Firewood Hauler Power Boost

[Moss Man]

Before you throw alot of effort and money into a tuner I hope you have considered the obvious stuff first like1) A full on tune up with OEM and not aftermarket parts,2) 60 psi doesn't nessescarily mean that a motor with 290K and ??? hours on it is prime for a tuner/ chip. You may be better off with a fresh motor or a set of deeper gears or go back to OE tire sizes since everyone seems so fond of jamming bigger tires than OE on their Chevy's. I have found that if you are running a tuner/chip in a "work" truck and not having any issues it's because you are not running that truck as hard as it could be driven or you think you are driving it. Those damn chips in a well maintained,real work truck are nothing but trouble.

You're too funny!

Drop a new motor in? It runs just fine, but could use a little more low end grunt than the factory tuning provides. I believe tossing a $250. tune on it will provide just that little extra umph for towing.

 

[Moss Man]

It appears that the 6.0 engine can handle lots more extra power. Fine. The question then becomes what else in the system can't handle the extra power? What is the weak link that you will be approaching since you added much power beyond what GM designed it for?

I have a big burley diesel. It can make an additional 140HP with a simple electronic adjustment. The engine is more than adequate to handle the power. BUT, and this is important, the transmission can't handle it as Ford built it. That dang weak link will cost nearly 5000$ to replace with a transmission built to take the power.

We all like power. Adding power beyond the manufacturer's level means you are risking blowing stuff up. It might not be the engine, maybe the rear end (1500$) the trans, etc.

I have to believe that the drivetrain in this truck can easily handle a little higher horsepower and torque numbers, it's a 3500 not a half ton. I don't plan on drag racing, just having the extra grunt in the hills.

 

[48"BAR PINCHER]

You're too funny!

Drop a new motor in? It runs just fine, but could use a little more low end grunt than the factory tuning provides. I believe tossing a $250. tune on it will provide just that little extra umph for towing.

Not sure whats so funny or where your question is then? If it runs fine why do you need to mod it? You won't get that much for $250 to make a difference especially if your motors last tune up was 30K +miles ago or so. Be better off buyin beer and a cheap armchair and benchrace your mods. At least you'd get more for your money. DOn't get me wrong. I'm not against hot rodding motors at all. It's just too often I know guys who chip or mod their WORK truck and end up wishing they either didn't for the minimal improvement they got or wish they ponyed up for a AAA towing membership.

 

[Hank Chinaski]

knock, knock, knock... is this thing on?

are my posts showing up?

48"BAR PINCHER, have YOU modded YOUR truck with a custom tune?
funny you mention bench racing... that's what it's called when you talk about it instead of DOING it. Who's really doing the bench racing here?
You mention "others" and "work truck"... he's discussing modding his daily driver that he happens to haul a trailer with.
"at least you'd get more for your money": HOW do you know? you haven't DONE it.
My wheatley tune is one of the best $ I've ever spent on my truck.

and here I am, 5 years, 60k+ miles and no triple A... oh, my, what ever will I do?

 

[48"BAR PINCHER]

knock, knock, knock... is this thing on?

are my posts showing up?

48"BAR PINCHER, have YOU modded YOUR truck with a custom tune?
funny you mention bench racing... that's what it's called when you talk about it instead of DOING it. Who's really doing the bench racing here?
You mention "others" and "work truck"... he's discussing modding his daily driver that he happens to haul a trailer with.
"at least you'd get more for your money": HOW do you know? you haven't DONE it.
My wheatley tune is one of the best $ I've ever spent on my truck.

and here I am, 5 years, 60k+ miles and no triple A... oh, my, what ever will I do?

Good for you and your Wheaties. WOW. a whole 60K miles. You get the Arborsite Road Warrior award! Check back in when your truck has 290+ k miles on it and let us know how your makin out there MR. Wheaties. I pull a combo 3-4 days a week with mine that gross's 25,900#--- stock. I know it ain't heavy by tractor trailer standards. But Get off your soapbox trying to preach to me about heavy trailers and pickups. I reguraly talk to/ know of guys who (Hotshot haulers and farmers that haul hay locally) pull similar loads as me with trucks similar to what you and I and the OP drive and they do or have done the silly mods your talking about. If it's a work truck it usually doesn't last long term. That is how I know. Besides at 60 K your rings are just getting seated. I would sure hope your not having problems. And the problems are usualy not in the drivetrain directly. It comes from oil and trans coolers that either don't exist or are too small and engine cooling systems that are not designed to loose the extra heat. I am assuming you do understand how an engine works here and anytime you add HP that additional heat is generated? I have a list of big block Chevy mud racers and street toys both alcohol and gas I've built over the last 20 years both street legal and not so I know how it goes when you mod your everyday wheels and then you occasionally have to fix them to go to work or you mod your weekend hauler and you gotta work on that to go to the races and that suks. I have learned the hard way to follow advice I was given when I was 16 years old," Don't @#$% with your daily driver!"
Number 37. The OP asked for thoughts and opinions on modding his daily driver work truck. I replied. If you got issues with my responses go start a new thread.

 

[Moss Man]

For now I have all the info I need, the pissin match can now end.