deisel performance modules

[heat checker]

I put in some $4.24 fuel today, been thinking about "chipping" the truck. Don't care about more hp(at least until fuel prices come down). I see Northern Hyd has an economy module that promises 2-3 mpg for $200+. Any one have any experiance with these? I think the namebrand is Stiker. Or do you have to make more power (but not actually use it) to gain economy? 2000 ford cc,4wd,7.3 powerstroke.

[Scott K]

If you buy one of the bigger brands (S.C. or others) you will get alot better then 2-3 better. Most will put you in the lower 20's. Just remember that the chip wont break anything, it is your foot pushing on the pedal that will break stuff! Just my disclaimer

[Shack]

If you are out of Warr., go for the show. I have heard some great things about a "chip".

A little birdy told me a couple weeks back the 6.4L's are chip proof as of now 4.W.E.'s. .

What is your scoop on this?

[Scott K]

Nothing is "chip proof" Just chip resistant

[Scott K]

I see Diablo has them for the 6.4. You can adjust them from 40hp-160hp increase over stock. Im sure others have them as well. These are the ones I used to sell. I had good luck with them, they are more money then most programmers though!

[Shack]

I heard Bully Dog has been blowing up 6.4L left and right trying to figure it out.

Ed the Ford Field Engineer, said they where "chip" proof , but the manufacture is the last to know what the after market is up to.

[Roofer]

EDGE JUICE

[Scott K]

 Originally Posted By: Roofer

EDGE JUICE

I sold those as well, they are the best in my opinion. But Pushing the $700 mark. Thats 2-3 times more then most others.

[Roofer]

ya, they are expensive with the attitude monitor. I got my edge for $300 on hsolist. I didn't want to be drilling and tapping for the egt gauge, being I don't know what I'm doing. Sometimes I wish I had it though. When towing I always have it on the 30hp setting, driving around I have it at the 90 hp setting. No problems yet.

[Roofer]

What company are you with? How do you sell these?

[Scott K]

I was selling as a jobber. I had a business with the Atv's then used my tax ID and insurance through my business. I no longer do that any more, to much hassle! Being a diesel mechanic, I came in contact with alot of diesel owners, so I sold alot of them.

[muc33]

Hey guys, is this something that could help my 05 3/4 ton Duramax. It is my primary vehicle, and I don't pull much for weight except during camping season I have a 10,000lb travel trailor. other than that, just the pontoon. So most of my miles are in town or the 7 mile highway drive I have each day to get to town. And then I should ask, when you chip, do you need to redo the exhaust and air stuff. I am by no means mechanically enclined but fall in the same boat, just looking to improve mileage, not so much in need of power.

[Scott K]

Yes it will help alot. No you dont need to mess with exhaust or airflow, as long as you dont plan on using it on the high hp settings, and use the extra horses, (pedal to the floor)!

Now I dont want to sound like I am promoting these items. But if you drive like it is yours (normal driving) it SHOULDNT cause any damage to anything. If it is still under warranty, I wouldnt recommend it. When you install these chips they only add more power to the engine, they dont make any of the original parts stronger. Some of these chips can add 175 more horse power to what you already have, if you use them extra horse power, without beefing up the rest of the truck, Stuff will BREAK!!!

But they do improve mpg!!!

[muc33]

I can honestly say I have never had this truck over 85mph, that was on the Interstate passing a truck that was dropping gravel all over the road and I didn't want a chip or crack in the windshield. Other than that, 65 to 75 high way speeds and alot of 30mph around town daily. What do you suggest I do? No warranty, I have 63,000 on her.

[Macgyver55]

My buddy put the full Banks power kit on his 06 GMC.

The Six-Gun model with dash mounted PDA, the full big exhaust, the intercooler and the intake kit. All I can say is WHOA, hang on! It transformed that truck into a downright hotrod! I don't know about the other brands but he can program in parameters to protect the transmission and engine, and change modes on the fly.

Dyno tests show nearly a 200 HP gain at the rear wheels on the top level. He says they caution you from using the highest level of power and jokingly call it Chernobyl mode. But, when he puts it in economy mode, pulling a two place with 2 sleds his onboard computer showed 21MPG. With actual checking it was 20.6....not bad!

[Scott K]

I would say go for it! I would have one in mine if I owned a diesel! Just dont hold me reliable if something happens.

[muc33]

Right now I have been laying off the pedal, and on the last 3 tanks I have been averaging 18mpg. Is it going to be worth it to chip it? Since I don't need the power, is the benefit going to pay for itself?

[Scott K]

I cant answer first hand on the GM being worth it for milage, I can tell you with Ford 7.3's it goes from 17 mpg to 24 if you drive it normal. I do remember a post, and I believe it was from limitout that said he has a GM with one in and it makes a big difference with milage.

