'08 6.4 w/135,000 miles...

OnedotonE · Apr 1, 2015

I swing a hammer to pay my bills, and occasionally turn a wrench or two to save $$$. I am a long time Ford guy, but I've never been soo frustrated w/any other truck (my first diesel yaaaay!)... Initially I bought this to pull a 20' box trailer loaded w/every tool known to man. It had problems immediately, but I was sold and 3 years later here I am. Just finished deleting the egr (full delete w/new intake elbow) dpf, cat, installed a K&N Blackhawk air intake, and a programmer that only deletes the dpf and egr; (everything else remains stock programming 'cuz I'm trying to be cheap)... Because the egr valve failed, dpf was clogged and the intake was beginning to be... All in it now sounds like a leaf blower coming out of the tail pipe while Apollo whatever simultaneously begins to lift off and rocket to the moon (10...9...8...7...) it idles waaaay too high, and mpg's are worse, (I didn't think that was possible). I hired "The Truck Whisperer" who showed up @midnight, and he "whispered" to it until almost 2am:jawdrop: (He actually did most of the mod install's) Good dude, little creepy, but a good dude

oke:
Do I get a different programmer? Is it possible to lower the idle w/out one? I don't want to buy a different truck, like ever. What should I do for real? Please help, somebody. Anybody. Buehler? Buehler? Anyone, Buehler? LOL:fustrate:

Sideswipe505 · Apr 1, 2015

What programmer? Sounds like you don't have your sensors plugged in under the truck.

01pwrstkr · Apr 1, 2015

Whs^^^ I would get a different tuner (mini maxx/sct) and get a custom tow tune if that's all the truck is used for.

"3 can keep a secret if 2 are dead"

Sideswipe505 · Apr 2, 2015

An SCT X4 is a pretty cost effective tuner, especially through some of the vendors on here.

OnedotonE · Apr 2, 2015

El Cheapo tuners... Here's a link http://freedomdieselperformance.com/dpf-delete-tuners.html?model=234
I'm ok w/getting a different tuner at this point. Not sure what to do w/sensors after deleting stock parts. 1K ohm resistor's? The truck whisperer thinks that might lower the idle...
In a side note: It also would occasionally, prior to these mod's, sound the alarm while the message center stated 3 different issues: "Tire Pressure Monitor System Fault", "Check Brake System", and "Door Ajar" and then repeat itself... (Dealer told me it needed a thermostat???) Since "The Whisperer" it has receded to only the TPMS and Brake System alarms.

Sideswipe505 · Apr 2, 2015

OnedotonE said:
El Cheapo tuners... Here's a link http://freedomdieselperformance.com/dpf-delete-tuners.html?model=234
I'm ok w/getting a different tuner at this point. Not sure what to do w/sensors after deleting stock parts. 1K ohm resistor's? The truck whisperer thinks that might lower the idle...
In a side note: It also would occasionally, prior to these mod's, sound the alarm while the message center stated 3 different issues: "Tire Pressure Monitor System Fault", "Check Brake System", and "Door Ajar" and then repeat itself... (Dealer told me it needed a thermostat???) Since "The Whisperer" it has receded to only the TPMS and Brake System alarms.

Frankly dude, not to be a jerk, but your truck whisperer sounds like a dumbass. Whenever you run an aftermarket tuner, you need to keep your sensors that were located in the DPF/cat plugged in and zip tied up and away, unless that tuner is designed to run properly without them (ie Spartan). I would buy a REPUTABLE tuner and do it right. What's a $1500 tuner really cost? It could save you a $12k motor bill.... Sounds like cheap insurance to me.

OnedotonE · Apr 2, 2015

Sideswipe505 said:
Frankly dude, not to be a jerk, but your truck whisperer sounds like a dumbass. Whenever you run an aftermarket tuner, you need to keep your sensors that were located in the DPF/cat plugged in and zip tied up and away, unless that tuner is designed to run properly without them (ie Spartan). I would buy a REPUTABLE tuner and do it right. What's a $1500 tuner really cost? It could save you a $12k motor bill.... Sounds like cheap insurance to me.

That makes sense. I just didn't want to turn my truck into some hot-rod, so I went with the only stock programmer that deletes the b.s. and keeps it runnin that I could find! I'll check those sensor's, get a different tuner, and bust "The Truck Whisperer" down a peg or two.

madman1234509 · Apr 2, 2015

1st step: never let someone that calls themselves "the truck whisperer" touch your truck.

