

You might contact Bill at PowerHungry Performance. He's been tuning Fords since 1997, gas and diesel.Bill wrote most of the original programs for the diesel and is great to work with. He can and will build a custom tune for you and your truck or you can get some of his "canned" tunes I have had other tuners and PHP has been the best. I also tow 15,000 5th wheel and Bills tunes work better than any of the other tuners I've tried.

Power Hungry Performance - Feed your hunger for POWER! Check out our Gryphon Programmer for Ford vehicles!

Barney

 

Definitely go with the SCT X3 and get some good custom tunes. Eric at Innovative Diesel comes highly recommended by many. Matt at Spartan no longer writes tunes for the SCT. There are other people out there doing custom tunes as well.

As far as the intake, many will tell you to put it back to stock. I say don't waste your money. I've been running the Airaid intake on mine for over 25k miles and I can tell you 1sthand that it filters just fine, just don't over-oil it when you clean it.