I make it a point not to diagnose other peoples vehicles for obvious reasons.

So, I'll tell you what mine sounds like. During hard accellerations or going up hills is when it happens. I hear popping sounds--some little, some quite loud. Also, the truck will hesitate and seem to lose power for a second.
At first, I considered bad gas. I let it get close to empty and refilled from a different station. So far I tried Shell, Mobil and Vallero. I also took my throttle body off and wiped it clean as well as the inside of my intake manifold as far as I could reach with a towel. I think that helped a little. I checked to make sure all my vacuum lines were tight--OK. I replaced my fuel filter not even 1000 miles ago so its not that.

My uncle is a mech and he says its probably just a little lean. I told him what TP told me over the phone and he agreed.

Anyway, Im going to get a dyno in a couple weeks. Then TP should be able to adjust the A/F ratios to run better. Along with the other parameters they look at.

Stu

 

I am currently speaking with TP. I have just put 1/2 tank of Citgo right up the street from me. Citgo was top of the list from TP. I would just like to give the truck some cycle time and new gas to get thru the system. Later...

 

Any thoughts Mike? Thanks........................

 

Hi Guys,

This is pretty simple - these newer trucks have *excellent* knock sensor systems, and simply are not going to detonate unless it has an underlying contributing issue and/or someone is using low quality fuel - combined with the owner not providing us with any data so we can see what's going on and make any adjustments that may be needed.

Now when you first take off from a standstill and floor it, it *should* give a couple of quick pings and then immediately stop - it's *supposed* to do that with the tuning, and it will immediately back off the timing just enough to stay shy of detonation & get best performance. For anyone who gets a few pings when they first nail it and then it immediately stops, that is perfectly normal - it shows you that you're right there, and the system is doing what it's supposed to do to allow such tremendous gains in performance even on just 87 octane fuel - as long as it's a good quality 87 octane fuel.

Now if someone is getting consistent pinging that does NOT go away, *that* needs to be addressed - and is extremely rare in these trucks. That can only happen if the truck is running very lean AND/or is running some extremely poor fuel quality - or there is some underlying condition or modification contributing to this that simply doesn't rear it's head with the beyond-conservative tuning from the factory.

Everyone needs to remember that this is CUSTOM tuning - so if you do not bother to datalog as per the instructions that each and every one of you receive from us and get us that info, then you are usually not going to get the full 100% benefit of what we cna do for each individual vehicle (as each vehicle is always going to be a little bit different, despite seeming to be identical), and there is nothing we can do to help - we will NOT guess at engine tuning changes, so we do not make changes to engine tuning without datalogging - that is pure guesswork, and usually a waste of time.

No truck is going to consistently detonate with out tuning without there being some underlying reason beyond our tuning alone - it has to be caused by something like a lean condition *and* poor fuel, or some really poor fuel. For example, sometimes we find that a particular truck's MAF transfer function is so far off that it's actually running leaner than commanded, and enough leaner to make a difference that we need to change - we have seen that happen even once in a while on a stock intake, on trucks with just a muffler change, for example. On Dyno Day, we had a 2005 truck that was running 15.0:1 A/F on it's STOCK tune!!!! We has another 2004 truck that was running a 14.2:1 A/F on it's STOCK tune. Neither truck exhibited one single bit of detonation, but that is too lean. Now that is an extreme example we don't normally see, but it can happen once in a while on a stock vehicle - there are production line variances - this is one of many reasons why we are so adamant about wanting our custom tuning customers to provide us with the datalogging info that we provide such painstaking & easy to follow instructions, which we have written for those who have absolutely no experience and no knowledge of how to do this, and have made it very simple & easy to do - precisely so we can get that data. And the XCal 2 can get every bit of that data with the sole exception of the A/F ratios.

