Just got my Xcal2 and am considering going to Dyno Day for some 'fine tuning'. Nothing extraordinary about my truck, just kinda like to see how its done! About an 8 hour drive each way for me.

Anybody know if all the data required to 'tweak' 3 tunes can be acquired with one hour dyno time -barring unforseen circumstances
thanks

 

I'll let Mike come along and answer this for you, but I bet you will like what he tells you....See you there....Where you coming from???

 

I certainly plan on being there.. Its about an 8 hour trup for me each way also; Western Kentucky.

I plan on buying the Xcal and having it tuned there on Dyno day.
Just spoke with a woman on the phone, they said they'd call me back with some info.

I'm assuming I need to fill out some paperwork for the Xcal ASAP to have a preliminary tune set up for me.
Hope to see you guys there.

 

Salem, OH. to Salem, VA. How about that! I'm just trying to decide whether to stay a night there or drive back the same day...

I have not called to make an appt. yet either, so it may fill up!

 

yeah, the paperwork gets filled out and faxed to them. I already did that since I'm running the Xcal2

 

Faxed? Hopefully I can snail mail it to them.

 

I live in North Canton and it took me 5 hours to get down there a couple of weeks ago. There are several nice motels real close to the dyno facility. I stayed at the Comfort Inn last time and probably will again this time. If you want to tag along I don't mind showing you the best way there. I have made the trip to Mikes about a dozen times so I where to take it easy;, and where you can make up time....Let me know...

 

Hi bvhall,

Generally speaking, as long as the vehicle is mechanically sound and behaving, an hour is usually about right to dial in a normally aspirated EEC-V PCM vehicle like a 1996-2003 F-150 - a little bit more on a 2004 & up PowerPC PCM F-150, as they take much longer to flash the PCM and make changes to the tuning in the XCal 2.

For a supercharged application, if it's behaving we can many times get them done in an hour as well, but I generally like to schedule 1.5-2 hours on supercharged vehicles just in case, as many of the blower-equipped vehicles we get tend to be higher powered heavily modified trucks with heads, cams, etc., and they take longer to get dialed in.

How we work it is it's 1 hour minimum, and then we work in half-hour increments from there as far as the dyno time.

We recommend that for all vehicles, they have a fresh fuel filter (not more than 15K miles normally aspirated, 5K miles supercharged), and if it's got significant mods, a relatively fresh set of spark plugs (2004 & newer 5.4 3V's excepted for now as most of them are lower mileage), the MAF sensor/meter clean, the upstream O2 sensors not having much more than about 50K miles on them, and the EGR tract relatively clean, just as some rough general guidelines of a well-maintained vehicle.

If we get a vehicle in without proper maintenance, it will take more time and may not get as good results, or if it's really poorly maintained, we may not be able to tune it properly. Vehicles generally need to be maintained at a level above that of Ford's normal service schedule for things like the O2 sensors, fuel filters & spark plugs, so it's running at it's best & we don't have any problems. Another biggie is exhaust leaks - we don't like to see even even a pinhole leak, or that will throw off the tune somewhat once the leak is fixed if we tuned it with a small leak.

Now if we get say, a 2001 F-150 in that has 70K miles on the plugs & O2's, but the fuel filter is fresh, the EGR tract is relatively clean etc., that's usually OK, though I like to see better maintenance, that usually works.

If anyone has any questions on their particular vehicle's maintenance level/condition, give us a call & we can go over that with you to let you know of anything you do or do not need to do to it before it hits the dyno.

This is usually not a big deal, the idea is simply for the vehicle to be operating correctly so that we do not have to chase problems in the tune, or not be able to tune it, that's all. We just don't like to see poorly maintained 100K mile clunkers running all original parts, in other words.

 

Thanks Mike,
That's very helpful. I would still have less than 4000 miles by the time I got there -so no worries about 'fresh parts'!

