Eric Hartsell

Hi,
2006 f-150 screw 4x4 with the 5.4L 3valve, the longer bed, and about 90,000 miles.

So, here it is hopefuly someone can help me out.

20,000 miles ago I had a cam phaser go bad, and when it did it burned up my right side catalytic converter,. And I mean it looked like an ash tray on the inside..

So, along with paying a local shop here right outside of ft bragg, to replace Both of my cam phasers, I had them go ahead and replace the chains, guides, and tensioners while they were in there, as well completely revamp my entire exhaust. true duals, with the magnaflow high flow cats, and 2.5" true straights behind them no mufflers, NO H or X PIPE..

I have had no problems with it since. It is possible that I had a slight loss of power after the new exhaust and the new timimg set, but it was so minute I never noticed it.. 1. Because the dang thing is so loud when you put your foot into it that I have managed to actually keep my foot out of it, preventing a noise ord ticket form the Fayetteville police department… that just loves to hand them out to soldiers. 2. Me keeping my foot out of it took my MPG from about 11 all the way up to about 13.
Before I had the new exhaust done and the cam phasers replaced. Twice not that I am bragging, nor do I think that it was a great idea, pulled a very heavy load once from here at Ft Bragg to Ft Riley Ks.. and once back…. Im not sure how much exactly how much my truck or the trailer alone weighed, BUT, when I pulled everything up on the scales both times I tipped them between 14,000 and 15,0000.
Well, I am ETSing and heading back to Oklahoma where I am from getting ready to regretfully do it one last time.
Here is the problem im having.
I went out and bought a 26’ enclosed trailer…. I hooked up to it expecting to not have any problem hauling it from up in raleigh, nc back down to bragg. BUT.. it literally felt like a had a dang parachute behind me. Not to mention how loud it was…
Here is what im thinking.
When I had those exhaust welded up, I lost a massive amount of power and just didn’t know it because I have keep my foot out of it so much that I never knew.
Am I crazy to think?
That I can solve my problems with a programmer/custom tune?
I have read all of the stickys, I know the difference and fully understand what they are and how they work. I understand what a canned tune is, a custom tune, a stock tune ETC,…… the difference in a chip, and a programmer.
Here is what want in a programmer, I want to be able to monitor my tranny temp, and load a custom tune on it? Are there any suggestions on what brand of programmer I would be pleased with. I read just today that the edge evolution is Outdated, “obsolete” was the word. And the grypyhin is the way to go blah blah blah, there is much information out there that I have completely confused myself. The guys up at competition auto in spring lake, NC told me that what I wanted was the SCT that they sell and it would run me about 1200, bucks for them to put my truck on their dyno, and write me two custom tunes for it. Im not a rocket scientist but that sounds way high.
Can someone please tell me what kind of questions to ask those guys up there before I pay them to do this,
Is it true that if I go ahead and buy a programmer such as a cs that they cant load a tune onto it that they wrote?
How much is it normally to write a custom tune off of a dyno?
Is it true that It is a bad Idea to run a canned tune with true dual exhaust?
Im lost in the sauce? How do I get my truck to pull a trailer like it did before?

my03ranger

im not a expert or anything but i have been told by some people that some vehicles are just not made to have that much flow with the exhaust that there isnt enough back presure and it causes a lose in power

s_vares

Some of those enclosed trailers are very non aerodynamic.
could it just be a case of wind killin' ya?

'05 F-150

i agree with both posts, however i pull a 8x16 enclosed trailer from time to time and before i had a programmer in it, it sucked to pull there is so much wind resistance, programmer made a difference but those trailers are not aerodynamic

Joshg

I've read these trucks loose ALOT of power when they don't have enough back pressure, if it was mine I would have mufflers put on and see how much that helps, also that price is about right to have a Dyno tune wrote. I would just have power hungry write u some custome tunes after u put on mufflers, I have the gryphon and love it, it really wakes the truck up and u can monitor ur transmission temps like u want to do along with other things.

Eric Hartsell

Well here is a pic of the trailer, yea it looks like it is kicking my leaf springs to the ground.... it's just the picture. i was parked on a hill.... but yea, it does have the 8 foot cealings... i picked it up cheep cheep i only gave 2600 for it. i figured if i could manage to load all of my crap in it mostly light stuff of the wifes. it would be worth it because i could resell the trailer for atleast what ive got in it and save the uhaul rapeing.

as far as the mufflers, any recommendations? I love it being OBNOXIOUSLY LOUD. it keeps my foot out of it, like i said to keep from getting a ticket therefor saving my wallet at the fuel pump.

as far as the aerodynamics of the trailer? anything i can do? if i can craigslist a wing for around a hundred bucks? screw it to the top of my truck, and look like a retard for 1300 miles then pull it off when i get there do yall recon it would help at all?

and what is yalls opinion on the airbag levelers ive looked at a set from firestone, airlift, and hellwig,.... something. they are pretty dang close in price range and im thinking that the hellwig looks like the most durable, yet the firestone set has the best reviews. any opinions?

Eric Hartsell

also, im not so clear on this,.. do yall think that getting a custom tune loaded into it would recover that lost power from the exhaust? and who is going to get a better tune on it? PHB or the guys down at the shop with a dyno. granted. no one knows if they are any good or not. they do do allot of business.. soldiers around here with mustangs keep them busy. lets say that they do know what they are doing? im kinda thinking that if they put it on their dyno. they would have the capability to write a better tune... being it is a one of a kind exhaust.? what do yall think?

Eric Hartsell

also, sorry,..

as far as a cai? before i go in and have them write me up a custom tune? with the exhaust im running? and considering im about to go on the dyno and have it all re maped? any suggestions? possibly an aftermarket MAS too? what would yall do?

Eric Hartsell

here is their website..

http://www.compauto.net/

s_vares

That trailer is massive and a box! its gonna suck to pull and with an open exhaust be loud and should like its working twice as hard.

Not sure if exhaust would help but a tow tune may