Just wondering if anybody has messed around with the custom settings on the 1714 enough to figure out what adjustments are nice to make and why. I've had both the 87 and 91 octane programs installed...no complaints whatsoever, just curious if anybody has any real fun with the tuner yet.

- Michael

 

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hreadid=172520


I have. Check out my thread. I set it to my specs because the SC settings werent cutting it for me. It feels alot better for MY set-up. You may not get the same results.

 

Hi Hellbound,

Thanks for posting that link, I had forgotten about that thread, or maybe hadn't even seen it originally. We love to see data, so I must have just missed that post, as I would have asked some questions.

The settings you posted are obviously noted, but there's nothing regarding the actual engine rpms, which are what actually matters - so what I'd like to know are all the actual RPMS at which the WOT (wide-open throttle) shift points occurred? With the stock tuning, then with the 1714 set on "Superchips" settings for shift pressures & points, and last, what RPMs using your current settings?

To make it easy, here are my specific questions:

1.) What RPM's is the 1-2 WOT upshift actually occurring at with the +3 MPH setting in your truck?

2.) Same for the 2-3 - what RPMs is the 2-3 WOT upshift actually occurring at with that setting of +6 MPH in your truck?

3.) What RPM's were the 1-2 & 2-3 WOT upshifts occurring at when running the STOCK factory tuning? (doesn't matter what other mods may have been present at that time, just what were those rpms when running on the stock factory tuning?)

4.) What RPM's were the 1-2 & 2-3 WOT upshift points occurring at when you used the 1714's "SUPERCHIPS" settings for shift points & pressures?

Without all of that info, it's not possible to evaluate properly.

We love to see data correlating resultant rpms for shift points at any different setting from stock using the 1714, especially on "different" vehicles (like your lighter configuration) - so this info would be very helpful.

If anyone is seeing more than 5400 rpm, they're revving it too high and will hurt the stock torque converter. Remember, more than 5400 rpm on anything other than a very infrequent basis with the stock torque converter *will* fail it - it's just a matter of time.

Now to get to the heart of it - what shift points will actually make any of these modular-motor V8 automatic trucks actually accelerate the quickest? That's very simple - that is dictated by the horsepower & torque curves, and then the ratio spread between each gear - and on all computer-controlled automatic transmission modular-motor V8 F-150's running stock camshafts, the best ET's will always be had using a 5600 rpm 1-2 WOT upshift point, and a 5400 rpm 2-3 upshift point. That part is very simple.

However, spinning it to 5600 rpm in 1st, or for that matter spinning it above 5400 rpm under *any* circumstances with any regularity will balloon the stock torque converter & cause it to fail. So, what do we do?

Simple - use a 5400 rpm 1-2 and 2-3 WOT upshift point, as that is what will give the best performance without hurting the stock torque converter, which is the weakest link in the chain in this specific regard. So setting it at whatever achieves a 5400 rpm 1-2 & 2-3 is the hot tip.

Now in most of these trucks, the "Superchips" setting on the 1714 results in anywhere from 5300-5400 rpm WOT upshift for the 1-2 & 2-3 upshifts. Any deviance from that and there's something different about either the vehicle's configuration, or how fast the tranny fills the oncoming clutch (which can vary a bit from one tranny to the next), etc. What has to be remembered is that when Superchips sends a product out like that, their settings are the best compromise between all-pout performance and not shortening the service life of anything in the powertrain. So sure, we can *always* get a bit better ET's by moving the shift points up, primarily the 1-2. Moving the 2-3 up anything over 5400 rpm will only slow the truck down, because of the power curve and the ratio drop from 2nd to 3rd.

Remember to keep all of this in mind when dialing it in, and know that simply setting it up for a 5400 rpm 1-2 & 2-3 is the way to go in automatic 1997 & newer F-150's with stock camshafts and the stock torque converter.

Thanks in advance Hellbound, for any of this data you can provide in my above-listed questions - it's greatly appreciated!

 

GREAT POST MIKE!

When you share that kind of knowledge with us, my mouth just drools


Gene

 

Now I know Im clueless. I have my truck set to superchips all the way around and 87 oct tow, and I dont get anywhere near 5400 rpms. Maybe I really dont know what Im doing, but Id like to think I have some knowledge. Also what can I do if my truck shifts to 4th and then shifts into overdrive almost immediately after that. What am I doing wrong and what should I be setting all these things at. Thanks for any info or advice!

