On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:07:01 GMT, "Larry L" wrote:


wrote

Congrats. FWIW - and speaking only from relayed info, not personal
experience -
you might wish to look into one of the after-market "chip programmers."
From
what I've heard, the new models are "tuned up" to provide _significantly_
more
HP than the older models (as are all US diesel PUs in the "power wars" -
IMO,
really, an advertising "numbers" war with little real-world application),
which,
as you probably know, isn't always a good or even necessary thing with
many
diesel engine apps.


Yeah, I looked at used trucks pretty hard just because the new ones get less
mileage.

This brand new ( '08 ) puts out 194% more HP then my '92 Cummins and 163%
more torque !! The power wars are another example of how the Big 3 have
let themselves ( and U.S. ) down .... I'd have gotten a new truck years ago
IF mileage had improved at those rates .


I kinda wanted to get the 5.9L engine not this new 6.7L but similarly
equipped used rigs ( say '06) with 80,000 miles on them were only a very few
grand less than what I paid for this new one. There are really good
incentives available right now on 'in stock' new trucks, employee pricing,
5K ( more at Ford) rebate, 0% financing .... all an effort to lower
inventory in tough times. Plus the new one has 36,000 mile bumper to
bumper and 100,000 mile Cummins warranty, so I went brand new ... trying to
balance all potential cost/ benefit factors. I don't drive a lot these
days, well less than 1/4 of what I did pre-retirement travelling to run
field trials, so a couple miles/gallon won't add up to such a large yearly
figure.

It came with a DVD that specifically warns against after market chip mods
that increase power and says they 'may' void warranty.

From everything I know, "may" actually means "you can bet your sweet ass it
will." However, the more modern types are not "chips," but rather, little
computers that plug into the OBD port under the dash - in fact, they look a lot
like the larger OBD scanners you now see everywhere from auto parts chain stores
to Wal-Mart to Horrible Freight...actually, that's not fair - some of the stuff
at Harbor Freight is actually decent enough for the price, I'm just not getting
under anything heavy supported by HF jackstands or anything like that.

IAC, if/when you take it to the dealer for _ANYTHING_, you restore the factory
programming, and when you pick it up, you re-program your custom settings. And
the ones I have and are familiar with are not "power-up" or "power-down," they
will set whatever you want, from torque curves to shift points to.... - IOW, you
can use them to tune for mileage when not towing and tune for whatever you are
towing.

As for de-tuning
chips, I'd guess they would have that same problem with Cummins/ Dodge,
although not with the same real world logic.

However, if I am too
disappointed with the mileage I might investigate, since this thing really
does have very nearly too much power.

I regularly pull all sorts of _VERY_ heavy stuff (in pickup terms, even 1-ton)
and all of the new (post- about 2003 or so) have WAY more power than all but a
VERY small handful of folks need.

TC,
R

Larry L ( who has become one of those ol grandpas you youngsters all hate
... the ones going the speed limit ( maybe even less ;-) and taking the time
to look around as you tailgate us, cursing, and rushing .... BUT, who, on
the 5 mile drive home from the dealer looked in his mirror to wonder how all
those people got so far behind, then looked down to see he was doing 78 in a
55 zone, .... a right foot trained by a '92 Cummins is too heavy for this
new one ( plus this is SO much quieter the speed sneaks up on ya ))