More 6 Speed suggestions?

jtbowen31 · #1 Sat, September 4th, 2010, 04:12 PM

I have been looking into getting a chip for my truck, which is a 1999.5 7.3psd with a 6 speed. So far it just has an intake, exhaust, and gauges. My biggest questions are with the higher horsepower tunes. I though I read somewhere on this forum that race tunes have more low rpm fueling than performance tunes, so would I be better off with the 100 Performance compared to the 100 Race if I want to keep the smoke down some? And for the last position, will it hurt anything in my truck (besides the clutch-plan on upgrading it soon anyways) to run the 140 hp tune, would the 120 be better, or should I stay away from 120 and 140 all together? I am pretty sure I have forged rods, but I don't know enough about these trucks yet to know if there are other things I should look out for, or if there are other supporting mods that I need to get done. So I guess right now I am looking at:
1- Stock
2- High Idle
3- 65 Tow
4- 80 DD
5- 100 Perf or Race
6- 120 Race or 140 Extreme
The truck is mainly used as a daily driver and as an over all fun vehicle. It rarely has a trailer behind it, it doesn't sled pull, and it isn't the most practical to drag race with.
Thanks in advance, and any other advice or suggestions are welcome!
- Jordan

Tholt34 · #2 Sat, September 11th, 2010, 01:56 PM

I have the fu package but right now on my truck i run stock, 60 DD, 80 tow, 100 race, 120, and 140 smoke. I normally daily drive in the 100 race. its fairly easy to keep the smoke down. I can walk away from traffic and keep it from smoking. To me its the best daily driver tune and I feel i get the best fuel mileage in that setting. I've run my truck on the higher tunes and it I like em all. Very easy to daily drive if you want but when you step on it, its there and ready to go.

workinprogress · #3 Tue, September 21st, 2010, 11:38 AM

Hey Jordan, I can't tell you anything about the tunes you want to get, but as far as being able to tell what rods you have I might be able to help. If you look on the side of your block, next to the oil filter, there is an inspection hole with a 5/16 plug. Take off that plug and you can see one of the bolts one your rod caps. If its a bolt, you have PMR's, if its a stud with a nut, then you have forged rods. Also, I spoke with Cody about this same thing with my truck, and he told me that with stock injectors, you really don't have anything to worry about. Another thing, as far as I know, Ford didn't start using the PMR's until mid to late '01, so you should be safe. Hope this helps!

***cleatus12r*** · #4 Tue, September 21st, 2010, 11:49 AM

Every '01 build truck I've ever looked at has PMRs. I have looked at a good many of them, too. Two of them were early-build '01 trucks (Like September-December '00).

I haven't done too much with any 2000 model year trucks (I don't know why; maybe they weren't as popular up here or something) but the one that I looked at was either a June or July build and it had PMRs as well. It wasn't a reman engine either.

Take it for what it's worth, but Ford did some crazy cost-cutting stuff at weird times during the 7.3L run. Without checking, you really don't know for sure. Your 99.5 truck SHOULD have forged steel connecting rods....but you should check to be sure.

F-127 · #5 Tue, September 21st, 2010, 12:57 PM

I like your selection of tunes. In my dad's six speed I find myself mostly driving in the 100P tune. Great power, minimal smoke output.

Hypermax has the breakdown on the rods by serial number. Which goes, forged, powdered, forged, powdered. Like the had a test run of powdered.
Ultimax rods
You can check the serial number, which is stamped right behind the above and oil filter. I'd trust that SN list, but ultimately, checking through the inspection port would assure the type of rods inside your engine.

jtbowen31 · #6 Mon, October 18th, 2010, 10:46 PM

Thanks for the replies guys! I did check my rods using the inspection port, and they are in fact forged. I just have one more question now. I read on one of the powerstroke forums that high idle can be built in to the other tunes, so the position for only high idle can be eliminated. It also said the truck has to be in park. Does this mean that automatic high idle can only be used with autos, or can it be used on a manual with the parking brake on? It would be awesome if it could...