Now for "Stuace" - I don't know who you are by your screen name here, but I would like to speak with you *personally* about what is going on in your truck, and review your CPW's and your tuning while we're on the phone, to see if there is anything that could be an obvious factor - I say that because I want you to be able to enjoy your tuning, and it is NOT normal to get detonation - nor do we see any pattern of others having those issues (other than a coupla-few pings when nailing the throttle from a standstill, which it's supposed to do and immediately stops). the vast majority, is in just shy of 100%, do not have any such issues, so we may have a particular vehicle that has some variation to it. So if you wouldn't mind, please do give us a call so that I can speak to you about this personally. I know you called & spoke with our staff, but I would like to talk with you personally on this, if you don't mind. So if I may ask, if you wouldn't mind, please kindly give us another call (I'll even return your call right away so the call is on my dime, so to speak), as I want to speak with you about this, OK? Thanks!

Just to give an idea in general - I have seen 5,.4 3V vehicles with mods that caused them to be as lean as anywhere from 16:1 to 19:1 at WOT, and STILL not exhibit a bit of detonation with good fuel - so it's usually an issue of very poor quality fuel, perhaps in conjunction with a lean condition - and it has to be extremely poor fuel for the 5.34 3V's 12 degree retard range @ WOT not to cover it!

 

Thanks Mike, that was great info. I will continue to burn the "good" fuel from Citgo, about 1/2 tank that I just put in... My pinging is just what you said. Couple "pings" and all is quite after that... From your post Mike, this sort of ping is normal and "will" not hurt the motor... I will update on the fuel as time goes on. I am wondering if the 93 perf tune will better address these "couple of pings". Seems to me it would since the 93 octane is harder to "detinate". This sound right to everyone...? Thanks,

 

Hi Mike,

I have a question for you about fuel quality. I normally fill up with 91 octane Chevron which is the highest octane available in my area. When I filled out my tuning sheets for the Xcal2, I specified 91 octane Chevron is my preferred fuel. I have access to Citgo (7-11) gas. Do you know if this is better quality fuel than Chevron? Can you possibly comment on which fuels would be best to use for those of us on the west coast? The fuels available in my area are: Citgo, Chevron, Texaco, Shell, Phillips 66, Sinclair, Flying J, Maverik, Exxon and Conoco. Are there any of these brands that should be avoided? I know there are some that have a bit higher BTU content than others. Your insight would be appreciated. Thanks, Eric

 

THANKS MIKE, that seems like exactly what i am hearing, and i understand that w/out calling you you cant guarantee...yada yada yada..... If i called you evertime i had a questions, you would have been sick of me long ago.
From a stand still or rolling start, it gives 1 or 2 pings @ WOT then, gets up and goes.
EDIT, im with 5.4SCREW, sounds like the same issue i'm having.

 

OK, I gassed up with Citgo 87 about 1/2 tank. Took her for a about 100 miles and several cycles. I have to say "WOW". Pinging is all but gone... The "only" time it occurs is at WOT from a standstill, and even then it only happens a couple quick pings and she is out of the hole like a rocket. The quality fuel makes a huge difference, no doubt about it. It should only be that much better with the 93... I had my Dad drive her, he was absolutely impressed with the way she moves. On the hiway she goes from 50 to 100 in very short time, and with authority. This is only on 87 octane. I am ready to fill her up with 93 octane and set the tune to 93 performance. I can hardly wait. If it is anything what people say it is, I can't wait... I am quite confident it will have no problem holding it's own. Thank's Mike, I just love how this truck feel's now. So much different than the stock tune...

 

HI 5.4 Screw,

Excellent, glad to hear you're enjoying it - it's amazing what a difference good quality fuel can make.

For Eric - When we ship out every custom tune, we provide thorough documentation on what brands of fuel to use in various areas of the country, including specifically out west, as well as what to steer clear of. So you'll get all that info with your XCal 2 in detail.

