What would you do?

[ScottBryan]

So I bought an 04 350 with 90,000 completely stock, in the next day or so plan on first purchase here's my list only thing is I don't know how tunes work or what works best with what I buy?

-5" turbo back no muffler( do I buy a new down pipe?)
-sct( do I buy custom tunes or do they come with? If not how does it work? Do I have to buy it from a company that supplies custom tunes?)
-egr delete
-new oil cooler
-air dog 2(was gonna by a air intake but heard wast of money so? Good or
Future of turbo and injectors but need to learn more first

I pull a 5000lb trailer once a month that's it want to pull a sled on weekends and not finish last so it's all for fun really.
Your list would really help I've been reading here for weeks and learning a lot from you guys thanks in advance

[owenkicker]

i'd take oiler cooler off (going to do that when you do head gasket) don't need 5" unless your going to tune the hell out of it above 800hp i would say to stay with a muffler if you daily drive it. do a coolant flush then coolant filter. i have a 8000 lb empty goose i tow still top the hills at 50 mph that before i got sct. and with a blowed head gasket

[20046.0]

-Buy some gauges I recommend the Edge insight cs or cst. This only monitors vital information (FICM, ECT, EOT, etc).

When you have gauges, check to see what your deltas are between ECT and EOT. If the temp differs 15 or more you have a plugged oil cooler.

Now regardless of the oil cooler, it would be good to flush the system with some cleaning product and to flush while the oil cooler is out. Always fill up with elc rated coolant, Ford coolant causes issues.

-Lots of good companies make egr deletes. I went with the Sinister Egr delete.

-With a 5" you will need a down pipe I believe.

-Airdog II is a good system, I want one for myself ha. I would suggest some smaller mods such as "6.4 banjo bolts" and "blue spring mod" Helps increase fuel pressure and flow.

Now with the sct you can buy a couple different versions. Personally the X3 is my choice. It comes with 3 preloaded tunes. Also it has room for 3 custom tunes. Quick tricks, Innovative diesel performance, Gearhead are some good names in tuning.

I just went over everything brief, search button will help with most of your questions. There are also stickies located in General 6.0 discussion.

[windrunner408]

Originally Posted by ScottBryan

-GUAGES (either a monitoring system like an EDGE CTS [I have one and LOVE it] or actual guages. If interested I talk all day on that.)
-4" turbo back exhaust system w/ muffler. (A LOT easier to install than a 5in)
-sct w/custom tunes from TSD ($50 for a tune)
-egr delete
-new oil cooler
-scratch the AD or any other fuel pump for now. Check and see what your fuel pressure actually is right now and after you get a tune. Read a little more and get a full understanding of what fuel system mods you want to do.

Ok I changed your list for you slightly. The MAIN thing to start with though is something to monitor the parameters of the engine. Namely Engine Oil Temp and Engine Coolant Temp delta followed by EGTs. Hope this helps.

[owenkicker]

ya there right i would get a insight cts frist. but just to let you know. more then likely will have to do head gaskets/ stud some time. (took 2 yr for me) i have a blown head gasket right now and i only see 7 deg diff between eot ect but i've only had the cts for a day/ about 50 miles also this was my frist diesel and most guys on here will help. some will say that they know everthing done everthing you will just have to read and make up you own mind because in the end it's your truck your money. and if your like me. i was not sure that i would like a diesel.($+$+parts=??) wait until you get a sct= wow

[windrunner408]

In all honesty if you are doing an EGR delete and oil cooler rebuild, I would highly recommend doing a proper head gasket replacement (even if yours arent currently blown) if you can swing it. Aim for doing the boring reliability stuff first then add power. Maybe instead of an exhaust right now, just pull the CAT, punch it out, and put it back in and hold off on the SCT w/tunes and put this extra money towards head studs and doing the heads. If you do the heads plan on about $1k for reconditioning/rebuilding the heads, $400 for studs, and another $600 for misc gaskets, fluids, and small parts. Of course you will have mostly all of these misc gaskets in your oil cooler rebuild kit. This all presuming you are doing the work your self. If you are going to pay someone, plan on another $2k give or take a couple hundred for the labor. Just trying to give you realistic expectations. I know for me since I dont use my truck to make money, I saved my $2k on labor and used it for other upgrades and parts and tools. JMO hope it helps.

[baycountry16]

Hey 20046.0, I think it is the sctsf3 that comes with the pre-loaded tunes plus room for 3 custom not the sctx3. Sctx3 only holds custom tunes I believe. Anyone else want to chime in on this?


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[Lilpooh]

Originally Posted by baycountry16

Hey 20046.0, I think it is the sctsf3 that comes with the pre-loaded tunes plus room for 3 custom not the sctx3. Sctx3 only holds custom tunes I believe. Anyone else want to chime in on this?


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You are correct if your buying a new SCT device. If your buying a used X-3, then it's a different story.
What to look for when buying used SCT for 6.0

[pappy42]

The best money that I spent on my 6.0 was the CTS with EGT, and Fuel Pressure.

Then,you know what's going on with your system.

If I had to choose between my exhaust and SCT; the SCT with custom tunes, would come first. Many will disagree; but I'm of the oppinion that the stock exhaust with cat delete or mod is fine until you're making some real serious horsepower. Same with stock air cleaner; with the caveot that you do a ccv mod.

As always; check your local pollution control/inspection laws before messing with the cat or ccv.

The 'blue spring" mod is cheap and works.

A coolant filter is a great add on that you can do yourself, and is worth the money.