Newbie with a few questions. - Diesel Forum

blittle913 · 02-10-2010, 10:15 PM

Hello everyone, im new to the site and also to the diesel world. I dont own one yet but will within the next month. After talking to a few people i decided to switch from the 7.3 to the 6.0 even after all the bad things iv heard. Im looking at either an 04 or 05 with about 120k or less miles. Iv been doing as much research as i can but still feel theres lots i need to know before i give up the cash. First off im all about lots of power! However im also interested in reliability so iv gotta meet somewhere in the middle. Im really hoping to get around 500hp. Anyway i got recommended to a local shop and they threw some prices at me. I just want to make sure they are the right parts that I need.

Edge Juice Platinum w attitude... This i was really excited about but after lots of reading im starting to get a little skeptical.

S and B cold air intake

Diamond eye 4" turbo back exhaust

ARP head studs

I was told with this i will have a bullet proof 500k mile motor. I know in order to meet my 500hp goal ill need injector tips among many other upgrades but im just hoping to get a start for now. Let me know how this combination looks to you. Thanks a bunch for reading and thanks for any replies!

Also does the SCT tuner make as much power as the Edge? or more maybe? or is everyone leaning towards it do to safety of the engine?

**teamroper60** · 02-10-2010, 10:42 PM

The Edge will not make as much power as a custom tuned SCT can. It will also never get you to 500hp. For that, you will also need a custom tuner and bigger injectors (at least 155's).

blittle913 · 02-10-2010, 11:01 PM

Right like i said im aware of having to upgrade the injectors but is the sct turner the way to go? That i guess right now is my biggest concern. Im way to new to all this and have lots to learn about diesels! I was just hoping that what i had that quote for would be a good start. Is that a good intake and exhaust?

**teamroper60** · 02-10-2010, 11:24 PM

With 500hp as a top goal, I would skip the intake. The factory one is good up to that point and filters better than anything you can buy aftermarket.

The SCT is a good choice for high hp. It can be custom tuned for whatever mods you throw at your truck. Basically for your hp goals, it and the Spartan tuner are your only real options anyway and there are far fewer Spartan tuners out there, so you are more limited with it.

Just about any aftermarket exhaust is a good choice. Some fit better than others (i.e.: easy to put on) but regardless of marketing, they are all just about the same in terms of what they do, which is get the hot exhaust gases out of the engine as quickly as possible. I helped put a Diamond Eye exhaust on a buddies truck and it fit well.

As a side note, in your first post you mentioned a need for reliability. The farther you push this engine, the less reliable it is going to get (the same applies to all engines). 500hp is pushing it pretty good so you need to be aware that you are going to be sacrificing some reliability to get to that hp level. If long term reliability is the goal, I would shoot for something in the mid-400's as a top goal. You will still need most of the same mods, you just would not push the tuning envelope so far out....

**TousleyParts** · 02-10-2010, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teamroper60

With 500hp as a top goal, I would skip the intake. The factory one is good up to that point and filters better than anything you can buy aftermarket.
....

+1

These have a huge Donaldson filter on them (the same guys that make filters for big trucks

)
They flow enough air for most people, and will filter better than any K & N sort of thing.

Also, add a coolant filter for reliability. This is repeated over and over on this site, but anything to help the oil cooler and egr cooler survive is a huge plus on these.

Also, maybe a set of gauges if once you have a tuner; lets you keep and eye on those EGTs

lubbockguy1979 · 02-11-2010, 02:41 AM

for a quick truck that is reliable here is the formula.
1) gauges
2)studs
3) sct tuner with custom tunes
this will put you pretty close to 425 rwhp. this is about all your going to get out of the stock motor/turbo/injectors. getting 500k out of this motor at this powerlevel might be achieveable. getting that many miles out of a engine with more mods will be less likely. keep in mind though that your engine.... ie the long block might last the entire 500k. it is likely though you will have some repairs along the way.

Scoobs · 02-11-2010, 01:32 PM

Also new to fixing up diesels, what gauges are recommended: engine temp, air temp, etc? Also as far as getting the most on pulling and play while keeping the most reliability in the motor what mods would best benefit that? Im not looking to have a track truck or anything like that but the low 400hp sounds good.

**caryt** · 02-11-2010, 04:13 PM

Anyone who says you can have a bullet proof 500k motor....run he's lying.

Get a SCT.

Better also start saving $$$$ for those mods required to get 500HP and a trans.

blittle913 · 02-11-2010, 06:11 PM

Thanks a bunch for all the replies. Im going to continue my research. And i certainly know where to come with questions. Thanks for all the help.

lubbockguy1979 · 02-11-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scoobs

Also new to fixing up diesels, what gauges are recommended: engine temp, air temp, etc? Also as far as getting the most on pulling and play while keeping the most reliability in the motor what mods would best benefit that? Im not looking to have a track truck or anything like that but the low 400hp sounds good.

400hp is very easy. Bare basics will be gauges. Autometer, dipricoil & isspro are good brands. I run isspro. What you need to montior is egts, oil temp, coolant temp, and fuel pressure. Most people get the common 3, boost, egt, tranny temp. My truck did not have a boost gauge but 05+ trucks do. After you have decided what gauges you want and what you will be monitoring look at tuning devices. A sct tuner or a spartan phalanx tuner with a street tune or x treme file should have you in the 380-420 rwhp range. I would expect at some point at this power level to have to put a set of studs in the truck. Might be a couple of years or a couple of days. Just be aware.

joshr33 · 02-11-2010, 10:55 PM

Don't forget the trans, if you start pushing numbers like that you will need to upgrade it as well...

JR

blittle913 · 02-11-2010, 11:08 PM

Trans was going to be my next plan. If i am shooting for 500hp, which is just a goal, what would be the necessary upgrades needed to handle this. Also ill be running 6" lift with 37"bfgs if that makes a difference.

**teamroper60** · 02-12-2010, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blittle913

Trans was going to be my next plan. If i am shooting for 500hp, which is just a goal, what would be the necessary upgrades needed to handle this. Also ill be running 6" lift with 37"bfgs if that makes a difference.

Since we have already addressed the engine needs, I presume you mean upgrades for the trans.. You are going to need a fully built trans for that kind of power (and especially with a lift and oversized tires). What all that entails is over my head but I do know it will include updates to the clutch packs, billet input shaft and a different torque converter..... You are probably looking at about $5K for the trans work.....

lubbockguy1979 · 02-12-2010, 08:40 AM

At 500hp if your tranny is in good shape I bet you will be fine. Take a scroll up to the 6.4 forum. Same great tranny different motor. They are putting out 500+ and holding up stock. The torque shift is about the best stock trannuy you can get.

Scoobs · 02-12-2010, 11:49 AM

so for the low to mid 400's is any tranny work required?