I've been hijacking quite a few threads lately, trying to find information to help me shop for the right tuner for my needs. Now, after determining that the SCT X3 is the correct product to shut up my egr low flow CEL, I am faced with the decision of which vendor's custom is the best and safest.

I have been leery to use any tuner since I have had my truck and have had minimal problems with it in its stock condition. The only problems I have had seemed to be egr related, so I finally deleted the egr cooler and plugged off exhaust flow and am now in the process of purchasing the SCT to shut up the CEL, but I want to buy it from a company that will provide the best, safest and smartest written program.

I am looking at:
1) Innovative Diesel
2) Elite Diesel
3) River City Diesel
4) Gearhead Automotive

-Innovative seems very popular $429, w/3 custom tunes
-Elite is having problems returning my calls so I don't know what they have. Too busy I suppose, not that that is a bad thing...
-River City seems to be good customer service, at least friendly on phone $450 w/3 custom tunes
-Gearhead Auto. referred me to Elite Diesel as they felt Elite might better write the tune I was looking for, since I already have the latest Ford reflash...

Please give me your personal experience with any of these companies and their tunes, and/or other vendors that might be an alternate source. I am not looking to build a race car, just turn off the CEL. A little better performance and fuel economy would be a good thing, but not at the expense of needing head gaskets etc in the future. 1st hand testimonials is what I am looking for, as well as any other good and pertinent information from the 6.0 techs out there.

Thank you in advance, Tim

 

Well as to who I would use. Out of that list I would use Eric at Innovative. Of course, out of the ones mentioned in that list they are the only ones that I've had tuning experience with. I have had at one time used their tow and street tunes. I do have experience with RCD as it is their 64mm turbo that I am running.

Now I will add this if you want to increase performance(increase fuel economy is a pipe dream that most tuning companies try to hock to people to help sell product. You might see an increase, but then again you might not, don't use a performance enhancing product for fuel economy), any increase over stock you'll run the risk of needing other repairs. Ford/International has the 6.0 within tight specs, you go over those, you run a risk with those bolts, particularly if you drive kinda wonky. You can get one tune and only one tune from Eric to just turn off the CEL. He might could change some tranny stuff for you as well, but if you are worried about the possibility of head bolt repairs in your future, don't do HP/TQ increases. No matter how could of a tune writer they may be, you always have the possibility of needing repairs with these type of products.

 

IMHO I would go with Innovative. Here is why.

I orginally bought my SCT X3 from Elite Diesel, it came with 3 tunes, that worked well but did not eliminate the EGR CEL. After numerous non returned calls, i gave up with them.

I had a turbo go out so I went with a non vgt turbo from River City, they provided three tunes to work with the turbo and they worked great, but two were CRAZY SMOKEY!!!

Recently I got three tunes from Innovative, all three work well, no CELs and not smokey.

My money is on Innovative.

 

Matt at gearheads ,, you can have my Innovative tunes for free ,,

 

Thanks guys. I think this thread should prove helpful to others as well as me. I know that I'm not the only one faced with the egr delete. It has become a popular modification and there are a lot of folks, like me, reading the many many threads to help with their decision. Your input is surely helping me make an intelligent choice.

Thank you for your replies. And anyone else with good intel, please keep it coming.

 

Same with me. And they gave me great service. I emailed my strategy to them on a Friday afternoon and Eric sent the tunes the following Sunday. Any questions I have had were answered very promptly.

Having said that, I have NO experience with any other tune writers, so their may be better ones.

 

I have experience with, let's see, 3 tuners....

and the only one I recommend is Innovative....

in fact, I would say steer clear of the other two that created issues for me

 

Eric at Innovative and Matt at Gearhead seem to get the best reviews.

 

Eric at Innovative is #1.

 

Do you guys know of any tuners for an 05 - present v10 ?

does Innovative do them ? - i have ZERO experience with tuners

 

Contact 5-Star Tuning, they have good experience making custom tunes for the V10. Don't expect miracles, there isn't that much to get out of a gasser, but I think 30hp on Premium fuel and better shifting can be expected.

 

Elite called and left a message on my answering machine today. Just got it tonight. I'll call them tomorrow and see what they have to offer to the mix.