Programming in Cold Weather
 

Before I install my gryphon today, as it arrived yesterday :thumbsup:, I thought I'd ask if there are any problems loading the new tunes in cold weather. I do not see why there would be, but I have read on another forum that there might be issues.

When I say cold, I mean -16 degrees here in Canada or 3 degrees in the US.

I'll be patiently waiting. HA HA

You've read the same forums that I've read. I suspect the problem is due to low battery voltage, rather than any difficulty caused by the unit itself or the PCM being cold. Usually, electronic devices work better when they're cold, although LCD screens can malfunction then. And, we all know that cold weather kills a battery's output.

I think what I'd do in your position is hook a battery charger up on a low charge setting, say 2 amps if you have one that can deliver that kind of charge (I do). Let it sit like that for about 30 minutes to bring the battery up to a good charge state and then go ahead and try to install the Gryphon and program the PCM. I'd leave the charger connected the whole time.

Of course, Bill should really be answering this, since he knows the unit best, but I don't see how what I suggest would hurt anything. Because my truck sits for long periods (weeks) in my garage, I keep it connected to a battery tender. I've programmed the PCM without disconnecting the battery tender.

Failing the charger route, just drive the truck until it warms up completely. Then, shut it down and immediately try to install and program the PCM. Make sure all accessories in the truck are turned off first, especially your DRL's and the heater blower. (The same advice for accessories applies to doing it on a charger too).

- Jack

Battery voltage is definitely an issue when programming in cold weather, but according to Ford's own internal documents as well as documentation from the manufacturers of some of the components, the PCM should not be reflashed until the unit temperature is at least 35º F (3º C). This actually has to do with the way the flash memory is written, which can be unstable in colder temperatures.

The best solution, as Jack indicated, is to run the truck for a bit and allow it to reach full operating temperature. This gives the battery a chance to receive a full charge and allows the PCM to warm up internally. Also, as Jack so wisely indicated, makes sure to turn off any accessories such as the heater blower, DRLs, and radio.

One thing people also overlook is the impact PTT (Nextel) Cellphones can have on the communications. CAN is a very robust communications protocol, but the microwave emissions to and from the phone can conceivably cause an issue during programming so I'd recommend keeping it far away from the programmer. I'm not aware of any specific instance where a failure occurred, but better safe than sorry.

Thanks for catching that one, Jack! :thumbsup:

Oh... and 3º F. is freaking COLD! Brrrrrr!!! :D

Hope this helps.

I did allow the truck to warm up and I waited until the it was a little warmer. Worked fine and I can really notice the difference in the shifts. I am looking forward to the custom tunes.

Glad you answered this one Bill -

I hadn't thought a cold PCM would be a problem and a cellphone? Sheesh! :yikes2: Interesting that the PCM's ROM seems to be able to "hold" its programming, once programmed, into sub-zero temperatures.

We don't worry much about cold weather in Tucson - forecast to reach 73 degrees today. :Yawn:

- Jack

Going down to -20C or -4F for you USA folks tonight. :thumbsdwn: I wish it was 73F here.

-20º C? :confused: :omg: That's just crazy! :notallthere: I'll even take my miserable 5º C (42º F) as opposed to that. :yesnod:

I bet it makes keeping warm a whole lot more fun, though! :cuddle:


Take care.

Dressed like you (in a loincloth) :covereyes: 5º C (42º F) has to have a pretty severe "chill factor"! :cold: Glad us old farts :geezer: have warmer climes to escape to. :devilwink:

(This is awful - I could spend my whole life here just thinking of ways to use these smileys). :yikes2:

- Jack

we are at -18c here today but more like -30c with wind chill. Severe snow strom as well......my Gryphon has been working fine though in the cold weather so far this winter!

Chris, that is just SO WRONG! :brrr: I've always wondered how anyone could live where it's so cold. :snowedunder: I get annoyed when it's below 40° F. Care to share some insight with me? Like, how do you even function? Or is it that it's so normal that it's not a big deal?

Well Corey, it's pretty normal to get that cold here in December through February. It's the windchill though that will really bite yah!
We get extreme high's and lows in both winter and summer.......so we just get used to it.
We do take a trip down south somewhere to get a break from winter when we need it though!

LMAO, Jack! Here I am thinking Loincloth? What the :devil: is he talking about? And I just got it! :smiley_roll1:

I know what you mean about these damn smilies. I'm determined to use each and every one of them at some point. :hehe:

I don't have any choice. That's how Corey dresses me. Notice that my toes are in danger of frostbite, too! I guess when you're a big, tough dude you just have to grin and bear it.:hehe:

we were down to as low as -36 deg c this week, mind you last year we had times of colder then -40 c.

