A few Q's before ordering

[ManBearPig]

New guy here with a couple questions before I order.

I have been around the diesel scene off and on. My last truck was a 2002 7.3 auto. It had all the basic stuff (intake, exhaust, gauges) but nothing more serious (HPOP, injectors, turbo).

When I bought that truck it came with an Edge handheld tuner. I ended up using some tunes from Total Diesel Performance on a TS chip. Power increase over the Edge was incredible. I never was quite happy with the tuning though. I had numerous reburns and fine tuning done to the chip but it was always quirky in one way or another. Sometimes the tunes would idle funny, sometimes the shifting was poor, sometimes it would command too much ICP for my stock pump and set a code, etc...

I sold that truck before I could get everything ironed out.

I am now in another 2002 7.3 with all the same basic mods but this time it is a 6-speed. I am currently using a Superchips 1705 tuner as that is what the truck came with. It runs pretty good I guess, but I know there is more in there. Because of my previous experience I am hesitant to try custom tuning again. The Superchips doesn't have any quirks. It always starts and idles great, isn't hot enough to set any codes.....but I am always wanting more.

With a 6-speed, one major thing that can't cause me any concern is shift strategy. That being said, what are the differences in towing vs DD vs performance tunes of the same HP rating? Is the fueling or timing different between these or is it just shift strategy for the autos?

Ideally I would have just 2 tunes that I really use regularly. 1 that could be used for economy for longer highway trips, and 1 that could be used as a daily performance tune for 99% of my driving. The tunes on the list are broken down as daily/perf/towing. Is there such a thing as an aggressive performing tune with good enough manners for daily driving?

Thanks for the insight
Brian

[ticopowell]

Answers in Blue

Originally Posted by ManBearPig

New guy here with a couple questions before I order.

I have been around the diesel scene off and on. My last truck was a 2002 7.3 auto. It had all the basic stuff (intake, exhaust, gauges) but nothing more serious (HPOP, injectors, turbo).

When I bought that truck it came with an Edge handheld tuner. I ended up using some tunes from Total Diesel Performance on a TS chip. Power increase over the Edge was incredible. I never was quite happy with the tuning though. I had numerous reburns and fine tuning done to the chip but it was always quirky in one way or another. Sometimes the tunes would idle funny, sometimes the shifting was poor, sometimes it would command too much ICP for my stock pump and set a code, etc...

I sold that truck before I could get everything ironed out.

I am now in another 2002 7.3 with all the same basic mods but this time it is a 6-speed. I am currently using a Superchips 1705 tuner as that is what the truck came with. It runs pretty good I guess, but I know there is more in there. Because of my previous experience I am hesitant to try custom tuning again. The Superchips doesn't have any quirks. It always starts and idles great, isn't hot enough to set any codes.....but I am always wanting more.

With a 6-speed, one major thing that can't cause me any concern is shift strategy. That being said, what are the differences in towing vs DD vs performance tunes of the same HP rating? Is the fueling or timing different between these or is it just shift strategy for the autos? the timing might be slightly different, but the major differences are shifting... so in your/my trucks there isn't any noticeable difference

Ideally I would have just 2 tunes that I really use regularly. 1 that could be used for economy for longer highway trips, and 1 that could be used as a daily performance tune for 99% of my driving. The tunes on the list are broken down as daily/perf/towing. Is there such a thing as an aggressive performing tune with good enough manners for daily driving? I have the 80 and the 120 hp tunes, the difference is noticable, I am testing which gets better gas mileage for me right now, but it seems like the 120 is fairly calm when you let it be, and it can lay down rubber if you want it to! , The 80 still has a lot more power over stock, and it is tougher to lay down rubber, but it is still doable... you do have a manual so you can do that in stock, it just takes more effort.

Thanks for the insight
Brian

I hope I helped

[ManBearPig]

Yes, thanks for taking the time to help.

Another question for those more in-the-know....

How will the 80 hp tune on a chip compare to the 80hp or even 110 hp tune on my Superchips 1705?

IIRC on my last truck the hottest tune on my handheld felt anemic in comparison to the mildest on my 6-position chip.

Either the custom tuners are under-rating their tunes, or the handheld tuners are over rating theirs (i expect this is the case).

[ticopowell]

Bill's is how much power to the wheels, they might be saying how much more hp the engine is making, so they would feel less powerful than Bills.