programmer or tuner

[ktfjammer]

I really love this site. I have gotten so many questions answered and alot of ideas.

I have a 1999 7.3l F350 Superduty powerstroke Diesel. I am current putting in MBRP 4" turbo back exhaust with the 4" down tube and 5" tip. I am also putting in the AFE stage 2 cold air intake. I am looking for better "mpg" for my truck.

My question is if I should go with a tuner or programmer. I will take all your suggestions and go from there. Turner or programmer which is the better brand for the buck. Turner or programmer would mean gauges or no gauges, right? I am not looking to race the truck just better performance when towing and better mpg.

Thanks again for all your help, Jim

[haulin99spd]

tuner\programmer is the same thing and there many to choose from but if you want more get a chip........thats jus my .02...

[ktfjammer]

OOOPPPSSS..

I am new at all this....

I should have said chip or programmer/tuner. Which one would be the best the mpg...best product for the dollar. I looking at not spending to much $$$$. I know I am going to have to go with gauges if I go with the chip

Thank you for your help, Jim

[scheidt27]

your gonna want guages with anything!!! If you want the best mileage/driveability your gonna want a custom tuned chip. Depending on how many tunes you want they can be quite reasonable or quite expensive. Dp and Wildman are the best 7.3 tuners.
dp-tuner.com
totaldieselperformance.com

[Doakster]

Here are a few options for you,

Chips (shift on the fly ability)
Top two that are recommended are DP Tuner (by Jody Tipton), and TW (by Tony Wildman)

Both will give you very good results and you can order a number of different tunes based on what you want.


For Programmers(you don't have the ability to shift on the fly, you have to stop and reprogram a different power level), there is Superchips, Diablo, SCT Livewire and a bunch more, SCT being the top one, and guys like Jody can program their tunes onto the SCT for you. Overall you will find countless posts of people saying OMG I just got my DP-Tuner or TW chip and ditched my edge/superchips or what ever they had before and it's usually night and day.

Overall you need gauges if you decided to go either way, you still need to monitor things when adding more power/fuel. The "over the counter" programers that we're talking about have been know to run hot as well, so there is another reason to get gauges.

My choice would be a Dp-Tuner chip, I have my switch mounted in my 4-pillar gauge pod with three other gauges below it, makes for a real nice look.

Hope this helps.

[Doakster]

Scheidt pretty much beat me to the punch.

[haulin99spd]

you need gauges first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


{[boost, egt, trany}]

[ktfjammer]

Thank you very much all. Doakster, You have your switch mounted in my 4-pillar gauge pod with three other gauges below it. So you got a 4 pillar pod? One for the switch and the other for the gauges? Which gauges are you using? Your DP tuner is set on 8 settings, right? Thanks all

[ktfjammer]

Sorry, I went to the DP tuner website and they have a few products. Doakster, which one did you go with? where did you get your pod and how much did you spend? Last but not least, what did you pay for your dp tuner and where? Thanks all you are great

[White Buffalo]

Also, check out Tony Wildman's chips at www.totaldieselperformance.com

Tony doesn't charge for chip reburns so that is a big plus and he also helped me with most of my mods with the focus on towing my 32' 5th wheel. The last tow burn he gave me is great. I can easily tow up grades with plenty of power and EGT's have not been a problem. On his economy tune I see about 18 MPG at 75 mph highway, unloaded. Aprrox. 15 around town with my heavy foot.