I would like to know if anyone has used the edge canned tunes "AND" the PHP custom tunes??
Will the tunes justify the money spent?? or stay with canned tunes?
Considering, most people stick to few mods like, exhaust, and intake.

Corey, and PHP supporters, please don't take offense to this questioning I am just looking for justification.
thanks
Graham

 

No offense taken at all, Graham. I think it's a legitimate question that deserves an "honest" answer. And my answer is, it's all "subjective".

As I explained in another thread, I have a stock 5.4L SCrew with the Ford tow package. I pull a farirly light (for this truck) trailer weighing about 3600# and, as you can see in my sig, I have a bed shell that adds about 200# and sticks up about 6" above the cab.

I was happy enough with the Edge I had and it's "stock" towing tunes, but then I decided to call Bill and discuss my needs with him. This was prompted in part by the rising gas prices.

He explained that the Level 2 "tow" setting was not really right for me. That it was designed for pulling a trailer in the 6-7000# range where you needed lots of low-end torque just to get the thing moving. I wanted to have "passing power" though and didn't really need that low-end grunt.

He didn't try to sell me on anything, but it wasn't hard for me to make up my mind that $50 seemed cheap enough for a design that was geared more to my driving needs.

Since I've gotten that tune, I have not towed the trailer, but, I have driven the truck up and down Mt Lemmon (about a 7000 ft climb) and over the mostly level highways to an old ranch house we help maintain. I've never seen gas mileage much above 15.2 in this truck. But, in the driving I just described, I got 15.7. (My odometer is accurate and I divided the miles by the gas I filled up with). So, about 0.5 mpg better - not a lot, but better.

We'll be taking a trip up into Colorado next month with the trailer. I'll have a better answer for you then. Up to now, the best mileage I've gotten with the trailer was a touch over 12 mpg.

Subjectively, then, so far for me it was money well spent. Sorry I can't answer you better than this.

- Jack

 

Ive sent my edge already to PHP, but I was just wondering. Isnt there a way for us to custom tune the edge ourselves? Does Bill do any more than simply go through the different set-ups on the edge and lower or raise each one to fit our needs?

 

LOL It's very rare that I get offended. Honest. If I was spending the money, you'd better believe that I'd get all the information that I could before laying out the cash! I can give you my opinion, but you may think it's biased. I will politely bow out and let others speak if they wish. If you'd like, you're welcome to call and talk to Bill. (I still haven't finished your e-mail!) He wrote the canned tunes for the Evo, and he writes the tunes for PHP. Frankly, he'd be the best person to ask. We'll never try to talk someone into buying our product for the sake of making a sale. It's just not us, that's not how we do business, and that's not the way we live our own lives. We'll never be the guys on top that got there by cutting everyone down. It's SO not worth it.

 

I ran the Edge canned tunes for about 16 months and some 37,000 miles. Most of it was on level 3 with 93 octane. I was content with level 3 except for one thing. There were dead spots when it would not downshift and it would leave me hanging in traffic. I do a lot of freeway and 2 lane highway driving, so when I hit the pedal, I need it to respond. I ordered the 87 Perf and the 93 Perf custom tunes and they are worth every penny. I told Bill I needed it to downshift at any speed, and it does. I can be running 70 mph, hit it and be doing 90 in a hurry! Also, the first thing you will notice is the sound of the engine sucking more air when you get on it. That is a sure sign it is using the fuel more efficiantly to provide more power. I now run the 87 Perf tune most of the time and it exceeds the Edge level 3 canned tune. You will not be disappointed, I assure you.

 

If you have a minute, go to the DOWNLOADS page on our website, and you can see the software we use; it's actually available for purchase. On an average custom calibration, Bill tweaks about 100 parameters, functions, and maps. Wanna give it a try? I've seen him do it a zillion times, and you couldn't pay me enough to touch one of those maps.

 

Haha, I will pass on the tweaking the parameters. Im excited to get my tune and see what it can do. Although with a lift and 35s, i dont think I will be outrunning much Nevertheless, Im still very excited.

-Jeff

 

And, just in case someone doesn't understand (this question has been asked before) a custom tune is much more than just "adjusting" the customer paramaters in a programmer.

The tuning expert is playing with the way your PCM is working the fuel-air mixture ratio, the timing, and other things I haven't a clue about over the entire operating envelope.

I'm happy to give this task to someone who understands something about this engine!

