I just bought an 05 f250 with 24k miles, 10" fabtech suspension and 40s. It has no motor upgrades at all so far but im looking to add a tuner do i need to do the egr delete first?

 

You need to do egr delete, studs, and gaskets. Maybe oil cooler. You really don't have to do it, but I wold strongly recommend it before it's a problem running a performance tune.

 

First thing should be a monitor solution for the motor. You need to find out if your oil cooler is blocked, FICM volts are with in spec, and fuel psi is good.

When your ECT/EOT delta gets above 15*, better start looking into replacing the oil cooler.

FICM volts should never fall below 46v while cranking or driving.

Fuel psi should never drop below 45psi at idle to WOT.

When either FICM or Fuel psi drop below spec, your looking at expensive injector replacement.

Take your pick of monitor solutions, Edge Insight CS/CTS, DashBoss for iTouch/iPhone/iPad, Torque app for android, or ScangaugeII.


After you have determined the health of the motor, and fixed any issues, then your ready for a EGR delete and tuner. Most 6.0 owners use the SCT with custom tunes, why? Because its the best tuner for your motor AND trans. Stay away from shift on the fly tuners!!

Depending on your ECM strategy for the 05 trucks, you may need the SCT to turn off the CEL after removing the EGR cooler.

 

Being as I am over 100K on mine (I have run a tuner for about 60K of those miles, too), I have to say wait until it pushes a head gasket to stud it. Yeah, things need to get changed out, but with the exception of the EGR cooler, if it's not broke, don't fix it.

Running a 40" tire, I'd be looking at either a 4.56 or a 4.88 gear, leaning towards 4.88, before I did any hot rod tuning. A friend had 38s on his and said it was pretty sluggish compared to 35s, gears would have fixed that. Among other things, getting the tire/gear ratio closer to what it was OEM, the transmission will shift better. If the reluctor gear that gives the impulse to the speedometer is on the differential, your speedo will read closer to correct as well. I've noticed that MOST shops that sell diesel stuff, gears are not on many of their menus.

Oh yeah, monitor your EGTs, shutting down above 400* can coke the oil in your turbo, no bueno, Batman.

 

I run a edge evolution tuner in my truck did't do no egr delete an't had no problem and like the diffrence it made

 

I ran a Brand E for a few years, then, one day, IT ATE MY TRANSMISSION!!!! I don't care what it said on the monitor, the instructions, the web site, or anywhere else, that POS Brand E programmer does NOTHING for the transmission.

 

You don't NEED to do an EGR delete, no. I ran mine for about 70k miles with a tuner and the EGR in there still. Is it a good idea to do it anyways? Yes.

SCT with custom tunes or bust.

 

If your the type that wants to fix something before it become a problem down the road. Then id do studs and gasket. Way I saw it when I bought mine is to fix it all before it gives me a headache later.

 

my exacts thought i drove my truck 4 days after i bought and the then got the CTS and found out the oil cooler was shot so i tore it all down and ordered three grand in parts and I am currentyl doing a full bulletproofing on it... waiting on the heads to get back from the machine shop right now

 

One could argue the need for studs I suppose. It's not the end of the world if you don't put them in and it blows the gaskets, you just do them at that point. I suppose if you're already 1/2 way in though... that's a judgement call I guess. If you don't plan on running any race tunes etc, then I can see passing on it.