Looking for help

[Scog72]

Hey guys. I'm new here and had a question for everyone. I just bought a 99 f250 7.3 turbo and am looking to increase my fuel economy. It currently has a superchips programmer and I am getting 14.6 mpg now. I was wondering if a different programmer or chip would help more as I drive alot of highway miles. This is my first diesel but have owned fords since I could drive. I currently own an 03 cobra and a 10 edge but know very little about turbos and diesels. I would sure appreciate some help and tips on this and other things if anyone could help. Thanks in advance!

[timmyboy76]

congrats on the purchase...

First, check for boost leaks. A simple booast leak detector made from Home Depot material is all you need..(google, boost leak detector)

Next, look at the turbo and the firewall behind it. See if theres soot there and/or around the "collector" thats clamped to the turbo. Those are called the up pipes. Overtime they develop a leak, which will harbor the mpg.

Then, check the EBP sensor and tube...Welcome to guzzle's Exhaust Backpressure Sensor Cleaning Maintenance Web Page

Once all those check out good, then look into a "custom" tuner for your truck...DP, PHP,...etc

[Scog72]

Thanks timmyboy. I will definitely check for leaks. So a custom tune will do better for my truck even though it is stock? How much will a custom tune cost? I'm guessing it will be the same as my cobra. Thanks again for the help.

[timmyboy76]

ya, them plug n play programmers, are purdy much just trick'n the pcm of seeing low icp #'s. You can get the same response by jam'n a 10k resistor in the icp plug...

The customed ones, are night/day from pnp. Not only do they help the fuel econ, but also aid with the shifting of the trans. Them tuners i mentioned will be more then helpful with all ur questions....dp, php, beans, ts performance...etc.

Also, once you start step'n up to bigger power..injectors, turbo, t-500...the "chip" can be reburned or depending on tuner, can "live" tune it too.

[hydroman]

All of the things mentioned are a good thing, but before you put a chip in it get gauges. Most important if you are looking for more power is EGT - exhaust gas temperature. Without that and running a tuner for increased HP you can cause major damage and not know it until it's too late - lots of $$$

[Jrz13]

If MPGs are what your looking for, don't forget the lil things. Tire psi, break and bearing wear, clean filters, etc...

[Scog72]

Haven't thought about gauges. Guess I need to look at them. I just put a new k & n filter in and checked air in tires. Keep it coming guys. I'll check it all.

[CT Performance, Inc.]

Sorry to see you just got a K&N...not for turbo diesels...

Custom tunes, Isspro's guages, exhaust systems and Tymar intakes. Combine all to get the best HP-MPG's

We have all, PM if I can help.

[Scog72]

Thanks Cary! Is the other intakes that much better than the k&n? Can you write me what would be best for me with prices and estimates on hp gain and mpg? I guess I should have done some research before buying anything. I guess turbos are different.

[CT Performance, Inc.]

We Only sell the Tymar kit for the 7.3's..IMO best that you can buy.

If you would like a quote please PM, vendors don't post prices..rules and IMO tacky.


The K&N element should be avoided in turbo-charged applications. The initial filtration efficiency is not high enough to protect the compressor impeller

The problem is the thickness of the stacked gauze media will not allow for a high pleat count and severely restricts the available surface area. A typical RD-1460 that is used in a FIPK system only has about 44 pleats. The Donaldson we use is not only a larger filter overall, but the thinner media allows for 202 pleats, leaving us over 5 times the surface area to pull from. This is why we can outflow and out filter a re-usable element as long as minimum radial clearance is maintained.

The problem with heat shields and routing air through intake boxes is that whenever you direct air flow, you increase restriction. Low restriction is the goal, so using a filter that has the ability to flow large masses of air and then enclosing it in a box yields very poor results. Heat shields do literally nothing. Air flow under the hood is dynamic and not static. It is moving all the time. Hot air will move right around a heat shield at the same temperature and be ingested and the only thing you have caused is turbulence.