2nd step: buy a good programmer.

One thing that I need to say on all seriousness. If you try to cheap out on parts and maintenance with these things, Its only going to cost you more in the long run. Diesels in general aren't cheap to modify or fix. But if you cheap out doing either it will eventually come back to bite you In the a**.

OnedotonE · Apr 2, 2015

madman1234509 said:
1st step: never let someone that calls themselves "the truck whisperer" touch your truck.

2nd step: buy a good programmer.

One thing that I need to say on all seriousness. If you try to cheap out on parts and maintenance with these things, Its only going to cost you more in the long run. Diesels in general aren't cheap to modify or fix. But if you cheap out doing either it will eventually come back to bite you In the a**.

:evilI coined that, "The Truck Whisperer", because he was supposed to be at my house to look at my truck @ 8:30pm but didn't show... I woke up on the couch @ 11:45pm and could here my truck running! There he was, in the dark, talking to either himself or the truck... Anyways...
IMO the tuner wasn't cheap, (cheapest I've found BUT only a dpf/egr delete: no screen, no tunes...) I mean it is at least for a glorified zip-drive that overwrites the stock program... I'm not trying to build "Bigfoot" I just want it to run right!
I'll check the sensors, and look at the SCT. Thanks for the insight!

bigrpowr · Apr 2, 2015

get what you pay for. plug in your sensors for starters. let me know if you want to explore " real tuning " on a legit tuner. not too expensive.

Sideswipe505 · Apr 2, 2015

bigrpowr said:
get what you pay for. plug in your sensors for starters. let me know if you want to explore " real tuning " on a legit tuner. not too expensive.

This is one of the best dudes in the biz to talk to IMO.

OnedotonE · Apr 2, 2015

Reconnected the sensors this morning... Run's like it should, idle is back to normal at least, and yes I agree, "The Whisperer" should have known they needed to be plugged back in! :axe:
1 more question, when deleting the throttle body, unplugging the sensor lights the wrench up on the message center: Unplugged = wrench light, plugged in no light! It is currently plugged in and zip-tied to the air intake tube... Instructions that came w/the kit just say disconnect all sensors to the egr and intake/throttle body and then remove them... Is this something a quality tuner would correct? Seems silly to leave it as-is, kinda layin in there plugged in wigglin around all useless and what not... (???)

sootie · Apr 2, 2015

my egr plugs are not plugged into anything. i run H&S tuner.

Sideswipe505 · Apr 2, 2015

My EGR stuff is all plugged in, just turned off via tuner.

OnedotonE · Apr 2, 2015

Made a phone call and I think I've got it... 1K ohm resistors jumpered from ports 1-3 and 2-4 on the unplugged sensor should do the trick.

Thank you all for the input, couldn,t have done this w/out ya'll!

:rockon:

sootie · Apr 2, 2015

why the he!l are you ***king around with resistors and all that bs !!

can't you get it thru yore head that if you had a reputable tuning device you would have no issues?!

Sideswipe505 · Apr 2, 2015

sootie said:
why the he!l are you ***king around with resistors and all that bs !!

can't you get it thru yore head that if you had a reputable tuning device you would have no issues?!

***in this. it's cheap insurance. you sound like you can't afford a motor build. I know I ****in can't.

sootie · Apr 2, 2015

touche...i hadn't even got it to the reliability aspect yet...

these six fours dont like sh!tty tuning.

kyle43335 · Apr 2, 2015

I wonder why half the people own these trucks. The consensus is, they want to be in the club. , keep up with the Jones. They don't work the truck for a living, and They sure don't make enough money to comfortably own one. It's time to wonder if its a good vehicle to own when you need to save for a oil change. You have to know your limitations.

Sideswipe505 · Apr 2, 2015

kyle43335 said:
I wonder why half the people own these trucks. The consensus is, they want to be in the club. , keep up with the Jones. They don't work the truck for a living, and They sure don't make enough money to comfortably own one. It's time to wonder if its a good vehicle to own when you need to save for a oil change. You have to know your limitations.

I make enough money to comfortably own mine, but putting a new motor in mine on my income would require a small loan which is something I don't fancy doing, so I keep up on maintenance, buy quality parts, and run it on a very conservative tune.