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For pure torque and capability, it’s got to be a diesel truck. Factory-made pickups from Ford, GM, and Ram all have their adherents and detractors, but at the end of the day, they can rest easy knowing they have a solid foundation to build upon.
After seeing how much fun his diesel-loving friends were having, Brady Myers had to get his own: a 2004 Ford F-250.
One guy who came to this realization was Brady Myers out there in Austin, Texas. In 2013, Brady got bitten by the diesel bug after noticing others having a blast in their trucks. “A lot of my friends had diesels,” he said. “I noticed the potential for easy power, and I never saw them frowning when the boost hit. Sitting in the driver seat and being able to run wide open throttle in [an EGR-deleted] and upgraded diesel sealed the deal for me.”
One of Brady’s pals had a 2004 F-250 with the 6.0-liter Power Stroke, unfortunately blown-up and not moving, but still looking good on an eight-inch lift and 37-inch tires. “I bought the truck knowing about the issues, but I got it for a steal,” said Brady. “I admittedly had no knowledge whatsoever on diesel repair or mechanics. I entered the diesel world with a broken truck and I forced myself to learn everything. Now I do all own repairs.”
Brady had no prior knowledge of diesels before buying his F-250. He had to learn it all as he went along, from head gasket repairs to tuning and more.
Brady went about doing a top end rebuild of the motor, and did some touches to the exterior to make it look like a cross between the first and second-generation Super Duty. “I replaced every gasket you could think of,” he said. “I rebuilt the turbo, put in some new injectors, a new oil cooler, a coolant filter, ARP head studs and machined heads, and so on.”
To help him get more out of the 6.0-liter, Brady went with a state-of-the-art SCT X4 programmer. He's used it to read trouble codes, monitor engine pressures and temperatures, and set a custom tune that works best with his 38-inch tire setup.
To help get the most out of the new motor, Brady did some tuning, too. He went for the X4 by SCT, which offered him everything he wanted to see and control all in one device. “I use it every day to monitor pressures, temperatures, voltage, and even check the error codes,” he said. “I enjoy the X4 because it has a live digital display and is very customizable for the individual. I am currently running a custom tune for my tire setup.”
But even a truck as awesome as this one is still getting worked on and tweaked. Future modifications include replacing the entire front clip and rear end to look like a 2011 Super Duty, as well as new paint and powder coating to the suspension and engine. A new turbo, lift pump, fuel regulator, radiator, and intercooler are being considered, too. “I also want to do a stage one transmission rebuild at some point,” said Brady.
We’ll see what else Brady has in store as he continues to update his Instagram page. In the meantime, be sure to check out all that SCT has to offer your truck by checking out its website and Facebook page.
