Advice needed on '07 5.4

[tmyarb]

Hi fellow Ford Fanatics; I have an '07 XLT 4x4 Super Cab Styleside 6.5 ft. box with the 5.4 engine. I am interested specifically in increasing my fuel economy, as the HP and Torque are adequate for my use. I've ordered a cold air intake that I will install as soon as it gets here, but I am also interested in the Gryphon tuner. Are there chips PHP can program that would give me the same fuel curves, etc? Obviously, I want to go the most economical route, but if the basic $399 Gryphon is the best option, then that is what I will do. One last question, what is the difference in buying an Edge for PHP to program, and buying the Gryphon outright?

Thanks for the enlightenment; obviously I'm in the dark on these things!

[ticopowell]

The best way to increase fuel economy is to buy a smaller vehicle... I know that isnt much of an option, FYI a cold air intake isnt going to do much, but it might help.
I would get the CAI, get a Gryphon and then get a custom tune made with economy in mind. Bill can write a tune that helps get better mileage but it is all up to your foot on how much it actually helps.
You could also save money by doing the Gott's mod and not installing the CAI. Then you wouldn't have to worry about running lean with the CAI, or needing custom tunes to fix the leanness if it occurs. Research the Gotts mod and see if you think it will work for ya, it is a lot cheaper and it does almost the same thing as most, and more than some.

[Longshot270]

1) IMO, return the intake and do the gotts mod/DWV mod. Any gains you get from the intake will never pay for it or the potential repairs it can cause.
2) I need to warn you that tuning doesn't turn your vehicle into a hypermiler beast. More fuel economy gains come from your altered driving style than the programmer. Buying a programmer JUST for better mileage is not a great idea since it is a craps shoot as to gains or losses. If I were you, I'd order a tow tune and a performance tune as use them as such. PHP hasn't made "economy" tunes in a looooooooong time. Why? People hated them. The trucks were lethargic and didn't improve mileage one bit. People had this silly idea that they could continue to drive the same and their mileage would magically go up. It doesn't work that way. Now, custom tunes are capable of helping you get better mileage. They make the truck run more efficiently by creating more power at any given RPM, load, etc. Instead of using the extra power to get up to speed faster, you have to use less pedal than you normally would.
3) A vacuum gauge will improve you mileage more than the programmer will. The gauge represents how much vacuum is behind the throttle plate. More vacuum means less air/fuel going to cylinders and better mileage. All it does it make you drive better. It doesn't do anything to the truck.
4) Your truck can only accept programming adjustments, chips ended in 2003 for most F150s.


And a final note, I'm posting my numbers as a comparison of MY results, everyone else's will vary. These are all (final odometer-start odometer)/gallons to fill the tank. I never use the electronic readout. My truck gets around 13/15 MPG unloaded with stock tuning. My custom tow tune gets on average 13.7/17 loaded with my record on multiple occasions being 18 mpg. My performance tune gets around 12/16 but that is because if I load up that tune, I'm not worried about mileage.

[tmyarb]

Thanks for the info guys! I was able to cancel the intake order before it shipped, and I installed the Gott mod yesterday.

I'm under no illusions about expected gains in MPG. I drive with an easy foot as it is (most of the time anyway); and get 13.5- 14 mpg. If I could squeeze just an extra 5% out of that, it would be 14.7 mpg and a savings of ~$200/ yr.; enough to pay for a tuner in a couple of years. If I could get 16, it is paid for in under a year and it's all gravy after that.

Thanks again for the experienced opinion. Ya'll saved me $300.

[Jackpine]

I keep saying I saw an increase in gas mileage with a programmer. My non-towing MPG average is 15.2, and I have a truck that is probably heavier than yours with the 4WD and a bed cap (that's slightly higher than the cab, so there's more air resistance too). I know there are no guarantees, but I think Bill's tunes make more efficient use of the fuel.

PHP is offering the older Gryphon for $369 now and tunes are $30 each. You can buy 1, 2 or 3 tunes, depending on your needs. If you don't tow, I'd recommend an 87 octane performance tune optimized for your driving style.

- Jack