[99TonkaStroke]

2 weeks ago i flew to tampa and drove my new truck back to VA.

heres the details:

EARLY '99 F350 CCLB XLT 4x4 w/6spd manual :woot:
as best i can tell...everything is stock for the most part.
it does have a leveling kit and 35" bfg at's.
it had a 4" exhaust on it already, but that was it.

what i've done so far:
-Muffler delete/straight piped exhaust
-DIY intake
-scrub and clean the front end
-painted the underside up front (axle, steering stabilizers, shocks, etc)

hope to do soon:
-gauges
-custom tunes
-paint underside in rear same as i did the front (hurrican IRENE got in my way)

my main question is towards the side of it being an E99. my last '99 was a late 99...with none of the E99 issues.

my build date is 6/98...so from what i've read its a full blown Early 99. i've looked at some of the things i've read about...and i know this:
-i do have the fender duct work on the factory intake
-turbo is smaller
-intake manifold pipes are smaller...

so....What should i focus on first to get some respectable power but maintain daily driveability, and reliability????

a few pics of the truck that the previous owner sent me before i bought it:

NEW PICS...

^ my parking spot at home...complete w/an outside outlet for the block heater!!

 

[DJTex2010]

I've been driving an early 99 for over a decade now, and with 350,000 miles on her she still runs like a top and gets 18-20 and better if I'm nice to her. She's a 6 spd like yours, 4x4, SWB, CC.

Since you've already got exhaust covered, my suggestion would be an AFE intake, and a good chip along with gauges. Get a LUK when your clutch goes, and enjoy the truck.

I swapped my factory muffler and did exactly what I suggested above to mine. The early 99 turbo is dandy in my book. Does what lots of folks are trying to get their later model stock turbos to do, just as it came from Ford.

I've pulled lots of stock trailers, and crawled through lots of pasture in those 350,000 miles, and have put in one clutch (at 200k), brakes, batteries, a couple of water pumps and alternators, and upper/lower ball joints when I did the clutch at 200k.

She has no blow by, won't use a drop of oil, will freeze you out in 110* Texas heat, and has been the best truck I've ever had - bar none.

Enjoy your new truck!

DJ

 

[Ryan Rønning]

Nice truck!

 

[99TonkaStroke]

sweet guys. thanks for the input. my old truck wasnt an 'E99..and had no issues at all. i had just been reading all of the comments about the things to change on the E99's and was a little curious.

 

[99TonkaStroke]

any inputs on what chip to get??? i've talked to DPTuner a few times on the phone. and i like them. but i've heard good things about some others as well....

thanks in advance.

 

[Flatbedcowboy]

I have an E99 and I really see no need to "update" the turbo, up-pipes, ect. Really to me its the exact same truck as a later one.

Dp chips also can be programmed to work with you e99 stuff (smaller turbo, different injuctors) to wake it up.

 

[99TonkaStroke]

sweet. thanks for all the info. i really didnt figure the differences were all that important on the E99's....but just wanted to gain some info on it.

 

[ridiculously_necessary]

fwiw, php just dropped the price on their 6 position chip.

if you come across a good deal on an hpop you might consider replacing it. those injectors might benifit from more oil.

nice lookin truck man!

 

[99TonkaStroke]

fwiw, php just dropped the price on their 6 position chip.

if you come across a good deal on an hpop you might consider replacing it. those injectors might benifit from more oil.

nice lookin truck man!

10-4......:thumb:

 

[ridiculously_necessary]

10-4......:thumb:

17* hpop that is, not the 15* thats probably in there now. just FYI but im sure you arleady knew...

 

[99TonkaStroke]

17* hpop that is, not the 15* thats probably in there now. just FYI but im sure you arleady knew...

yea i did know about that. i definitely cant wait to put a tune on it for now. we all know how lacking in power the 7.3 is without a tune...haha.

 

[99TonkaStroke]

added some recent pics.