Alright.... well the 4 weeks is upon us (me) and I am expecting my tunes from Troyer annnnnnnnnnnny minute now .. .... ...... ......... ........... ................... OK, so its not the end of the week just yet, but it will be over the 4 week time that I was told by Wednesday. If no tunes are in hand by then, I'll assume that my request was lost in the sauce again. In preparation for that I figured I'd ask a few of you Xcal2 users for a quick go over this to make sure I've got my ducks all lined up in a row.

I'm a computer tech, so the software bit and idea of flashing to me is second nature..... 1 make sure you've got the proper software loaded, 2 NEVER flash something that may loose power during the flashing process, OK. 3, remove that one fuse. I also get the entire process for flashing.... what I DON'T know is how to determine if the tune is working properly and not throwing something out of whack.

The Xcal has the ability to data-log, is this a commonly used feature to determine what is right and what is not in a custom tune. If so, which parameters are you guys recording and comparing to check the stability/safety of your new tune? Any help with that would be great. Other than just testing the feel of the extra power, is this the only way I should be checking the work done by the tuner?

 

Just calm down and read the instructions again.
Here's this also.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/ch...ogrammers.html

 

I get how to load them into the tuner, and how to load them from the tuner to the truck. My may question was "How do you check the tunes you receive for their integrity and make sure they are running perfectly" I don't want to throw them onto the truck and just assume that they are working properly if they feel right, you know?

 

I don't think you CAN check what you want to check. To do so, you would need to be able to read the machine code that has been loaded into the vehicle's EPROM and you would have to know a great deal about the electronic and mechanical systems in your truck. Then, you would have to be able to compare every byte of the program with what are considered valid or safe values for each system.

The program you load does have at least checksum verification, so it's doubtful that it could be corrupt and still load properly. And, even if it somehow passed the verification but was still corrupt (two or more "offsetting" errors), the truck would probably not even start, or, if it did start, you would see immediate DTCs.

I honestly think you are worried about a "non-problem".

- Jack

 

No sir....... hehe, I guess I'm not being very clear.

I'm wondering how, when you guys get your tunes..... do you test them to see how well they work with your truck. As in "Is my A/F Ratio right or is it lean.. or rich"... how much hotter is my timing... whatever. How do you guys personally check to see the work of the tuner..

If you had two programs from two separate tuners for the same exact thing... how would you determine which is better.

 

Take it to a dyno shop...

 

The best way to check to make sure the tunes are safe and preforming better is to put it on a dyno and have the guys monitor A/F ratio, torque and HP over a range of RPMs.

The cheaper way is by the butt dyno. Does it feels like it is running better, if so then it must be. Although you can not check A/F ratio this way with out installing a gauge.

 

Well the Xcal 2 has data logging abilities, would A/F ratio be an option on there, and is it accurate enough to use the data from it? Are there any other parameters on the Xcal data logging worth using to check the performance of the vehicle or is it so inaccurate that i'm better off dyno'ing it?

 

I don't think you can data log A/F ratio with the XCal2. The XCal2 like most tuners only read the OBDII port and I don't think there is an A/F ratio to monitor. The only way I know to monitor your A/F ratio is have a device welded into the exhaust pipe and then a guage put inside the vehicle.

If you take it to a Dyno they will generally unplug one of the O2 sensors and plug in an A/F sensor to monitor it while on the dyno.

As far as other things to monitor to check performance I don't think there are any on the tuners.

 

Fair enough, thanks for the info Geo

With that said then... what is a fair/average price of Dyno time, and are there certain testing methods I should be looking for in a Dyno shop. I remember someone mentioning Troyer's testing methods being very specific, like doing each run in 2nd gear I believe, something like that. What should I be looking for, never Dyno'ed anything.

 

I have only had my Mustang dyno'd and that was down here in Texas. I am not sure what the method is for your year truck. With the Mustang they wanted it locked into a 4th gear.

I beleive the price for just dyno is around $100 down in these parts. My was done in conjuction with a tune so I really don't know. Best to call a couple of shops there in Fairbanks and see what they are charging. Of course it is really nice to do a before tune and after tune dyno run to really see what improvement was made.

 

If you really want to see the a/f then invest in one of these wideban kits.
http://www.vmptuning.com/store/index...arent=115&pg=1

 

Thanks for the advise guys..... I'm even more put out now that I just called Troyer Performance to see what the status of my tunes were. I was expecting a "Ohh, they have been working on them" or something to that effect. Instead I was told that there are 3 people in front of me. When I asked roughly how long it takes to get through 3 people I was told that it takes anywhere from 2-3 weeks depending on whats going on in the shop. I told them that I had spoke to Crystal 4 weeks ago and she said that I would receive my tunes in 4 weeks...... well here we are 4 weeks along and still no tunes or word back. The guy on the phone said "Crystal is no longer with us"..... I'm not sure if he means she quit or was fired... or if he means she is no longer alive *shrug*, hopefully she is still well because she was one of the only people there that was willing to give me an answer and was always nice about things.

This really ticks me off..... He said he would talk with the Mike to let him know my situation, If I don't have tunes by the end of the week then I'm going to take my business elsewhere.

 

That's just unsat.

FYI, I see Mike has made exactly ONE post here in the past YEAR.

 

That's really to bad!
You could give Justin@VMP a shot?