Right now I have my tuner set to 91 perf. plus a higher idle speed and rev limiter and firmer shift points.My question is if I return to stock for a trip to the dealer will it hold the tunes that I've installed or do I have to start over when going back to the 91 perf? In other words do I have to redo the shift points idle etc. Thanks in advance. 06 SCrew 5.4 2wd

 

I think you'll need to re-enter.

Reference (custom) tune + 'custom' settings + flash = 'personalized' tune

When reflashing a custom tune, you are loading the settings that were embedded as per your specs ( CPW's) when the tune was created. All additional changes via the Xcal2's 'custom settings' menu are transient - applied just before you commit to the flash process. You never actually alter the original *.ll3 file in the Xcal2.

Reason is, it's protected. Plus you should never be able to alter the 'reference' tune itself, or it would no longer be a 'reference' tune.

Can you imagine the problems if the reference was allowed to be modified, if you forgot what you changed, then later added more custom settings?

This isn't like the old XTR file situation, where the changes could be saved ( editing the XTR file itself) - the safety net in that case needed to be in the Extreme Tune application (and is), which prohibits cumulative /additive changes to be 'stacked' beyond a preset limit (e.g; think timing advance). To protect you from yourself.

'Course I could also be all wet, as I generally don't know what I'm talking about. This is the way I'd do it, anyway. Corrections welcome.

Cheers
Bubba

 

I hate to change the subject, but is that Xcal2 pretty user friendly? I would like to go with that tuner, but I don't want to screw something up. I guess I was hoping that it was dummy proof.

 

No such thing, but yeah, it's pretty simple to use.

But they do appear to be more reliable on a unit-per-unit basis than some others

Always inhale the documentation.

Always choose a Vendor with the best after-sale support. Spend some time here & you'll find out who that is !

Hell - if can use it ....

Cheers
Bubba

 

Good point. I guess I have plenty of time to learn. My wallet doesn't predict a programmer in my future until at least late summer. Thanks for the info.

 

I don't have an Xcal, I have an edge. I imagine the xcal is similar. It is very user friendly, but as for dummy proof.... NO. None of them are dummy proof in the least. You can ruin your truck if you aren't careful. You should heed MFGfan's advise and read AND UNDERSTAND the owner's manual first.

You can start here:https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=273030

I wrote this thread (with help) a while ago, and it's a beginners guide to tuning. It covers the basics of tuning for all tuners. But it has an "Extra" section for both the Xcal and the Edge. It even has links to their respective owner's manuals...

If you want to know more about the advantages of the Edge's guages, or the Xcal's custom tuning ability, just do a search.

 

I appreciate it.

 

ttt

 

Hi MemLT-1,

IF you have actually gone into the optional parameters menu and changed altered any of those optional parameters, and then you return to stock, then the answer is yes, you typically will need to re-enter that same info when reloading your tuning after getting it back from the dealer. But that is simple to do, of course.

MGDFan was right on in a lot of what he said, and the reasoning behind it - he's an old hand at all of this, as he has been thru basically all the various SCT stuff with us over the past few years.

If you need any help with this, just give us a call at our number listed below.

 

Hi AsheFX4,

Yes, the XCalibrator 2 is very user-friendly, especially the way we set up it's menus in our custom tuning - about the only way to make a mistake is to not pay attention to what you are doing, it doesn't take a rocket scientist.

It will prevent you from doing things like updating it's firmware if you have not first returned the vehicle back to stock, and it will warn you if battery voltage is too low to safely flash the PCM, etc., so yes, it *does* in fact have numerous fool-proof safeguards built into it.

It's like anything else - just read & follow the directions and you will be fine - it's also menu-driven right on it's LCD screen, so it's very hard to go wrong.

Last - for those who order the XCalibrator 2 from us, we provide a set of 3 custom tunes set up for each individual vehicle owner's preferences AND we also write a special 7-9 page document for each and every individual vehicle owner to give them a lot of additional information above & beyond just the manufacturers simple instruction sheet - so overall, it is a very reliable device, and we set up the menus for the tunes so that it is very easy to follow, and provide far more documentation with the unit than anyone else does, that is all part of our custom tuning service - and you don't need a heavily modified vehicle to benefit from our custom tuning, a bone-stock vehicle makes a lot more power & performance with our custom tuning.

I hope this gives you some more info, & please feel free to call us at our number listed below if you'd like to go over this in more detail, OK?

Thanks for your post, & best of luck with your truck!

 

Thanks Mike and MGDFan..Thats what I call service

 

You're absolutely right - MGDFan does a great job of helping people here, he always has, and has been doing it for years - he's a real asset to this forum & this web site overall. He really exemplifies the best of what this web site is about, people helping each other, so he definitely deserves kudos!

I'm glad the info helped, & good luck!

 

Thanks superchips. My mind is definitely made up as far as what brand i go with and where i get it from. Now I just have to see if I can delay the birth of my son a little bit. Just kidding. I hope to order within the next 8 weeks or so.

 

Hi AsheFX4,

Congrats on expecting a son, that's wonderful!

I hope all goes well with the birth, etc.

 

Thanks. My wife and I are really excited. I am really looking forward to all those "firsts" that I shared with my dad...first hunt, first "legal" beer, first hand-me-down Ford truck. It feels kind of weird to know that I will be a dad soon, but I am looking forward to it.