How does your box affect your truck?

[JCleary]

I have been searching, reading, and absorbing as much info as possible about the most popular boxes, whether timing/duration or pressure.



I'm on the fence. On one hand, I want a TST, but I'm not ready for the inevitable $5k plus you end up spending to take advantage of this box's capabilities. On the other hand, I'm looking at a VA C3. 1 or an Edge EZ. Much milder, and I can live with that.



What I am interested in:



What are the driveability issues with the various boxes? I know that earlier TST's throw codes, and even the new ones throw codes when the motor is cold, plus also causing the motor to idle roughly. I have also read that the EZ makes the truck idle really rough when cold.



Is there any performance enhancement that is transparent, except for the newfound power? Are there any drawbacks to adding a box (I know about the warranty issues, the pressure issues, etc. ) I'm just talking about the driving experience



Thanks in advance for any insight.



P. S. I don't want this to be a "this box is better than that one" thread. Just interested in any negative aspects of adding a box. Unfortunately I am the only one in my group of friends with a Dodge, so I need to rely on the TDR membership

 

[qzilla]

Is there any performance enhancement that is transparent, except for the newfound power?

Yes there is. It won't be very long and a bunch of people can tell you about it.

 

[KevinO]

The downside to my TST box is the transmission is slipping :-laf and i need a bigger turbo cause i'm addicted to BOMBing we got a bunch of trashcan exhaust pipe ricers around here that need to see some real power.

 

[RChamberlain]

I have ran the edge ez on my truck for a week know I have had no problems with it I due like the power that it gives to the truck know I just whant more

 

[JVolpe]

I had a DR Performance Stage II fuel/boost box and it made the truck run very rough. Was rough all the time, lots of power but very rough. It did not feel right.



I have a Juice w/Attitude now, on Level 1(Mileage) with fueling set to level 1(lowest fueling) it idles like stock and is very smooth and responsive.



On Level 3 idles a little rougher than stock but runs good, the power is there, but still runs smooth and very responsive. Not radical, just does not have the normal diesel lag to it.



Really havent tried the other Levels in normal driving situations, need TC and trans upgrade for Level 5.

 

[qzilla]

JVolpe,



Since you live in Houston you should come up to Ft Worth and try some new parts out. I can show you something that will run smooth from idle to full throttle in any position. I am sure you come this way occasionally?

 

[Matt400]

On the other hand, I'm looking at a VA C3. 1 or an Edge EZ.

I have the VA C3. 1 and still like it very much, it never throws a code, has that transparent enhancement your looking for. It has 3 positions and runs smooth on all 3.

This box pulls real well in the lower RPM's, in fact many feel it is a weak box because when you hammer down, especially with an auto that will down shift- R's climb up out of the range it shines. Its a towing box 1600-1800 and adds the majority of the power there.



The in cab 3 position switch is a real nice feature, one that I will always look to in a box. A simple turn of the knob without having to program and or watch digits go up and down. For me much of the time its simply off because I don't need it. I choose #2 setting for towing and find #3 is not needed while towing but will select it for a quick pass around someone which brings us to the downside. .



The downside is as RPM's climb the added power it was making at a lower RPM starts falling off and I find myself craving some upper end oomph in passing gear at highway speeds.



If I were to buy another box. .

It would have to have the knob with an off position

It would need to have 100hp or better

No code setter

It would need to keep rail pressures low enough that I don't need to be concerned with the rails limit valve.

 

[durango12]

box

hey qzilla i live in arlington and am interested in some power !!!!!!!!!!!. can i come by and see some of what you have . im not very happy with the box i have . hey do you still have that mathews safari you got from ol witt. does your module pull strong all the way from thelow end to higher rpm . the box i have seems to pull better mid to higher rpm range?

d12

 

[qzilla]

Sure you can come by. Shoot me a PM and we can set an appointment. Yup I still have the Safari. That is an awesome piece of equipment as well.

 

[Kirwin]

TST Boxes

I installed the TST box on my truck, very similar to yours, this last weekend. In my limited experience so far I have not experienced any rough idle conditions nor codes. Knowing that my drivetrain is stock I have not been above TST's recommended 3-3 level. The truck is much more responsive and will easily peg my 35 PSI boost gauge. It does smoke now. As you live in the Peoples Republic of California that may be an issue for you. I have used TST's products before and always found their stuff to be of the highest quality and they DO stand behind their product. If you give them a call with your concerns I think that they will help you to make the right decision for you which may or may not result in your purchasing their product. All IMHO. Ken Irwin

 

[bpenrod]

Yes there is. It won't be very long and a bunch of people can tell you about it.

Yeah, what he said Oo.

 

[XJSuperman]

Based on what I;ve seen both on the street and on the dyno (with friends' trucks) the TST is an awesome piece... BUT as was stated above unless you have the means to upgrade the rest of your truck you will NEVER be able to fully use it without breaking something. . turbo, TQ converter (for auto) clutch (for 6 spd) and then there's the codes it seems to throw.



If you want good reliable USEABLE power look for something like the Edge EZ. I know it's not the only choice for this but it's what I have experience with.

I ran the EZ on level 4 on my first '04 for about 4K miles with NO problems. I did not put it on the truck new so I was easily able to tell the difference it made. This truck was an auto trans and I never had a problem with transmission temps (meaning very little or no slipping), or any codes being thrown.



My truck now is a 2004 (305/555) 6 spd. I put the EZ on the truck as soon as it was in my garage which was about an hours drive from the dealer. Again it does exactly what it's supposed to. My EGT's are manageable, For a 7+K lb truck it is fast and will break the tires loose in 2nd and 3rd gear. I am also avg 17MPG with 70-80% city driving and have seen 21MPG hwy. (This is unloaded). I have over 10K miles in the last 7 months on the truck since new.