- Jack

 

Your talking about custom settings that the user can change. Bill modifies the program that uses those settings. He changes the air/fuel ratio, timing and all sorts of things that cannot be changed with the settings. I assure you, it is a big difference. I had him fix my shift pressure, and other settings while he was at it so i don't have to. But, that is only a small part of what he does.

 

I guess I'm not getting the answer i want..
from my understanding, and what I've read not only in this thread but many others, are that custom tunes basically are altered to each individuals tastes?
So would these 2 scenarios justify spending more money or am i being difficult?
My truck shifts firmly on level 3, almost to the point where you hear the linkage knocking when it shifts??? So i would want softer shifting.. buttt i don't want to sacrifice performance?
and my second and more important issue would be I really have my heart set on using my $400 worthless intake. It makes horrible drone and vibration sounds when used alongside the programmer but without the programmer its fine??
I'm sorry Corey(if your still reading) about nagging on the same question but I guess i didn't find satisfaction in Bills response.. again no offense.
I really want everything that i have spent money on to work together in harmony! and not have to do away with one because it conflicts with the other...

any other insight..
and BTW thanks guys for the responses and input!
Graham

 

Graham -

Maybe you've not asked the right questions.

What you just posted makes sense to me, though. I can tell what you are looking for, I think.

I feel confident Bill can write you a tune that will maximize the potential benefit of your intake.

You can adjust the shift "feel" yourself if you don't like what you are getting.

Is it worth it? I thought so.

- Jack

 

Graham,

No offense is taken. Honestly. You could come on here and say that Bill was the lousiest tuner out there, and I still wouldn't be offended. I'd think you're wrong, but I wouldn't be offended. Like I said above, if I were going to spend the money, I'd want to know EVERYTHING about the products and it capabilities. Please don't feel like you have to apologize about asking questions. I'm a teacher in my other life. It goes with the territory. Hopefully, you can gather enough information to make an educated choice about what programmer you want and which tuner you want to write your calibrations. I can't fault you for that! Ask away!

 

...and if I WAS offended, so what? I'm a big girl. I'd need to get over it!

I won't name names, but I know of a female on another forum who insists that everything negative posted about her and her husband's company be removed immediately. What a crock!

Nobody and no company is perfect. The bad stuff is just as important as the good stuff for a consumer. Why paint a false picture?

Anyway... as I was saying...

ASK AWAY, Graham!

 

Ok, now you have asked some specific questions. First, your shift pressure. You do realize that to get softer shifting, you are building slippage into the transmission? The clutches will last longer and there should be less heat buildup with firmer shifts. Of course, there is probably a spot where you want to be. Firm enough to eliminate those negatives of a soft shift but not so hard as to do damage or to be annoying. That is where a custom program will benefit, you just have to communicate to the guy doing your program what you want.

The intake. In my opinion, you should not even attept to use a CAI with a stock or a canned program. The canned programs are designed for stock intakes and you run a great risk of running lean. A custom program is a must to run a CAI. Now the drone: it can be minimized, but I doubt eliminated. Not if you want the CAI and your programmer do what they are designed to do. The CAI is designed to flow as much air as possible and the custom program should be designed to use all the air it can for the proper fuel mix. That higher volume of air will make noise and the CAI does not have a muffler on it like the stock intake. The more air that the engine can take, the more fuel it can take and this is more power. I think Bill or Troyer or Justin will work with anyone to get as close as possible to what they are wanting to achive, but I think you have to make sure that what you want is achieveable and not in opposition to each other. Hope this make sense, at least it did to me.

 

OKAY. I'm sorry for being sorry!
I will pencil in some phone time to call Bill and verify everything so that I'm not misinterpreted or so i don't misunderstand things. I just didn't want to bother Bill, or yourself corey when i don't even have the money to purchase tunes.

Bluejay & J&J,
Firm is fine, but when I'm in traffic and shift inbetween 1 to 2 a heavy clunk should not be expected, right? It happens no matter what LVL i'm on. but goes away when i return my truck to stock.
do either of you have intakes? what mods do you have in conjunction to your PHP tunes? '

okay heres the status of my truck as of now! Hopefully this will give a better understanding of whats going on as a whole?
'04 5.4L SCrew FX4, 3.73. 3" front spacer, 33's
I have a simple exhaust, SI/SO 3" piping, FM super 44 muffler and dumped aft axle,
Due to the edge I've since upgraded to a gatorback serpentine.
I purchased a volant intake about a year ago and have used it a total 15 hours due to conflicts with edge.
As of right now my edge is out of my truck and the intake is in, my Edge Evo is on its way back to Edge for some updating. EEEF2400 and vista issues.