I took my first road trip yesterday since installing my bigger tires, and correcting the speedometer with my updated XCAL2. I drove 500 miles roundtrip at about 75mph or more, and was able to get right at 19 mpg in a 5800 pound truck.

 

And I took my first road trip after installing my XCal2 today and left exactly 19 ounces of rubber on the pavement from each tire without powerbraking. I too am impressed.

Greenhaw

 

I'm with you guys!

 

Highway driving, if I keep it under 75mph, I can get 21 to 22mpg no problem; that’s with my 93-octane performance tune and a 3:55 rear gear

 

Darn 4X2 owners... I'm averaging out at around 16 this time of year... I'm ready for summer formulations to come back to my local Shell station's underground storage tanks. *sighs*

 

jpa- sorry to bug you- i think you are the member with that diagnostic device? on your truck you added- if so could you email me,
openclasspro@verizon.net
with some info on it ,what it does and such?- thanks-phil

 

It’s not me Phil, no full time diagnostic hooked up. I do have the XCal2 that reads and clears DTC codes and with the XCal2 and a laptop computer using LiveLink, I can datalog, but that’s about it.

I get my mpg numbers the old fashion way, miles driven divided by gallons used. I also cross-reference those numbers with the onboard message centers mileage calculator which is pretty much right on the money tankful to tankful.

You can get your truck into the HEC Dealer test mode; here’s how from a Helms manual

___________________
Activating Test Mode

To enter the HEC Dealer test mode, depress and hold the instrument cluster SELECT/RESET button, turn the ignition switch to the RUN position, and then continue pressing the SELECT/RESET button (5 seconds) until tESt is displayed in the odometer. The SELECT/RESET button must be released within 3 seconds of the odometer tESt display to begin the dealer test mode.

Depress the SELECT/RESET button to advance through the following steps until dtc is displayed. Depressing the SELECT/RESET button will display any stored continuous DTCs before proceeding to the next step.

Odometer Display Description

GAGE Activates gauge sweep of all gauges, then displays present gauge values. Also carries out the checksum tests on ROM and EE. If the gauge sweep is inoperative, INSTALL a new instrument cluster.

All segments illuminated Illuminates all odometer segments. If any odometer segment is inoperative INSTALL a new instrument cluster.

bulb Illuminates all micro-controlled indicators and LEDs. Install a new indicator or LED as necessary.

r Returns to normal operation of all micro-controlled indicators and LEDs and displays hexadecimal value for ROM level. (used when requesting assistance from the hotline). If alternating flashes for FAIL and ROM level are displayed, INSTALL a new instrument cluster.

EE Displays the hexadecimal value for EE level (used when requesting assistance from hotline). If alternating flashes of FAIL and EE level are displayed replace instrument cluster.

dt Displays hexadecimal coding of final manufacturing test date (used when requesting assistance from hotline).

dtc Displays continuous DTC's in hexadecimal format. Pressing the SELECT/RESET button will display any DTCs stored before proceeding to the next step.

enG Displays the English speed in MPH. Speedometer will indicate present speed within tolerances. Display will show 0 if input in not received. If input is invalid for one second or more, or if speed is 0.

m Displays the metric speed data in kph. Speedometer will indicate present speed within tolerances. Display will show 0 if input in not received. If input is invalid for one second or more, or if speed is 0.

tAc Displays the tachometer data received from the PCM via the SCP network within tolerances. Tachometer will indicate present RPM. Display will show 0 if input is no received, if input received is invalid for one second or more, or if engine RPM is 0.

FUEL Displays the code (0-255) for the fuel sender input to the HEC. The fuel gauge will display a filtered fuel level value. This filter will keep the pointer from moving suddenly or erratically. 255 open send +/- 0
232 full stop +/- 0
215 Full mark +/- 10
178 3/4 mark +/- 8
138 1/2 mark +/- 7
93 1/4 mark +/- 5
41 E mark +/- 4
54 Low Fuel (0-59)
0-18 short (0-20 max)

OIL Displays the code (0-250) for the oil pressure switch input to the HEC. Oil pressure gauge will indicate present oil pressure. Normal oil pressure (greater than 6psi) will display a value between 000 and 176. A low oil pressure or an inoperative engine oil pressure switch (less than 6 psi) will display a value greater than 176.

dEGC Display of engine temperature in Degrees C input from cylinder head temperature sensor. 49 C "C" mark
60 C Normal band start
120 C Normal band end
-40 C No SCP message for 5 seconds

bAtt Displays the code (0-255) for the battery voltage input to the HEC. Battery voltage gauge will indicate present battery voltage. 93-102 6.2-9.1 volts, low voltage
115-124 8.5-10.7 volts, Normal band start
215-225 15.8-18 volts, Norm band end
230-241 16.9-19.1 volts, high voltage

rhEo Displays the present decimal rheostat dimming input, 0-255 (used when requesting assistance from the hotline)

rhi
rhS
rho Not used.

