SCT XCal3 Questions

[TennesseeDuck]

Heres what I know. It was purchased 1 year ago from Elite and has never been unlocked. I can get a really good deal on it, 200 clams, but I have no clue about these things. I know I can add custom tunes later. He said he is going to return his truck to stock before he sells it. Do I have to do anything special to use it? like unlock it or am I going to be able to use it as is when I get it? I don't even know what this lock/unlock stuff means to be honest about it. Anything I should know about this thing before I spend some money on it? How many times can you unlock these things anyway? I assume you use a unlock feature for each different truck you use it on but I will only use it on 1 truck. Any help, tips, guidance, etc will certainly be appreciated.

[dhanna6powerstroke]

Originally Posted by TennesseeDuck

Heres what I know. It was purchased 1 year ago from Elite and has never been unlocked. I can get a really good deal on it, 200 clams, but I have no clue about these things. I know I can add custom tunes later. He said he is going to return his truck to stock before he sells it. Do I have to do anything special to use it? like unlock it or am I going to be able to use it as is when I get it? I don't even know what this lock/unlock stuff means to be honest about it. Anything I should know about this thing before I spend some money on it? How many times can you unlock these things anyway? I assume you use a unlock feature for each different truck you use it on but I will only use it on 1 truck. Any help, tips, guidance, etc will certainly be appreciated.

If he returns his truck to stock then it will not be locked. You can plug it in and you will have to get your trucks strategy and send it to someone like Eric at Innovative Diesel so he can write the custom tunes. I'm assuming you are getting it for the 04 F-250?

[TennesseeDuck]

Yes it would be for the 04 6oh. My 99 has a DP tuner on it. Thanks for the help too.

[dhanna6powerstroke]

Originally Posted by TennesseeDuck

Yes it would be for the 04 6oh. My 99 has a DP tuner on it. Thanks for the help too.

No problem. Just be careful if you run a real hot tune on that 6.0. Probably need to check into blocking/deleting the EGR system and installing ARP head studs, + don't forget about exhaust and gauges. The factory intake is good for around 450-500 hp.

[TennesseeDuck]

Originally Posted by dhanna6powerstroke

No problem. Just be careful if you run a real hot tune on that 6.0. Probably need to check into blocking/deleting the EGR system and installing ARP head studs, + don't forget about exhaust and gauges. The factory intake is good for around 450-500 hp.

I'm certainly smart enough not to run it without a way to monitor the engine, I know what that DP can do with my 7.3. About the studs and Exh I have to be careful, this truck is still under a extended warranty and my local Ford dealer looks for tuners and other mods.

[dhanna6powerstroke]

Originally Posted by TennesseeDuck

I'm certainly smart enough not to run it without a way to monitor the engine, I know what that DP can do with my 7.3. About the studs and Exh I have to be careful, this truck is still under a extended warranty and my local Ford dealer looks for tuners and other mods.

Wasn't implying that you weren't smart, but the 6.0 is not as bullet proof as the 7.3. Just didn't want you to create any problems that aren't avoidable and cost yourself a bunch of money. Just telling you from experience.

[TennesseeDuck]

Originally Posted by dhanna6powerstroke

Wasn't implying that you weren't smart, but the 6.0 is not as bullet proof as the 7.3. Just didn't want you to create any problems that aren't avoidable and cost yourself a bunch of money. Just telling you from experience.

I didn't take anything in a negative way and sorry if I sounded like I did. I asked because I just don't know about these tuners and I like honest answers even if its something I won't like or don't want to hear. A lot gets lost in interactions like this and especially when people don't know each other. I went to school for diesel and heavy equipment and done it for most of the last 30 years but you would have no way of knowing that. That said, I only know what I have read about the 6.0. I would dearly love to tear this thing down and stud it myself but I am betting Ford would kill the warranty if I did. The dealer I bought it from will do any warranty work regardless of what I do to it but they are 5 hours away.

[dhanna6powerstroke]

Originally Posted by TennesseeDuck

I didn't take anything in a negative way and sorry if I sounded like I did. I asked because I just don't know about these tuners and I like honest answers even if its something I won't like or don't want to hear. A lot gets lost in interactions like this and especially when people don't know each other. I went to school for diesel and heavy equipment and done it for most of the last 30 years but you would have no way of knowing that. That said, I only know what I have read about the 6.0. I would dearly love to tear this thing down and stud it myself but I am betting Ford would kill the warranty if I did. The dealer I bought it from will do any warranty work regardless of what I do to it but they are 5 hours away.

I would talk to your diesel tech there and see if he would be willing to install studs if you have an EGR cooler and or head gasket failure. That is what I did when mine went. I didn't think you took it negatively but just felt I should let you know that I didn't mean it negatively. I worked at a Ford dealership for 2 years as the Shop Foreman so I know how they can be. Learned quite a bit in that time as well about both the 7.3 and the 6.0.

[TennesseeDuck]

I did talk to the locals guys and they said they would install studs if I bought them if and when it needed HG's. Then they told me it had to have stock Int. and Exh. and they would also check to see if it had a tuner on it at any time. I can run my scanner over it and wipe out any trace of a code so I am not sure if they have a way to tell or not outside of a spray pattern on the top of the pistons. This thing is puking AF anyway, I should get it in there soon.

[dhanna6powerstroke]

Originally Posted by TennesseeDuck

I did talk to the locals guys and they said they would install studs if I bought them if and when it needed HG's. Then they told me it had to have stock Int. and Exh. and they would also check to see if it had a tuner on it at any time. I can run my scanner over it and wipe out any trace of a code so I am not sure if they have a way to tell or not outside of a spray pattern on the top of the pistons. This thing is puking AF anyway, I should get it in there soon.

Just so you know, the dealership and/or Ford has to be able to prove that the after market parts caused the failure. I know every dealership is different. I've been told that they can see if a tuner has been installed even if you clear it. Mine wasn't detected because it didn't reprogram the computer like the SCT does. I had the Banks 6 Gun and it just plugged inline with the computer and intercepted signals. When they had my heads off though, you could definetely that there was a tuner installed.