One question though, is it ok to run a performance tune on a diesel at those temps?

As far as I know, sonic, once the tune is programmed in, you're good to go! I've never read anything pro or con about using an already loaded custom tune in extreme cold.

- Jack

problem is 6.0l's are a lot louder in cold ambient temps (-20), vs warmer temps even when stock.

Now a tuned 6.0l is noticeably louder then a stock tuned 6.0l in the first place, thus my concern.

I also wonder why the tune has to be louder at idle in the first place, i suppose it could be to lessen fuel usage by advancing timing, etc when idling, but does it have to be that way?

My concern is not really the diesel " noise ", its hard to explain, but if one has ever heard a cold and i mean -30 c cold 6.0l, run then they would know why i might be concerned about tuning on a 6.0l at -30c.

Of course common sense applies to allowing any engine to warm up before driving but my concern is the initial start up.

I guess what im wondering is that on a stock tune vs custom tune is extreme ambient temps taken into consideration?

I don't understand what you mean when you say "timing". Is it valve timing? Can this be adjusted on diesels? As you can see, I know next to nothing about this kind of engine beyond the fact that it ignites fuel using compression only once started and that it has more power potential.

I suppose it idles at higher RPM when cold, like a gas guzzler? If so, it's getting a somewhat richer fuel mixture, and maybe the throttle is held a bit more open? Could it be that this is a normal sound at this RPM that is partially masked by road noises if the vehicle is underway?

My sister's truck has the same engine as yours. Someday, maybe I'll talk her into getting one of Bill's tunes for it. And, she's in Colorado Springs, where it gets pretty cold too.

I'd be good if someone with diesel knowledge added their thoughts here. In the meantime, I'll try to keep the thread alive.

- Jack

Just for reference, what gassers call "timing" is called "start of injection" or SOI on a diesel. This is ROUGHLY the same comparison although spark timing on a gas is more of an instant reaction while a diesel has a small delay between the time the fuel is injected and the time it actually starts to burn. This just semantics, though.

Anyway, the reason for the extremely advanced timing in cold weather is because the diesel fuel burns SO SLOWLY at those temps that it can take as much as 20 or 30 degrees more timing just to keep the engine running. Of course, as the engine warms up, the timing will back down significantly.

Diesels also monitor Intake Air Temp since colder air needs to be heated a bit before entering the cylinder. This is what glow plugs and intake air heaters are for. Diesels also use the Intake Air Temp to advance the SOI so the engine can run properly. This is the reason that even with the engine fully warm, it is always a little "louder" in the winter than it is in the summer.

Hope this helps.

So, fuel is injected earlier in the intake stroke on a cold engine. Did I understand this correctly? And somehow the effect of that and intake heating cause the engine to be louder. It's great to learn new things!

And, since you didn't say to the contrary, a custom tune will not cause harm in cold weather.

Interesting that a tuned diesel is louder than an untuned one. My guess here is though, that it is getting more gas (so it can develop the additional power) that tunes provide. So, more gas and possibly more air too (to balance things) means a louder burn, right?

- Jack

I tuned program can be harmful to an engine if it is too aggressive, whether it's gas or diesel, hot or cold. The reason tuned diesels are "louder" is indicative of the advanced injection timing and is normal.

In most circumstances, I don't really do much for tuning in the portions of the maps that are below 120ºF. This way it allows the engine to warm up before really putting any power to it. There might be a little timing but that's usually about it.

Diesels are odd engines to understand completely. Gas is much simpler, except for the Air/Fuel Ratio bit.

Take care.

Cold Weather Issues
 

My display crapped out last week during cold snap ... I started pushing buttons and I think I got the contrast messed up. Brought it inside to warm up and thought I would hookup to check for updates. Warning that would erase custom files so disconnected and connected back to truck. Contrast still bad but stuck on scrren display showing HEX code of PCM. Pushed enter to continue but looks like "programmer is froze up". Will not continue on to other display. This is the first problem that could be related to the cold ... Blll probably will get back to me if he has a "fix".
Stay warm for those living north of the 40th

Wayne,

As soon as I get back on Monday, I'll take a look and see what might be causing the problem. I do know that the boards have a thermistor that is supposed to self adjust the contrast based on temperature which helps cold and hot weather display. The fact that you brought it in the house to warm up and it started to display a little might mean there is a problem with the thermistor and it's not correctly sensing temperature. :confused:

As for getting stuck on the ID for the PCM, that's an odd one. I'll have to take care of that on Monday as well. I'm pretty sure that if the unit can read the PCM ID, then it should be able to continue through to the main display. Again, I wonder if the cold has anything to do with it?? :shrug:

Ever consider moving to the states where it's warmer?? :lol:

Take care.