Rouge idle when cold

[StJohn]

Just had my FICM from my 2004 F250 6.0L tuned by PHP. Installed it and cleaned my EGR at the same time. When I started the engine, it ran very rough, like several cylinders missing. When it warmed up after several minutes it ran better than it has in a long time.
Started it the second morning, same thing. Very rouge idle with pronounced miss. Ran fine after 10 min warmup.
Some tell me that the problem requires that I have my PCM flashed with the latest program.
If I have the PCM reflashed, will it invalidate the PHP FICM tune?
Any advice is appreciated.

[Power Hungry]

Not sure who this is so it's a bit difficult to advise. Please fill in all the information in the User Control Panel http://forum.gopowerhungry.com/usercp.php so we know who we're working with.

As for the FICM/ECM, we occasionally run into this issue. In most cases, we've found the FICM output voltage to be low and with the updated FICM strategy it doesn't (pre)heat the injectors rapidly enough to help eliminate the cold start issue. I don't think reflashing the ECM will resolve the starting issue as the Inductive Heating strategy is handled solely through the FICM. The simple resolution is to switch the FICM strategy to the more aggressive Inductive Heating strategy which unfortunately is sure to eventually kill the FICM. There may be some other resolutions, but need to know who this is so I can reference your order and get a clear idea of what we've got going on.

Let me know.

[rodolan]

I'm having the same problem. Rough idle like hitting on six until it warms up. I've just installed my ficm that I had reprogrammed.It was starting fine with other ficm. I'm on my first tank of fuel so I can't report on my mileage yet. any suggestions.. Thanks......

[Jeremy]

What year is your 6.0? and what's your code?

[rodolan]

What year is your 6.0? and what's your code?

M truck is an 03 and what code are you referring to?

[StJohn]

Never heard back from Bill. The PH FICM tune really improved the way the engine runs at operating temp. But, I have to plug it in every night regardless of the temperature so that it will start in the morning.
Anyone else have this problem with the PH FICM tune?

[rodolan]

Never heard back from Bill. The PH FICM tune really improved the way the engine runs at operating temp. But, I have to plug it in every night regardless of the temperature so that it will start in the morning.
Anyone else have this problem with the PH FICM tune?

I'm having the same problem except I don't have to plug it in. It just runs like crap until it warms up. Geaux Saints.......

[Jeremy]

The code I was referring to was your strategy code like the VXCF4 etc. Its important you guys fill out your user profile including your name, which you have done, but neither of you list your stratgy code.

I'm not sure which program Bill installed in your trucks. As you know they had a really bad Holiday season and are trying to catch up, but I'm sure he address this when he get a minute.

I don't have any heat inductive strategy in my FICM programs, the trucks will miss a little when cold(0-30F) until they warm up. Which doesn’t bother me cause I let them warm up. They've always started like that, but I've never had the Heat Inductive FICM killing Ford Flashes on these one. The trucks I deal with at work do though.

Can each of you tell me how long the injectors buzz when you turn on the key but don't start the engine? And do the injectors buzz the same or do they ramp up the buzzing?

[rodolan]

The code I was referring to was your strategy code like the VXCF4 etc. Its important you guys fill out your user profile including your name, which you have done, but neither of you list your stratgy code.

I'm not sure which program Bill installed in your trucks. As you know they had a really bad Holiday season and are trying to catch up, but I'm sure he address this when he get a minute.

I don't have any heat inductive strategy in my FICM programs, the trucks will miss a little when cold(0-30F) until they warm up. Which doesn’t bother me cause I let them warm up. They've always started like that, but I've never had the Heat Inductive FICM killing Ford Flashes on these one. The trucks I deal with at work do though.

Can each of you tell me how long the injectors buzz when you turn on the key but don't start the engine? And do the injectors buzz the same or do they ramp up the buzzing?

I've had the latest strategy done less than 6 mos. ago. The injector buzz seems to last a few seconds, usually about the same time the wait to start light goes off, If it wasn't raining I could go outside and check strategy, but like I said I has a fe-flash done about 6 mos. ago. The truck runs fine after it warms up just not so good when cold 45* or less. Don't really feel any difference in performance and I'm checking fuel mileage now, will keep you everyone posted, if that improves I can live with the rough cold running. Thanks....

[StJohn]

The code I was referring to was your strategy code like the VXCF4 etc. Its important you guys fill out your user profile including your name, which you have done, but neither of you list your stratgy code.

I'm not sure which program Bill installed in your trucks. As you know they had a really bad Holiday season and are trying to catch up, but I'm sure he address this when he get a minute.

I don't have any heat inductive strategy in my FICM programs, the trucks will miss a little when cold(0-30F) until they warm up. Which doesn’t bother me cause I let them warm up. They've always started like that, but I've never had the Heat Inductive FICM killing Ford Flashes on these one. The trucks I deal with at work do though.

