TA,
Yes, I just updated my Evo. with the new Firmware that says "UNSTABLE"
I programmed in level two and made a few tweaks to test it. Seems noticeably better, although I was disappointed to find that in the second to last turn into my development on the way home...you guessed it, my truck stalled, for the first time with this new update. I thought I was so close to having solved my issue. Everything worked seamlessly, made a few turns, let off the gas, turned around, got on it hard and everything sounded/felt great. Aside from the one stall-out like I said. I'll let the program "sink in" overnight and try it again on the way to work in the morning. Hopefully all goes well. I'll post an update in the afternoon.

 

First of all Welcome to F150online,

Just a little advice here if I may. Remember to have your ignition key on when you replug the edge into the truck after updating, Ive noticed no one has been mentioning this. having the key off can cause custom problems as well.
Also I noticed that your firmware version is 2.5, You may want to double check this as well.
I am currently at work so I can't confirm this right now but,, after speaking with Bill and Edge techs over the past 2 weeks myself for the same problems your having, I found that in the root folder of the lightning software you have 2 exe files. one is for the newer versions of edge called lightning3.exe, and the other is just simply lightning.exe.
From what I can gather from talking with edge is they left the lightning one in from the former version so you would have the data logging reader. This one is the 2.5 version while lightning3.exe is 3.0 version. You must use this one when updating the edge calibrations.

Once again I will need to confirm this in the morning when I get home, my numbers may be off. Check and see for yourself as I work nights and you will see this before I get back to it.

Also, some are having better luck for some reason by returning the truck to stock before setting custom programming.

Hope this helps you as I know how you feel. On this forum as you can see we have been studying on this issue for a bit now.
So far my truck has been running like a champ with the new "unstable" update.
I believe Bill (and edge) call it unstable for now as there waiting to get feed back from us for a bit.

On that note,, I will shutup now. Hope you get it right soon.

 

EZRIDR,
I've been re-plugging the module with the ignition key on, so at least I know i'm doin that right. Now, when I say firmware version, this actually comes from data displayed by the Evo screen while in truck (go to 'diagnostics', then 'version info' and it will spit all these numbers at you) . I wasn't referring to my Lightning software on my PC because as far as that goes I do have the v3.00.024388 as the "Evolution Lightning USB Interface" and on the CD that came with my Evo it says "Edge Lightning Software" VERSION 3.2.2987.
I've opened the update from the PDF file on EDGE's website, clicked on the link, downloaded the software, went through install process, and then it gives me a message pretty much stating that the latest version of Lightning is already installed on my computer and that the update is complete.

Another footnote, I had the unit out of the truck last night to install the "unstable" update and my Lightning Software made the update just fine. SO, any remaining problems I may have I believe are in the Custom tuning options, and not my software, but software runs hand-in-hand with the Evo so there might be a problem i'm not aware of. Thanks EZRIDR.

Still testing the program I created last night in LEVEL 2.
So far, I've been just around town with the new program. No stalling yet, or erratic behavior. *knock on injection molded plastic*

 

Welp,, sounds like you got it covered, and yes, I was speaking of the software version numbers not firmware, My bust :o

 

Hey all, I am looking to compare tunes with anyone who has the 4.6 motor
(2004-or later model year, mine is a 2005.) I would like to compare apples to apples for lack of a better analogy. I feel like the 5.4 tunes you guys have posted are great, but want a better representation of what I can do with my 4.6 to get good results as well. Here is my custom tune so far. Let me know what you think.

LEVEL 2 CUSTOM PROGRAM
87/89 OCTANE (LITTLE BIT OF BOTH IN THE TANK)

WOT SHIFT RPM
1-2 5025
2-3 5025
3-4 4800

WOT SHIFT FIRMNESS
1-2 +16
2-3 +14
3-4 +12

REV LIMITER
5400

SPEED LIMITER
110 MPH

STOCK GEARS
3.55

AFTERMKT TIRE SIZE
2546mm, actual mm size is 2610mm, but compensate for 5% "squish" per EDGE

TIMING ADVANCE
.50 (USING 87 OCTANE FUEL) PROBBLY GO MORE WITH 89 OCTANE? What about 93 OCTANE?? whats the rule of thumb? (aside from listening for spark knock, I know that is the main issue)

WOT FUEL DELIVERY
1.35 (REMEMBER THIS IS LEVEL 2) SHOULD I GO MORE? KEEP IN MIND 4.6 ENGINE

IDLE RPM
125 (WHICH EQUATES TO 25% INCREASE FROM STOCK IDLE) 100 WOULD BE STOCK, CORRECT?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated... ASEMechanic (BILL), can you shed any light on the "Un-altered" Level 2 program??:o

 

Idle adjustment is an adder, not a percent, so 125 = Stock+125 RPM, or about 725 RPM in Neutral and 650 RPM in Drive.

