Diesel Auto Tech Assistance - F250

[theGinsue]

I'm looking for assistance from anyone "in the business" that can offer advice and assistance.

I purchased a 2005 Ford F250 6.0L Diesel truck a couple of years ago which requires an emmissions inspection. Prior to this purchase, I had no experience with diesel vehicles.

During the purchasing process I was informed that the truck had been "chipped" (whether reprogrammed via a tuner, or by replacing the factory "chip", I do not know). I didn't know how significant this was until AFTER teh purchase. I was told later by a coworker that the truck would require emissions inspections and that "chipped" vehicles more often than not fail. I was told that prior to emissions inspections I would need to re-program the vehicle back to factory settings. Problem is that the seller (now out of business company) didn't provide me with the programming unit. When I returned to them to get the unit they told me they just throw them away after programming the vehicle (any wonder why they're out of business?).

Here I am with no current registration because I need an emissions inspection. I need to get the vehicle reprogrammed to factory settings before the inspection (also worried about how the vehicle will run after that). I don't know if it's just a reprogram or also replacing the "chip" with a factory chip. I need to get this thing registered ASAP. I'm sure I could take this someplace and pay a lot of money to get this stuff fixed, but I don't have a lot of discretionary money.

Anyone here "in the business" able to help with advice or assistance?

[ghettodub]

Just because it's chipped doesn't mean it won't pass. It's all about how much the vehicle smokes. Does it smoke a lot under full throttle? I know plenty of guys who leave their trucks programmed and still pass emissions. Any idea of what programmer was used, or the brand of chip?

I drive a 6.0l too, btw

[00tec]

Have you tried to test it? It may be just fine. If properly (conservatively) tuned, most actually pass.

These days, its usually not actually a chip, but a plug in tuner.

[Gunner]

There's your problem 6.0L and not the 7.3. Sorry i'm no help

[whiskeyjack]

Ginsue talk to redneck he knows everything to do with fords and diesels!

[Gunner]

Also check with dfbrews

[mcantar18c]

Chances are its an Edge or SCT. Talk to redneck, he might know how to figure it out. DFbrews also knows his stuff but he works more with big rigs, he may know too though. One of my 7.3s had an Edge programmer and passed with it on the "level 2" setting cause I forgot to change it prior to the test. Unless it smokes a ton, I'd say go ahead and give it a shot. If redneck or brews don't know and it doesn't pass, post up on Powerstroke.org.

[theGinsue]

First, as I mentioned before, I knew *nothing* about diesel trucks, Ford trucks, etc. before I bought this thing and didn't know the 6.0L wasn't nearly as good as the 7.3L. I've had MANY folks tell me about the error of my ways since making this purchase. To be honest though, if I could just get it certified as passed, I wouldn't have any issues with this thing at all; it's done everything I've needed - and very well at that.

I see a fair amount of smoke during a cold start up, but otherwise, I've never noticed any smoke. I won't say it isn't there, but I haven't noticed any.

Don't know anything about how the reprogramming was done. Whether by tuner or actual chip replacement. Don't know enough about the vehicle be able to tell for myself either. (It took me 2 days to find the damned filter when I changed the oil the first time).

There is only 1 place in the Spirngs that does diesel inspections and they told me the same thing others had, chipped/programmed truck tend to fail. They charge $50 for an inspection and only discount $10 if you fail and need to get re-inspected ($40 for retest).

Again, the poor/cheap side of me feels I'm damned if I do & damned if I don't.

I'll check with redneck & dfbrews.

[KL7]

Don't worry about it too much. I have a 2007 Chevrolet Duramax that is chipped (actually, re-programmed) and it passes emissions just fine. Even if your 6.0L won't pass emissions, they give you 10 days (I think) to make repairs and retest for free. If your truck doesn't pass, make an appointment with a Ford dealership and have them reflash the ECM. This basically means they take a stock factory tune (software) and reinstall it on your truck ECM. Kind of like reloading Windows on a computer.

It might be a wise to have a factory tune reloaded anyway just so you know. It generally only takes about 20 minutes and costs about $100 (or whatever the hourly shop rate is). I have owned many diesel trucks and I usually will have a factory tune installed because I don't know what the previous owner has down to the tuning of the ECM. With software tunes, you can actually "stack" them and cause all I kinds of issues if it isn't done correctly.

[mcantar18c]

I'm gonna go ahead and make an educated guess here, "most" tunes (not chips... every diesel I've seen uses a plug-in programmer, either removable or hard mounted) are set to increase the fuel input with the goal of simply smoking a crapload or produce more power, which increases the smoke levels as its only upping the fuel input and not the air. If yours doesn't smoke much other than cold starts, try it out. A $50 test is cheaper than a $300+ programmer.