Can each of you tell me how long the injectors buzz when you turn on the key but don't start the engine? And do the injectors buzz the same or do they ramp up the buzzing?
I'm not sure which strategy I have. I get two codes from my scanner, the first is VXBC9N8 and the second is AKZ2AH17. The buzz last for less than a second and doesnt ramp up.
Hope this helps and thanks for the reply.

[Jeremy]

Your code is the VXBC9. I am sorry I cannot be of more help, this one is for Bill, and I know he is busy.

I was asking about how long the injectors buzz, because some of them keep buzzing after the WTS light goes out. The trucks that do that seem to start and run allot better if you wait and start them after the buzzing stops vs. the WTS light going out. A light grade of oil helps, like Rotella 10w30, Delo make a 10w30 now as well. I don't know if you’re running a 15w40 or not.

Also when you park the truck at night, cycle the key on and off a few times. By this I mean....With the truck off...turn the key on, let the injectors buzz, when they stop, turn the key off and then back on again let them buzz and so forth. Do this a few times. This should help to clear some of the oil out of the injectors, and from what I'm told help alleviate some of the stiction.

Give it a try while your waiting to hear back from Bill and please let me know if any of that helps.

[StJohn]

I finally got tired of the hard start issue and took it to the Ford dealer. They reflashed the FICM for $100. The truck starts and runs fine now.
Oh well, expensive lesson learned.:shrug:

[Jeremy]

I posted a note in the moderators section to get Bills attention, hopefully he can come up with a solution for you. Your not the only one who has a issue. Some trucks just don't seem to like the FICM flashes, my Excursion is one of them. However the other trucks run great with the exact same FICM tune. :shrug:

[RoyBoy]

It seems I may have the exact same problem. Just did the remote reflash(worked awesome BTW). Runs terrible cool (even at 60°F) and perfect warmed up. I'd be interested to know if a fix for this comes up...

[eabrust]

Hey Roy,

Did you do the remote FICM flash through a Gryphon? Just wondering how easy/slick it goes..... I'm still waiting for my EVO to come back to me as a Gryphon.

I'm also in the boat of waiting for a fix for the I/H strategy to work in the tuned FICMs. I recently did the modification to my PHP tuned FICM to get it running at 58volts, and still struggle with cold start issues, so I know it isn't a 'low voltage/dying FICM' thing going on for me.

Eric

[RoyBoy]

I believe that was what it was. PHP sent it to me and I tuned the truck and sent it back. I've even put in Rev-X to try to help with stiction without much change. Bill please help us ASAP it's embarrassing to have a truck that runs like this :embarrassed:

[Power Hungry]

We have a truck here today that we're going to test a new strategy update on which we're expecting to resolve the cold start issue. I really dislike having to use the inductive heating strategies, even the mild ones, but it seems that it's a necessary evil for some trucks. So far it looks as if the latest IH strategy isn't killing the power boards in the FICMs, but only time will really tell.

Anyway, I'll have more information by Monday on the release of the new strategy and can get everyone updated to the new strategy. Those who have already been reflashed will be updated at no charge. We just ask that you provide the (refundable) $250.00 deposit for the programmer and cover shipping costs to you. We'll cover the return shipping and include a pre-paid shipping label in the package.

If you are having starting problems with your modified FICM strategy and need to get on the list for the update, please FAX us a copy of the Remote FICM Tuning order form and indicate on the form that you are currently experiencing cold start issues with your current modified flash and would like to be updated. The only reason I ask that you fax it is so that we make sure not to miss anyone's e-mail. As soon as the updates are ready to go, we'll start getting the units sent out in the order we receive the requests.

I want to thank everyone for their patience while we get this resolved. The last couple months have been pretty rough for is personally and has caused us a number of delays in providing a solution for this issue. However, we're finally getting on top of it and expect to have everyone running up to snuff again. :)

Take care.

[Power Hungry]

I finally got tired of the hard start issue and took it to the Ford dealer. They reflashed the FICM for $100. The truck starts and runs fine now.
Oh well, expensive lesson learned.:shrug:

I sure wish you'd have contacted us before you went to the dealer. We'd have had a solution for you here in the next couple days. :shrug:

[RoyBoy]

Fax sent. Thanks Bill! :thumbs up yellow:

[eabrust]

Anyway, I'll have more information by Monday on the release of the new strategy and can get everyone updated to the new strategy. Those who have already been reflashed will be updated at no charge. We just ask that you provide the (refundable) $250.00 deposit for the programmer and cover shipping costs to you. We'll cover the return shipping and include a pre-paid shipping label in the package.



