Q And A About the Gryphon's Custom Options Menu

[Jackpine]

Because there is so much that is misunderstood in the Custom Options menu, I've tried compiling a list of the questions along with the answers. I've arranged this list in order of the frequency with which these questions seem to surface. If your question is not near the top, keep reading.

Q: I switch programs from stock to a custom tune and when I go to check my Tire Size (TS) and Gear Ratio (GR) in the Custom Options menu, I find one or both of them is always wrong! Why? I told Bill my TS and GR when I ordered my tunes, did he mess up?

A: The Custom Options menu was not written as a tool to check any value. It was written so that you could make changes to some of the parameters used in your tune. Since the Custom Options menu was designed for you to change things, it loads simple "placeholder" values into the custom tune for TS and GR and it is probable that one or both of these is incorrect. You will need to replace these placeholder values with correct values if you find that they are wrong. These placeholder values are entered for TS and GR right away, just as soon as you OPEN the Custom Options menu.


Q: But why can't the Custom Options menu load my correct values for TS and GR instead of the incorrect placeholder values?

A: It will, if you immediately scroll to "Load Previous Settings" and press [Enter] as soon as you open the Custom Options menu. This will recover and reuse all the option settings you used in your last tune. It is a quick way to get back to where you were before. From this point, you can make further changes, which are saved in a revised "previous settings" file. Please note that if this is the FIRST time you've opened the Custom Options menu, there are NO "previous settings" to reload.


Q: OK, I tried reloading my "previous settings" but now it says my TS is 2484 mm. I KNOW I entered 2481 the last time! Why is the TS different?

A: This is because the value needed by the PCM is not really Tire Circumference, but Tire Revolutions per Mile. The Gryphon converts your TS to Revs per Mile but discards any fractional result. So, even though 2481 is actually about 648.667 Revs per Mile, it stores the value 648 in the previous settings file, and plugs 648 into the PCM. When you "Reload Previous Settings", the Gryphon converts 648 back to Tire Circumference in millimeters which is about 2483.556. This is rounded to 2484 in the display. While these rounding errors are not really significant (about 0.1%), you can easily correct them if they bother you.


Q: What if I just skip the Custom Options menu when I load my custom tune. Will my TS and GR be correct then?

A: Yes, if you haven't installed different sized tires or changed your gears since your tunes were written. Bypassing the Custom Options menu causes the tune to load TS and GR values that are included in the tune. This is a way to make sure you are loading a tune exactly as Bill wrote it.


Q: I read somewhere that we should bypass the Custom Options menu the first time we load a custom tune. Is this correct?

A: Yes. The first time you do "Power Programming", it is best to skip Custom Options entirely. This allows the Gryphon to read the original calibration from the PCM and allows it to build all files it will need in the future.


Q: I have a 91 Octane Performance Tune and I've filled the tank with 91 octane gas. Is the spark advance built in or do I need to adjust it? When I look at this setting in the Custom Options menu, it simply reads "zero" (0).

A: Do not advance the spark. The necessary advance has been built in to your tune. The "zero" simply represents the "spec" value for your tune. If, however, you fill your tank with 93 octane gas and your custom tune was for 91 octane gas, you could try advancing the spark 0.5 degrees for each octane point above your tune. For 93 octane gas, you could try advancing the spark by 1.0 degrees.


Q: What do the Shift Firmness settings actually do?

A: They change the time, during shifts, between clutch release and clutch re-engagement. Positive values decrease the delay (firm the shift) and negative values increase the delay (soften the shift). A value of "zero" (0) here means the delay is at "spec" for the tune. So, if the "spec delay" between release and engagement is 450 milliseconds, a Firmness Setting of +10 would subtract 10% from the delay, making it 405 milliseconds. Custom tuning has already adjusted the delay to near optimum values, further adjustments should be minimal.


Q: I tried increasing my Wide Open Throttle (WOT) shift points, and now the shift seems to "hang" until I back off on the throttle. What's wrong?

A: Because there is a brief period when the engine is disconnected from the drive line during the shift, the RPM rapidly increases. You are probably hitting the maximum RPM limit and the shift cannot complete until you reduce the demand. To allow the transmission to complete a shift at WOT, the maximum RPM must be at least 400 RPM above any WOT shift point. While there is no "redline" RPM specified for our engines, the Torque Converter starts to "balloon" above 5400 RPM, and horsepower and torque are generally falling above 5000 RPM. Additionally, a 3-4 WOT shift puts heavy stress on the transmission, so it is best to keep that shift point below 4500.


Q: What do the Standard Shift Point and Converter Lock Point settings do?

