Customizing Canned Tunes.

grizzstang · #1 Thu, February 19th, 2009, 11:21 PM

I was trying to customize the level 2 towing tune and it is not going well. If I load it and then go back in and "load previous settings" and make my changes it runs like crap. It idles ruff and the gas smell burns your eyes. If I make the changes as I load the tune it loads fine but I can't see the changes made and if I go and load the previous changes to look it goes back to running like crap again. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks.

***Power Hungry*** · #2 Fri, February 20th, 2009, 12:56 AM

Hmmmm... Not sure what's going on. A couple questions:

1) The first time you went into Custom Options, did you "Load Previous Settings" or did you make initial changes?

2) What are the parameters you modified and what values did you put in?

3) If you make all changes manually, does everything run OK? (I'm assuming from the post, this is the case)

4) When you do "Load Previous Settings" and go through the parameters you modified, do they look correct?

Let me know and I'll see what I can come up with.

grizzstang · #3 Fri, February 20th, 2009, 08:56 AM

1) The first time I tried to change the settings the Load Previous Settings option did not show up. So I changed some of the parameters hit enter to save and done when it was complete.

2) I used a version of what Bluejay did to his truck. I didn't really change anything too much. I don't have the sheet with me right now as I am at work but basically just shift firmness (1,1,0), wot fuel (I tried to use 1.5 here but it would only go as high as 1.3), speed limiter (125), wot shift points (I think that is what it was called = 5200,5200,4800), and gears and tires. I think I remembered them all.

3) If I don't use the Load Previous Settings button and just load the level 2 tune and change the tires and gears it does but I can't tell if the changes took.

4) If I Load Previous Settings it makes all the changes I did the very first time around even though I have returned to stock and reloaded the level 2 tune several times with just changing the gears and tires. I thought the Load Previous Settings function would load the very last thing that was in the computor which right now should be the level 2 towing tune with just the tires and gears changed.

I probably should add that it is a 2003 F150 FX4 4x4 with the 5.4.

***Jackpine*** · #4 Fri, February 20th, 2009, 09:14 AM

grizz, I don't see ANYTHING in your custom options that would cause a rough idle or funny gas smell. It sure sounds to me like for some reason you are running (idling) way rich, and I can't think of any setting you have access to that would cause that to happen.

When you return to stock, does it idle properly and does the exhaust smell normal?

I'm having trouble understanding what you mean when you say: "If I don't use the Load Previous Settings button and just load the level 2 tune and change the tires and gears it does but I can't tell if the changes took." What are you looking for to "see if the changes took"? (I don't see anything - except that the speed and odometer readings are correct).

I'm with you on being puzzled about some of the settings being reloaded even though you don't ask for them though. If I get what you are saying right, you are seeing the shift firmness still at +1, +1, 0 and the Max speed at 125, even though you don't "reload previous settings"?

I suppose one approach would be to use the Custom Options menu to reset everything to the settings Bill gave you when he wrote your tune, or was this the "canned tow tune"?

- Jack

grizzstang · #5 Fri, February 20th, 2009, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackandJanet

grizz, I don't see ANYTHING in your custom options that would cause a rough idle or funny gas smell. It sure sounds to me like for some reason you are running (idling) way rich, and I can't think of any setting you have access to that would cause that to happen.

When you return to stock, does it idle properly and does the exhaust smell normal?

I'm having trouble understanding what you mean when you say: "If I don't use the Load Previous Settings button and just load the level 2 tune and change the tires and gears it does but I can't tell if the changes took." What are you looking for to "see if the changes took"? (I don't see anything - except that the speed and odometer readings are correct).

I'm with you on being puzzled about some of the settings being reloaded even though you don't ask for them though. If I get what you are saying right, you are seeing the shift firmness still at +1, +1, 0 and the Max speed at 125, even though you don't "reload previous settings"?

I suppose one approach would be to use the Custom Options menu to reset everything to the settings Bill gave you when he wrote your tune, or was this the "canned tow tune"?

- Jack

When I return to stock or even just use the level 2 tune with no changes other than tire and gears it seems to run normal.

