best tuner?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
Nope--still not resolved. You're better off buying a flash tuner (Xcal 2 or 3) and buying an Edge insight or Dash Daq (nice piece) and paying a little more money IMHO. At least with the DD you can use it on any vehicle with OBDII/Can and it reads a ridiculosly LARGE amount of information.
Should also add that the DashDAQ is the platform that the Spartan tuner uses to tune the vehicle. Of course, it is higher priced as well, but I think it's worth it and I've used the xCal 2, X3 and the the Spartan Tuner.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Well, I hate to bring this up, but I need opinions. Before I read this site I bought the Banks Six Gun IQ, after a year trouble free I'm starting to have hard start and tranny issues. Does banks do the samethng bully dog does. Is the banks ok to run, I only use it for the milage gains for bigger tires, not for racing.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
Well, I hate to bring this up, but I need opinions. Before I read this site I bought the Banks Six Gun IQ, after a year trouble free I'm starting to have hard start and tranny issues. Does banks do the samethng bully dog does. Is the banks ok to run, I only use it for the milage gains for bigger tires, not for racing.
Yes and no. Shift on the fly tuning isn't really good at all for the 6.0(as you are realizing). Rather or not you utilize shift on the fly is almost irrelevant as it is still achieving "power" no matter what tune you use. Banks actually fools the modules while BullyDog's Triple Dog actually uses variable fueling tables.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
It's bad. It's like your left hand not knowing what your right is doing.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,047
Likes: 2
From: North west La
Buy the SCT X3 programmer & a dash daq or Edge monitor for gauges. The live wire is still giving problems. I'd get it from IDP. Erics tunes are real good. Tell him how you will use the truck & he will fix you up. I have a Hypertech tuner on my 6.0. Its shift on the fly. I don't use it past the 50 hp tune. It came with the truck but the first owner didn't use it much either. He said it was the worst $700 he ever spent. I like SCT but I'm saving for a Spartan tuner. Its the best for the 6.0 & 6.4 IMO
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Well I took the six gun off and disconnected the batteries for about 5-10 mins. to see if the truck would return to stock. Basically trying to correct the tranny problems I'm having. On first start up the I can accelerate (normally) to around 20 mph and the trans will hold 1st gear, even with the engine at 2200 rpms, then when it shifts it slams into 2nd then 3rd quickly. After about a mile or so it corrects itself. I don't want to destroy a trany. Disconnecting the batteries and reconnecting them did nothing.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7,047
Likes: 2
From: North west La
Once you break a tranny its not going to repair itself. Some tuners just don't work good on 6.0s. Run stock or SCT & Spartan
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
I didn't expect it to fix itself but I remember when I put the six gun on, Banks wnated me to run the truck a 3/4 throttle for each level so the trans can learn the program. That what the instructions and their tech had me do. So I thaught the trans my return to normal after the batteries were disconnected and six gun gone.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
Well I took the six gun off and disconnected the batteries for about 5-10 mins. to see if the truck would return to stock. Basically trying to correct the tranny problems I'm having. On first start up the I can accelerate (normally) to around 20 mph and the trans will hold 1st gear, even with the engine at 2200 rpms, then when it shifts it slams into 2nd then 3rd quickly. After about a mile or so it corrects itself. I don't want to destroy a trany. Disconnecting the batteries and reconnecting them did nothing.
The direct clutch is your weakest link in the TS(handles 3rd gear) and that is going to be the one that'll give out on you before the rest it seems. That's what gave out on my a year after I started to put done 508HP.
Can you upgrade the direct clutche, and what is a direct clutch
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 10,626
Likes: 7
From: Plano TX and Brentwood TN
You sure can upgrade it. For instance, I did the Suncoast TS rebuild kit, which definitely makes the TS stouter. It isn't cheap though. Not so much for the kit, but the price of labor is what gets you on a tranny rebuild. It is also advisable to get the Billet Input Shaft as well.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 287
Likes: 11
From: Alliston, Ontario
Can anyone offer a little more insight as to why the Bully Dog Triple GT is hard on Transmissions ?
I haven't had any issues and only use the Tow / Performance setting for mileage. Told to stay away from the Extreme setting for this reason.
I haven't had any issues and only use the Tow / Performance setting for mileage. Told to stay away from the Extreme setting for this reason.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Are these in the torque converter or the transmission? Sorry for all the dumb questions, I just want to do my research before tackle the problem. I guess I already screwed up with the programer don't want to make the same mistake twice. Thanks for all the advice.