 

Thanks Marc,

I still have to OK it with my better half
I appreciate the offer to tag along, but I'm cool with getting there. I'm not really in a rush, but its good to know it only took you 5 hours. Add about an hour for me from Salem I'd say.

 

I'm surprised there's no official thread on this yet. I happened along a post the other day and just called for more info and to sign up. Guess I'd better catch up on some of the maintenance I've been slacking on .

Mike, a question on the O2 sensors: my 01 Supercrew has 55000 miles on it. Acceptable to leave them, what methods to figure out if I need to replace them? I haven't seemed to have a problem with them in Autotap. Also, on the spark plugs, I have a new set of NGK TR6 lying around. What should I gap them to with my supercharger on it, .034?

 

Hi dufunnel,

Good to see you again, it's been awhile!

Just FYI on the maintenance - some time back (within just the last year or so, I think) we started adding some of this maintenance info to the info we send out with our custom tunes - as soon as I get a chance, we'll make up a Dyno Day form so that people will know more about this and know what to check for, etc., as soon as I can find the time to get that done!

Regarding plugs - first, remember that the TR6's are only 1/2 heat range colder than stock, so I recommend going with a colder plug to raise the detonation threshold - I know many Lightning owners run TR6's, but I don't recommend it, I prefer to see at least one full heat range colder with forced induction on a non-Lightning F-150, or an F-150 with any raised-boost pulley, or anytime you have added 75 HP or larger power gains to the engine's flywheel output in these 2-valve modular motors.

Now to actually answer your question on plug gap - I'd say a very tight 034 at MOST with a blower, even with a great plug like a Denso iridium with it's tiny 0.4mm firing tip - these stock Ford ignition systems (especially the coil-on-plug) are very weak, with a very low voltage output. It doesn't hurt to run a 0.32, but if it will fire and pull hard under conditions of very high humidity all the way to redline in 3rd gear, then 0.34 is OK for a maximum gap when running 6-8 PSI with a stock ignition. For higher boost levels, tighten the gap about 1 thousandth for each additional PSI of boost over 8 PSI - that's a good rule of thumb to keep the candles lit under adverse conditions.

With regard to your upstream O2 sensors, they are really a 30K miles maintenance part (the automaker will never tell you that, as it's an emissions part so if they said to replace it before 80K miles they would have to pay for it under the separate emissions warranty), so what we recommend is this: If the vehicle is naturally aspirated, you can run them to 50K miles. If it's forced induction, then replace the O2's at 30K mile intervals - anything more and they have deteriorated enough to affect the tune, performance, fuel mileage, as well as idle quality, and it happens *very* gradually, from the moment they are first put in service - it's a thermocouple, basically, so it stats deteriorating almost as soon as it goes in service, very slowly.

Use only Bosch name brand O2's, and only the 2 upstream O2's need to be replaced - the 2 downstream units can stay in until they fail outright.

 

I guess it has been a couple years since I had you do my custom tune. Hmm, I still haven't had the time to get it tweaked. Well, that will finally change now that I have scheduled time on the dyno day.

So you recommend Denso Iridium plugs for something like mine? I have the Holley Thunder at 8 psi on my 2001 5.4L Supercrew. Any other plugs you'd suggest in case I might find some easier than others in town? Might be nice to get a copy of that maintenance thing emailed to me since it's been awhile, as I typically follow my factory schedule since I don't have much else to guide me.

Another question regarding my wheels. Which ones should I have on when I come for the dyno runs? Should I have the stock ones on or my 24" wheels? They are the same overall diameter, but which would be better to tune it with? Each are on about half the year.

 

Hi DU,

We carry the Denso Iridium plugs in stock, so we can supply them to you if you like - there isn't another plug I like anywhere near as much that lasts that long.

For any details regarding what each person needs to do for for Dyno Day, please call us for that, otherwise everyone and their brother will post hundreds of questions about what to do for that day & that's the kind of thing I don't have time to type out for everyone - thanks!