6.4L Upgrades and Aftermarket - EngineUpgrading or adding OEM or aftermarket equipment to your 2008-Up Super Duty truck with 6.4L Power Stroke diesel engine. Please confine discussion of topics in this forum to those items that are specific to the 6.4L Power Stroke engine.
hey guys, I would like a comparison between the sct, KEM, and spartan programmers. Pretty much I would like to know which is the most reliable, user friendly, and safest on my truck. All while providing a nice amount of power.
exhaust advice would be nice too! been looking at at flopro and magnaflow. anyone have any other suggestions that could help me?
Last edited by inino; 04-09-2009 at 12:03 AM.
Reason: See above
Spartan, the only way to go! Have it on 2 trucks and have been very pleased. Not one problem. Have had it installed on my dually for about 13,000 miles. Got an increase in economy, and the power is awesome. Plus the DashDaq is an amazing instrument that can monitor almost anything you wish....
Personally, I would not buy a Spartan because I do not think customer service would be very good. I have left several messages for him to buy one and he never returned my calls. If he is not that interested in selling them what makes me think he would be any more interested in helping me if I had a problem. I just took the easy road and ordered a banks. Not as much power but probably won't void my warranty. Just my opinion.
Spartan, the only way to go! Have it on 2 trucks and have been very pleased. Not one problem. Have had it installed on my dually for about 13,000 miles. Got an increase in economy, and the power is awesome. Plus the DashDaq is an amazing instrument that can monitor almost anything you wish....
Ya the spartan was the one I was most leaning too. I was little scared though when they claimed 250 hp considering the sct is 100 hp less. That got me a little worried and thinking that it might not be too safe. I think I will most likely lean too the spartan now since its got a good rep, aside from its customer service as stated above, which isnt really my priority.
Anyone have any good info on sct and KEM or anything else?
Customer service for Spartan has really improved, and will continue to get better. Lot of changes going on. No way you will find better tunes!!!! You really need to visit the Dashdaq forum, and their web site..... If you have a question about Spartan, send their tech support an email....
Spartan hands down is the best. 2-3 mpg gain and it's been to the dealer a few times since the install. No problems with the dealer and believe me they looked.
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08 F-350 4x4 CC LWB White / Stone
Orderd on 2/08/08 Delivered on 3/27/08
Fabtech 4.0 Coilover 8 " lift 4 Link System
Fabtech Traction Bars and Rear leaf Springs
20 " Weld Wheels Cheyenne "8" Chrome
Procomp Xtreme All Terrain tires 37 x 13.50 x 20
Amp Research power steps.
S&B CAI
Banks exhaust
Spartan Tuned
More Mods Comming
I was reading about trucks shifting really hard after installing the spartan. is this true? The last thing i would want is to run my tranny over as it falls from under me : ). What kind of safety features does the spartan have to make sure your truck doesnt blow up?
I was reading about trucks shifting really hard after installing the spartan. is this true? The last thing i would want is to run my tranny over as it falls from under me : ). What kind of safety features does the spartan have to make sure your truck doesnt blow up?
Transmission shifts hard on the 250, and the 275 tune. They are race tunes, and you don't want your transmission slipping when shift between gears on an 8000 lb truck. All tunes from 40 to 210 hp have safety features built in. High egt's, oil temp, coolant temp, and some others but can't remember. When mine reaches around 1400-1425f on egt's it defuels. If you keep you foot on the go pedal, and egt's drop below that number, it take off again like a rocket.... For the 250, and 275 tune the only feature that I know of is if it senses transmission slippage, it will defuel. Will be like shutting the engine off during a hard run. Power is amazing. You would not think a truck as heavy as these are could move as fast as they do with the 250, or 275 tune. Wish you were in my area so I could take you for a ride. Try to find someone that lives close to you and let them show you what these big trucks can do. No way I would ever want to run my truck stock again!!!!!
well you are pretty convincing man. and its good to know about the safety features for 40-210 tunes because that will be most likely the range i would want to be in. The safety of my truck (and pocket ) are pretty important to me. I honestly dont drive my truck very hard so having 275 extra horsepower, although nice, really isnt too big of a deal for me.
