More and more people running race tunes?

Hanging_Heels · May 17, 2012

Hey guys, so as i do my nightly stalking on the forums im noticing more and more people running tuners "race" tunes. Seems to be more and more people are running gearheads race tune, erics new "x" race tune, spartans 310 tune, etc. Does everyone have fully built trannys and headstuds running these tunes or are they just running the basics (i.e. intake, exhaust, tuner)? If your just running the basics is your tranny holding up, are you worried about long term reliability, is it safe to run these tunes as a DD? Currently im running KEMs 345 tune but that is considered more of a all around DD then a all out race tune. Im just curious bc im thinking about picking up a livewire to try some of these tunes out but wondering what everyone is running hardware wise?

08BIGRIG · May 17, 2012

If people are running the higher tunes (275+) they are either studed and have a built tranny, or they will be soon when they dont have the choice.

Petro · May 17, 2012

I Daily Drive IDP's X Race all the time. All i have done to my truck are tunes, Exhaust and traction bars. Im also on my second trans, have a blown head gasket and am having HPFP issues. Im only running the stock intake because I drive alot of gravel and I find that it handles the dust better. Ive had a few problems with my truck, but Im blaming myself for them. I enjoy going to town on the weekends and racing, and I pull the living sh*t out of my truck most of the week ( I dont pull in the hot tunes).

Ipkyss · May 17, 2012

Its all in what your point of view is. If you have no interest in upgrading multiple parts. Race tunes are not the best idea. I am of the mindset of run it till it breaks, then upgrade it. IMO my trans still feels as good as the day I bought my truck 40k ago(knock on wood). I plan to run this trans untill it gives up. At that point I will decide what goes back in. But, I am expecting it to give up sooner or later. I don't expect it to last forever feeding it more than double the power it was designed for. I hope my motor will now last a long time. It seems to sometimes come down to hopes, dreams, and luck.

And on the other hand. With enough abuse, you could break a sledge hammer...

uga33 · May 17, 2012

Daily drive the 275 or 300 tune from Spartan. Stock tranny's can live a long time if you can control your right foot.

PSD-BLACK-CLOUD · May 17, 2012

I ran a superchip race. It toasted mt trans now i run gearhead hot street as a dd. Its like the others said run it till it breaks. The 6.4s or prety tuff. I beat the liveing hell out of mine. Im takeing it easy on the ew trans though.

GROSSpolluter · May 17, 2012

im on stock trans. run h&s 300 tune daily for 25k mi now. i have headstuds only because the dealer was fixing a oil leak and the cab was off, so why not take advantage of the situation. i dont beat on it too often, it all depends on how you drive.

drservo · May 18, 2012

I've run the 275 and 310 tunes as a DD since they were released. I have replaced gaskets, new studs and now my TC is slipping. I have 45K on the truck been tuned since 6K

bpb424 · May 18, 2012

Just because ppl run race tunes doesn't mean all of us are running wide open whiskey throttle. I DD the KEM 345 (which most dont consider a race tune) but I don't drive my truck that hard.

jdgleason · May 18, 2012

Everybody has pretty well summed it up: if breaking a trans or a gasket will turn your life upside down, stay away there is a risk. That being said, Wayne's truck has 175k miles, stock everything at almost 650 horse with 37s.

Bustedknuckles · May 18, 2012

jdgleason said:
Everybody has pretty well summed it up: if breaking a trans or a gasket will turn your life upside down, stay away there is a risk. That being said, Wayne's truck has 175k miles, stock everything at almost 650 horse with 37s.

Mods?

CamTom12 · May 18, 2012

http://powerstrokearmy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16796

CamTom12 · May 18, 2012

Oh yeah, I run Gearhead Race now, ran Spartan 300 and KEM 345 in the past. All great tunes. Studs/Delete/Intake/Exhaust. My trans feels exactly the same as it did 40k ago (not great on the 2-3, but not getting any worse).

Nic · May 18, 2012

Petro said:
I Daily Drive IDP's X Race all the time. All i have done to my truck are tunes, Exhaust and traction bars. Im also on my second trans, have a blown head gasket and am having HPFP issues. Im only running the stock intake because I drive alot of gravel and I find that it handles the dust better. Ive had a few problems with my truck, but Im blaming myself for them. I enjoy going to town on the weekends and racing, and I pull the living sh*t out of my truck most of the week ( I dont pull in the hot tunes).

^^^basically this...people generally run the hot tunes as a dd for better fuel economy and throttle response in any given situation..however, race tunes arent made to be pulled with..thats why its called RACE tune. Some like myself run just a hot street tune again for fuel economy only the street tunes have more streetable shift manners than a locked converter race tune does..some dont mind the shifting, some dont prefer it..it all comes down to personal preference..for somebody that tow's daily or regularly during the week probably wouldnt want to keep a race tune loaded...race tunes fuel too hard and create high cylinder head pressures so pulling with them usually results in problems (i.e blown head gaskets)