I drive my truck a lot. Cross-country, back roads, steep grades–you name it.
The rig is a 2007 Ford F-350, and it spends most of its life dragging a trailer loaded with my LS-swapped RX-7 to Gridlife events across the country. It’s not a show queen. It’s a working truck. And like most 6.0L Power Strokes, it does the job just fine–but I knew it could do it better.
Longtime autocross builder Sam Strano recommended an SCT tuner for our Club Spec Mustang project car. That makes sense, as the class allows for aftermarket tunes. When we talked to the folks at SCT about our project plans, they recommended a tuner for a tow rig–something in the fleet that could use some help.
Enter the SCT Livewire TS+, a plug-and-play tuner that promised a personality upgrade for the old Ford. We’re not talking wild race tunes or rolling coal. These promises were about drivability: clean throttle response, smarter transmission behavior and an actual improvement in economy.
Installation was stupid simple: Plug into the OBD–II port, route the cable cleanly behind the dash, mount the touch screen (I used the included windshield suction cup for now) and fire it up.
The device walks you through the tune-loading process in minutes. You pick your strategy–tow, street, performance–and let it do its thing. After a quick reflash, we fired it up.
I chose a conservative custom tow tune. The difference in throttle feel was immediate–no more laggy pedal, no more gear hunting when pulling grades. The 5R110 automatic now shifts more intuitively, especially when towing. It downshifts when I want it to, holds gears longer under load, and doesn’t play guessing games when I’m merging onto the highway. The term I’d use is “confidence-inspiring.”
The Livewire TS+ also turns the truck into a rolling diagnostics and data hub. Need to keep an eye on coolant, oil and transmission temps? Boost pressure? EGTs? It’s all right there on the touch screen. No extra gauges, no drilling pods into your dash. And if something does go sideways on the road, you’ve got full code-reading and clearing functionality built in.
The fuel economy gains were a welcome bonus. Before the tuner, I averaged about 20 mpg on the highway and 15 in the city. The truck has now seen as much as 23 mpg on the highway, while city driving gets consistently around 16 or 17 mpg. SCT states that the device doesn’t modify or delete emissions while complying with the Clean Air Act.
The unit retails for $599. Are the gains worth that price? Depends on your own personal truck math.
Comments
That’s not a bad bump in fuel economy for something you just plug into the truck.
Interesting. SCT (aka Superchips) has an EO for the Livewire TS, but the TS+ isn’t mentioned in it. I wonder if they’re going through the process or if they’re simply stating their compliance with confidence?
I have seen a considerable improvement in real-world performance using a Superchip programmer in the past, and most of it came from changed shift points. The 2000 Grand Cherokee used to hold a high gear as long as possible then drop down 2-3 gears – anyone who’s driven an older automatic knows the trick. It’s a real pain when climbing long passes. Now it drops down one gear sooner so it’s able to maintain speed without occasionally going into max rev freakout mode. So much better. And yes, our tune came with an EO 🙂
If you think SCT canned tunes rock your socks, something from Blessed Performance or Innovative Diesel would blow your socks clean off! The SCT is basically the same tune they have been running since the 6.0 came out, some of the new kids on the block have some really nice stuff.
Also – see you in hell, head gaskets.
93gsxturbo said:
Also – see you in hell, head gaskets.
I LOL’d
Sometimes I wonder if they have an intern to the OEM shift tuning.
In reply to 93gsxturbo :
I think James has ruined enough engines this year, to be honest….
We installed a Bullydog tuner on our 7.3 E450. Noticeably more power and a 14% fuel economy increase(from 7 up to 8). I think it has like 3 or 4 modes and we used the Tow mode because that was the van’s purpose.
David S. Wallens said:
In reply to 93gsxturbo :
I think James has ruined enough engines this year, to be honest….
If he doesn’t want his 6.0 to be next on the list, pull the tune off until its at least studded. You can swap studs without taking the heads off, onesy twosy method. Its a bit hillfolk, but it does work. The stock TTY bolts are the achilles of the 6.0.
At least its an 07, they did have some updates in 05-07 to make things last a bit better. For monitoring on the 6.0, you wanna watch the following:
ECT
EOT
(Delta between ECT and EOT shouldn’t exceed 15 degrees)
Boost
IPR duty cycle
Injection Pressure
Injector Duty Cycle
FICM Voltage
Honestly – if you are in the return window, send it back, get one from Blessed Performance for less money with their tunes on it, its a way nicer piece than the canned SCT stuff
The fuel MPG being reported is likely not accurate, especially if using the stock Ford readout. These things game the computer and it messes with the way they calculate mileage
Source: Me. 6.0 Diesel owner, former 7.3 Diesel owner, and general nimrod.
As a happy owner of a stock 6.0 my best reasoning is that the 6.0 will last a long time if left stock. As soon as you start asking for more, you’ll run into issues.
fun while it lasted and other favorite songs!
also, get a coolant filter asap. The sand that comes out of the block casting and into the coolant is what seems to clog stuff and cause problems.
I did a massive flush, reverse flush, pressure flush over the course of a few days while running some different chemical flushed through it.
I got some coolant drain valves which made it a lot easier and quicker.
Has anyone used any of these type of tuners on a gasser?
My tow pig is a 2017 3500HD Silverado with the 6.0 LS… I think it’s rated at 360HP/380TQ but it doesn’t feel like it.
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