Guys this is making me nervous. I put the gryphon on a few days ago. The truck is idling low. It pulses at times. it went from the 500s at idle down to the 400s then shot back up. I read this is the TB but I have no idea how to clean it and I dont want to have a problem with my truck. Is this something a local shop could clean for me. I'm sick to my stomach right now about this.

 

No CEL?

 

Nope. It sounds like this is the cause tho. The symptoms are exactly what I am having.

 

Well I got some advice from Jim and upped my idle. I bumped it up to +200 and the low idle is gone. My truck idled low to begin with and the Gryphon put it over the edge. I idle in the 700s now so maybe at some point I will drop it to the 600s, but the truck ran awesome. Best it has to date and the power is great on level 2 while I wait for my custom tune.

 

With my rig I would see the idle sitting around 520 and didn't even stumble.

 

TruckGuy has a 2004, Ftruck. I suspect he has enough miles on it to have a somewhat "crudded up" TB. Bill Cohron explains it this way: The buildup is so slow, the adaptive learning in the PCM is able to compensate. Suddenly, though, a new tune is introduced that is set up for a clean TB. The PCM can't adapt, and the truck idles poorly.

TruckGuy, cleaning the TB seems pretty simple. If you have a few basic tools and a modest amount of skill, I doubt you'd have a problem. Just wait till you have a day free to mess with it and don't undo something you can't figure out how to put back together.

- Jack

 

Jack, the truck has 43k on it. I am 18 and no mechanic at all. The upped idle seemed to help, so what think I will do is see how it goes and then have the mechanic that does our work take a look and clean it if it needs it.

 

I suspect you're selling yourself a bit short, besides, how else can you learn?

However, it's not going to hurt having the idle raised. I'd try reducing it though, unless you already have, to as low a value as possible without having the rough idle problem. I think around 600rpm is pretty "normal". Try 650, and if that works, try 600. The higher idle works against your brakes when stopping, and that's not really a good thing to have happening.

And, 43K doesn't really seem like enough miles for the dirty TB either, unless the gas you're using is not too good (which is a possibility). I wonder if yu've possibly "over-oiled" the K&N? I think that can cause some "buildup" problems.

- Jack

 

I will drop it tomorrow to about 650 or so. I use shell gas for the most part and have never oiled the K&N. It is a few months old and I plan on washing it out when it needs to be cleaned and not oiling it at all. I went to +200 on the idle like Jim said so would you do +150?

 

Sure, it doesn't hurt to try reducing the idle and see what happens. And, I'm sorry, somehow I thought K&N filters had to be oiled. *shrug* Shell gas should be fine, so I'm not coming up with a good reason for the poor idle now at all.

- Jack

 

K&N drop-in filters come pre-oiled. He hasn't had to clean and re-oil his yet, apparently.

 

Jack, I am curious if it is just that my truck idled low to begin with. See the idle wasn't terrible. it would be when I shifted into R P or D from one of the others. It would drop down to 460 or so then rise back up. It idled ok, but too low for my likings. I noticed after installing the Gryphon, my idle lowered a bit, but the poor idle has taken place in the last day or two. It has been very cold as well so maybe that added to it.

 

Yeah, exactly. The MAF was cleaned a few weeks ago as well.

 

If you run the K&N, when you wash it, you need to reoil it for it to be effective. Just reoil it lightly. I have never had a problem and I have oiled mine 4 times. Also, on the idle. Early on, Edge advised us to set the idle between 750 to 1000 with the higher number being better if you were doing some racing. Mine has always been 750 to 800 with no problems at all. This is where Bills custom tune set the idle as well and I never changed it. There is nothing wrong with backing off from the 750, but if you do, do it in small increments until your stumble returns, then go back up. It may help you a little with gas mileage as you are using less at red lights, etc.

 

Yeah Ill do that. Do you guys think I should be worried, or does it seem like my truck jsut did not like such a low idle?