The general rule of thumb for timing adjust is:

• Add .5 degrees for every octane point.
• Add .5 degrees for every 1500 feet of elevation.
• The engine will experience detonation long before you hear it. The Knock Sensor will compensate for any minor knock resulting from additional timing, but only so far. The max timing the Knock Sensor can pull out is usually around 6 degrees so it is possible to have more advance than the PCM can safely correct for. When in doubt, back it out.

As far as Tire Size, I have actually found that Ford uses around a 7% squish factor based on values I used in the IDS scan-tool. However, when doing a rolling test of the tires, I have found that 5% works better.

WOT fuel... Stock is 1.10. I have found that at sea-level, values of 1.5 tend to work well. At altitude, 1.35-1.40 works well. For full exhaust and CAI, 1.6-1.75 seems to help clear up that slightly lean condition at WOT.

Hope this helps.

Bill

 

Hey Bill;

Just an FYI - on the knock sensing system capabilities .. I think's it's got more range ...

Concur that fellas should NOT be using their ears to gauge incipient knock - by the time you can hear it, the PCM is already busy pulling timing and performance suffers... *someone* needs to construct a quickie primer on using the on-board logging in the Edge to help in this regard lol.

Hope this helps folks ...


bubba

 

Not to argue (well, maybe a little ), but I beg to differ...



and



Of course, this is an 04 4.6L, but almost all the other calibrations are similar. I have not seen anything in the range of 12 degrees retard since the early to mid 90's.



Bill

 

Thanks!

Very interesting, that - would it indeed be the same across all calibrations, or specific to engine type, etc.

Further, is it possible to extend that range programmatically with aftermarket tuning?

Good stuff, sir!

Bubba

 

Most calibrations will be in the same range. Maybe a degree or so up or down. and yes, it is certainly possible to extend the range but I'd rather just not add too much timing. As good as the knock system is, I don't like to rely on it any more that I have to. It is just better to start off with a good solid tune.

Also, just as little insider info... When the calibrations are developed, we actually disable the knock retard and tune using the main timing maps along with some of the ambient modifiers (ECT, ACT) to achieve the specific curves we are looking for. Once completed, we re-enable the knock tables to allow for a safety margin. Obviously it is a little more involved than that, but it gives you the general idea.

Enjoy.

Bill

 

Thanks for the insight, Bill. Appreciate it.


bubba

 

Here is the stock and my modified tables for advance knock on PCE2.

Stock


Mine

 

Somebody uses SCT... hee hee If you look closer, those tables are the Knock Sensor Advance Limit not the Knock Sensor Retard. Big difference...

Knock Advance Limit is how much timing advance is allowed under a no-knock condition. Setting this to zero would effectively eliminate any advance modifiers based on ECT & ACT (and other minor factors). Not a big deal, but not good for max performance. Your table indicates that the PCM will allow as much as 7-8 degrees of advance given specific conditions.

Knock Retard is the amount of total timing retard available under a knock condition. Setting this to zero would eliminate any timing retard when a knock is detected. Big deal! Mucho bad if you are pushing the ragged edge. In any event, this was the table we were discussing.

With that said, I do stand corrected as the 2007 calibrations do go up as much as 12 degrees of retard. So my apologies to MGDfan... you are certainly correct with your previous statement. Somehow I either missed or forgot that those table did go to 12 deg retard at anything over 60% load.

Hope this helps clear that up. L8r G8r

Bill

 

Also keep in mind there is a deg/sec vs rpm that timing is advanced and reatrded. And a VCT multiplier based on the cam.

 

Oops, i didn't want to be a retard so i was advanced. lol

Here is the RETARD table on a 2006 F150 5.4l 3v PCE2