Unsure which Phoenix or FU setup to get
 

I have a 2000 Ford F-350 7.3l diesel stick shift (ZF-6) crewcab 4X4 longbox dually and use it for regular driving and hauling a 10k 5th wheel RV.

I plan on installing a GPT38r turbo, 4" turbo-back MBRP or Diamond Eye exhaust with muffler, Tymar air cleaner of some sort (DIY or not), and leave the engine mods at that. I don't ever plan to do any pulling competitions or racing as I want the truck to be reliable.

With these basic mods, is the Phoenix setup the best option, and would those mods fall under the "lightly modded" version of the Phoenix listed on the PHP website?

I assume that if I don't do all the mods at once, the Phoenix chip will need to be sent back in to be re-flashed as I add mods in the future.

For a manual transmission truck, there's really no need to go with the FU because you're basically buying power levels (you're in charge of how and when the transmission shifts).

The FU won't work with major changes like aftermarket injectors anyway.

Okay. In my limited understanding of PHP products, I had performance potential in the order of Phoenix, FU, and FU2, in that order (least to most).

So for my needs, the Phoenix would be better than the FU2 as well (or did your comment about not needing the FU with a stick shift apply to both FU and FU2 products)?

No. The "performance potential" is the same with any of them when dealing with a stock truck (and the FU2 is a waste of money with a stock truck). The FU is for STOCK trucks. The Phoenix can be for STOCK or HIGHLY MODIFIED trucks. The FU2 is for HIGHLY MODIFIED trucks.

You don't need an FU2 unless you have or plan on injector modifications. I only recommend the Phoenix because with a stock injector truck (especially a manual), you don't really need 15,000 tunes because you're only able to realize an additional 100 rear wheel horsepower anyway. One or two really are all most people need and it will save you money just choosing six to put on a Phoenix.

Are injector upgrades of any kind out of the question with the Phoenix chip? When I'm due for new injectors, I'm thinking about the Beans Diesel Performance Stage 1 reman single-shot injectors. I figure they'd be a perfect match for 4" exhaust and GPT38r turbo. Just a nice mild horsepower package, and still reliable.

Once you get injectors, the FU will be your only non-option.

The Phoenix/FU/FU2 matrix shows injector mods listed under the Phoenix. If I have to ship it back to get a reburn, that's no big deal.

That is exactly what you would have to do if you do more mods, ship the phoenix back. I think your best option is the phoenix with guages of some sort, then when you do more upgrades, ship the chip back. :cheesy smile:
The phoenix will adapt to anything you do to your truck, the FU wont, but the FU2 will!
Have fun with your new "tools" for your truck :)

Is the horsepower "limitation" on stick shift trucks merely because you can't keep boost up between shifts like you can with an auto? I'd assume if you're in one gear for a while, pulling hard, a stick truck should make just as much horsepower as an auto.

the stick will make the same HP as the auto, the HP limiting factor is the injectors. I believe that was what Cody was saying that with a truck with stock injectors the max HP gain would be around 100HP stick or auto