Chevron can sometimes be a good fuel out west, and sometimes it's not - it's a bit spotty out there, where a few years ago it was a consistently excellent fuel. Citgo & Shell tend to work pretty well, in general. Overall, the easiest way to determine the relative BTU content is to run 2-3 tanks of each brand/source, carefully tracking fuel mileage, and the fuel that delivers the highest MPG in the same basic driving conditions is generally going to have a higher BTU content, generally speaking. You do have to be careful and make sure that you do not compare winterized fuel to summer blends, as the fuels used everywhere in this country in what is considered winter (whether any particular area has a real winter or not) are always going to deliver lower MPG, due to having a lower energy content. And we are quickly approaching the introduction of winter blend fuels very shortly, so this time of year is tough to do that kind of sampling - we recommend doing that in the middle of winter, and the middle of summer, generally speaking, to get the best comparisons.

That brief info should help you a bit for now until you get your XCal 2 & our docs & good luck!

 

careful....I got yelled at on here for doing that same thing.

 

The instruction with my XC2 say to use 76 unocal "out west", and I have changed as instructed....never a knock problem any way.

Mike has posted more than once that cheap gas is the Devil's work.

Could you dump in a can of octane booster as a quick / temporary measure?

I know nothing about booster other than it is available.

 

Good point - we do recommend trying Union 76 as a first choice in just about all areas where premium fuels are only 91 octane - regardless of what octane fuel & tuning you're running as in many areas, it's a top-shelf fuel - I forgot to mention that in my earlier post to Eric!

With regard to using octane booster - we generally don't recommend doing that, as most leave some obvious deposits behind on the spark plugs & O2 sensors, etc., and can cause lean drift. But in a pinch, there is one octane booster you can use, and that is made by NOS - the nitrous oxide people, and it is available at all AutoZone auto parts stores, for example. You don't find that at Walmart. The NOS octane booster generally works the best, and leaves fewer deposits behind, so in an emergency, that's the one to use - otherwise, we recommend steering clear of all octane boosters in general.

 

Thank you Mike for your reply. That is good information. I am looking forward to receiving my Xcal2 and seeing firsthand the improvement over the Superchips 1715. I may call Crystal and order the Nippon Denso Iridium plugs for my Expedition before you ship out my Xcal2. I plan on doing the pullies and fans soon. Which plugs would be the correct ones for me at this point? A heat range colder or the stock ones? I have the Magnaflow cat-back and an intake as well. I have resisted the urge to change plugs until now because I have heard too many horror stories about the earlier 5.4 engines blowing plugs out of the cylinder heads. With 78,000 miles on the clock, it's time to take a chance and change them.

 

Mike
I am looking to use your tune next spring. I live in Iowa and I use 89 octane gasahol.
Do you tune for this? Also, if I go out of state and use 87 octane will this cause a problem?

 

Hi Baldy,

It won't hurt anything to use 87 octane on tuning that is made for 87 octane fuels - but you cannot use 87 octane on a tune that is designed for higher octane - like 89 octane, for example.

We strongly recommend NOT using gasohol, as it has a lower BTU content and thus reduces fuel mileage as well as power by a small amount. It doesn't hurt the vehicle, it just reduces MPG & power a bit compared to "normal" gasoline formulations. Now in some areas you just don't have any choice, and have to use it because that is all that is available - especially in the corn belt, for example - but any time you have a choice, avoid gasohol & you'll get better MPG & a bit better power and performance.

It would be nice if we used straight ethanol-based fuels to put our farmers back to work & have the fuel delivery systems & tuning converted appropriately, I'm not slamming alcohol-based fuel at all - it's just that when you use only a small amount, like when adding 10% ethanol to "normal" gasoline, the end results gives you less MPG & performance, that's all.

So yes, you can use our custom tuning with "gasohol" fuels as well as normal gasoline - just make sure you use the required octane level for whatever tuning you are running.

Last - when you order our custom tuning, you'll get your choice of 3 different custom tunes, so you can have higher & lower octane tuning available, for maximum flexibility.