I tow twice a week. Im guessing about 3800 pounds.

 

It is because of the great online support that Mike gives us here that I ordered the 1714 tuner. Should arrive today, can't wait!

2004 F150 FX4 SCab Flareside
5.4 V8/3.83 rear end
Tinted windows
Vent guards
Ford bedliner and bed cover
Dual rear mounted exhaust with dual chrome tips
Pioneer AVIC-1 DVD/Navigation

 

gata119,

The factory tach can be off a few hunderd rpm very easily.
Does the guage match the digital tach (in the instrument test mode)?

Gene

 

im not too sure I know what the test mode is that you are talking about.

when I drive a normal acceleration, all my shifts are below 3000.

 

Hi gata,

First - to avoid confusion, check out the topic of the thread - in this case, we're talking specifically about the 1714 Micro Tuner, which is only for the 2004 trucks. For the 2004's, virtually all of them will perform best using the "Superchips" settings for shift points & pressures in the 1714 Micro Tuner.

Now on the 1715's for the 1996-2003's, that is usually true as well - but sometimes there will be a truck with a code that could use some tweaking of those shift points for best all-out acceleration. There are *far* more different PCM codes & matching performance programs going on inside the 1715 as compared to the 1714, as the 1715 is for 1996-2003 models, and thus has to work for a thousand different PCM codes - so there's more variance there in the 1715 compared to the 1714 for the 2004's. Some of the 96-03 trucks can use a bit of tweaking on the WOT upshift points in the *performance* tune if someone wants the absolute quickest acceleration & ET's (Elapsed Times, like at the drag strip).

You should NOT be using anything like a 5400 rpm WOT (wide-open throttle) upshift point when towing a 2-ton load, of course not - never do that to the vehicle when towing.

Towing tunes should always have lower WOT upshift points as compared to what is required for the best all-out acceleration in a maximum performance tune. I don't like seeing anything above about 5000 rpm WOT upshift points when towing another 2 tons of weight out back, and usually in the 1715's 87 octane tow-safe program it'll be more like 4700-4800 rpm WOT upshifts in most cases.

So keep in mind that we're talking about PERFORMANCE tunes, not towing tunes with regards to the RPM numbers I've provided in my last post.

What Gene said is also true, that factory tachs aren't always real accurate - they can easily be off by a few hundreds rpm either way.

The bottom line is still the same in my previous post - the rpms required for absolute quickest acceleration without hurting the stock torque converter are 5400 rpm for the 1-2 and the 2-3 WOT upshifts for 1997 thru 2005 V8 automatic F-150's - basically all the F-series trucks with Modular V8's. This does not apply to towing, nor does this apply to the 3-4 upshift, as you should *NEVER* do full-throttle 3-4 upshifts unless the tranny has been race-built. Full-throttle 3-4 upshifts are a great way to kill any overdrive automatic transmission - to say nothing of the fact that a full-throttle 3-4 upshift happens only at very high speeds once the TS limiter is removed.

Last - 4th gear *is* Overdrive - you have a 4-speed automatic with a lockup torque converter. Overdrive is a gear just like any other gear, it's simply 4th gear in this case, and uses a ratio that allows in to function as an overdrive gear, to reduce engine rpms in light-load cruising conditions on relatively flat terrain. Sounds like you're just feeling the torque converter lockup after it goes into 4th gear - just as it's supposed to. That's just the TQ lockup, not a 5th gear.

Hope that clears things up for you a bit,

 

Thank you! I guess I missed that important detail of it being a 1714. Oh well, If you have time can you please explain what you mean by wide open throttle upshifting.

Thanks,
Consider me a rookie

 

Mike,

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I dont have a tach. LOL!!!

I have an XL model and the truck was custom ordered from the factory to get the set-up I have.

However, I set-and re-set the tuning until I felt it pulled the best.

On the Superchips tuning the shift was MUCH firmer but the MPH I shifted at was really no different. So, with that said I maxed out all the shift point levels. This was bad IMO. The truck was revving too high and going nowhere for about 2 seconds. I kept dialing it in based on feel and shift.