A: They simply increase or decrease the speeds at which part throttle shifting or torque converter lock/unlock occurs. A value of +3 on a Standard Shift Point would cause the part throttle shift to be at 3 MPH above "spec" for the tune. Negative values reduce the speed. These adjustments have no effect on WOT shift points. If you see a value of "zero" (0) for any of these "part throttle" settings, it means the setting is at "spec" for the tune.


Q: Why is the Speed Limiter set at 99 MPH? Can I change it?

A: The speed limit is based on tire limits and common sense. You can raise it (for off-road racing), but unless you are using special high speed tires, you have a greatly increased risk of tire failure, with loss of control.


Q: What is WOT fuel?

A: It is simply an additional amount of fuel available to the engine at WOT. Increasing this value can give you additional power at WOT, but it should already be optimum if you are using a custom tune.


Q: Why is there an Idle RPM adjustment? What should my idle speed be?

A: The idle speed is normally set to around 600-650 in a custom tune. If you install underdrive pulleys, you might want to raise the idle speed a bit to maintain charging voltage at idle with all lights and accessories on.


Q: What happens if I "Load Previous Settings" AFTER I make several changes in the Custom Options menu?

A: You'll get a mixture of the changes you just made and any values that were not changed (or looked at) since you completed your last "Customized Options" tune. The "previous settings" file is actually updated right when you change, or look at, any of the values. This is a difficult concept, so I'll try to give an example:

Suppose in your last tune, you advanced the spark to +1.0 degree. You now start to load a new tune and want to retain that spark setting. If you immediately "Load Previous Settings, that is what will happen, and you'd see a value of +1.0 if you looked at the spark advance setting next. But, suppose instead, you first "looked at" the spark advance setting, without having loaded the "previous settings". You'd see it is "0" (zero), because that is its default value. Now, if you hit [Enter] without changing it and THEN "Load Previous Settings", you'll find the spark advance is still zero! This is because the "previous settings" file was changed as soon as you hit [Enter] to exit the spark advance option.

To avoid confusion, always "Load Previous Settings" immediately after opening the Custom Options menu. When you finish making changes and select "Done" to begin programming, any new changes you've made will be incorporated in a revised "previous settings file", which will be used the next time you "Load Previous Settings".


Q: How are the "Previous Settings" saved? Is there a set for each tune?

A: No. There is only one "Previous Settings File". It consists of all the changes that were in effect that modified the "default" or placeholder values the last time you used the "Custom Options Menu" to modify a tune. This means that:

1. If you used the Custom Options Menu to modify tunes a while back, then re-tuned your truck three times without using the Custom Options, but now decide to tune again, using Custom Options and "Reloading Previous Settings", you will get the settings from four tunes ago.

2. MOST of the "Custom Option Previous Settings could rightly be applied to EVERY tune. You would not normally change tires, gears or even WOT shift points with different tunes. But, at least ONE situation could give you a setting that is wrong: Suppose you have a custom 87 octane tune but have been filling your tank with 89 octane gas. You increase your timing by 1 degree to take advantage of the improved antiknock properties. Now suppose you fill your tank with 91 octane gas and select a 93 octane custom tune. IF you "Load Previous Settings", your spark will be over-advanced by 2 degrees (because you really need to change the timing from the saved "+1" to "-1").

So, usually, reloading previous settings for any tune makes sense. And, there is no need for different "Previous Settings" files for each tune.


Q: Do I need to return to "stock" (Level 0) before making any "custom" changes to any tune? And, someone said I should return to stock before "switching" tunes, is that correct?

A: No, to both questions. There are really only four times you need to return the tune to stock:

1. Return the PCM to stock before taking your truck to the dealer for service in case he decides to "flash" your PCM.

2. Return the PCM to stock before you connect the Gryphon to your PC to upgrade the firmware or to check for new custom tunes.

3. Return the PCM to stock if you sell your truck and keep the Gryphon, or if you sell your Gryphon to someone else.

4. Return the PCM to stock if the truck seems to be running "badly" and you want to determine if its poor operating performance seems to be "tune related". If you continue to have the same symptoms in the stock setting, you KNOW the problem is a malfunction in the truck itself, which no tune will correct.

Note: NEVER return the tune to stock prior to an emissions test.



Note to everyone - this Q & A file is based on my understanding of the Custom Options feature in the Gryphon. If anyone finds it contains errors, or if anyone is confused by it, please PM me. I will change any incorrect information and I will attempt to reword any confusing statements. If you have a question about the options that is not covered here, please ask it and I will try to include it.

- Jack