Need Advice on Work trucks Chips

[SAJ2715]

Sorry I may ask dumb question , but new to the chip/tuner scenario.

I have 5 F250 7.3 trucks that my employees drive from 1997-2001.
I am trying to increase mileage and horsepower but cannot allow my employees to change any settings. Also do not want to overstress the rest of the truck. I love the Ford Diesels - they are reliable and 3 of them have over 225,000 on them now and we use them everyday with confidence!!

Jody at DP tuners suggested a 50 hp single position chip.

My question is this- If I send in a PCM (computer box) and they reprogram
it for the $75 will I have any opportunity to get back to stock settings
without sending it back to them?

If I bought the chip and installed them myself- I could take it out and use it on another truck of the same year , engine etc...?

Does anyone have a suggestion on a brand??? I know their are alot of different opinions but as always there is probably at least two or three
that are close.

[birddog]

you can always put just stock & tow settings on the chips (well & no start cause it just makes sense). & yeah as for truck-to-truck, they ask for vehicle specific info when ordering, but if they're all just the same (stock)....

maybe you would want to consider a handheld tuner like the sct so that your employees can't mess with it once you've set it.

[birddog]

oh and yeah.... sure wish i had 5 of 'em!

[SAJ2715]

Thanks bulldog-

Help me out with SCT - what does that stand for?

Use one hand held tuner for all the vehicles? How would that work?

[birddog]

Originally Posted by SAJ2715

Thanks bulldog-

Help me out with SCT - what does that stand for?

Use one hand held tuner for all the vehicles? How would that work?

i forget what it stands for but it's just a handheld tuner that plugs in your truck's OBD2 port (down by the brake release).

[vitalidle]

A tuner isn't your best option as a tuner can only be used on one truck at a time. They call it vin locked once the program is downloaded. Probobly the cheapest thing is to do what jody said and program the ecm with whatever tune you decide on, but you will lose the stock program and will need to have it reprogramed again to stock when and if you decide to do that. The other option is to buy the chip for each truck so you don't lose the stock programing but a bit more expensive.

[birddog]

Originally Posted by vitalidle

A tuner isn't your best option as a tuner can only be used on one truck at a time. They call it vin locked once the program is downloaded.

i just learned something.

[vitalidle]

Yeah that would be awesome if it was the case! We could all chip in and buy one and share!

[SAJ2715]

probably just buy 2 chips now and test them out- if we like them we will do them all.
Also I am looking at fresh one for myself -so I may have a few different ideas
on what to do with that one as long as I am the one driving it.

I don't get much fun anymore with loud or burning the tires off- but I do enjoy power and a little speed!!

[NCHornet]

My best advice to you is purchase the XCalibrator2 from Jody, get his 60 tow, 80 econo, and maybe the 50 he was referring to. The XCalibrator will give you a code reader that can be used on all of your trucks, or any Ford vehicle for that matter. By you having the multiple tunes you can use them in your own personal vehicle and decide for yourself what tune would be best to put in the other trucks then just contact Jody and start sending PCM's but you should keep the SCT for your truck. You don't say how you use the trucks, if you do a lot of heavy towing 10K and more than you may want to do the 40 tow instead of the 60 tow. If the trucks rarely tow than the 80 econo may be the best choice. Just make sure you do the preliminary mods before adding tunes. Even a 50 HP increase means you need gauges and preferably a better flowing intake and muffler. You don't need a full 4" system, I simply replaced the very restrictive Ford muffler with a Walker BTM and I have never had to back off the go pedal due to EGT's. If you have auto tranny's I would also suggest a VB. I have the one sold by dieselsite made by Greg Evans called the FTVB and Jody has special tunes that work great with it.