Unless someone can tell me some negatives about the spartan I will probably make my decision and go with it.
Something I forgot to mention is that the DashDaq also has audible alerts. When you set your gauges up, you choose what that gauge max limit, high warning, low limit and low warnings will be. So lets say you pick 275 for your engine coolant temp max limit, and 225 for the high warning. If the temperature reaches any of those settings, it alerts you by voice over alerts, or beeps or buzzers. Really a sweet instrument, which is made so you really don't even have to monitor your gauges.....
Hey guys I'm seeing alot positive information on the Spartan programer.. does anyone mind giving cost and intallation details, Also does this have an effect on the warranty?, sorry for the lame questions, I am new ( FNG ) to the whole diesel game and I want to get the most out of this new 6.4 Turbo Beast. I've been a gas guy for many years and have found some of the best mods to get the most out of the gas engines, however I'm just not sure about the 6.4's.... Any suggestions would be well appreciated... thanks in advance.....
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2008 F-250 SUPERDUTY LARIAT, everything eccept the NAV. no Rear Sensors, just bought it, w/39548 miles. just turned 40K. I feel like an idiot being that this is my first Grown up truck. And I dont have a clue as of yet :-)>
2004 F-150 FX4 Supercab Loaded she was a beauty (totalled by a young punk teenybopper ran stop sign doing about 60mph)
2003 F-150 4X4 reg cab Captains chairs Monster Horse Power lots of after market upgrades (miss this one the most, kids came, had to upgrade)
1994 F-150 XL 2WD. She was a good truck, Stongest inline 6 I ever seen.
Hey guys I'm seeing alot positive information on the Spartan programer.. does anyone mind giving cost and intallation details, Also does this have an effect on the warranty?, sorry for the lame questions, I am new ( FNG ) to the whole diesel game and I want to get the most out of this new 6.4 Turbo Beast. I've been a gas guy for many years and have found some of the best mods to get the most out of the gas engines, however I'm just not sure about the 6.4's.... Any suggestions would be well appreciated... thanks in advance.....
The only thing I can comment on here is the warranty. Ford has taken the stance that if you modify you will void your warranty. This is not up to the dealer. If you have a major failure they will send out a rep. to examine.
Hey guys I'm seeing alot positive information on the Spartan programer.. does anyone mind giving cost and intallation details, Also does this have an effect on the warranty?, sorry for the lame questions, I am new ( FNG ) to the whole diesel game and I want to get the most out of this new 6.4 Turbo Beast. I've been a gas guy for many years and have found some of the best mods to get the most out of the gas engines, however I'm just not sure about the 6.4's.... Any suggestions would be well appreciated... thanks in advance.....
Cost, well that all depends on what you decide to purchase. You get 3 tunes and the tuner, your choice from 40 to 210 hp. The high hp tunes are extra, there is the 250, and 275. Both are race tunes, and the transmission does shift hard, but you would not want it to shift, and slip with that much power. You also have a choice to choose dpf on tunes, form 40 to 150 hp. Cost for 3 tunes and the console is $1249.00. If you need additional info, send me a pm, or visit their site spartandieseltech
For more info on the tuner, visit the Dashdaq site
Ok, so i have pretty much decided 99% on the spartan tuner, and just have a couple more questions for you mick, (or anyone else) if you wouldnt mind answering.
1. My truck only has 3000 miles, Im thinking i should wait another 3 before i get the tuner so i can have at least a slight break in, what do you think?
2. I am a very easy driver, i dont race porsche's or lambos on the freeway, so would having a tune over the 210 even be worth it?
3. I would like to pay cash, is there a dealer in the southern ca area that sells them?
4. This may be kind of repetitive, but is this programmer the safest one for my motor and tranny? For some reason I keep on feeling that even 210 hp is too much for this truck to handle safely without wearing things out much faster than expected. Comparing this to SCT tuner which has much less hp gains.
Thank you for all the help you have given me this far. Also the dashdaq is a very nice looking unit compared to the other touch screen modules from the other programmers.
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programmer+exhaust advice needed
) are pretty important to me. I honestly dont drive my truck very hard so having 275 extra horsepower, although nice, really isnt too big of a deal for me. 
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