Chipping

[Glenn and Lorraine]

When GM, Ford or Chrysler says you voided the warranty it's pretty much a done deal. UNLESS, you can afford more expensive lawyers than they have and can afford to pay these lawyers for an appeal after an appeal after an appeal. Their lawyers sit around waiting for an easy target and will hammer you until you surrender.

Now if mine was out of warranty..........NOT.

Rich, I was also young and dumb and did everything you mentioned but after I paid dearly for some of these alterations I also grew up. Now I am a whole lot older and smarther and a lot more careful where I blow my bucks. Maybe it is a "guy thing" but not this old guy.

[flstf]

I drove my 04.5 LLY Duramax for 60,000 miles under warranty - and as many said, to quote the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, it must be proved the modification resulted in the failure. However, the burden is on you and you must comply with the written warrenty (for example, by modifying the emission system many of the vehicles systems are not covered).
This being said I use HP tuners to write my own programs (guages a must). With a little mods your engine runs more efficiently and quieter, more usable torque to tow and I have seen 2 miles per gallon increase in towing while decreasing exhaust gas temps. Mostly this is using GM's own tables (fuel, pressures, boost) that they write for different altitudes or pressures. I want to see a half million miles on my truck and tuning it for efficiency and reliability is the goal.
take care,
Joe

[ols1932]

Mine is chipped. I have the Banks Power Pack. Have had it since 2002 and have not been sorry. Have had absolutely no problems. I would do it again. Wanted the extra power but got an increase of 2 mpg.

Orv

[Carl n Susan]

Let's remember what Sharon asked:

"What are your thoughts on chipping a 2006 F250 Powerstroke Diesel?"

So while experiences and opinions on Dodge, Chevy, and GMC are mildly interesting, they are off topic. Even reports of the Ford 7.3L (an overbuilt and potentially bullet proof motor - which really benefits from being chipped) are apples and oranges in comparison to the 6.0L.

The 6.0L motor has had a troubled history from inception. Ford tweaked the Navistar delivered product to add more HP and torque. As a result, the motor was operating at close to maximum. This led to a larger percentage of engine failures compared to previous motors. Ford and Navistar disagree on which of them should pay for the increased warranty work they had to perform. The 6.0L was improved in its later years with larger head studs being a significant step. But the warranty rate is still way above average.

Ford was contractually obligated to take the Navistar 6.4L motor for the 2008/2009 model year in order to meet the newer smog requirements. The 6.4L motor has been much more reliable than the 6.0L and the warranty rate has returned to normal. But given the conflicts between the two, the 6.4L is the last Navistar motor for Ford. In 2010 Ford will utilize an in-house designed and built motor.

I wouldn't own a 6.0L Ford without a warranty! Although the initial warranty may have expired, there is an extended Ford provided warranty available. While there hasn't been a lot of problems with the 6.4L, I wouldn't (won't) own one without a warranty either.

The current financial problems faced by all truck manufacturers has resulted increased attention to warranty claims. In Ford's case, if they smell an engine was chipped, they simply won't repair it under warranty. The discretionary funding dealers used to have for customer satisfaction, that sometimes were applied to these cases, is long gone. That leaves the customer to prove/persuade the manufacturer to change their mind.

To summarize, I wouldn't own a Ford 6.0L or a 6.4L without a warranty and since the addition of a chip will likely void my warranty, I won't be doing that either.

[SlickWillie]

So I suppose if I ask if I need water in the toilet in my Mountaineer for it to flush properly, folks with other Montana models will be off topic if they answer?

I noticed you went to the same point several other poster's did. Current atmosphere in Detroit and warranty issues. I really don't see where everyone got off topic. JMHO

[richfaa]

The chipping issue naturally brought up the Warranty issue as that is the primary reason many of us will not do it. The observations about the Ford 6.0 Diesel may be even more reason not to chip it. Actually I would not have any diesel motor without a extended warranty. Nor would I chip any diesel motor while under warranty.We all expressed our thoughts although the technical aspects of Chipping the 6.0 may not have been addressed. In my case because I have no clue.

[ols1932]

I think each individual needs to go with their own "gut feeling." This thing about chipping can create a whole lot of arguments. I personally would not chip the later model Ford Power Stroke engines simply because they have not proven yet to be a really reliable engine like Ford has used in the past.

Orv

[SlickWillie]

I think this has been the most civil thread we've ever had on "chipping". As a GMC owner, I don't think I could get away with giving an opinion on the PS 6.0 engine. It would merely be considered brand bashing. Thus, the opinion I gave merely related to diesels in general, though I did mention GM in the post. And I'm sure not saying anyone called me out. I think there was good info given, and the OP can sort through the posts and get a pretty good idea what to do.

BTW, my son and I were just discussing chipping the PS 7.3 engines yesterday. The bucket trucks his company have have the 7.3 engines, and the trucks are very heavy; they need all the torque and horsepower they can muster. If I had a 7.3, I would definitely consider the chip, then worry about the tranny.

[kmh3212]

I suggest that you don't chip your truck. It is not worth voiding your 100,000 miles diesel engine warranty over the added horsepower. If you chip you would also need to do other aftermarket modifications to keep from overheating the pistons and protecting the engine. You would need gages, intake and exhaust modifications. As well you can't use the maximum horsepower the chip can provide while towing anyway without excessive EGT exhaust gas temperatures that will do severe engine damage!
I speak from experience while I did chip a 1999 7.3 Superduty I did so carefully on a over engineered engine. The 6.0 was already near it's maximum horsepower capability when hastily designed as mandated by the EPA and it does not seem to live long after chipping. Sure it will fly after chipping but for how long. Many have successfully chipped without problems others have stretched head bolts and burnt pistons causing major engine damage. It's your choice but you asked for opinions.
BTW with the condition of the automobile industry they are looking for ways to save money any way they can. Warranty denial easy to do when they discover the engine has been modified. They can tell even if you remove it after the engine blows they built it. The excessive fuel leaves distinctive star patterns on the pistons, Oops warranty denied you need new $10,000 engine!

[mtofell]

fwiw.... if you hang around any of the diesel boards you'll notice a trend that 99% of the people with problems are running chips.

This doesn't mean any one person will have problems with a chip. It just means you're more likely to than with a stock truck. Like everything in life some moderation is good. A light tune is unlikely to cause you a problem. A crazy aggressive tune? Take your chances.

[KathyandDave]

I was thinking about chipping to modify the shift points of the D/A combination. I was hoping to get the tranny to stay in the high gear at slightly slower steady speeds in tow/haul, using the torque instead of the engine speed for power, and to reduce the speed creep (downshift sooner) when coasting downhill. Reading about warranty grief is steering me away from this idea (thanks again, fellow posters), but I'd like to know if there's another way to get the same result?

[TLightning]

quote:Originally posted by KathyandDave

I was thinking about chipping to modify the shift points of the D/A combination. I was hoping to get the tranny to stay in the high gear at slightly slower steady speeds in tow/haul, using the torque instead of the engine speed for power, and to reduce the speed creep (downshift sooner) when coasting downhill. Reading about warranty grief is steering me away from this idea (thanks again, fellow posters), but I'd like to know if there's another way to get the same result?

Have you tried the manual mode and contolled the shifting yourself?