6.0 Non studded tuning whats the best??

Hey guys wanting to tune my 07 6.0L. I want to get the most hp/tq out of my non studded engine and do it safely. I've actually heard that some custom tuning actually helps with lowering cylinder pressures but not sure I just heard something about that awhile back.
What would you 6.0 guys recommend? I've always had 6.4's and bought this 6.0 for a strong nice daily work/driver so I'm not as familiar with this engine as far as performance goes. I plan on coolant filter,edge cs for gauges,5inch,blue spring,custom tuning,and some studs probably in the spring(if I keep it depends on how it runs and if it gives me good reliability)

maxforce007 said:

Hey guys wanting to tune my 07 6.0L. I want to get the most hp/tq out of my non studded engine and do it safely. I've actually heard that some custom tuning actually helps with lowering cylinder pressures but not sure I just heard something about that awhile back.
What would you 6.0 guys recommend? I've always had 6.4's and bought this 6.0 for a strong nice daily work/driver so I'm not as familiar with this engine as far as performance goes. I plan on coolant filter,edge cs for gauges,5inch,blue spring,custom tuning,and some studs probably in the spring(if I keep it depends on how it runs and if it gives me good reliability)

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Even though I don't own a 6.oh (I have friends that do)

We tried Innovative Gearhead, TSD

Gearhead and TSD gets my vote.

Gearhead and TSD shifting is spot on

all tuners power band is smooth

GH SRL+ has a little less power up top (that could be because the big 38's)

TSD "pulls the whole way"

Innovative

"pulls the whole way" also

Innovative is shifting is a bit rough but hey every truck reacts differently to every tuner.

They also don't have the "light switch" like some tuners have.

For GH we have SRL+, 8K Tow, Unlimited Tow

For TSD we have Daily Drive , MPD and SPD

Innovative
Xtereme Street Xtereme Race and Xtreme X

For reliability I would do studs OEM gaskets new oil cooler and egr delete.

Trucks

TSD

2006 F-350 CCSB 19,000 miles Banks IC and pipes AFE CAI and 5in exhaust 3.73's 35's.


GH

2007 F-350 CCSB 88,000 miles Banks IC pipes AFE CAI and 4in exhaust 3.73 38's.

Innovative

2003 F-350 CCSB 260,000 miles CCSB Banks IC pipes S&B CAI 5in exhaust 58V FICM PHP 100 HP FICM tune. 3.73's 35's

Both the 2007 and 2006 range between 47- 48 volts (FICM)

2003

57-58 volts

All trucks were tested and daily driven on the highest tune out of the list.

Like I said all trucks react differently to a tuner or (tunes).

Edit

I forgot to add that all trucks are on factory TTY bolts.

The tuning can lower in cylinder pressures, but that's driving normally. When you start beating on it is where the issues arise. I bought my 6.0 used, and it literally just came out of the Ford service dept with head gaskets, oil cooler, EGR, EGR valve, new OEM bolts, and all the other gaskets and hardware to do the job. It lasted around 3,500 miles on Innovatives extreme street tune before it blew the passenger side head gaskets. Come to find out when I had the heads checked, they were not flat. Only off by .003" but that's enough to cause a prob. What I'm getting at is that the truck was a single owner, older gentleman, 143,000 mi on stock everything before the hg's and EGR went the first time. Those bolts are fine for stock daily drivers. Tune it and you might be replacing hg's and studs earlier than you expect. I drove mine pretty easy most of the time, but did get into on occasion. The history of the 6.0 speaks for itself.

I'd recommend Truck Source Diesel (TSD) or u could just stud it then not worry hahaha


2005 F250 6.0 powerstroke, 6 speed manual, egr delete, arp head studs, new oil cooler, aftermarket coolant filter, custom intake, 4" down pipe into dual 6" stacks, 8" lift, TSD super panty dropper tune.

I say do egr delete and either gearhead-srl or truck source diesel-spd. I ran both those tunes for 8k miles, beating the crap out of it everyday and still runs strong.