The experience I have with TST: A friend with a 2003 HO... . TST and an EZ was at a dyno day we had here in Central, FL. He tried every which way even without the EZ on the dyno and just could not get the truck to hook up. Clutch would slip, tires would spin on the rollers... . and it's a little spooky to peg a 1600* pyro and not be anywhere near redline.

ANother fella there had an '04. 5 (600) and installed the TST after his initial dyno run. He was able to run it on about 3/3 safely and it made just a little more HP than my EZ (which is expected as he had more to begin with). But beyond that he too was getting into scary EGT's. And we don't even know what his transmission temps were (auto trans).



I can't imagine what either of these trucks would do under a full load as they were over what I would consider safe just being empty.

AND having spent several hundred more for the TST...





Again... I think the TST is the way to go IF you have the $$ and desire to add what you need to accomodate it. BUT why spend the $$ if you can't use what you have? just my opinion.

 

[JCleary]

[/QUOTE]If I were to buy another box. .

It would have to have the knob with an off position

It would need to have 100hp or better

No code setter

It would need to keep rail pressures low enough that I don't need to be concerned with the rails limit valve. [/QUOTE]



That's exactly what I'm looking for. Supposedly there's something on the way that does just this.



[/QUOTE]The downside is as RPM's climb the added power it was making at a lower RPM starts falling off and I find myself craving some upper end oomph in passing gear at highway speeds. [/QUOTE]



Exactly why I haven't purchased a VA.

 

[Lonestar]

Start with the EZ or like box. Run that box for a year or so until you want more power, then you can stack the TST or Quad or BullyDog or whatever with the EZ. This will also give you some time to save up and make some of the additional mods required to fully appreciate the TST.



KEEP ON TRUCKIN'

Lonestar

 

[EB]

I've run the Edge box for well over 175,000 miles now with no problems. The truck went over 200k a couple of days ago. I have replaced the injection pump, that was around 149k and sent the Edge box back to Edge to see if it was the cause of the failure. They cked it out and said no, put it back on and have run it every since. My truck pulls a trailer 90% of the time, you can ck out my gallery to see some of my loads, and the egt is manageable. It is a work truck and the power is no problem. I run on level 3.

 

[JHardwick]

According to TDR issue 47, page 56, the EZ has the flattest most useable torque curve. That is what your looking for if you want driveability. I've ran mine for over 50,000 miles without a hiccup, no rough idle either.

 

[caryain]

JVolpe,



Since you live in Houston you should come up to Ft Worth and try some new parts out. I can show you something that will run smooth from idle to full throttle in any position. I am sure you come this way occasionally?

I live in Houston and travel to Dallas often. I would be interested in stopping by some time to see what you have to offer as I am always up for more power. Next time I am headed that way, I'll PM you and set up an appointment.

 

[JFrazier]

Is there any performance enhancement that is transparent, except for the newfound power? Are there any drawbacks to adding a box (I know about the warranty issues, the pressure issues, etc. ) I'm just talking about the driving experience

I have been running the VA C3. 1 for about year now and it has never thrown a code or caused a hic-up that I know of. I bought it for the low-end torque improvement when towing. Also, I wanted something that the stock clutch could handle. I run it on Pos. 3 (High) all the time except when I'm pulling a long hill with the fifth wheel. Sometimes in that situation it will push the EGT uncomfortably close to the 1300 mark so I drop it back to the middle pos.



One thing I don't believe anyone has mentioned that you might want to be aware of is that the VA (and I believe most if not all the other boxes also) will throw the accuracy of the onboard MPG calculator off. It will read maybe 10 to 20% higher than actual. Other than that, I don't know of any negatives to runnning this box, it sure makes driving it more fun!



Jim

 

[Blakers]

I have been running the VA C3. 1 for about year now and it has never thrown a code or caused a hic-up that I know of. I bought it for the low-end torque improvement when towing. Also, I wanted something that the stock clutch could handle. I run it on Pos. 3 (High) all the time except when I'm pulling a long hill with the fifth wheel. Sometimes in that situation it will push the EGT uncomfortably close to the 1300 mark so I drop it back to the middle pos.



One thing I don't believe anyone has mentioned that you might want to be aware of is that the VA (and I believe most if not all the other boxes also) will throw the accuracy of the onboard MPG calculator off. It will read maybe 10 to 20% higher than actual. Other than that, I don't know of any negatives to runnning this box, it sure makes driving it more fun!



Jim

I agree this is a very good box that has virtually no negatives and no bad driving manors whatsoever. I have not even seen it throw the mileage computation off as Jim sees. It will slip the clutch on a hard pull if you really get on it, but you'll soon learn to back off a bit if it slips. A very occassional P0606 code may be thrown if you run it hard on level 3 when the engine is cold. A very very reliable box that you basically install and forget. This box can also be stacked with the Edge EZ.

 

[JCleary]

I agree this is a very good box that has virtually no negatives and no bad driving manors whatsoever. I have not even seen it throw the mileage computation off as Jim sees. It will slip the clutch on a hard pull if you really get on it, but you'll soon learn to back off a bit if it slips. A very occassional P0606 code may be thrown if you run it hard on level 3 when the engine is cold. A very very reliable box that you basically install and forget. This box can also be stacked with the Edge EZ.

Aren't the C3. 1 and EZ both pressure boxes?



I thought two pressure boxes together won't work. Perhaps you can stack the VA with the Juice/Attitude, if it ever comes out for the 305/555