Thanks Bill, Its Awesome to hear that a fix is near, and we weren't all imagining issues with our trucks (Well, I guess the fact our trucks need I/H is an issue in itself, but...oh well)

Two question(s),

1) To get the remote FICM 're-tune' done, do we have to send in deposit for the programmer, or are those with (or soon to have) a Gryphon going to be able to do the remote program with it? (IE, when you ship me my Gryphon, can it be sent ready to flash my FICM, and then after that, I grab the canned or custom tunes w/ Pegasus?)

2) (this question is for my own personal curiosity) Is the inductive heat strategy a hard-coded thing that runs for so long under a timer every time the truck is started no matter what, or does the ECM trigger it when it wants to based on sensor inputs (ambient temp, engine temp, etc)? Guess I'm curious if it is something that you can enable/disable when ever you want with the Gryphon? (ie, have a 'start inductive heating' menu option on the Gryphon which triggers it to turn on/off depending on the temp/how the truck is running,etc.) By no means am I asking you to implement such feature, just curious as to how controllable it is (ie, is it simmilar to the injector buzz test in that it is something that can be triggered on demand).

Thanks again Bill, we know you're burried, and you sell a product most people have a hard time waiting for.... :thumbs up yellow:(thats good, right?)

regards,
Eric

[NHRA6002]

I finally got tired of the hard start issue and took it to the Ford dealer. They reflashed the FICM for $100. The truck starts and runs fine now.
Oh well, expensive lesson learned.:shrug:

I also had to take mine in to the dealer for reflashing. Mine is also one that needs the I/H stategies. Now I'm having troubles with my Evo due to the latest VGT programmimg from Ford. The tech guys at Edge have been great at making changes trying to correct this issue, just got the latest update from Edge and will be testing over the weekend to see if it is corrected.

[Power Hungry]

What sort of problem are you having between the Evo and the latest VGT programming? Also, what's your HEX code for your ECM and TCM? Really curious. :)

[RoyBoy]

Just thought I'd mention for those waiting for the updated flash, it helps a lot (at least on mine) to plug the truck in for an hour before I start it. I know its not a permanent solution, but it will help in the mean time :thumbs up yellow:

[NHRA6002]

What sort of problem are you having between the Evo and the latest VGT programming? Also, what's your HEX code for your ECM and TCM? Really curious. :)

Smoke and high EGT's on levels 2 and up. I'm out of town and trucks at home so don't know the hex codes. Also was not able to test latest program from Edge this weekend (running kids around all weekend).The FICM wil be the latest from Ford with the new VGT programming (they cycle the vanes at idle to help eliminate sticking).

[Georgia Diesel]

ok , first off i want to say a lil something, and im not pointing fingers at anyone, just saying what needs to be said.......The problems with these cold start issues and cold running issues has nothing to do with bills tuning on these ficms. The reasons ford does the IH strats on these trucks is because of the cold issues that these trucks have..The aggresive IH is what is killing these ficms..Now bill can do away with the IH or he can do a very mild IH just depends on what you want. THE PROBLEM YOU MAY HAVE WITH A COLD START OR COLD RUN IS YOUR INJECTORS !!!!!!! If you dont beleave me go drop a few grand and put new sticks in and see how great it runs..Im getting tired of all the bashing going on on these forums about how i got my ficm tuned and now it skips.. Now with this being said I have a 03 6liter and have done a lot of testing and im currently testing for bill...Thru the years ford has developed many different strats to help with cold start issues and emmision control on our trucks, therefor killing performance and fuel mileage....Then comes bill who in my opinion is one of the best tuners and most knowledgable persons that there is on tuning our trucks that can get the fuel mileage and performance back for us, BUT IF YOU HAVE A HARWARE ISSUE WITH YOU TRUCK PERFORMANCE TUNING IS GONNA TELL ON IT....5 seconds of Inductive heating does more than 5 minutes of run time...I recently put my truck back to the original 03 programming ficm,ecm,tcm.tuning it had the day it rolled off the factory line in may of 2003...It runs better stock now than it did with my daily driving tuned truck before...better fuel mileage lower egt's and to say the least it has balls...The original programming for these trucks hauls *** but all the newest strats for our trucks has really robbed performance. Now my ficm has ZERO inductive heating on it..does my truck skip for a few minutes in the morning YES...DO i have a few injectors with sticking spool valves YOU DANG RIGHT....But i can live with a few minutes of skipping in the morning, for all the performance and fuel mileage in return, In my opinion and many , many others ficm tuning is well worth the investment for all the returns you will gain...Now some out there will read this and get all mad or repost this and call names, but opinions are like *******s and everybody has one. The fact of the matter is if you get you ficm tuned and it skips for a few minutes then you have some bad injectors... its not the ficm or bills tuning if you can live with the skip for a few minutes then you will enjoy better fuel mileage, lower egt's and overall better performance......If you cant handle the fact that your injectors are bad and dont like a lil miss in the mornings than leave the current aggresive IH strat in you ficm and when cold weather comes around again you can drop about 6 to 7 hundred bucks a year on a new ficm....Sorry for the long post i just had to say this and will also say on any other post i see....Thanks for reading this and im sorry if i wasted anyones time or pissed anyone off....