No tune is headbolt safe first off. If you drive it hard your gonna have issues plan and simple. Theres no telling how long it will last.
Gearhead innovative tsd quicktricks there all good and personal preference is the only thing thats gonna set em apart really.

ford rules said:

No tune is headbolt safe first off. If you drive it hard your gonna have issues plan and simple. Theres no telling how long it will last.
Gearhead innovative tsd quicktricks there all good and personal preference is the only thing thats gonna set em apart really.

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Stock bolts are good for over 500hp, I have a dyno sheet and the worn out Toyos to prove it. Xtreme X tune is what will kill them :badidea:

Just tell the tuner you have stock head bolts, delete the EGR and you're good to go.

ford rules said:

No tune is headbolt safe first off. If you drive it hard your gonna have issues plan and simple. Theres no telling how long it will last.
Gearhead innovative tsd quicktricks there all good and personal preference is the only thing thats gonna set em apart really.

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Whs

Luke@MillerPerformance said:

Stock bolts are good for over 500hp, I have a dyno sheet and the worn out Toyos to prove it. Xtreme X tune is what will kill them :badidea:

Just tell the tuner you have stock head bolts, delete the EGR and you're good to go.

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Not knocking your dyno but how many other trucks have done that. A truck making x amount of hp is one thing. A truck making that same x hp and living while getting beaten on everyday is a totally different thing. Its a safe bet to say there are a lot more trucks under 500hp with blown hg then trucks over 500 on stock bolts.

I would get it studded and not worried about it. Trying to make a truck quick without the basics is a waste imo.

bretferd said:

I say do egr delete and either gearhead-srl or truck source diesel-spd. I ran both those tunes for 8k miles, beating the crap out of it everyday and still runs strong.

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8k....as in 2 oil changes...

Everyone has there own idea of longevity. Mine is 40-50k min. A couple oil changes means its lasted this far. Not thats its proven.

Plus studding the truck will add a ton of retail value. Because in our area you cant give a non studded 6 liter away

AirFishAutomotive said:

Not knocking your dyno but how many other trucks have done that. A truck making x amount of hp is one thing. A truck making that same x hp and living while getting beaten on everyday is a totally different thing. Its a safe bet to say there are a lot more trucks under 500hp with blown hg then trucks over 500 on stock bolts.

I would get it studded and not worried about it. Trying to make a truck quick without the basics is a waste imo.

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There's a bunch of guys with under 500hp and studs that still blow gaskets....

There are a lot of factors involved with hg failure as you prob already know. If everything is not flat, they WILL FAIL, studs or not. If your lucky and everything is good, then I'm sure your safe......for now. Eventually something is bound to happen. Otherwise companies like arp would not produce studs for stock 6.0l engines. Just sayin

Luke@MillerPerformance said:

There's a bunch of guys with under 500hp and studs that still blow gaskets....

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Exactly so your point of saying that 500+ hp on non studded trucks will last isnt really valid. If its not done correctly anything will fail no matter what set up. But telling someone oh ya no need for studs truck will LAST is a little misleading. If your referring to your own truck with the worn out toyos or w.e it didnt even last 10k according to your thread. But to each there own. And to the op good luck with whatever route you take, personal preference here is idp although asking a bigger tune to last is asking a lot. You will definitely be happy for awhile with a good tune no matter who you use.:joy:

I had a 6.0 and ran my innovative street tune for over 45k miles. Bone stock motor and trans, on 40s. Yes I beat on it, and the only time it leaked coolant was from a cracked degas bottle. I was extremely happy with it and that was on tty bolts

You can blow headgaskets on a stock truck. But I think tuning has come a long way on keeping these engines running with tty bolts. I remember a few years ago people where needing headgaskets quite often after tuning their trucks.

bretferd said:

You can blow headgaskets on a stock truck. But I think tuning has come a long way on keeping these engines running with tty bolts. I remember a few years ago people where needing headgaskets quite often after tuning their trucks.

