Orange County California Tuner Shop

[supercup]

Hi,

I am new here and need some help. I have a 2005 6.0 crew cab 4x4, 4.30 gears, Banks Big Hoss bundle and intake. I have 32,xxx miles on my truck. I am having a problems with overboost readings and quick engine heat ups when towing. When under load (10,000 lb trailer, up grades), my boost gauge jumps from 30 to pegged. In stock setting it does not do this, but in any other program it does. If you hit the hill in program 2 and modulate the throttle the gauge will follow your foot from 30-50 back to 30 when you let off the gas. EGT's are running in the 1200 range. If I stay in it, it will quickly heat up on any Banks program other than stock.

Speaking with Banks they said they have heard of this but never actually seen it. They said if my truck has gotten hot (which it has a couple times, but cooled down right away while continued running, when I get out of it), then I had a blown head gasket or stretched head bolts and that is why I am getting varied boost or overboost readings. I can see no visible leaks from the head gasket and have no leaks coming from my truck? Trucks runs fine in all other scenerios, except under heavy load up a steep grade (even up the 73 toll road in OC).

I have been to the dealer and had all the ECU updates. At this point I am looking for a good local tuner who can help me get more out of my truck for towing. With the Banks kit I have to turn down the power to stock as soon as I hit a hill. So their power is nice, but of no value when I really need it, going up a hill with a trailer.

Any recommendations or suggestions would be appreciated. I live in Orange County California.

Thanks,

JCM

[hotstik]

The closest local tuner with lots of experience on the 6.0L is John Wood in Holtville - he really knows his stuff. In fact, his tuning is in the quickest 6.0L on the planet.

You have two options;

1.) You can go down to John's and have him live tune your truck on the dyno.

or

2.) He can send you an SCT tuner and can email you programming changes as needed.

The website for John Wood Automotive is www.jwtt.com

[mattymx]

Banks has some of the worst programming around and that is your problem. As hotstik said, John Wood is the king of the 6.0. His tunes for that engine and trans are legendary. You can see his truck in the current issue of Diesel Power Magazine. Page 148 I think. A big white crew cab towing a big Weekend Warrior.

[Hoss350]

I'm not saying anything bad here, but I have the famous sct programmer and I can't use any of it going up anykind of grade either. So yeah the powers great but not of any use when towing. So even if your lucky enough to get a hold of John Wood, it's not like you can just run right up there to Holtville and have him look at your truck. It's a normally a weekend thing.

Has anybody been able to tow in a decent program with the sct?? I don't think it's the programmers or tuners it's the 6.0 motor. Thing just gets too hot with the egr system.

But I plan on doing this weekend thing soon, to see if he can do something with the programming that will allow some tunes while towing.

I guess the whole point of this Is Im in the same boat my friend.
Sorry for the rant.

[supercup]

Hoss 350,

Thanks for the input, that is what I am afraid of, more stuff but no ability to use the power when I need it. Right now I have my truck set up pretty much how I want, but if I have to throw a lot more dollars to do head bolts and different tuner, turbo etc. I might just get leave it be and drive it for another year then get a new truck and leave it stock (dreaming is free) and let the stock power dictate.

Maybe we figure out how to take your truck in one weekend and drop mine off the next and share a ride back. My wife would like that.

I have a call into John, so I will see what he says. I am open to a solution but if the 6.0 is the limitation, well then we will just have to get a different motor.

JCM

[desertwheeler]

Im sure their are programs out their for the SCT that are good for towing. If an edge can tow in the tow setting, im sure it wouldnt be hard for the SCT.

[hotstik]

Yep...I'm pretty sure that John has some really good towing programs. He tows heavy all the time with his 6.0L. Actually, you can see his tow rig in the latest Diesel Power!

[wkdjstr300]

I know you are looking for local, but I would give Jody Tipton from DP Tuner a call. His web site is dptuner.com. He can do the same for you as John Woods, over the phone and through the mail, as far as send you something and then adjust as needed. I am in no means saying Jody or his tunes are better than John's, just giving you another option and someone else's ear to bend...I have no personal experience with John, but am planning on doing so, if/when my tranny starts to go (Knock on wood), and hearing great things about him, I am looking forward to meeting him and having him work on my truck. But I do have personal experience with Jody and his wife Diane and I can tell you they are first class all the way.

[hotstik]

Jody's tuning and customer service is outstanding, as is John's. Actually, the two have been working together lately on tuning and other powerstroke projects. So if you go to John's you actually can get either Jody's or John's tunes. Either way you will get awesome tunes. The real advantage of going to John's is that if you want live-tuning (on the dyno and driving) you can get some truly custom burns. However, the live-tuning is not necessary unless your demands are truly unique.