Making more power for the 6.0

[CaFordDude]

Well I know this topic has been beat to death at some other places but let me throw this out there to our experts, but first a disclaimer.

1)I have a 2006 F350 PSD
2)It is bone stock and as of now have no intention of modifying it

That being said and out of the way. If I wanted to make more power or have better responsivness or firmer shifting or whatever people claim a tuner can do. What is the saftest way to do that?

Now I understand there is no way to guarantee that any extra power or modifications added to the engine/truck is going to be safe. I also understand that FOMOCO's formal stance on the situation is no modifications no way, now how.

BUT if a person were to try and play the odds, what are some of the generally safer ways to make more power for their truck?

 

[bowtiehatr]

the way i think is do it right the first time. if you want to seriously add power, depending on how much power, do head studs as a first. you may want to oring the block if you are really gonna throw some ponies into it. then suncoast the tranny. after that, you will need more meat at the rear lol.

 

[blacksnapon]

bowtie has it right---make it where it will accept any power upgrades first before they are applied.

 

[6L PWR]

Well, I didn't stud the heads until I went to the big injectors and didn't have any real issue at all and I still haven't o-ringed the block.

I started out with an Edge Juice Platinum, NOS and 4" Turbo back. It was pretty sweet, but far from 'safe' power. The Edge DOES NOT control the tranny well enough to keep it safe.

If you want to play it safe, get an SCT Xcal2 with some custom written tunes. I bought mine from Eric at Innovative Diesel and have been VERY happy with it. The SCT does not adjust on the fly, but that's really no big deal. I've seen the best MPG with the race file and driving like a sane person with an egg under the go pedal. With his tow file, I NEVER saw the EGT's get above 1150* and 1250* is the limit. There are several other guys that do the programming as well. Other than the programmer, you should look into a 4" exhaust with a cat delete pipe that will allow you to bolt the cat back in when you need it. I believe that MBRP makes one like this.

Mine is too far gone to be called 'safe' anymore as well as not hiding things for warranty reasons, but it's just too damned fun and I couldn't let my Dodge buddy beat me again. BTW- My Dodge buddy and I raced again a couple weeks ago. His truck is outside our mechanics shop awaiting his new flywheel. Ya gotta love a 5R110!!

 

[mrxlh]

I would have to add that todays tunes and tuners (the people writing the files) know way more now than they did in late 02/03. BTH and Vloney can attest to major strategy changes in the actual computer, which also made things different. That being said, the safest tuner is always only as safe as the driver using it. My opinion after owning a 03 and now an 05, the Superchips SCMT is really safe. I ran it on both trucks and have not had any issues with it. I am getting a SCT livewire. I have been told that the 05 and up MY strategy trucks do not display the issues of the 03/04 as far as the puking goes. They probably know more of why this happens. Matt told me that as hard as he tried to push some of the 05/06MY they just don't build the EGT like the 03/04, nor the extreme peakyness boost levels. Now after all of that, I think that tuners today or at least the SCT is way safer than it was back in 03.

 

[Brian_B]

I know absolutely nothing about diesel engines.

I do have an SCT tuner for my explorer though. Its the old "blue version" programmed by doug at bamma chips specifically for me and my driving style (3 programs plus stock). I have had no issues at all with it. No CELs or anything.

I don't know if that helps you or not, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

 

[blacksnapon]

I'll have to agree with you Ryan, about the progress the tuner companies have made. As ford has made upgrades, so have the performance industries. I like performance as much as the next guy, so if youre gonna do it, do it right, and be willing to accept any consequences that may come with it.

 

[mrxlh]

I know absolutely nothing about diesel engines.

I do have an SCT tuner for my explorer though. Its the old "blue version" programmed by doug at bamma chips specifically for me and my driving style (3 programs plus stock). I have had no issues at all with it. No CELs or anything.

I don't know if that helps you or not, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Well, Brian, nothing is mechanical about them anymore, no adjusting rotary pump pressures, no mechanical rack adjustments ect. ect. The only way to change any of this now is VIA a tuner or a fuel box. The big problem with the way this is achieved is some parameters and sensors are masked or lie to, to achieve the elevated performance. The problem lies within lying to which sensor for how long, and what lie it has to tell to defuel or retard timing, ect.

 

[CaFordDude]

be willing to accept any consequences that may come with it.

I know, I know and I am a giant girl when it comes to that stuff. Not a gambler so mine will probably stay bone stock for it's lifespan.

It may be a different story of I had some mechanical know how when it comes to engines. But at my current level of knowledge I probably shouldn't even be allowed to drive.

I am truely envious of people that either took the time to learn or were taught some of those skills

 

[6L PWR]

I know, I know and I am a giant girl when it comes to that stuff. Not a gambler so mine will probably stay bone stock for it's lifespan.

Well, I'm not all that much of a gambler either. I just happened to get lucky and ran into an '04 6.0L truck that had been totalled and got the engine, tranny and transfer case for only $2750. So, if I do happen to have a catastrophic failure, I have a spare engine.