[Roofer]

A couple things.....

For GM, edge is the best, no question.

For an Allison 5 speed, anything over 90 HP will put it into limp mode.

MPG gains, noticeable yes, but it is only a few mpg only when not towing anything and in the 90 HP setting.

Free flowing exhaust helps keep EGT's down, by how much, I don't have the info, but I feel better with no muffler and no cat on my '02 when towing.

On the newer trucks with the cats, 6 speed Ally, and newer emmissions I cannot tell you first hand real world numbers. I thought the new Allison was rated for 600 HP, but I'm not for sure. I thought the Ford Torqueshift was around 550 before it gave in.

[Scott K]

I know for a fact if you pull my enclosed trailer with 6 atv's in it with a f350 6.0, chip set at 80hp. It cookes the tranny going up the St. Croix Falls hill

[Roofer]

I bet it does. any molten metal out the exhaust pipe?

[Scott K]

No maybe some coolant

[Valv]

As a diesel truck owner for many models and years, always used heavily for towing and traveling I can assest few issues.

Regardless of which motor/transmission combination you have if you add any "chip" of "box" or whatever you want to call it your auto wqill eventually take a dump and/or your clutch will eventually slip, it's just a matter of time.

The the first suggestion I have is add gauges, which are AT LEAST exhaust and transmission temperatures. I know your truck will look like a space shuttle but it will give you exact information on what's happening.

The majority of corrent fueling/timing boxes will give you at least 1 to 2 mpg gain or more on your current stock settings.

[LMITOUT]

I can only speak to the Duramax as I've owned an '03 (LB7 engine) and now an '06 (LBZ engine). I wouldn't say a chip makes a "big" difference in fuel economy but it does seem to help at highway speeds. Around town I don't see much difference other than I can leave a pair of black marks down the block at will.

I had the Edge+Attitude in the '03 and now I have the Edge+Evolution in my current truck which I signed up as a beta tester for last year.

Edge has been around the Duramax since the first ones in '01 and they've listened to their customers to make it a very reliable and drivable product. They also back up the numbers they advertise for HP and TQ gains as proven by independent third-party dyno testing, and some levels even had a little more than advertised.

If you keep it under the 90HP level you should be fine for a long time.....as long as you aren't power braking the truck every other day or trying to pull heavy loads with the programmer set at a high level without first modifying the Allison a little more to handle the power and keep the clutches from slipping. Rolling hard into the throttle in 5th gear is the hardest on the tranny as it doesn't have the hydraulic pressure on the clutches as much as it does in the other gears. This causes the clutches to slip and burn up, taking the coating off or glazing them so bad that it can't stay in 5th anymore and then the dreaded "limp mode" starts to happen. I've never limped my trucks.

One thing the Edge will do is "defuel" the engine when slippage is detected, which means it pulls fuel away from the engine to bring the power back down to a reasonable level before shifting to the next gear. Some will say it doesn't do it soon enough and the damage is already being done, but it may be enough to prolong the life of the tranny for those who can't control their right foot. Others don't like it because they are losing power throughout the acceleration process during the shifts. This can be turned on or off through the menu if you wish.

Installing a pyro is fairly important if you wish to pull loads with a chip installed. It isn't a bad idea even without a chip if you're really pulling big loads up long grades. It does take a bit of courage to put the drill to a perfectly good exhaust manifold and then tap it, but it really isn't that bad. On my '06 I did it fairly early before the bolts went through a lot of heat cycles and made it hard to get them loose, which made it easy to take the manifold completely off and then drilled it on the bench. The other method is to start the truck and drill the hole. The shavings will blow back out of the hole and/or catch onto the drill bit that you cover in grease. This is the way most people drill their's and I did that on the '03 as well.

Some aftermarket power adders download right to the engine computer. That's fine, but some of them will "marry" itself to the truck which will prevent you from selling the programmer in the future if you change your mind. Other downloaders will allow for one download and then when you're done you upload the program back to the programmer and you can then sell it or take the truck in for service (hint, hint). The Edge Juice is a hardware type of module that plugs into the main injector harnesses and manipulates the original input signal from the engine computer and then outputs a different one to tell the injector when and how much fuel to add and for how long. The Edge Evolution is a download type that first uploads the stock program into it's memory and then downloads it's own file with the new parameters. The Evolution doesn't "marry" to the truck, btw. Since you download a new program you are stuck on that power level that you chose. With the Attitude you can adjust on the fly from levels 1 through 5 with a touch of the button.

Anyway, that's more than most people care or don't care to know about some of the Duramax stuff in a thread started about Fords.

[Roofer]

Sounds like you have done your research on the dieselpage. I'm over at gm-trucks and a mod there. You hear it all on the forums.

I wasn't sure anyone wanted that much info, but there it is for the ones who want to know. Good post!