Cr Displays the current RUN/START sense input. Display will show -h for high input with the ignition switch in the START position and -L for low input with the ignition switch in the RUN position.

PA-PE7 not used.

GAGE Repeats the display cycle

 

Holy crap. I have been considering getting the Xcal2 and after what I have been reading, I guess I'm going to go ahead and do it. I'll run premium gas w/ the Xcal2 tune all the time to get my rig some decent mileage. And I'm anxious to see what the difference in performance is.

 

Matt,

I too have the 2003 model and the performance increase is unbelievable. I can promise you that you will notice a difference after installing the tune.

Greenhaw

 

First you will have to learn how to keep your foot from pushing the gas pedal to the floor all the time. The performance difference is night and day with the X-Cal2 and Troyer tunes.

Kevin

 

is there a website for this Troyer tune Xcal2 device??

 

Hi LilBlackCoupe -

Yes, there is a web site for it, and it's at the link in our signature line below. Go into the "Products" section, and then into the Superchips tuning section - there you'll want to specifically look at the details on our Part# 9400, that's the XCalibrator 2 that most here are using, as it's the most advanced hand-held tuner on the market - it's capabilities & features are amazing, that's why we use it to load our Troyer Performance custom tuning into.

Now one thing that is important to know about this is that you get a much lower price on that then what you will see on our web site, because you are a registered member here, of F-150 Online.

So feel free to read a bit about it on our web site, but you'll really want to give us a call to go over it thoroughly, and know just what we can really do for your vehicle with our Troyer Performance custom tuning - and to get your special price as a member here.

As always, it's the actual tuning that determines the results, not the type of device that is used to deliver the tuning - that's what most people here come to us for, as we have specialized in improving the performance of the F-150 Platform for 14+ years, so we can take them to any level of performance desired.

We provide a set of 3 different custom tunes, set up exactly how each individual vehicle owner prefers, so that you can do everything that vehicle was designed to do from the factory and more, and do it better, with much better power, performance, driveability, and pure driving enjoyment, etc.

Please feel free to give us a call, as we'll be happy to go over everything with you and without any sales pressure or hype, just the straight facts - we can talk with you about how you use your vehicle, what you do and don't like about it, and just exactly how we can improve that vehicle for you in a number of ways - then you can give it some thought and make your decision from a fully informed position.

I hope that brief info helps, & thanks for your post!

 

 

So the little brown Santa Claus dropped off a present yesterday from Troyer's...I could hardly sleep last night thinking of the fun I was going to have today! In one nice, neat little package was a shiny new AF1 intake and my own Xcal2...

The directions were as clear as a NC blue sky, and within an hour, my intake was installed and my computer reprogrammed. I immediately loaded the family for a long distance shopping trip, and watched as the computer began relearning. After 100 miles out, the return trip showed clear dividends in acceleration, power availability, and overall performance. I never experienced the sucking noise some AF1 owners have heard...just the hearty growl of a properly tuned V8!

One added benefit from MIke's tuning that I didn't expect...always before, while having the cruise control set, the truck would free-wheel on downhill grades, accelerating until I had to brake to slow things down. The dealership told me it was because the tranny was only a four speed, and would not downshift. Yet today, Mike's tune (93 performance) kept my speedomoter locked at the set speed, uphill and down, without even a twitch of the needle!

Thanks, Mike, for the quality and performance! There's a huge difference, expecially after running that early EAY2 program!

 

Hi NC,

Thanks for your post - it just tickles me to death when people notice "the little things" - like what you mentioned about what happens when coasting downhill and no longer having to brake so much. That is a little trick we put into all of these trucks whose PCM's have the provision to do so, as that is something that I too, found irritating.

I mean, it's nice to pick up some "free speed," so to speak, but I don't like having to constantly get on & off the brakes going downhill if it's not a steep grade where you would really have to expect it - anyway, thanks for noticing, I'm very glad you're enjoying our custom tuning!

Have fun,