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:whs: gearhead SRL here, for right at 9k miles. Last 1k was with a powemax as well, EGR cooler and everything else factory is in tact. I'd say that a 68 and 205s is proof enough that the stock bolts CAN hold. But there are other factors that influence it(heads not flat, EGR cooler). Like someone mentioned, driving style is also a huge factor. I'm not "easy" on mine, but I do drive it conscious of the fact that it has stock bolts. Doesn't stop me from beating everything from a light though lol

AirFishAutomotive said:

Exactly so your point of saying that 500+ hp on non studded trucks will last isnt really valid. If its not done correctly anything will fail no matter what set up. But telling someone oh ya no need for studs truck will LAST is a little misleading. If your referring to your own truck with the worn out toyos or w.e it didnt even last 10k according to your thread. But to each there own. And to the op good luck with whatever route you take, personal preference here is idp although asking a bigger tune to last is asking a lot. You will definitely be happy for awhile with a good tune no matter who you use.:joy:

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I made it 10k on mine. Everything was fine until I threw it on the xtreme x tune, which was not written for stock bolts but I wanted to go fast. I'm saying that with correct tuning they will last on stock bolts. I have quite a few customers running that setup without egr and everything is fine.
In my experience, head gasket failure on a stock truck, tuned or not, is due to a failed EGR cooler running steam through the motor or getting hot from a plugged oil cooler and cracking the heads.

Now, if you go stick it on the biggest, baddest custom tune for stock injectors out there, it's going to wipe out the gaskets. Especially if they've been done before and the proper prep on the heads and block weren't done.

Luke@MillerPerformance said:

Stock bolts are good for over 500hp, I have a dyno sheet and the worn out Toyos to prove it. Xtreme X tune is what will kill them :badidea:

Just tell the tuner you have stock head bolts, delete the EGR and you're good to go.

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Lol come on man you cant even make 500 with a 6.0 unless you do turbo and injectors or atleast one of those and at that point if you dont stud it your just asking for issues.

6.0's will blow gaskets stock or stock and deleted its a ****ty head bolt pattern/design plain and simple. Driving for 2 oil changes is not reliable and you cant say its a proven setup.

ford rules said:

Lol come on man you cant even make 500 with a 6.0 unless you do turbo and injectors or atleast one of those and at that point if you dont stud it your just asking for issues.

6.0's will blow gaskets stock or stock and deleted its a ****ty head bolt pattern/design plain and simple. Driving for 2 oil changes is not reliable and you cant say its a proven setup.

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It had injectors and turbo haha. I'm saying if it held together as long as it did at that setup and power then stock injectors/turbo with a sane custom tune and you have a reliable setup.

Luke@MillerPerformance said:

I made it 10k on mine. Everything was fine until I threw it on the xtreme x tune, which was not written for stock bolts but I wanted to go fast. I'm saying that with correct tuning they will last on stock bolts. I have quite a few customers running that setup without egr and everything is fine.
In my experience, head gasket failure on a stock truck, tuned or not, is due to a failed EGR cooler running steam through the motor or getting hot from a plugged oil cooler and cracking the heads.

Now, if you go stick it on the biggest, baddest custom tune for stock injectors out there, it's going to wipe out the gaskets. Especially if they've been done before and the proper prep on the heads and block weren't done.

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Powerstroke214 said:

:whs: gearhead SRL here, for right at 9k miles. Last 1k was with a powemax as well, EGR cooler and everything else factory is in tact. I'd say that a 68 and 205s is proof enough that the stock bolts CAN hold. But there are other factors that influence it(heads not flat, EGR cooler). Like someone mentioned, driving style is also a huge factor. I'm not "easy" on mine, but I do drive it conscious of the fact that it has stock bolts. Doesn't stop me from beating everything from a light though lol

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Both of you are being ridiculously optimistic. I've seen trucks with 40-100k on them puke the same day a non studded tune was loaded.