Ok so I have been looking into the SCT tuners by hemi fever. Does anyone have any real experience with these things? I am wanting to know what it does for the power and the fuel millage. Also is it easy to use?

 

Power: You get more.
Fuel Mileage: You get less.

It's worth a few ponies, at the very least, but, the 8.0 is just a thirsty beast, and I don't think there is anything you can do with them to improve it, aside from not driving it.

No personal experience, just going by past history.

 

I have one on mine. It's very easy to use. Plug it in and follow the menu to load either of 3 tunes. It will back up the factory settings into the tuner so you can go back if you have issues. It will also move the torque converter lockup point to 53 mph or so and it will disable torque management. Both things will make the truck more drivable, less sluggish. I run mine on the 89 tune with 93 octane fuel and I'm very happy with it. The SCT and the 4.10 gears were the best money I've spent on it. I run 35" tires and will get 10 mpg around town and about 14 on the highway.

These are very thirsty engines like HeyYou said, and the only way to improve that is to park it.

 

Only drive Down Hill.

 

Yes they are. I am pretty sure mine is still running the stock 3.55s. I just bought the truck last summer and I don't know how to tell if the previous owners changed it or not with out pulling the lid off which will be happening next month when I do the oil change. But mine is averaging about 8-9 empty and about 6 towing running 265s on the rubber. I would be perfectly happy with 10-14mpg if I can get it.

 

3500, isn't that the dually version on the 2nd gens? Either way, the 3.55's are killing you. 4.10s will help keep the truck in the sweet spot of the power band.
Check the glove box for the options decal from the factory. That will list the gear ratio.

 

I looked up the build sheet from dodge and it came from the factory with 3.55s. But its also almost a 20 year old truck that has had at least 2 owners before me and I know the first owner towed a 5th wheel. I have no idea if the 3.55s are still there or if it has been changed. The one I am talking about is a 99 2500 4x4. The dually is being restored and I just have not added the 2500 to the list yet.

 

The first owner of my truck used it to haul 5th wheel and gooseneck trailers with 3.55's out in Iowa. On the flat lands it may have been okay, but here in New England with the hills it would have killed the truck. I did the SCT first and the gears a month or so later. Both mods really woke my truck up.

 

I am in north central texas and there is no such thing as a flat road around here except maybe in the city which is where I am not. I think I am going to make those mods. Now I have the task of talking my wife into letting me spend the money

 

Yeah, it can add up fast. I bought the gears off ebay and had a local diesel shop install them. They changed both ball joints on the left side while we had it apart and it was $1200 for everything.