Now I could be wrong but I am sure gearing has much to do with this. Another buddy of mine has the same set-up 2004 except with 3.55's vs my 3.73's and he felt the best response with all the numbers maxed out. NOTE...I suggest dialing in your gear ratio if you are sure of it. The tuner registered his gear ratio as 3.73 when he does in fact have 3.55's. The diff tag, and sales printout both specify 3.55LS axle assy.

Anyway, I also watched the speedo. If it started slowing very fast or sitting still I knew to change it (lower it )...if I felt it shifted too early...exactly like the factory settings did then I upped it. So, I settled midway. Now I know a custom dyno tune is the best. Which is what I am headed for. But for now I am pleased with my settings. I also realize without a tach I might be losing valuable power. Which is bad because I am just like you Mike. I am looking for the most power...period.

As far as shift pressure, I felt it to be a no brainer. I tried lowered settings and then the higher ones, and I fell in love with the huge jump into 2nd and 3rd gears. I maxed em out and it feels just fine.

I can tell you this. When I had the truck dyno'd, the max HP(260HP BTW)came in at roughly 5300RPM and TQ was instant almost from the onset of the pedal hitting the floor.

I will be getting a tach soon to see if my settings are off based on the testing of the engine and the 5400RPM rule. Even so, it may only be a slight tweak to re-tune my truck based on the performance I got out of the tuner.

Trust me, this thing can work for you. As MIke said, check your RPM's. Or if you are familiar with engines, test it by feel. You should know if you are over revving it.

 

That means that if you are not at Wide Open Throttle you wont be shifting at max RPM. Think of when you just cruise...you shift at much lower RPM's than redline. Well, if you are making MAX HP at 5400 RPM which is pretty high up there, then you most certainly have to floor it to achieve those results, hence the WOT issue.

So, you want your shift points to be in sync with your MAX HP. When you go beyond MAX HP@ WOT you are not only wasting valuable time you could be accelerating in another gear, but you are revving the engine too high and doing damage to your drivetrain. It will be just sitting there unable to push the vehicle any faster and spinning at obscene RPM's.

The older trannys used modulator valves (might still use them with sensors) and the even older trannys had band adjustments. Those were the simple days. Now, it's all computers.

 

has anyone tried the instrument cluster test procedure on a 2004 yet to see if it has that feature.

push and hold the trip button in and at the same time turn the ign. switch to on (or start the truck) hold the button until the system enters the test mode (in the odometer window), then you step (repeat pushing the trip button) the system thru numerous tests, of lights, guage sweep, and sensors, one of which is "tach" and it will read engine rpm if the motors running, there is also cyclinder head temperature(reads in celceius) and a digital speedometer.

I know this was on 97 thru 2003 and may have been before that.

Gene

 

works on my 04 van but is the 2v 5.4 and old style pcm

 

Hi Hellbound,

Awww, rats, no tachometer! Isn't that illegal these days, to not have a tach? (just kidding! )

OK, understood - when you do get a tach installed, if you wouldn't mind, please do let us know what rpms it's shifting at now with your current settings - I'm sure you're anxious to know where they are at as well.

With regard to entering the axle ratio when it has NOT actually been changed from stock - no, you do not need to do that.

There are TWO areas in the PCM where gear ratio or tire sizes are controlled - one is in the VID (vehicle ID) block, which is how the factory does it, and how dealership service departments can alter that - but they (dealerships) can alter that ONLY to a gear ratio or tire size that was actually offered by the factory on that vehicle, for that year. In these F-150's, it's somewhat common for the VID block info to be different than what's in the PCM's code - that doesn't matter, as what's in the actual code is NOT used unless that VID block switch is turned off in the program - and that can be done only by having a custom tune, or by entering different info in via the Micro Tuner.

In many cases, the info in the VID block will not agree with what's in the PCM's program, but that doesn't matter - unless there is an aftermarket tune installed that turns off the switch to allow the VID block to control speedo cals, it can say you have a 5.14 ratio (for example) in the PCM, as it doesn't use that info - it uses what's in the *VID block* UNLESS we turn the VID bock switch off in a custom tune, or the vehicle owner enters a different gear ratio or tire size with the Micro Tuner.

So you don't need to alter the gear ratio or tire size info in the 1714 or 1715 Micro Tuners unless you have actually CHANGED the gear ratio or tire size to something different than what came on the vehicle originally.