I read a post of yours on f150 that said it was best to load the canned tune as is first then go back and rechoose it and then Load Previous Settings and then make your changes. If I do that it runs like crap and reaks of gas. Anytime I use the Load Previous Settings button it does this. If I make the changes while I load the tune I can't see they have been changed. Is there no way to tell if the changes you made were loaded by looking at the unit?

I get all that if I do Load Previous Settings even though I have put it back to stock and loaded the canned tow tune with just tires and gear changes two times now. I assumed that the Previous Settings would be the ones last stored in the unit and these are being dug up from 4 loads ago.

I am waiting for Bills tunes. I just had the unit show up in the mail last Thursday. I just wanted to play with it a little first as I heard I am looking at 3 months minimum for my custom tunes. I am not worried about the wait I just wanted to get used to the way the unit works and try a few things out while I do.

***Jackpine*** · #6 Fri, February 20th, 2009, 12:52 PM

grizz, if you read one of my last posts to you over on the f150online forum, you'll see I'm still not sure I understand this "Load Previous Settings" bit at all. And, Bill, I know you've tried to explain it to me, but my feeble little brain seems unable to grasp something - sorry!

Here's a direct link to what I told you there (for anyone who would like to see it): http://www.f150online.com/forums/3598500-post28.html

The only thing you're going to see on the display screen that shows you are running a custom tune is a number in the upper right corner. If you're on Level 2, you'll see a 2 there. You have to take it on faith that other settings have been applied. Some will be obvious. If, for instance you set your shift firmness settings to +10 and then tried a WOT acceleration, you'd definitely feel a difference from 0 at all shifts. If you raise your idle speed, you would see the change if you monitored the RPM on the Gryphon.

You could even floor the thing until you hit MAX RPM and then you'd feel it "cut out". Change the limit RPM and you'd feel the cut out at a different RPM.

That's about the only way I know to test for new settings.

Bottom line though - if it runs good, don't worry and be happy!

- Jack

grizzstang · #7 Fri, February 20th, 2009, 01:26 PM

Thanks JandJ, your doing the same thing as me and hopping back and forth between both these forums. I did see your post on f150 and replied. I will play with it some more and actually drive it and see how it works.

It is good to know that you just have to assume your settings loaded I was trying to check and get a visual confirmation but if you can't you can't.

I think most of my concerns have been answered. I would like to figure out the Load Previous Settings thing but if I can go around it and have it work that will do for now.

***Power Hungry*** · #8 Fri, February 20th, 2009, 02:41 PM

After looking a the code, Load Previous Settings will load in ALL currently modified values including ones that were changed 2, 3, or more sessions prior. I'm not really sure if this was the intended design of that function but I can see where it would cause a fair amount of confusion.

After giving it some thought, I think I will look at revamping the custom options menus to eliminate some of the problem associated with it. One thing I will include is the ability to determine if a parameter has been modified and put a "*" next to it for visual aid. I think that will be a tremendous help for people making custom adjustments.

I don't know when I'll be able to actually make the changes but will get it in as soon as I possibly can.

I guess in the mean time, disregard the Load Previous Settings and just enter the modifications by hand and make sure all that is working correctly.

grizzstang · #9 Fri, February 20th, 2009, 03:05 PM

So it does hang on to past changes. Now if I can just figure out what I did in there the first time to screw it up I'm all set but for now I will be happy the way it is set up currently.

Thanks Bill.

***Jackpine*** · #10 Fri, February 20th, 2009, 04:26 PM

Fair amount of confusion is an understatement, Bill! I think maybe I'm catching a slight glimmer of what's happening though. It WOULD be nice to have the changes to the menu you are thinking of. I sure wouldn't spend time on it right away though if you have custom tunes for people hanging in the fire. (Unless, of course, you need a break from that task and you feel like a different challenge).

I'm still very puzzled about grizz's truck sounding like it was running rich at idle. How in the world could he have altered the idle mixture? And, if it wasn't that, what else would give those symptoms?

- Jack