[eabrust]

Im getting tired of all the bashing going on on these forums about how i got my ficm tuned and now it skips..

Georgia, you come across sort of harsh... take a breath man. I hope nothing I've said has been misconstrued as 'bashing' through these forums, that's never been my intent, I've just been patiently awaiting some responses or a reflash availability... but here's my thought...to be fair, you might listen to my end.

I agree that the skipping problem is directly a result of sticking injectors that's a given, and that's why Ford has created the inductive heat strategies. Now here's my point of view and where I'm coming from, the PHP tuned FICM was advertised as having a 'hybrid inductive heat strategy' which most anyone out there would believe is similar or equivalent to the Ford IH strategies. Thus, some one like me, average joe with a 6.0, who has a truck that runs great on a Ford FICM, should expect a similar result with the tuned FICM with the IH strategy it is advertied as having. No where on the site has it been advertised that 'Trucks that require I/H strategy will not run well with our tuned FICM'.

I see few potential paths (and these are only my thoughts/opinions).
1) PHP advertises that the tuned FICMs do not provide an IH strategy that works for all, and give fair warning to customers that if they have poor injectors, they will be unhappy or expect start issues.
2) PHP comes up with a FICM strategy that helps those that need it, and in the end, perhaps it is an option on the order form wether or not you order a FICM tune with or without IH strategy enabled. Let the customer chose. If I burn up a FICM, I won't cry, I'll likely fix it myself.


Again, I'm not bashing, I'm not crying, I'm not pointing fingers or blaming anyone, or Bill. I'm just saying what I see from my point of view, and waiting for a strategy that works for me. In fact, despite the intial issues I had w/ my FICM, I've continued on ordering an Gryphon w/ custom tunes from PHP. I have no doubt about Bill or his work! :thumbs up yellow:

Regards,
Eric Brust

[Georgia Diesel]

Again, I'm not bashing, I'm not crying, I'm not pointing fingers or blaming anyone, or Bill. I'm just saying what I see from my point of view, and waiting for a strategy that works for me. In fact, despite the intial issues I had w/ my FICM, I've continued on ordering an Gryphon w/ custom tunes from PHP. I have no doubt about Bill or his work!


this is not the first thread i have seen about this matter and i dont need to take a breath i am fine trust me...You said it all in your one sentence,,,,waiting for a strategy that works for me...Every truck will react different when it comes to custom tuning...what strategy that would be great for my truck may not be for evrybody else....Like i said before I AM NOT POINTING FINGERS OR BLAMING ANYONE,,, I AM JUST SIMPILY SAYING WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID. WHEN you modify these truck everbody takes the risk as there on...so if a tuner or programmer that you install whomever may do it , breaks you vehicle its not the tuners fault...I get sick and tired of reading on the other forums that ( people say WELL MY HEADGASKETS FNALLY BLEW OR MY TRANNY FINALLY WENT GUESS I WILL GO TO THE DEALER TOMORROW) and then a few days later there back on the forum saying ( THE DEALER VOIDED MY WARRENTY OR THEY GET ALL MAD AT FORD OR CHEVROLET OR DADGE AND SAY THEY WE NEVER BUY FROM THEM AGAIN)) I have pulled the engine out of my truck 3 times. can i blame the whoever tuned my truck for its failer.....NOPE sure cant,,,its my fault and i accept 100% of the blame and would never post on a internet site bashing the person that tuned my truck...I have ran tunes from just about every tuner there is thaat does them for sct and i can honestly say that i have never had a issue with the tuning that php supplies.....

[Jeremy]

GD,

Whats the build date on your truck? I'm just curious as to how far back you went on your tuning? I had a early 03, Jan 03 build. It ran like a SOB had pilot injection, a real good tow/haul, just flat hauled the mail.

[Georgia Diesel]

Not for sure as the strat bill put on it as I don't have my truck with me. I think it was a tec1 strat. Bill can confirm it for me. The earlier strats for these trucks really haul *** and have some nuts to them. I personaly love it. Now I am currently talking with ryan about building my sticks for me. Probaly gonna go around 175's but no bigger than 190's. Even with the early ficm strat with zero IH it is really not that bad. I may have to let it idle for 5 minutes or so but I do that anyway even in the summer. I don't remeber the build date but I do remember is is a early 03. My truck stays at home all week as I work out of town a lot. The wife drives it more than I do. I will repost the dates and what strat I running when I get home saturday or bill can post it. He knows. Haha. Its almost fun to drive now. I will say that with this early 03 programming I get better fuel mileage and have better performance than I did before with it tuned in my daily driver file. **** it even rolls a lil coal stock.